LilyPond Application Usage: 4.3.1 Invoking midi2ly

### 4.3.1 Invoking `midi2ly`

`midi2ly` translates a Type 1 MIDI file to a LilyPond source file.

MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for digital instruments: it specifies cabling, a serial protocol and a file format. The MIDI file format is a de facto standard format for exporting music from other programs, so this capability may come in useful when importing files from a program that has a converter for a direct format.

`midi2ly` converts tracks into Staff and channels into Voice contexts. Relative mode is used for pitches, durations are only written when necessary.

It is possible to record a MIDI file using a digital keyboard, and then convert it to ‘`.ly`’. However, human players are not rhythmically exact enough to make a MIDI to LY conversion trivial. When invoked with quantizing (`-s` and `-d` options) `midi2ly` tries to compensate for these timing errors, but is not very good at this. It is therefore not recommended to use `midi2ly` for human-generated midi files.

It is invoked from the command-line as follows,

>     midi2ly [option]… midi-file

Note that by ‘command-line’, we mean the command line of the operating system. See Converting from other formats, for more information about this.

The following options are supported by `midi2ly`.

`-a, --absolute-pitches`

  Print absolute pitches.

`-d, --duration-quant=DUR`

  Quantize note durations on DUR.

`-e, --explicit-durations`

  Print explicit durations.

`-h,--help`

  Show summary of usage.

`-k, --key=acc[:minor]`

  Set default key. acc > 0 sets number of sharps; acc < 0 sets number of flats. A minor key is indicated by `:1`.

`-o, --output=file`

  Write output to file.

`-s, --start-quant=DUR`

  Quantize note starts on DUR.

`-t, --allow-tuplet=DUR*NUM/DEN`

  Allow tuplet durations DUR*NUM/DEN.

`-v, --verbose`

  Be verbose.

`-V, --version`

  Print version number.

`-w, --warranty`

  Show warranty and copyright.

`-x, --text-lyrics`

  Treat every text as a lyric.

#### Known issues and warnings

Overlapping notes in an arpeggio will not be correctly rendered. The first note will be read and the others will be ignored. Set them all to a single duration and add phrase markings or pedal indicators.

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#### LilyPond — Usage