A python program for visualizing MIDI files, and displaying them in a spiral layout
For a hardware version using Teensy & LED displays see here: https://github.com/mechatronicsguy/SpiralMusic_Teensy
Anyone (like me) that likes music, but becomes confused by the notation.
e.g. Take this picture: Are these three different chords, or are they actually the same chord, but voiced in three different ways?
I could stare at it for a couple of minutes and still not be 100% sure.
But after seeing this I could tell immediately that they are the same:
- Simple & open source. Built around Pygame & MIDO library
- Reads ordinary MIDI files
- Different instruments show up as different colours
- Tracks program change messages in order to display which instruments are used on which channel
- You can see an entire orchestra "Cooperating" to make a chord, wtihout having to read 6 sets of sheet music simultaneously
- Makes it extremely easy to see transpositions (just rotations)
- Melodic inversion is just a mirror flip
- Notes played stay visible for a time as a 'histogram'. Key signature can be inferred from this
- Different instruments (midi channels) are different colours. Can see contributions of each instrument to the whole
All chords have very simple and recognizable shapes, regardless of key:
AbbaTakeachanceonme.mp4
Some more examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3ucHiadx2w