midi-lyric-analyzer

name

midi-lyric-analyzer

description

Analyzes MIDI files to extract melodic motifs, rhythmic patterns, and phrase structures for lyric writing. This skill should be used when the user wants to write lyrics that match the phrasing of an existing MIDI file, or when analyzing a song's melodic structure to understand its "lyrical shape." Triggers on requests like "analyze this MIDI for lyrics", "what's the phrasing in this song", or "help me write lyrics to match this melody."

MIDI Lyric Analyzer

Overview

This skill extracts musical motifs from MIDI files and translates them into actionable constraints for lyric writing. The goal is not to write lyrics FOR the music, but to understand the music's phrase lengths, repetition patterns, and rhythmic feel so lyrics can be crafted to match naturally.

When to Use

• Analyzing a MIDI file before writing lyrics to it
• Understanding the "lyrical shape" of an existing melody
• Determining syllable counts and stress patterns from melodic phrases
• Identifying which phrases are designed for repetition (hooks/mantras)

Workflow

Step 1: Run Analysis Scripts

Execute these scripts from the midi-analyzer sibling skill (located at ../midi-analyzer/):

# Core analyses for lyrical phrasing
python ../midi-analyzer/scripts/midi/analyze_midi_melody.py <file.mid>
python ../midi-analyzer/scripts/midi/analyze_midi_rhythm.py <file.mid>
python ../midi-analyzer/scripts/midi/analyze_midi_structure.py <file.mid>

Step 2: Interpret Motifs for Phrasing

From the melody analysis, identify the top 5 most frequent motifs and analyze each:

Motif Property	Lyrical Implication
Note count	Suggests syllable count per phrase
Occurrence count	High (10+) = designed for repetition/mantra
Contour (rising/falling/arch)	Suggests emotional direction
Note values	Short = punchy syllables; Long = sustained vowels

Contour Analysis:

• Examine the note sequence (e.g., B-A-B-G)
• Rising = building energy, questioning
• Falling = resolution, finality, gravity
• Arch (up then down) = complete thought, statement
• Repeated notes = emphasis, insistence

Step 3: Interpret Rhythm for Syllable Stress

From the rhythm analysis:

Dominant Duration	Lyrical Feel
Sixteenths dominant	Rapid-fire, staccato phrasing ("Hark how the bells")
Eighths dominant	Moderate flow, conversational
Quarters dominant	Deliberate, weighted words
Mixed with syncopation	Off-beat emphasis, jazz/hip-hop phrasing

Syncopation Score Interpretation:

• 0.0-0.3: Straight, on-beat phrasing
• 0.3-0.6: Moderate swing, some off-beat emphasis
• 0.6-1.0: Heavy syncopation, emphasize unexpected syllables

Step 4: Generate Lyrical Blueprint

Synthesize findings into an actionable blueprint:

## Lyrical Blueprint: [Song Name]

### Core Phrase Structure
- Primary motif: [X] notes = [X] syllables per phrase
- Repetition frequency: [High/Medium/Low] - [implication]
- Contour: [Rising/Falling/Arch] - [emotional suggestion]

### Rhythmic Constraints
- Tempo: [X] BPM ([feel description])
- Dominant note value: [type] = [phrasing style]
- Syncopation: [level] - [stress pattern guidance]

### Section Mapping
- Measures 1-X: [section type] - [phrase suggestions]
- Measures X-Y: [section type] - [phrase suggestions]

### Repetition Design
[If motif appears 10+ times, note that lyrics should be:]
- Memorable on first hearing
- Not fatiguing on repetition
- Consider single-word or short phrase hooks

### Sample Phrase Shapes
Based on the top motifs, lyrics should fit patterns like:
- [X]-[X]-[X]-[X] (4 syllables, stress pattern)
- [X]-[X]-[X] (3 syllables, stress pattern)

Example Interpretation

Input: Carol of the Bells MIDI analysis showing:

• Motif B-A-B-G appearing 20 times (4 notes)
• Sixteenth notes dominant (452 of them)
• 78 BPM, G minor
• Syncopation score: 0.63

Blueprint Output:

• Primary phrase: 4 syllables, falling contour (resolves down to tonic)
• Feel: Rapid, bell-like repetition - lyrics should be crisp consonants
• Repetition: Very high - this is a mantra phrase, must not tire
• Stress: Moderate syncopation - some off-beat emphasis acceptable
• Suggested shapes: "HARK how the BELLS" / "SWEET sil-ver BELLS" (4 syllables, stress on 1 and 4)

Integration with Songwriting

After generating a Lyrical Blueprint, use it as a constraint document when:

• Writing original lyrics to existing melodies
• Adapting/translating lyrics to match musical phrasing
• Creating parody or contrafactum (new words to existing tune)
• Analyzing why certain lyrics "fit" a melody well