The bytebeat expression (t * 14) & 255 will approximate a 440 Hz sawtooth wave. 3. Handling Delta Time and Sequencing
Congratulations. You have built a real-time MIDI-to-Bytebeat soft-synth.
First, we must calculate how many increments of t constitute a musical beat. If a Bytebeat piece runs at a sample rate ( SRcap S cap R midi to bytebeat
((t/32) & 1) * 255 * (t<8000) + (( (t-8000)/25) & 1) * 255 * (t>=8000)
The most efficient way to convert a MIDI file into bytebeat is to write a script (in Python or Node.js) that reads the MIDI file and compiles the note events into a compact string or array compressed inside the bytebeat formula. Step 1: Parse the MIDI File The bytebeat expression (t * 14) & 255
At first glance, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and Bytebeat seem to inhabit different universes of music creation. MIDI is a verbose, event-based protocol designed for precise control over synthesizers and samplers. Bytebeat is a minimalistic, time-based system that generates audio directly from short mathematical formulas, often written in C or JavaScript. Yet, the process of converting MIDI to Bytebeat is not only possible but offers a fascinating bridge between human-composed sequencing and raw algorithmic synthesis.
At an 8000 Hz sample rate, t >> 10 increments roughly every 0.128 seconds (an eighth note at ~117 BPM). Step-by-Step Conversion Strategies You have built a real-time MIDI-to-Bytebeat soft-synth
If you prefer not to code a compiler from scratch, several tools can assist you in your MIDI-to-bytebeat workflow:
MIDI notes are logarithmic. Note number 69 = A4 = 440Hz. To get a frequency ratio, we use: freq = 440 * 2^((note - 69)/12) .
if (!gate) return 0; // Silence if no key is pressed
Bit-shifting (using >> or << ) drastically changes the speed and scale of a Bytebeat loop. Map a physical MIDI knob to the bit-shift integer. As you turn the knob, the audio will violently shift octaves or dissolve into digital noise. Embrace the Aliasing