WIDI Recognition System

Software for Automated Music Transcription (WAVE to MIDI, MP3 to MIDI) (version 3.22)

1. What's new
2. Introduction
3. Features
4. Description
5. WIDI for Windows
• System Requirements
• Installation
6. How does it work
7. License
8. Registration
9. Additional Info

1. What's new

Version 3.2:

• A new interface with highly versatile settings has been developed.
• A Recognition Wizard has been added which lets you get your first results just a few moments after initial start-up.
• WIDI is now able to work with stereo-recordings - to display them and also recognize channels individually and in various combinations.
• The MIDI window now lets you transpose MIDI files and to replace the musical instrument you are using with another one.
• A new version of TrueTone Editor has been created (WIDI Professional only), with the following upgrades:
  • The capacity to divide MIDI compositions into bars has been added. Bar-line arrangement may be conducted by ear, with the help of the Tapping tool, or in manual mode. You can create MIDI files with the correct bar-line arrangement, which significantly improves note readability.
  • A Multiple Selection function now exists.
  • Buffer operations are possible.
  • Redo function has been added.
  • New tools have been added to the Editor - Note Map and Track Editor, which allow you to work with tracks individually and to display tracks in different colors.
• Setup files are now supported in the Recognition Settings dialog and other dialogs. You can use different setup algorithms appropriate for different situations, and also save effective settings of your own.
• The bug with CD Audio reading is fixed.
• Now you can save up to 10 seconds of MIDI with the trial version.

Version 3.0:

• We are now releasing two new versions: WIDI Recognition System Standard and WIDI Recognition System Professional. The only difference between the two is that WIDI Recognition System Professional has an unique feature "TrueTone Editor(tm)"
• New Realtime Conversion module added (the program can detect notes played by any instrument in real-time and play it synchronously or store as MIDI command).
• New TrueTone Editor(tm) (only for the Professional version) developed. This TrueTone Editor is a unique feature, which simplifies the process of correcting possible mistakes of automatic recognition.
• The program's interface has been changed for your convenience.
• New algorithms have been added.
• Several bug fixes.
• DOS, console and OS/2 versions are not supported any more.

Version 2.7:

• New method named "Advanced Sensors" added. This method includes an auto tuning algorithm. It allows reducing the amount of non-harmonic notes greatly.
• ACM (Audio Compression Manager) support added - you can open and transcribe any type of audio file if you have installed an appropriate ACM codec. ADPCM, A-Law, u-Law and some other codecs are usually present by default. (Win GUI and Windows console)
• CD support added - you can work directly with CD-tracks by simply opening *.cda files from your CD-ROM.
• You expand CD-tracks and compressed files to temporary files, therefore, greatly improving the speed of consecutive transcribing attempts.
• You can record sound files with WIDI now. (Win GUI only)
• Fixed a bug in "Peak" method, which should significantly increase this method's quality.
• Parameter names in INI file were changed into a friendlier form.
• Now all output files are written to a current directory by console versions - to support CD grabbing in WIN32 console.

Version 2.6:

• MP3 support added! Now you can recognize MP3 files directly, without first converting them to WAV!
• Intermediate GS file support added.
• Full Windows NT & Windows 2000 support.
• Fixed minor bug with MIDI file writing.

Version 2.51:

• A bug related to FFT transform fixed, and quality of "FFT" method improved greatly. Try it !
• A bug related to 44100Hz WAVE buffering fixed. No more "Unknown Error" when recognizing such waves.

Version 2.5:

• Completely new algorithms of pitch recognition and note determination made. They are much faster and almost always give better results. Older ones are present as well.
• Ability to playback MIDI files added (Win GUI).
• Parameters to specify MIDI file output added (Win GUI).
• Help file included for Win GUI version.
• Unregistered Win GUI version does not allow saving of MIDI files.
• Shareware protection was changed. All registered users should contact us for a new key for free.
• "Output Window" disappeared (Win GUI).
• Because of problems with MIDI playback under Windows NT, unregistered Win GUI version may be useless under NT, although registered version can save MIDI files under NT as well.

Version 2.31:

• Added recognition of some non-standard wave files.

Version 2.3:

• Enabled "equalizer".
• Algorithm slightly improved.
• Added "time shift of bass notes" parameter.
• Improved interface.

Version 2.21:

• WAVE fragment selection bug fixed (wrong selection display for large WAVES).
• "minduration" INI parameter bug fixed (it was not recognized by v.2.2).

Version 2.0:

• Significantly improved the conversion quality.
• A friendlier user interface.
• A selectable number of voices.
• Selectable musical instruments for playing notes.
• A selectable record fragment for recognition.
• Memory requirements several times as low.
• Different values of the "minnotedur" parameter.
• Conversion time increased.
• Disabled "equalizer" (to be corrected soon).
• Disabled "economy memory" mode.

2. Introduction

The Program tries to convert musical piece to score, i.e. Sound source file (WAVE, MPEG, CD-tracks) to MIDI file, containing notes. Composing the necessary sophisticated algorithm is a difficult task, hence rather imperfect work of the Program.
Most of documentation regarding usage of WIDI Recognition System is contained in the help file.

3. Features

• The Program gets as input both compressed and uncompressed WAVE, MPEG Layer 1, 2 and 3 and CD tracks.
• Produces multi-track volume differentiated MIDI files.
• WIDI Professional
  • Allows easy MIDI correcting and editing with TrueTone Editor(tm).
  • Allows accurate bar positioning, either manual or with Tapping Tool
  • Produces multiply selection and Undo/Redo operations
• Uses simple harmonic model to eliminate wrong notes.
• Allows automatic fine tuning to the key of source file.
• Does not differentiate instruments in the source file, but allows you to use any instrument in the output MIDI file.
• Can produce intermediate GS files for quicker operation.
• Pitches to recognize are selectable ("equalizer").
• Many parameters to tune up the recognition process.
• The length of input source file is unlimited.

4. Description

WIDI works in two recognition modes: Offline and Realtime. In Offline mode, source file of one of supported formats is a necessary condition for using the Program. It can be recorded from microphone, or external source. WIDI can also grab files from CD, but this does not work in all hardware/software configurations. MIDI file is obtained after the corresponding parameter set up and subsequent conversion of source file.
Easy correction of recognition errors can be done with the help of TrueTone Editor(tm), which is included in WIDI Professional. MIDI file then can be played with Media Player or it can be loaded into a third-party MIDI Editor for note viewing or/and printing.
In Realtime mode, recognized MIDI notes are played simultaneously with inputting of sound. Time latency is relatively small, allowing you to control your synthesizer by voice or some other non-MIDI musical instrument.
WIDI also contains simple MIDI player and Wave Recorder.

5. WIDI for Windows

5.1. System Requirements

5.2. Installation

6. How does it work

WIDI performs music recognition in several steps.

First it produces some kind of spectra-like data; this is called the "Wave->Pitch" conversion. At the present moment, there exist three different algorithms implementing this step; each of them has its own cons and pros.

Then it multiplies that spectral data by the coefficients of "Equalizer", making some pitches louder and some quieter.

The third step is the actual notes retrieval from the spectra, it is called "Pitch->MIDI" process and there are also two algorithms doing that.

The final step is producing the MIDI file structure, and you can choose some attributes of the output MIDI file.

7. License

WIDI license is located in the file "license.txt" in the application directory.

If you purchased earlier WIDI version, please visit http://www.widisoft.com/english/upgrade.html for upgrade options.

7. Registration

• Supporting this project
• Saving long MIDI files from WIDI for Windows
• Disabling start-up message in WIDI for Windows
• Using WIDI after 14-days period
• Receiving support via e-mail

Registration of this version includes FREE registration of any successive shareware version which will be released within 6 MONTHS after registration date.
Note: This doesn't mean that your key will be applicable for the future versions, you might need to contact us via e-mail to upgrade the key.

Please visit http://www.widisoft.com/english/order.html for order options.

After registration, you receive a key, which you must enter in Help->Enter Code menu item of the Program for start-up message to disappear.

You are not allowed to give your key to anyone else, violators will be refused in the free registration of the future versions coming out within the next 6 months.

7. Additional Info

Please, inform us about bugs and your ideas on how to improve this Program. (Regardless of whether you are a registered user or not). Language corrections to the documentation are also welcome. Write to us if you want to participate in this project.