Convert CMF to AI

Understanding CMF and AI file formats

CMF (Creative Music File) is a file format primarily used for storing music data, often associated with older DOS games and sound cards. It contains MIDI-like instructions and instrument data for playback on compatible hardware. AI (Adobe Illustrator Artwork) is a vector graphics file format developed by Adobe, widely used for creating and editing scalable graphics, logos, and illustrations.

Why convert CMF to AI?

Converting CMF to AI is an uncommon process, as these formats serve entirely different purposes—CMF for audio and AI for vector graphics. However, if you have a visual representation of a CMF file (such as a waveform or musical score) and wish to edit or use it in Adobe Illustrator, you may want to convert it to AI format.

How to convert CMF to AI

Direct conversion from CMF to AI is not supported by any mainstream software, as they are fundamentally different. However, you can follow these steps to achieve a similar result:

1. Use a tool like OpenMPT or AdPlug to play or visualize the CMF file.
2. Capture the visual output (such as a waveform or score) using a screenshot or export feature.
3. Open the image in Adobe Illustrator and use File → Open to import the image.
4. Use the Image Trace feature in Illustrator to convert the raster image to vector paths.
5. Save the result as an AI file using File → Save As → Adobe Illustrator (*.ai).

Best software for the conversion

• OpenMPT or AdPlug (for playing and visualizing CMF files)
• Adobe Illustrator (for vectorizing and saving as AI)
• Inkscape (as a free alternative for vectorization, saving as SVG, then importing to Illustrator)

Summary

While there is no direct CMF to AI converter, you can visualize CMF data and convert the resulting image to AI format using vector graphics software. This process is best for those needing a graphical representation of music data in a scalable vector format.