Opening a MIDI FIle or Karaoke File Already on Your System

The name Composer might mistakenly lead you into thinking that this program is intended only for composing music from scratch. Actually, one of the most powerful features of Composer is that it can import MIDI and Karaoke files from the Internet, or from another music software program, and transcribe them into music notation with amazing accuracy. The central feature of Musician is that it can import MIDI and Karaoke files from the Internet, or from another music software program, and transcribe them into music notation with amazing accuracy.

A MIDI file usually has a .mid file name extension.

A Karaoke file is a special type of MIDI file, which has a lyrics staff normally intended to be displayed as text without notes. A Karaoke file usually has a .kar file name extension. Most Karaoke playing programs display only the lyrics; but Composer displays both the lyrics and the notes. Since a Karaoke is technically only a special type of MIDI file, this Composer documentation will sometimes use the terminology MIDI file  to refer to both MIDI and Karaoke file.

When Composer imports the MIDI or Karaoke file, it preserves all of the fine details of the musical performance. Even though Composer nicely rounds off notes to readable note durations, the underlying exact timings of the notes are preserved and accurately performed by Composer during playback. If Composer does not perfectly transcribe the note locations, durations, and rests, you can edit them without changing the underlying performance. However, you can also fully edit the underlying performance, including note locations, durations, rests, loudness, along with fancier details such as pitch bends.