Pitched lyric tutorial

[ryanpanties]

You're definitely right. That is the weakness to this method.

Short answer is that I'm not really doing the two halves separately now that I'm feeling comfortable with this process, rather keeping both open side by side and basing them off of each other.

The way I've actually been doing this is as follows:

(rough draft of a build-on-the-other walkthrough)
1st Play: lyrics fix and add pitch shifts
A simple one-through of the song (i play it at X.85 speed) to correct glaring inconsistencies in the lyrics. Pause as needed. Most lyric sites only list repeated lines once, so just copy and paste appropriately. If you think you hear something differently than the lyrics you got have it written, by all means fix it! I also add in my "+" to represent pitch shift on this run through, as they are for all intents and purposes part of your lyrics from here on out. Pop your syllables apart into lines with hyphens for split words, and then proceed to play the song again.

2nd Play: vocal rhythym notes
Detailed in the part-by-part tutorial, simply add in notes of appropriate lengths in appropriate locations. I do this with my lyrics file (now easily squished into a tall skinny box due to all that enter-key-ing) open and viewable next to my charting process, scrolling through the text as I scroll through the song (i play it at X.85 speed). It should be simple to match the notes to the words by using the clap feature and arrowing down through text to the clapping. Thus we've avoided the number one problem encountered in this method of charting: the chance of skipping a syllable or pitch change on one program or the other and getting your syllables one-off from their intended locations. Feel free to copy and paste! Even if it's not a perfect match, getting a close-to-right paste may guide you to the right spots quicker. Wrap this portion up by dropping your phrase marker lines (-) into the lyrics, now that we're sure our arrow-key hits matched our claps.

3rd Play: pitch
At this point you want to be playing the song at normal speed, for obvious reasons. I'm sitting with a piano keyboard in front of me along with my computer. The white keys all have their associated midi numbers taped to them to shortcut me into the midi-speak i'll be using to identify them within my lyrics file. I usually just play the song a bit and piddle on the keyboard somewhere center-abouts. If you're having trouble finding the vocals at first, try just hitting notes on 1-counts that don't clash with the song, like a beginner bassist on keys. Even without getting into music theory in the slightest, this will very very likely get you a note every once in a while that matches the vocals as well, and then you've got a starting point. You're likely to find less keys used than you would expected at first, so one right note really is a great moment. Go ahead and throw it into your text file before its syllable and feel good about yourself. Try to round out that phrase, then move on the next... you'll really start getting a feel for the song once you have one or two full phrases correctly labeled. Now flip through the rest of the song. You'll likely find that you can go ahead and dab those pitch sequences onto other phrases within your lyrics. If nothing else, repeated lines are often (NOT ALWAYS!) a safe bet. Get on through the song... if a part has you stuck just skip it, it may make a lot more sense once you've got a simple part pitch-labelled further in.

4th Play: test play
By this point I've got pitch numbers next to all my syllables and pitch changes. I also find that by now I can about half-play the vocal part on my keyboard just listening to the song. Such is the nature of the preceeding focus, i suppose, be it trial-and-error or otherwise. I start my charting program playing the song with claps on, and play it on the keys sight-reading from the lyrics text. This sounds harder than it is, considering that i've got midi numbers taped to my keys. Keep an ear out for pitches that might be off, as well as for claps that sound without you pressing a key. Drop in your star power notations (*) and call your charting done!

If you mean that you want an error message that catches this during the merge, that's a hard call. One test play would definitely show very clearly where the problem occurred, since the lyrics would be one note off for the rest of the song. As I described above, I've been attempting to sight-read from the lyrics file and play along as a double-check, and I think it's working.... no way to tell for sure so far I suppose, but I think it's working.

The best answer I can come up with is to give a warning message pre-merge if the number of lyric lines doesn't match the number of notes. It wouldn't tell you what-and-where to fix, but it would tell you if you needed to look for it. You'd probably still want the option of combining them anyway and test-playing to see specifically WHERE your problem was, which is why i say "warning message" rather than "error message".

[BLOODPAIN]

Can somebody tell me, how to fix this?

Words are very close each other, that makes hard to read them.
Tested on all songs from RB2.
thx.

[raynebc]

It's a problem with FoFiX, I don't know if that applies to all lyric display modes or just one of them. Feel free to submit a bug report on the bug tracker.

I'm over 100 lines into the new code logic for the vocal rhythm import, it's coming together nicely (in theory).

[ryanpanties]

I'm over 100 lines into the new code logic for the vocal rhythm import, it's coming together nicely (in theory).

That's theoretically awesome.

Thank you so much for your time and effort.

[raynebc]

I'm testing out the vocal rhythm input (the new lyric input code isn't done yet), and I found that your converted Feedback MIDI has invalid running status events... Given that I have accounted for every legal event condition in the general MIDI specification, I'll have to study a bit more to determine whether handling the invalid MIDIs will cause problems interpreting legitimate MIDI files like the ones produced by EOF and those used in Rock Band.

What converter did you use for your .chart file?

[ryanpanties]

What converter did you use for your .chart file?

My apologies. Chart2Mid2Chart by Leff. Got it from scorehero shortly after RB came out. I'll explore what other options might have been developed for that conversion since if updating converters could be of any help. There very well might be another better solution for chart>mid conversion by now, i think that was just the first one to start supporting drum tracks and I was unaware of any issues until now.

Edit: linked to SH post.

Edit2: RBscorehero still recommends this combination as the best potential means of creating Rock Band songs. Ghex is the primary alternative, but that method wouldn't allow for drum tracks. I'll keep looking. Do you have any idea if this problem occurs in all songs of db origin? I'd love to be able to check for myself and try to get things giving proper results... is there a distinguishing characteristic visible to the untrained eye in anvil or some such? Or a program to try loading the midi into that will reject/accepted it as a means of checking?

Edit3: And here is a midi created in db and converted by importing/exporting through the GH2 ark using Ghex. Vocal rhythm is in the easy guitar part. This conversion method would not allow for drum charting, but at least this gives us a differently generated midi to look at.

[raynebc]

My bad. I was examining the verbose output of my converter some more and comparing in a hex editor and found that I wasn't seeking past the MIDI track headers correctly. After the fixes, I was able to convert both vocal rhythm files to UltraStar format:

#TITLE:Unknown
#ARTIST:Unknown
#MP3:
#BPM:356,04
#GAP:654
F 0 6 36 *
F 8 6 36 *
F 15 5 36 *
F 20 7 36 *
F 32 24 36 *
F 64 6 36 *
F 72 6 36 *
F 80 6 36 *
F 88 6 36 *
F 97 6 36 *
F 105 4 36 *
F 109 4 36 *
F 113 16 36 *
F 137 6 36 *
F 145 6 36 *
F 153 6 36 *
F 161 6 36 *
F 169 6 36 *
F 177 12 36 *
F 258 6 36 *
F 266 6 36 *
F 274 4 36 *
F 280 10 36 *
F 291 16 36 *
F 319 4 36 *
F 323 6 36 *
F 331 6 36 *
F 339 6 36 *
F 347 6 36 *
F 355 6 36 *
F 364 4 36 *
F 368 4 36 *
F 372 10 36 *
F 396 6 36 *
F 404 6 36 *
F 412 6 36 *
F 420 6 36 *
F 428 6 36 *
F 437 6 36 *
F 445 6 36 *
F 453 8 36 *
F 469 12 36 *
F 481 4 36 *
F 485 28 36 *
F 526 8 36 *
F 534 39 36 *
F 583 6 36 *
F 591 6 36 *
F 599 6 36 *
F 607 6 36 *
F 616 6 36 *
F 624 4 36 *
F 628 4 36 *
F 632 10 36 *
F 656 6 36 *
F 664 24 36 *
F 689 8 36 *
F 697 85 36 *
F 786 8 36 *
F 795 48 36 *
F 843 6 36 *
F 852 6 36 *
F 860 6 36 *
F 868 6 36 *
F 876 6 36 *
F 884 4 36 *
F 888 4 36 *
F 892 14 36 *
F 917 8 36 *
F 925 24 36 *
F 949 8 36 *
F 957 57 36 *
F 1014 24 36 *
F 1039 20 36 *
F 1298 6 36 *
F 1306 4 36 *
F 1310 8 36 *
F 1318 10 36 *
F 1330 28 36 *
F 1363 6 36 *
F 1371 6 36 *
F 1379 6 36 *
F 1387 6 36 *
F 1395 6 36 *
F 1403 4 36 *
F 1408 4 36 *
F 1412 6 36 *
F 1444 6 36 *
F 1452 6 36 *
F 1460 6 36 *
F 1469 6 36 *
F 1477 10 36 *
F 1493 18 36 *
F 1558 6 36 *
F 1566 4 36 *
F 1570 6 36 *
F 1578 8 36 *
F 1591 24 36 *
F 1623 6 36 *
F 1631 6 36 *
F 1639 6 36 *
F 1648 6 36 *
F 1656 6 36 *
F 1664 4 36 *
F 1668 4 36 *
F 1672 10 36 *
F 1688 6 36 *
F 1696 6 36 *
F 1705 6 36 *
F 1713 6 36 *
F 1721 6 36 *
F 1729 6 36 *
F 1737 6 36 *
F 1745 6 36 *
F 1753 6 36 *
F 1761 6 36 *
F 1769 41 36 *
F 1810 8 36 *
F 1826 8 36 *
F 1834 38 36 *
F 1883 6 36 *
F 1891 6 36 *
F 1899 6 36 *
F 1907 6 36 *
F 1915 6 36 *
F 1923 4 36 *
F 1927 4 36 *
F 1931 10 36 *
F 1956 6 36 *
F 1964 24 36 *
F 1988 8 36 *
F 1996 85 36 *
F 2085 8 36 *
F 2093 49 36 *
F 2142 6 36 *
F 2150 6 36 *
F 2158 6 36 *
F 2166 6 36 *
F 2174 6 36 *
F 2182 4 36 *
F 2186 4 36 *
F 2190 14 36 *
F 2215 8 36 *
F 2223 24 36 *
F 2247 8 36 *
F 2255 81 36 *
F 2344 8 36 *
F 2353 39 36 *
F 2401 6 36 *
F 2409 6 36 *
F 2418 6 36 *
F 2426 6 36 *
F 2434 6 36 *
F 2442 4 36 *
F 2446 4 36 *
F 2450 10 36 *
F 2475 6 36 *
F 2483 24 36 *
F 2507 8 36 *
F 2515 85 36 *
F 2605 8 36 *
F 2613 49 36 *
F 2662 6 36 *
F 2670 6 36 *
F 2678 6 36 *
F 2686 6 36 *
F 2694 6 36 *
F 2702 4 36 *
F 2706 4 36 *
F 2710 14 36 *
F 2735 8 36 *
F 2743 24 36 *
F 2767 8 36 *
F 2775 73 36 *
F 2857 6 36 *
F 2865 6 36 *
F 2874 6 36 *
F 2882 6 36 *
F 2890 34 36 *
F 2924 7 36 *
F 2933 7 36 *
F 2941 7 36 *
F 2950 7 36 *
F 2959 7 36 *
F 2967 4 36 *
F 2972 4 36 *
F 2976 9 36 *
E

#TITLE:Unknown
#ARTIST:Unknown
#MP3:
#BPM:350,80
#GAP:34458
F 0 2 36 *
F 5 5 36 *
F 10 2 36 *
F 14 5 36 *
F 19 5 36 *
F 75 7 36 *
F 82 7 36 *
F 94 5 36 *
F 99 12 36 *
F 152 5 36 *
F 160 7 36 *
F 169 2 36 *
F 174 5 36 *
F 179 17 36 *
F 229 5 36 *
F 236 2 36 *
F 241 2 36 *
F 246 5 36 *
F 251 9 36 *
F 262 9 36 *
F 274 7 36 *
F 284 36 36 *
F 332 2 36 *
F 337 2 36 *
F 342 5 36 *
F 347 7 36 *
F 356 2 36 *
F 361 34 36 *
F 415 2 36 *
F 419 2 36 *
F 424 5 36 *
F 429 2 36 *
F 434 2 36 *
F 439 36 36 *
F 491 2 36 *
F 496 7 36 *
F 505 2 36 *
F 510 2 36 *
F 515 12 36 *
F 529 2 36 *
F 534 7 36 *
F 543 2 36 *
F 548 2 36 *
F 553 9 36 *
F 562 19 36 *
F 596 36 36 *
F 638 7 36 *
F 648 7 36 *
F 657 7 36 *
F 667 2 36 *
F 671 31 36 *
F 714 7 36 *
F 724 7 36 *
F 733 7 36 *
F 743 2 36 *
F 747 5 36 *
F 752 7 36 *
F 761 12 36 *
F 776 7 36 *
F 790 16 36 *
F 818 2 36 *
F 823 4 36 *
F 827 7 36 *
F 837 12 36 *
F 851 12 36 *
F 865 40 36 *
F 916 2 36 *
F 921 5 36 *
F 930 5 36 *
F 990 7 36 *
F 1000 2 36 *
F 1004 9 36 *
F 1014 21 36 *
F 1065 2 36 *
F 1069 2 36 *
F 1074 2 36 *
F 1079 9 36 *
F 1088 9 36 *
F 1102 7 36 *
F 1111 2 36 *
F 1116 9 36 *
F 1125 9 36 *
F 1167 4 36 *
F 1171 7 36 *
F 1181 7 36 *
F 1190 16 36 *
F 1241 2 36 *
F 1246 9 36 *
F 1255 9 36 *
F 1264 5 36 *
F 1269 21 36 *
F 1324 5 36 *
F 1329 9 36 *
F 1338 16 36 *
F 1357 2 36 *
F 1362 4 36 *
F 1366 7 36 *
F 1375 7 36 *
F 1385 16 36 *
F 1431 3 36 *
F 1436 3 36 *
F 1441 2 36 *
F 1450 3 36 *
F 1459 5 36 *
F 1464 50 36 *
F 1535 2 36 *
F 1540 2 36 *
F 1545 4 36 *
F 1549 7 36 *
F 1559 2 36 *
F 1564 31 36 *
F 1617 2 36 *
F 1621 2 36 *
F 1626 5 36 *
F 1631 2 36 *
F 1636 2 36 *
F 1641 35 36 *
F 1690 5 36 *
F 1697 7 36 *
F 1706 2 36 *
F 1711 2 36 *
F 1716 12 36 *
F 1730 2 36 *
F 1734 7 36 *
F 1744 2 36 *
F 1748 2 36 *
F 1753 7 36 *
F 1762 21 36 *
F 1792 32 36 *
F 1836 7 36 *
F 1846 7 36 *
F 1855 7 36 *
F 1864 2 36 *
F 1869 36 36 *
F 1912 7 36 *
F 1921 7 36 *
F 1931 7 36 *
F 1941 2 36 *
F 1945 5 36 *
F 1950 7 36 *
F 1960 10 36 *
F 1972 12 36 *
F 1988 12 36 *
F 2012 2 36 *
F 2016 2 36 *
F 2021 5 36 *
F 2026 7 36 *
F 2035 12 36 *
F 2049 12 36 *
F 2064 16 36 *
F 2092 4 36 *
F 2096 5 36 *
F 2101 2 36 *
F 2106 14 36 *
F 2144 5 36 *
F 2151 5 36 *
F 2159 4 36 *
F 2163 14 36 *
F 2202 5 36 *
F 2209 5 36 *
F 2216 5 36 *
F 2221 14 36 *
F 2259 5 36 *
F 2266 5 36 *
F 2274 4 36 *
F 2278 14 36 *
F 2317 5 36 *
F 2324 5 36 *
F 2331 5 36 *
F 2339 12 36 *
F 2375 5 36 *
F 2382 5 36 *
F 2389 5 36 *
F 2396 12 36 *
F 2432 5 36 *
F 2437 7 36 *
F 2447 5 36 *
F 2452 14 36 *
F 2490 4 36 *
F 2494 7 36 *
F 2504 2 36 *
F 2508 12 36 *
F 2546 5 36 *
F 2551 7 36 *
F 2561 2 36 *
F 2565 12 36 *
F 2601 7 36 *
F 2608 5 36 *
F 2615 5 36 *
F 2622 12 36 *
F 2657 7 36 *
F 2664 9 36 *
F 2673 5 36 *
F 2678 14 36 *
F 2715 5 36 *
F 2720 9 36 *
F 2729 5 36 *
F 2734 14 36 *
F 2771 5 36 *
F 2776 9 36 *
F 2785 5 36 *
F 2790 14 36 *
F 2827 4 36 *
F 2831 9 36 *
F 2841 4 36 *
F 2845 14 36 *
F 3494 2 36 *
F 3498 2 36 *
F 3503 5 36 *
F 3508 7 36 *
F 3517 2 36 *
F 3522 33 36 *
F 3575 2 36 *
F 3580 2 36 *
F 3584 5 36 *
F 3589 2 36 *
F 3594 2 36 *
F 3599 38 36 *
F 3651 4 36 *
F 3655 7 36 *
F 3665 2 36 *
F 3669 2 36 *
F 3674 11 36 *
F 3688 2 36 *
F 3692 7 36 *
F 3701 2 36 *
F 3706 2 36 *
F 3710 9 36 *
F 3719 20 36 *
F 3748 37 36 *
F 3792 7 36 *
F 3801 7 36 *
F 3811 7 36 *
F 3820 2 36 *
F 3825 36 36 *
F 3868 7 36 *
F 3877 7 36 *
F 3887 7 36 *
F 3896 2 36 *
F 3901 2 36 *
F 3906 2 36 *
F 3915 12 36 *
F 3930 9 36 *
F 3942 21 36 *
F 3968 2 36 *
F 3972 2 36 *
F 3977 5 36 *
F 3982 7 36 *
F 3991 12 36 *
F 4005 9 36 *
F 4017 23 36 *
F 4047 2 36 *
F 4052 2 36 *
F 4057 7 36 *
F 4066 12 36 *
F 4080 16 36 *
E

The Sound of Settling's timing looks good in VividLyrics Editor, so I think the logic is working. Next up is the pitched lyric import, which will probably be a large amount of copy/paste from the UltraStar import code.

[ryanpanties]

I'm relieved to hear that the midi's are usable.

I should have properly renamed that second midi "Monkey Knife Fight", was focusing on other things at the time. I've got about 60% of the pitches input for that song, and everything else on it done. Will wrap it up soon and post the midi that included drums and the rest of the files to go with it so you've got them for testing purposes.

Edit: Completed files for that other test song here.

[raynebc]

I think you'll be happy about the results of my latest test build:


I don't want to get into too many specifics in this thread, as it's not the FoFLyricConverter thread, but I'll try to get a new release out shortly.