Scores you write or download in notation software make excellent practice files, because every part is already separate and named. A few choices at export time decide whether the file opens in Orfeo ready to practise or needs cleaning first.
Two ways in
Route
How
Best when
Open the score directly
Open a MusicXML (.musicxml, .xml, .mxl), Guitar Pro or Capella file in Orfeo. It converts the score to MIDI on the fly.
You have the score file but not the program, or want the quickest route
Export MIDI yourself
In your notation program, export as MIDI (.mid) and open that file in Orfeo.
You want full control over tempo, dynamics and repeats
A converted score is saved as <name>_ORFEO_IMPORTED.mid in the Orfeo folder of your library, so the next time it opens instantly. See Supported formats.
Before you export
One instrument per staff. Each staff becomes one track in Orfeo. Avoid putting two instruments on one staff.
Name every instrument. The instrument names become the track names in Orfeo’s Tracks panel and mixer.
Keep the piano on a grand staff. Orfeo can split a piano track into Left Hand and Right Hand for you (see Split a piano track into two hands).
Write the tempo as a tempo marking, not only as text, so it exports as real tempo information. Orfeo follows every tempo change in the file.
Check the repeats. Most programs play repeats and endings out in full when exporting MIDI, which is usually what you want for practice.
Remove count-ins and click tracks from the score, or untick them later in the Playback Editor.
After opening in Orfeo
Check that each track plays a sensible instrument, and fix any that don’t under Assign Instrument in the Playback Editor.
Check the chord display. If the melody is printed inside the piano staff, the chord names can be less stable. Split the piano into two hands, then set Chord tracking to Follow the Left Hand track.
Tip
Karaoke .kar files are converted the same way. They are MIDI files with lyrics, so everything in this manual applies to them once they are open.
