README

* Polyphony the cheap (and a bit lengthy) way *

This Python script converts a midi file containing a polyphonic track into a multitrack one (one voice per track).
This can be useful if you need to render polyphony with an outboard mono synth.

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Installation:

- get python if not already present (try "python" at command line) 
http://www.python.org/download/
I used python 2.7, chances are it may work with others, likely not 3.X though.

- get this mighty library from pichenettes' git 
https://raw.github.com/pichenettes/avril-firmware_tools/master/midi/midifile.py
(save as midifile.py)

- get the converter script  
https://raw.github.com/zblack/p2m/master/p2m.py
(save as p2m.py)

put the two saved files in a proper folder where you plan to do conversions.

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Usage: python p2m.py -i inputfilename -s splitnote

Example: python p2m.py -i somefilename.mid -s C#4

it will create a new file called somefilename_multi.mid
splitnote: format noteletter+octave number, if specified, notes belonging to separated split zones
will be allocated into separated track groups ("A","B").

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Tipical workflow:

- MIDI export the track you want to convert from your DAW software in the conversion folder
- execute the script
- reimport the new "multi" midi file into the DAW software, if asked to merge tracks say no because it will make this procedure perfectly useless.
- create as many mono audio tracks as the midi tracks you just imported.
- one track at a time render the midi using the outboard gear (solo and play one midi track while recording to a soloed audio track at a time).
- when using split parameter, tracks of A group might be rendered with a different instrument than B.
- optional: route the audio tracks generated to a submix fader using some panning to give spatiality.

Not thoroughly tested.