Convert Midi files to Smule Ocarina Scores version 1.1
Upload a midi file and we'll convert it to a Smule Ocarina score for you to enjoy.

MIDI file (*.mid) to upload:

Rest note (0 - 127)

Leave this field blank if you are unsure.

If you have a midi editor, this allows you to define one note of your choice as a rest note and insert that note in your midi file where you want rests e.g. you can use 127 so when we see that note in the midi sequence, we insert a rest.

Welcome

What is an ocarina?

An ocarina is an ancient wind instrument much like a flute. It usually has 4 to 12 holes and a mouth tube through which you blow. You can find more about the ocarina here.

Who is Smule?

Smule are the smart folks who created the digital ocarina. You can find them at http://ocarina.smule.com. We are not affiliated in any way to Smule.

Does this work on any mobile phone?

No, currently the Smule Ocarina application only works on the Apple iPhone.

How much does the converter cost to use?

The use of this converter is absolutely free. We're just happy to be able to help Ocarina players find more music to play. We do encourage you to share any good scores with your fellow Ocarina fans Smule.

Background

To read more about why we did this, visit TheIdeaDude

Feedback

All feedback is welcome. However we cannot guarantee we will implement all new feature requests. You can send use feedback at http://www.thegoodblogs.com/contact

Disclaimer

We do not store any of the midi files that you upload for the purpose of converting to Ocarina scores. They are discarded once the conversion is done.

We do not provide any midi files. There are plenty of midi resources on the Internet that will do so.

How it works

What the converter does

The midi standard consists of music tracks and within each track you can output notes to specific channels of a midi instrument. Sometimes a composer may use more than one track for a particular instrument, e.g. to define drum sequences. Or a solo piece may be defined in a different track even though it shares the same channel as another track.

The converter breaks down all the tracks and the channels within the track and attempts to convert them to an ocarina score. The score you are looking for is the one that contains the melody of the piece. It is easier for a human to spot the melody than for us to automatically detect it, so we try to convert all of them. Some tracks/channels may be inappropriate e.g. it is the drum sequence, the rhythm section or a bass line.

Why we discard notes?

The range of the Smule Ocarina is 18 notes (semitones). If the midi sequence has more than 18, we discard the topmost notes before we do the conversion. We show you where the notes have been omitted, so you can find a suitable substitution.

The ocarina score doesn't sound like the midi you submitted

The mapping is based on the mode/scale reference scores provided by Smule. At the time of writing, there seems to be an issue with the mixolydian/lydian mode. We hope they will clarify it soon.

Limitations

Because the Ocarina is a very simple instrument and the midi can specify many instruments and arrangements, some midi files may not convert well. Sometimes, it is possible to extract the whole melody while at other times, the next best thing is to take a portion of the output.

Our hope is with the converter, more people will be able to play more tunes without having to know how to read and transpose music.