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Overview
Mazzika allows the user to import a midi file for replay. In Mazzika,
MIDI-file replay has the following features:
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When the music is replayed, the piano keys are animated as if someone is
playing the music on the piano.
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The user can control the replay speed. The desired speed applies to both sound
and key animation. The user can change the speed at any point during the
replay.
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If the MIDI file was saved using Mazzika, the maqam changes are
already saved in the MIDI file. When the file is replayed, the maqam changes
will be shown on the piano keys.
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The MIDI file can be filtered for replay in 2 different aspects: sound and key
animation. Sound filtering selects specific channels for sound replay.
Animation filtering can filter out some channels from key animation although
their sound is still replayed.
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Filtered versions of the MIDI file can be copied into Mazzika recorder.
These filtered versions can then be saved as a new MIDI file, replayed in
different instruments, or be appended with additional recorded music.
Using the Midi-File Replay Features
The following figure shows the Midi-File Replay frame, with annotation.
Open-File Button: Use this button to select and open a MIDI
file.
Play Button: This is used to replay the MIDI file or its
filtered version.
Pause/Resume Button: This pauses replay, or resumes a paused
replay.
Stop Button: This stops the replay.
Speed Indicator: This shows the current replay speed relative
to the normal speed. For example, x2 means that the current replay speed is
twice the normal speed.
Speed Slider: The user uses this slider to change the replay
speed. The speed can be changed on the fly while replay is going on.
File Time Length: This is the time length of the MIDI file, in
a format "minutes : seconds". For example, "002:45" means that the length is 2
minutes and 45 seconds.
Replay Time Position: This indicator shows the current time
position during replay. It slows down or goes faster with the replay speed so
that at the end of the replay it becomes equal to the file time length.
Replay Slider: The replay slider shows the current replay
position. Besides, It can be used by the user to jump to another replay
position, forward or backward.
Channel-Filter Button: Use this button to select which channels
of the MIDI file are to be replayed, and from among those, which channels will
have key animation.
Note that quite often, a MIDI file has multiple channels, usually each has a
different instrument. These channels have parallel musical events. If all these
events are animated on the piano keys, the user may get overwhelmed and
confused by the many keys being pressed and released at the same time. This
would defeat the purpose of the key-animation feature. Channel filtering for
sound and key-animation provides a way for overcoming such situation.
Menu Button: Clicking this button shows a pop-up menu related
to the current MIDI file.
Midi-File Replay Menu
The Midi File Replay menu has the following items:
Load File...
This brings up an open-file dialog box for selecting and opening a MIDI file
(same as Open button).
Filter Channels...
This brings up a channel-filtering window for selecting which channels are to
be replayed, and which should have key animation (same as Channel-Filter
button).
Unload File
This unloads the current MIDI file, if any, and releases any resources
associated with it.
Copy (filtered) into Rec...
This allows the user to copy specific channels of the MIDI file into the
Recorder/Player.
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