MMA - Musical MIDI Accompaniment v14.07
by Bob van der Poel
(Bob van der Poel Website)

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Operating System:
File Size: 2 MB
License:
License Conditions:

General Public License.

System Requirements:

MMA is written in Python. You'll need version 1.5 of Python for MMA to function.

Last Updated: 2014-07-21
For more detail about software : Software Description
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Software Description

"Musical MIDI Accompaniment" is an accompaniment generator -- it creates midi tracks for a soloist to perform over from a user supplied file containing chords and MMA directives.

MMA is very versatile and generates excellent tracks. It comes with an extensive user-extendable library with a variety of patterns for various popular rhythms, detailed user manuals, and several demo songs.

MMA is a command line driven program. It creates MIDI files which need a sequencer or MIDI file play program.

MMA is currently in BETA. We are looking for lots of help in debugging the program, creating songs for distribution, and new and improved library files.

There are lots of other generators like MMA. The most popular is "Band In A Box". The problem with many of these programs is that they lock you into a proprietary format, work only with limited computing platforms, or insist on a silly GUI which limits your choices. You might think that the lack of a GUI is limiting, but we've found that MMA's method gives you a great deal of flexibilty in setting volumes, patterns, etc.

The main MMA archive is really all you need. It includes:

  • mma - the executable python script,
  • modules - the various python modules needed to run MMA,
  • lib - a set of standard library files which contain MMA
    patterns for different rhythms,
  • songs - a few demo songs,

After downloading this file you need to unpack it (a directory consisting of "MMA" and the version number will be automatically created). The magical incantation:

tar xzf mma-bin*tar.gz

should work just fine. Then run the PYTHON script "install". This will create the needed system directories and install the the PYTHON modules and the standard MMA library. The script has been designed for Linux ... if you install this on a different OS, please let us know just what problems you had and what you ended up for solutions.

New in v12.10a:

  • Python 2.7 or 3.x compatible
  • Plectrum articulate
  • MIDI improvements
  • Various other minor enhancements and bug fixes

New in v12.10a:

  • Grace note option in solo notes,
  • MidiWheel command for controlling the “pitch bend” controller,
  • ChannelInit command for setting up MIDI stuff at startup,
  • MidiVolume fixed for tracks and global.

New in v12.02:

  • There are many bugfixes and general enhancements.
  • New features include the support of Polychords, improved chord voicing, note ornamentation for most tracks, and a track delay setting.
  • Note that the version numbering scheme is changed to YY.MM.

New in v12.01:

  • Polychords
  • Improved chord voicing
  • NEW: note ornamentation for most tracks
  • NEW: Delay setting
  • Many minor improvements and bug fixes.
  • Version numbering scheme changed to YY.MM.

New in v1.7:

  • Chords can now be entered in Roman Numeral notation.
  • Extensive reworking/enhancement of the Solo track commands.
  • MidiInc extended to permit the creation of Solo Riffs.
  • Enhanced the automatic groove finding so that multiple directories can be scanned.
  • -V option for an audible preview of a groove in the libraries.
  • A new utility, mma-gb.py. This is a simple GUI for viewing and previewing the groove library.

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Cool

Nice to see people still working on music production applications for good ol linux.

MMA

I downloaded the mma package onto my linux mint.
I installed it with the PYTHON script.
But I haven't got furder. How do I open the programme? How can I run it?
Thanks

This program was designed,

This program was designed, not as a full replacement for BIAB by itself as it follows the UNIX model: do one thing. Do it really well. Combine with other programs (leMMA for a GUI, notation software, midi player or sequencer, etc.) to achieve power and flexibility not found in a one stop shop like BIAB.

As for usability, anyone who can read the tutorials on the web page or the manual included in the package (usually in /usr/share/docs) will find that it is incredibly simple to use if you want to make a simple file, or complex, if you want to create your own groove files (these are like stylesheets, they provide instructions to the program)

Then it is as simple as writing a text file with the changes:

Tempo 120
Groove Tango

1 F7
2 C7
3 F7
4 etc. until finished. Shortcuts and a more detailed explanation exists in the tutorials and the manual.

Then:

mma [filename]

This produces a .mid file that you can play with your favorite sequencer or midi player.

Documentation in PDF format

Documentation in PDF format available in http://www.mellowood.ca/mma/downloads.html

MMA

Well, I have downloaded it and installed it (I think) on an Ubuntu Intrepid machine. I looked at the "man" pages - very sparse - only two cryptic pages. How is one supposed to use this program? Where are the user manuals you mention? I don't see any. How does one even start, generate a track, etc.? If this is supposed to be any kind of contender with BIAB, it's laughable.

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