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ABC conversion with Apple computer


Gerard

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For years I've used the Tune-0-Tron in my Dell PC with a program called MidiNotate. It was easy to use, you could visualize the score as it sounded, and easily change keys among other features. It was helpful for me in learning new tunes and in adapting tunes to the concertina. The Dell PC died, got an Apple Macbook, can not use MidiNotate with the Apple operating system......well I can if I put Windows on the Apple but I am not keen on that option. What are those of you with Apple operating systems using with the Tune-O-Tron (or perhaps something else) for ABC conversions where you are able to hear and see the notes simultaneously?

 

Thanks for any and all help.

 

Gerry

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EasyABC is very good, and I think will do everything you are talking about. And, it is free, so you can try it and see if it meets your needs. It will read midi files (within reason) and turn them into notation as well as dealing with ABC.

Edited by cboody
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I have been using BarFly on the Mac since the mid 1990s and I love it. Unfortunately it will not work on the latest Mac OS's (Lion OSX 10.7 or Mountain Lion OSX 10.8) because it relies on a translating program called "Rosetta" that is incompatible with OSX 10.7 or 8. A year ago I wrote to Phil Taylor (author of BarFly) about the dilemma, and here is his response:

 

If you want to keep using BarFly there are several possibilities:

 

Keep an older system version on a disk partition or external drive.

 

Run Snow Leopard [OSX 10.6.8] in a virtual machine (can be done apparently, but it's a hack, contravenes Apple's user licence and needs considerable technical savvy to get it working).

 

Run OS 9 under Sheepshaver and use the Classic version.

 

Personally I'm hoping that someone will hack Rosetta to work on Lion.

 

Otherwise, take a look at Easyabc or Skink, both of which are quite capable programs.

 

Cheers

 

Phil Taylor

 

My solution, so far, has been to resist upgrading from OSX 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). If your new MacBook is actually a used one and is running an older OSX, I'd highly recommend giving BarFly a look. Otherwise, as Phil suggests, perhaps Easyabc or Skink, but I have no familiarity with them.

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I was able to get EasyABC running but seem unable to save the page to the document or music folder. Am attempting to create folders where I can easily access multiple jigs in midi versions in one folder and then another folder of polka midis, etc., etc. Can this be done with EasyABC? Or with any other abc converter to midi?

 

As mentioned Barfly and the newer macs don't like each other. Will try Skink later today.

 

Thanks for the suggestions,

 

Gerry

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I was able to get EasyABC running but seem unable to save the page to the document or music folder. Am attempting to create folders where I can easily access multiple jigs in midi versions in one folder and then another folder of polka midis, etc., etc. Can this be done with EasyABC? Or with any other abc converter to midi?

 

As mentioned Barfly and the newer macs don't like each other. Will try Skink later today.

 

Thanks for the suggestions,

 

Gerry

 

Saving files should not be an issue. Drop me a note off list and tell me what happens and I'll try and help. EasyABC will save the file to the folder from which it was loaded unless you do a "Save As..." That will give you the option to choose the location in a standard Mac save window.

 

As to easy access of many abc files of one genera (say polkas for instance), rather than keeping each file separate collect all the polkas into a single file and save it and away you go. This has the advantage of allowing you to sort the tunes in a single file alphabetically (or in other ways), renumber the collection's X: field, and do many other useful things. It also means you'll have a handful of abc files rather than hundreds.

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