This set of examples illustrates how to create standard MIDI files with binasc, using the -c option:
binasc input.txt -c output.midYou can copy and paste or download each example from a.txtlink at the top of the example code. The.midlink contains the MIDI file result after compiling the text file with binasc.
Examples on this page:
- Example 1: Lowest level representation using only hex bytes.
- Example 2: Slightly higher-level representation with full commentary.
- Example 3: Demonstration of how to use the VLV 'v' prefix for event delta times.
Here are the hex bytes for a simple melody in a standard MIDI file:
[twinkle-1.txt] [twinkle-1.mid]
4d 54 68 64 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 01 00 80 4d 54 72 6b 00 00 00 8c 00 ff 58
04 04 02 30 08 00 ff 59 02 00 00 00 90 3c 28 81 00 90 3c 00 00 90 3c 1e 81
00 90 3c 00 00 90 43 2d 81 00 90 43 00 00 90 43 32 81 00 90 43 00 00 90 45
2d 81 00 90 45 00 00 90 45 32 81 00 90 45 00 00 90 43 23 82 00 90 43 00 00
90 41 32 81 00 90 41 00 00 90 41 2d 81 00 90 41 00 00 90 40 32 40 90 40 00
40 90 40 28 40 90 40 00 40 90 3e 2d 40 90 3e 00 40 90 3e 32 40 90 3e 00 40
90 3c 1e 82 00 90 3c 00 00 ff 2f 00
Here is a more human-readable form which will be complied into the same content as the above example:
[twinkle-2.txt] [twinkle-2.mid]
;;
;; This file is in the binasc representation so that
;; it can be compiled into a binary standard MIDI file
;; with the following command:
;;
;; binasc filename -c twinkle.mid
;;
;; where filename is the name of this file.
;;
;; Hexadecimal numbers are plain two-digit numbers.
;; Decimal numbers start with a quote (').
;; The byte size of decimal number can be specified with a size
;; that comes before the quote of a decimal number.
;; Characters start with a plus sign (+).
;;
;; -- Craig Stuart Sapp <craig@ccrma.stanford.edu>
;; Wed Jan 13 21:00:05 PST 1999
;;
;;
; Standard Midi File Header Chunk
+M +T +h +d ; the Chunk ID
4'6 ; the data size of the header chunk data (next three fields)
; header data:
2'0 ; the format
2'1 ; the number of track chunks that follow
2'128 ; ticks per quarter-note
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; The track Chunk
+M +T +r +k ; the Chunk ID
4'140 ; the data size of the header chunk data
; (144 bytes to follow)
; track data:
0 ; a delta time
ff 58 04 ; start of time signature meta event 4 more bytes expected
04 02 ; the key signature 4/4 (4 / 2^2)
'48 ; 48 clock ticks per quarter note
8 ; 8 32nd notes per quarter note
0
ff 59 02 ; key signature meta event
0 ; no sharps or flats
0 ; major key (therefore C major)
; play some notes:
0 ;
90 '60 '40 ; C4 note-on (quarter note)
81 0 ; delta time (128 ticks) given as a VLV
90 '60 0 ; C4 note-off
0 ;
90 '60 '30 ; C4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '60 0 ; C4 note-off
0
90 '67 '45 ; G4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '67 0 ; G4 note-off
0
90 '67 '50 ; G4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '67 0 ; G4 note-off
0
90 '69 '45 ; A4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '69 0 ; A4 note-off
0
90 '69 '50 ; A4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '69 0 ; A4 note-off
0
90 '67 '35 ; G4 note-on
82 0 ; delta time (256 ticks) given as a VLV
90 '67 0 ; G4 note-off
0
90 '65 '50 ; F4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '65 0 ; F4 note-off
0
90 '65 '45 ; F4 note-on
81 0 ;
90 '65 0 ; F4 note-off
0
90 '64 '50 ; E4 note-on
40 ; delta time (64 ticks) given as a VLV
90 '64 0 ; E4 note-off
40
90 '64 '40 ; E4 note-on
40
90 '64 0 ; E4 note-off
40
90 '62 '45 ; D4 note-on
40
90 '62 0 ; D4 note-off
40
90 '62 '50 ; D4 note-on
40
90 '62 0 ; D4 note-off
40
90 '60 '30 ; C4 note-on
82 0 ;
90 '60 0 ; C4 note-off
0
ff 2f 00 ; end-of-track meta event (NOT optional)
Here is an example which yields the same compiled output, but utilizes VLV codes so that the delta times can be displayed meaningfully in decimal format:
[twinkle-3.txt] [twinkle-3.mid]
; Standard Midi File Header Chunk
+M +T +h +d ; the Chunk ID
4'6 ; the data size of the header chunk data (next three fields)
; header parameters
2'0 ; the format
2'1 ; the number of track chunks that follow
2'128 ; ticks per quarter-note
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;
; Track Chunk
;
+M +T +r +k ; the Chunk ID
4'140 ; the data size of the header chunk data
; (144 bytes to follow)
; track data:
0 ; a delta time
ff 58 04 ; start of time signature meta event 4 more bytes expected
04 02 ; the key signature 4/4 (4 / 2^2)
'48 ; 48 clock ticks per quarter note
8 ; 8 32nd notes per quarter note
0
ff 59 02 ; key signature meta event
0 ; no sharps or flats
0 ; major key (therefore C major)
; play some notes:
0 ;
90 '60 '40 ; C4 note-on (quarter note)
81 0 ; delta time (128 ticks) given as a VLV
90 '60 0 ; C4 note-off
; variable-length values for delta times below represented in
; decimal format by prefixing with "v"
v0 90 '60 '30 v128 90 '60 0 ; C4 note on/off
v0 90 '67 '45 v128 90 '67 0 ; G4 note on/off
v0 90 '67 '50 v128 90 '67 0 ; G4 note on/off
v0 90 '69 '45 v128 90 '69 0 ; A4 note on/off
v0 90 '69 '50 v128 90 '69 0 ; A4 note on/off
v0 90 '67 '35 v256 90 '67 0 ; G4 note on/off
v0 90 '65 '50 v128 90 '65 0 ; F4 note on/off
v0 90 '65 '45 v128 90 '65 0 ; F4 note on/off
v0 90 '64 '50 v64 90 '64 0 ; E4 note on/off
v64 90 '64 '40 v64 90 '64 0 ; E4 note on/off
v64 90 '62 '45 v64 90 '62 0 ; D4 note on/off
v64 90 '62 '50 v64 90 '62 0 ; D4 note on/off
v64 90 '60 '30 v256 90 '60 0 ; C4 note on/off
v0 ff 2f 00 ; end-of-track meta event (NOT optional)