I was also looking for a way to import lyrics and found your article, which I was happy about, but I can’t import lyrics even with midi files from Siberius. What’s the reason?
Midi files can contain lyrics, and if they are coded correctly in the MIDI file they will import into Synthesizer V. Since starting to work with Synthesizer V I have tried to get as many different programs that work with MIDI to be compatible with MIDI lyrics that work with it. Sibelius (for me) has always sent and/or received lyrics to and from Synthesizer V. If this is not working for you, perhaps it has something to do with your use of the MIDI export function, or the version of Sibelius, or perhaps how you are inputting lyrics into Sibelius, but I cannot tell you why since it works for me using Ultimate version and the normal MIDI export. About a year ago Studio One added lyrics to its MIDI output, and I can confirm that if you want to edit complex Synthesizer V choral files in a DAW, you can export MIDI lyrics out of Synthesizer V into Studio One and work on them and export back and Synthesizer V receives lyrics correctly. PG Music’s Band-in-a-Box has an excellent automatic harmony function to write multiple voice parts which works extremely well with Synthesizer V, and not too long ago I wrote on their forum that their program did not export MIDI lyrics (because they were encoded as text instead of lyrics) and in less than a week they issued an update and fixed the problem. For some reason, apparently due to the architecture, Dorico has been unable to embed lyrics in its MIDI files as other programs have, but they say it is coming in a future update. (But please let me know if this has been corrected!)
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As someone who has also been using Synthesizer V more frequently recently, I would also appreciate the ability to export Dorico files as MIDI with lyrics when that can be incorporated.
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FYI, the upcoming MuseScore 4.4.0 RC seems to have added lyrics to the midi export (although I ran into an issue with repeats not being taken into account which I hope they will fix before the final release)
I still prefer Dorico for the workflow of correcting any MusicXML from Playscore2, but at least this will add another possible “workaround” for getting midi with lyrics into vocal synthesizers (like Synthesizer V).
I can think of five (or maybe ten) programs that now export lyrics inside a MIDI file (both notation and DAWs) so it is strange that Dorico cannot achieve this. I work with clients using all kinds of programs, often rendering scores into Synthesizer V tracks, and I have found that the easiest way to get a Dorico file into Synthesizer V is this: 1) DO NOT bother to convert the file to Music XML or to Musescore, etc. - this is an unnecessary step. 2) Simply export the MIDI file into Synthesizer V, and also export the lyrics separately using Dorico’s excellent lyric export function. This creates a separate lyric text file, and if different parts have different lyrics it will create one for each part. 3) in Synthesizer V select a part and Select>All then hit CTRL>L and paste the entire text from the Dorico export and in just two clicks you have all the lyrics in exactly the right place. You can do this for multiple parts if they are different but it only takes a few seconds. In fact, it is so easy that I wonder why this procedure cannot be automated by Dorico itself, since they clearly have the ability (with Lyric-Export) to isolate and export lyrics, so why not a utility to imbed these into the MIDI file.
In any case, you still need to reformat the spelling of words with multiple syllables to the way Synthesizer V needs them, and I have found it is easier to do this by first editing the text file from Dorico. I can explain exactly how to do this if anyone asks how on this forum.
Interesting, I never used lyric export from Dorico before, I will use that next time and have a look at what I will run into. Thanks for this tip!
If there is a specific consistency/rule on the manual correction of the lyrics, it might be scriptable (I have already an adapted script for a previous lyric workflow attempt at SynthV-Examples/Scripts/PasteDoricoLyrics.js at main · japj/SynthV-Examples · GitHub)
Not much to add, other than I, too, would like lyrics to be included in MIDI export.
Really, what I want is for Steinberg to add lyrics to the VSTi spec and incorporate a singing synthesizer directly into Dorico’s playback! Such a feature would be a total game-changer for choral composers.
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cantai.app is working with Steinberg to create a VST/AU plugin for synthesized rendering of choral and solo voices from lyrics. Currently, a beta of the web renderer is available for testing. I snagged the lifetime license at 50% off. This looks very promising. It currently renders voice from a MIDI file with attached lyrics. Eventually, it will be able to render using a MusicXML file.
The coming Cantai will change the game.
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And, eventually, no MusicXML will be needed. Cantai will work directly inside Dorico like NotePerformer. Fully score-driven, no exporting and importing needed.
Cantai and Synthesizer V are two different kinds of programs, with different purposes. They both produce sung vocals with words, but that is where the similarity ends. Cantai is useful for composers wanting to hear their vocal scores with words, instead of an instrument playing the melody. Synthesizer V, on the other hand, is a more complex and expensive tool for creating finished recording quality lead vocals that are realistic and can be used on record releases without people even realizing they were created by computer. While the quality of Cantai is not bad for what it is, few people would want to use it on a final recording. It is great to hear your score with words singing, and great for showing to clients and others, or for choirs or conductors to get a better idea of the music. Synthesizer V costs a whole lot more, and does a whole lot more, but much slower and complex to use, and if you are mainly looking for a composing tool it is wiser to use Cantai. You don’t need a 747 jet to go down to the corner grocery shop. So Cantai is a composing tool, and Synthesizer V is a production tool. Both are great for different purposes. Cantai is currently compatible with Dorico, but Synthesizer V is not, which is what is discussed in this thread.
While impressive in its own right, I’m not sure Synth V is as capable as you suggest.
I hope developers can get the funding needed to bring Cantai to fruition.
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I am trying the cantai.app beta at the moment (I bought the lifetime license a couple of months ago) One thing that I can anticipate I will want with the future Dorico implementation is a feature where I can edit lyrics phonetically without changing the display/printed lyrics. Something like the dual purpose editing functions in the key editor where I can edit for playback (like shortening notes) without changing the notation.
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Round trip through musescore to the cantai web renderer is working pretty well, and I can make phonetic adjustments to improve pronunciation that way. But the dream is the vst that renders inside of Dorico as I go. It is close.
I have wondered about this. I used to subscribe to cantamus (I think cantai may use the same base renderer technology?) and I often had issues with random words sounding wrong. I’d then have to change something, re-export and render, etc. A hidden phoenetic override would be brilliant for these types of fixes.
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How do you try the beta? I bought the lifetime licence, and would love to have the current state.
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Contact Richard through the Cantai discord. He’ll get you set up.
Tim
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Can anyone steer me towards help with exporting MIDI files that contain lyrics (or otherwise entering them in)? My searching has not turned up anything. (Trying out the Cantai beta.)
I have had success exporting musicxml, opening that in musescore, and then exporting midi to upload to the web renderer.