diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,4 +1,20 @@
 
+0.5.0 to 0.6.0:
+  
+  * Extended the parser and changed the syntax tree to interpret 
+    MIDI Running Status. 
+   
+  * Added a module @ZMidi.Core.Canonical@ to translate MidiFiles
+    to a canonical form where any shorthand NoteOff introduced by 
+    Running Status is expanded to regular NoteOn and NoteOff 
+    events (with Running Status set, MidiFiles can signal NoteOff 
+    events as another NoteOn with 0 channel velocity).
+  
+  * Added a hack to the pretty printer to stop printing ASCII
+    chars greater than 164 causing an error when printing to 
+    stdout.
+  
+
 0.4.0 to 0.5.0:
 
   * Changed order of @MidiVoiceEnvent@ constructors so the Ord 
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core.hs
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
 
 module ZMidi.Core
   (
-    module ZMidi.Core.Datatypes
+    module ZMidi.Core.Canonical
+  , module ZMidi.Core.Datatypes
   , module ZMidi.Core.Pretty
   , module ZMidi.Core.ReadFile
   , module ZMidi.Core.VersionNumber
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
     
   ) where
 
+import ZMidi.Core.Canonical
 import ZMidi.Core.Datatypes
 import ZMidi.Core.Pretty
 import ZMidi.Core.ReadFile
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/Canonical.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/Canonical.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/Canonical.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving #-}
+{-# OPTIONS -Wall #-}
+
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- |
+-- Module      :  ZMidi.Core.Canonical
+-- Copyright   :  (c) Stephen Tetley 2012
+-- License     :  BSD3
+--
+-- Maintainer  :  Stephen Tetley <stephen.tetley@gmail.com>
+-- Stability   :  unstable
+-- Portability :  GHC (at least generalized newtype deriving)
+--
+-- Convert a MidiFile into \"canonical\" form - i.e. expand 
+-- any use of Running Status and translate Running Status high, 
+-- NoteOn channel velocity 0 events to NoteOff events.
+--
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+module ZMidi.Core.Canonical
+  (
+
+
+    canonical    
+
+  ) where
+
+import ZMidi.Core.Datatypes
+
+-- | Convert an MidiFile into \"canonical\" form where any 
+-- abbreviation introduced by Running Status is expanded.
+--
+-- Note - even with Running Status on the syntax tree is almost 
+-- canonical (some expansion takes place in the Parser), so this
+-- translation is quite simplistic.
+--
+canonical :: MidiFile -> MidiFile
+canonical (MidiFile hdr trks) = MidiFile hdr (map transTrack trks)
+
+transTrack :: MidiTrack -> MidiTrack
+transTrack (MidiTrack msgs) = MidiTrack $ map transMsg msgs
+
+transMsg :: MidiMessage -> MidiMessage
+transMsg (dt,e) = (dt, transEvent e)
+
+transEvent :: MidiEvent -> MidiEvent
+transEvent (VoiceEvent rs e) = VoiceEvent RS_OFF (transVoiceEvent rs e)
+transEvent evt               = evt
+
+
+transVoiceEvent :: MidiRunningStatus -> MidiVoiceEvent -> MidiVoiceEvent
+transVoiceEvent RS_ON (NoteOn ch pch 0) = NoteOff ch pch 0
+transVoiceEvent _     evt               = evt
+
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/Datatypes.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/Datatypes.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/Datatypes.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/Datatypes.hs
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 -- Concrete syntax tree for MIDI files.
 --
 -- Values are sometimes not interpreted. This means that the
--- the data types do not fully represent the sematics of the 
--- data, but all the data is either stored within the data type 
+-- the data types do not fully represent the sematics of MIDI 
+-- events, but all the data is either stored within the data type 
 -- or synthesizeable. Hence, @ readFile >>= writeFile @ will 
 -- produce an identical binary \[1\]. 
 --
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@
   , MidiHeader(..)  
   , MidiTrack(..)
   , MidiFormat(..)
+  , MidiRunningStatus(..)
   , MidiMessage
   , MidiEvent(..)
 
-  , MidiDataEvent(..)
+  , MidiDataOther(..)
   , MidiVoiceEvent(..)
   , MidiSysExEvent(..)
   , MidiSysCommonEvent(..)
@@ -149,27 +150,45 @@
 type MidiMessage = (DeltaTime, MidiEvent)
 
 
--- Note, the Ord instance for pairs is very useful for rendering.
--- When we have have a NoteOn and a NoteOff on the same channel at the 
--- same time we want the NoteOff played first. An ordinary sort will 
--- give us this.
-
      
+-- | Running Status.
+--
+-- MIDI allows a compact representation of voice events where
+-- consecutive events (same event, same channel) only need to
+-- include the first event-channel byte - subsequent events 
+-- only send payload until the next event or channel change.
+--
+-- Including @MidiRunningStatus@ in the data representation is 
+-- important for ZMidi as an aim is to allow round-tripping
+-- of exisiting MIDI files. However it makes MIDI generation
+-- more complicated (there is more scope to generate bad 
+-- output) - if you are only generating MIDI it is wise to always 
+-- set @MidiRunningStatus@ to @RS_OFF@.
+-- 
+data MidiRunningStatus = RS_ON | RS_OFF
+  deriving (Enum,Eq,Ord,Show)
 
 
--- | Recognised event types - some types ('DataEvent' and 
+-- | Recognised event types - some types ('MidiEventOther' and 
 -- 'SysEx') are not interpreted.
 --
 data MidiEvent 
-    -- | Data event - just initial tag byte, 
-    -- uninterpreted
+    -- | An unrecognized event. This event is not expected in 
+    -- well formed MIDI, but the parser may insert it - if it 
+    -- encounters ill-formed data.
     --
-    = DataEvent         MidiDataEvent
+    = MidiEventOther   MidiDataOther
 
-    -- | Voice event (e.g @note-on@, @note-off@) are relayed to specific
-    -- channels.
+    -- | Voice event (e.g @note-on@, @note-off@) are relayed to 
+    -- specific channels. 
+    -- 
+    -- Note - they are tagged with Running Status, this is 
+    -- pertinent to parsing MIDI where a input stream may use 
+    -- running status to save space. If you are generating MIDI
+    -- use RunningStatus with caution and ensure that consecutive
+    -- events are all of the same sort.
     --
-    | VoiceEvent        MidiVoiceEvent
+    | VoiceEvent        MidiRunningStatus MidiVoiceEvent
 
 
     -- | SysEx - system exclusive event. Usually synthesizer 
@@ -196,14 +215,16 @@
 
   deriving (Eq,Show,Ord)
 
+
 -- | Data events are events with tags from 0x00 to 0x7F. 
 -- 
 -- Data events have no payload - they are represented only by the
 -- tag byte.  
 --
-newtype MidiDataEvent = MidiDataEvent { getTagByte :: TagByte }
+newtype MidiDataOther = MidiDataOther { getMidiDataOther :: TagByte }
   deriving (Eq,Ord,Show)
 
+
 -- | Voice events control the output of the synthesizer.
 --
 -- Note - change in v0.5.0 - the constructors have been reordered
@@ -281,6 +302,8 @@
     -- NOTE - currently value is uninterpreted.
     --
     | PitchBend           Word8 Word16
+
+
   deriving (Eq,Show,Ord)
 
 -- | \SysEx\ - system exclusive event. 
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/Internal/ParserMonad.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/Internal/ParserMonad.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/Internal/ParserMonad.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/Internal/ParserMonad.hs
@@ -17,12 +17,19 @@
 module ZMidi.Core.Internal.ParserMonad
   (
 
-    ErrMsg
+
+    RS_VoiceEvent(..)
+  , ErrMsg
   , Pos
   , ParseErr(..)
   , ParserM
   , runParser
-  
+
+  , getRunningEvent
+  , setRunningEvent
+
+  , peek
+  , dropW8
   , word8
   , int8
 
@@ -43,6 +50,7 @@
 
   ) where
 
+
 import Control.Applicative
 import Data.Bits
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as L
@@ -50,6 +58,18 @@
 import Data.Int
 import Data.Word
 
+-- | Status is either OFF of the previous VoiceEvent * Channel.
+--
+data RS_VoiceEvent = RS_STATUS_OFF
+                   | RS_NOTE_OFF    !Word8
+                   | RS_NOTE_ON     !Word8
+                   | RS_NOTE_AFT    !Word8
+                   | RS_CONTROL     !Word8
+                   | RS_PROG_CHANGE !Word8
+                   | RS_CHAN_AFT    !Word8
+                   | RS_PCH_BEND    !Word8
+  deriving (Eq,Show)                 
+
 -- | Position of the parser in the input stream.
 -- 
 -- This is exposed by the ReadFile API and may be useful for 
@@ -58,10 +78,12 @@
 type Pos = Int
 
 data ParserState = ParserState 
-       { pos       :: !Pos
-       , input     :: L.ByteString 
+       { pos                    :: !Pos
+       , running_status         :: !RS_VoiceEvent
+       , input                  :: !L.ByteString 
        }
 
+
 -- | Error message - alias for String.
 --
 type ErrMsg = String
@@ -96,24 +118,58 @@
                                 Left e -> (Left e, s')
                                 Right a -> (getParserM . k) a s'
 
+
 -- | Run the parser.
 --
 runParser :: L.ByteString -> ParserM a -> Either ParseErr a
-runParser bs mf = fst $ getParserM mf (ParserState { pos = 0, input = bs})
+runParser bs mf = 
+    fst $ getParserM mf state_zero 
+  where
+    -- seed the initial state with an unmatchable event
+    state_zero = ParserState { pos = 0
+                             , running_status = RS_STATUS_OFF
+                             , input = bs }
 
 
+-- | Get the Running Status flag and channel.
+--
+getRunningEvent :: ParserM RS_VoiceEvent
+getRunningEvent = ParserM $ \s -> (Right $ running_status s, s)
+
+-- | Set the Running Status flag and channel.
+--
+setRunningEvent :: RS_VoiceEvent -> ParserM ()
+setRunningEvent rs = ParserM $ \s -> (Right (), s { running_status = rs })
+
+
 -- | Get current Pos.
 --
 getPos :: ParserM Int
 getPos = ParserM $ \s -> (Right $ pos s, s)
 
+
+-- | Peek a Word8.
+--
+peek :: ParserM Word8
+peek = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case L.uncons bs of 
+    Nothing      -> (Left (ParseErr n "peek - no more data."), s)
+    Just (a,_)   -> (Right a, ParserState n rs bs)
+
+
+-- | Drop a Word8.
+--
+dropW8 :: ParserM ()
+dropW8 = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case L.uncons bs of 
+    Nothing      -> (Left (ParseErr n "dropW8 - no more data."), s)
+    Just (_,bs') -> (Right (), ParserState (n+1) rs bs')
+
+
 -- | Parse a Word8.
 --
 word8 :: ParserM Word8
-word8 = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n bs) -> case L.uncons bs of 
+word8 = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case L.uncons bs of 
     Nothing      -> (Left (ParseErr n "word8 - no more data."), s)
-    Just (a,bs') -> (Right a, ParserState (n+1) bs')
-
+    Just (a,bs') -> (Right a, ParserState (n+1) rs bs')
 
 
 -- | Parse an Int8.
@@ -121,26 +177,27 @@
 int8 :: ParserM Int8
 int8 = fromIntegral <$> word8
 
+
 -- | Parse a Word16 (big-endian).
 --
 word16be :: ParserM Word16
-word16be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n bs) -> case uncons2 bs of
+word16be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case uncons2 bs of
     Nothing -> (Left (ParseErr n "word16be - no more data."), s)
-    Just (a,b,bs') -> (Right $ w16be a b, ParserState (n+2) bs')
+    Just (a,b,bs') -> (Right $ w16be a b, ParserState (n+2) rs bs')
 
 -- | Parse a Word24 (big-endian).
 --
 word24be :: ParserM Word32
-word24be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n bs) -> case uncons3 bs of
+word24be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case uncons3 bs of
     Nothing -> (Left (ParseErr n "word24be - no more data."), s)
-    Just (a,b,c,bs') -> (Right $ w24be a b c, ParserState (n+3) bs')
+    Just (a,b,c,bs') -> (Right $ w24be a b c, ParserState (n+3) rs bs')
 
 -- | Parse a Word32 (big-endian).
 --
 word32be :: ParserM Word32
-word32be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n bs) -> case uncons4 bs of
+word32be = ParserM $ \s@(ParserState n rs bs) -> case uncons4 bs of
     Nothing -> (Left (ParseErr n "word32be - no more data."), s)
-    Just (a,b,c,d,bs') -> (Right $ w32be a b c d, ParserState (n+4) bs')
+    Just (a,b,c,d,bs') -> (Right $ w32be a b c d, ParserState (n+4) rs bs')
 
 -- | Parse a Char.
 --
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/Pretty.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/Pretty.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/Pretty.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/Pretty.hs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import ZMidi.Core.Datatypes
 import ZMidi.Core.Internal.SimpleFormat
 
+import Data.Char
 import Data.List
 import Data.Monoid
 import Data.Word
@@ -108,8 +109,8 @@
     dtime   = padl 6  (integral delta)
 
 ppEvent :: MidiEvent -> Doc
-ppEvent (DataEvent e)         = ppDataEvent e
-ppEvent (VoiceEvent e)        = ppVoiceEvent e
+ppEvent (MidiEventOther e)    = ppMidiDataOther e
+ppEvent (VoiceEvent rs e)     = ppVoiceEvent rs e
 ppEvent (SysExEvent e)        = ppSysExEvent e
 ppEvent (SysCommonEvent e)    = ppSysCommonEvent e
 ppEvent (SysRealTimeEvent e)  = ppSysRealTimeEvent e
@@ -119,29 +120,35 @@
 event :: String -> Doc -> Doc
 event s d = padr 18 (text s) `dashsep` d
 
-ppDataEvent :: MidiDataEvent -> Doc
-ppDataEvent (MidiDataEvent tag)     = event "data" (hex2 tag)
+ppMidiDataOther :: MidiDataOther -> Doc
+ppMidiDataOther (MidiDataOther n)     = event "midi data other" (hex2 n)
 
-ppVoiceEvent :: MidiVoiceEvent -> Doc
-ppVoiceEvent (Controller c n v)     = 
+
+-- | Voice event needs RunningStatus...
+
+ppVoiceEvent :: MidiRunningStatus -> MidiVoiceEvent -> Doc
+ppVoiceEvent _  (Controller c n v)     = 
     event "controller" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (ProgramChange c n)    = 
+ppVoiceEvent _  (ProgramChange c n)    = 
     event "program-change" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (NoteOff c n v)        =
+ppVoiceEvent _ (NoteOff c n v)        =
     event "note-off" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (NoteOn c n v)         = 
-    event "note-on" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
+ppVoiceEvent rs (NoteOn c n v)         
+    | rs == RS_ON && v == 0 = event "note-off (RS,V0)" 
+                                    (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
+    | otherwise = event "note-on" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (NoteAftertouch c n v) =
+
+ppVoiceEvent _  (NoteAftertouch c n v) =
     event "note-aftertouch" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 n `sep` hex2 v)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (ChanAftertouch c v)   = 
+ppVoiceEvent _  (ChanAftertouch c v)   = 
     event "channel-aftertouch" (hex2 c `sep` hex2 v)
 
-ppVoiceEvent (PitchBend c v)        =
+ppVoiceEvent _  (PitchBend c v)        =
     event "pitch-bend" (hex2 c `sep` hex4 v)
 
 
@@ -179,7 +186,7 @@
 
 
 ppMetaEvent :: MidiMetaEvent -> Doc
-ppMetaEvent (TextEvent ty s)          = event (textType ty) (text s)
+ppMetaEvent (TextEvent ty s)          = event (textType ty) (text $ safeString s)
 
 ppMetaEvent (SequenceNumber w)        = event "sequence-number" (hex4 w)
 
@@ -226,3 +233,16 @@
 ppScale (MAJOR)         = text "major"
 ppScale (MINOR)         = text "minor"
 ppScale (SCALE_OTHER i) = text "unrecognized scale" `sep` hex2 i
+
+
+-- | This is a temporary hack - characters above ASCII 163
+-- cause an (invalid character) error when written to stdout.
+--
+-- Make the string safe.
+--
+safeString :: String -> String
+safeString = map (f . ord) 
+  where
+    f i | i < 164   = chr i
+        | otherwise = '#'
+
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/ReadFile.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/ReadFile.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/ReadFile.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/ReadFile.hs
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
 -- (i.e all cases of event types are fully enumerated). 
 -- Malformed input (syntactically bad events, or truncated data) 
 -- will cause fatal parse errors.
+-- 
+-- Note - the parser returns a /literal/ result if the input 
+-- uses Running Status, i.e, - the answer matches the input - 
+-- where running status uses a NoteOn event with velocity 0 to 
+-- stand for a NoteOff, the parser likewise returns a Note-On. 
+-- Use the @ZMidi.Core.Canonical@ to translate the input to 
+-- canonical form where note-offs are encoded directly with 
+-- NoteOff.
 --
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -96,18 +104,16 @@
 -- can cause fatal parse errors.
 --
 event :: ParserM MidiEvent
-event = word8 >>= step
+event = peek >>= step
   where
     -- 00..7f  -- /data/
-    step n | n == 0xFF  = MetaEvent        <$> (word8 >>= metaEvent)
-           | n >= 0xF8  = SysRealTimeEvent <$> sysRealTimeEvent n
-           | n >= 0xF1  = SysCommonEvent   <$> sysCommonEvent n
-           | n == 0xF0  = SysExEvent       <$> sysExEvent
-           | n >= 0x80  = VoiceEvent       <$> voiceEvent (splitByte n)
-           | otherwise  = DataEvent        <$> dataEvent n
-
-dataEvent :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiDataEvent
-dataEvent tag = pure $ MidiDataEvent tag
+    step n 
+      | n == 0xFF  = MetaEvent         <$> (dropW8 *> (word8 >>= metaEvent))
+      | n >= 0xF8  = SysRealTimeEvent  <$> (dropW8 *> sysRealTimeEvent n)
+      | n >= 0xF1  = SysCommonEvent    <$> (dropW8 *> sysCommonEvent n)
+      | n == 0xF0  = SysExEvent        <$> (dropW8 *> sysExEvent)
+      | n >= 0x80  = VoiceEvent RS_OFF <$> (dropW8 *> voiceEvent (splitByte n))
+      | otherwise  = getRunningEvent >>= runningStatus
 
 
    
@@ -118,31 +124,74 @@
 --
 voiceEvent :: SplitByte -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
 voiceEvent (SB 0x80 ch)  = 
-    "note-off"          <??> (NoteOff ch)        <$> word8 <*> word8
+    setRunningEvent (RS_NOTE_OFF ch)    >> noteOff ch
 
 voiceEvent (SB 0x90 ch)  = 
-    "note-on"           <??> (NoteOn ch)         <$> word8 <*> word8
+    setRunningEvent (RS_NOTE_ON ch)     >> noteOn ch
 
 voiceEvent (SB 0xA0 ch)  = 
-    "note aftertouch"   <??> (NoteAftertouch ch) <$> word8 <*> word8
-    
+    setRunningEvent (RS_NOTE_AFT ch)    >> noteAftertouch ch
+
 voiceEvent (SB 0xB0 ch)  = 
-    "controller"        <??> (Controller ch)     <$> word8 <*> word8
+    setRunningEvent (RS_CONTROL ch)     >> controller ch
 
 voiceEvent (SB 0xC0 ch)  = 
-    "program change"    <??> (ProgramChange ch)  <$> word8 
+    setRunningEvent (RS_PROG_CHANGE ch) >> programChange ch
 
 voiceEvent (SB 0xD0 ch)  = 
-    "chan aftertouch"   <??> (ChanAftertouch ch) <$> word8 
+    setRunningEvent (RS_CHAN_AFT ch)    >> chanAftertouch ch
 
 voiceEvent (SB 0xE0 ch)  = 
-    "pitch bend"        <??> (PitchBend ch)      <$> word16be
+    setRunningEvent (RS_PCH_BEND ch)    >> pitchBend ch
 
 -- This is an /impossible/ match - to get here either @splitByte@ 
 -- or the pattern match of @step@ in @event@ would be wrong.
 voiceEvent (SB z   _ )  = impossibleMatch $ "voiceEvent " ++ hexStr z 
 
 
+
+noteOff :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+noteOff ch = 
+    "note-off"          <??> (NoteOff ch)        <$> word8 <*> word8
+
+noteOn :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+noteOn ch = 
+    "note-on"           <??> (NoteOn ch)         <$> word8 <*> word8
+
+noteAftertouch :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+noteAftertouch ch = 
+    "note aftertouch"   <??> (NoteAftertouch ch) <$> word8 <*> word8
+
+controller :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent    
+controller ch = 
+    "controller"        <??> (Controller ch)     <$> word8 <*> word8
+
+programChange :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+programChange ch = 
+    "program change"    <??> (ProgramChange ch)  <$> word8 
+
+chanAftertouch :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+chanAftertouch ch = 
+    "chan aftertouch"   <??> (ChanAftertouch ch) <$> word8 
+
+pitchBend :: Word8 -> ParserM MidiVoiceEvent
+pitchBend ch = 
+    "pitch bend"        <??> (PitchBend ch)      <$> word16be
+
+
+
+
+
+runningStatus :: RS_VoiceEvent -> ParserM MidiEvent
+runningStatus (RS_NOTE_OFF ch)        = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> noteOff ch
+runningStatus (RS_NOTE_ON ch)         = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> noteOn ch
+runningStatus (RS_NOTE_AFT ch)        = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> noteAftertouch ch
+runningStatus (RS_CONTROL ch)         = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> controller ch
+runningStatus (RS_PROG_CHANGE ch)     = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> programChange ch
+runningStatus (RS_CHAN_AFT ch)        = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> chanAftertouch ch
+runningStatus (RS_PCH_BEND ch)        = VoiceEvent RS_ON <$> pitchBend ch
+runningStatus (RS_STATUS_OFF)         = 
+    MidiEventOther . MidiDataOther <$> word8
 
 -- | Input is a contiguous sequence 0xF1 to 0xF7 so any match 
 -- failure indicates this parser is called with an invalid 
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/VersionNumber.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/VersionNumber.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/VersionNumber.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/VersionNumber.hs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 -- | Version number
 --
--- > (0,5,0)
+-- > (0,6,0)
 --
 zmidi_core_version :: (Int,Int,Int)
-zmidi_core_version = (0,5,0)
+zmidi_core_version = (0,6,0)
diff --git a/src/ZMidi/Core/WriteFile.hs b/src/ZMidi/Core/WriteFile.hs
--- a/src/ZMidi/Core/WriteFile.hs
+++ b/src/ZMidi/Core/WriteFile.hs
@@ -75,40 +75,46 @@
 putMessage (dt,evt) = putVarlen (fromIntegral dt) *> putEvent evt
 
 putEvent :: MidiEvent -> PutM ()
-putEvent (DataEvent e)        = putDataEvent  e
-putEvent (VoiceEvent e)       = putVoiceEvent e
+putEvent (MidiEventOther e)   = putMidiDataOther  e
+putEvent (VoiceEvent rs e)    = putVoiceEvent rs e
 putEvent (SysExEvent e)       = putSysExEvent e
 putEvent (SysCommonEvent e)   = putSysCommonEvent e
 putEvent (SysRealTimeEvent e) = putSysRealTimeEvent e
 putEvent (MetaEvent e)        = putMetaEvent  e
   
 
-putDataEvent :: MidiDataEvent -> PutM ()
-putDataEvent (MidiDataEvent tag) = putWord8 tag
-    
-putVoiceEvent :: MidiVoiceEvent -> PutM ()
-putVoiceEvent (NoteOff c n v)         = 
-    putWord8 (0x8 `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v 
+putMidiDataOther :: MidiDataOther -> PutM ()
+putMidiDataOther (MidiDataOther n) = putWord8 n
 
-putVoiceEvent (NoteOn c n v)          = 
-    putWord8 (0x9 `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v 
 
-putVoiceEvent (NoteAftertouch c n v)  = 
-    putWord8 (0xA `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v
+-- | Note - this assumes the output is properly formed where
+-- initial events are labelled with RS_OFF and subsequent events 
+-- are labelled with RS_ON only when they share the same 
+-- constructor and channel.
+-- 
+putVoiceEvent :: MidiRunningStatus -> MidiVoiceEvent -> PutM ()
+putVoiceEvent rs (NoteOff c n v)         = 
+    optTagByte rs (0x8 `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v 
 
-putVoiceEvent (Controller c n v)      = 
-    putWord8 (0xB `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v
+putVoiceEvent rs (NoteOn c n v)          = 
+    optTagByte rs (0x9 `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v 
 
-putVoiceEvent (ProgramChange c n)     = 
-    putWord8 (0xC `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n
+putVoiceEvent rs (NoteAftertouch c n v)  = 
+    optTagByte rs (0xA `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v
 
-putVoiceEvent (ChanAftertouch c v)    = 
-    putWord8 (0xD `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 v  
+putVoiceEvent rs (Controller c n v)      = 
+    optTagByte rs (0xB `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n *> putWord8 v
 
-putVoiceEvent (PitchBend c v)         = 
-    putWord8 (0xE `u4l4` c) *> putWord16be v
+putVoiceEvent rs (ProgramChange c n)     = 
+    optTagByte rs (0xC `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 n
 
+putVoiceEvent rs (ChanAftertouch c v)    = 
+    optTagByte rs (0xD `u4l4` c) *> putWord8 v  
 
+putVoiceEvent rs (PitchBend c v)         = 
+    optTagByte rs (0xE `u4l4` c) *> putWord16be v
+
+
 putSysExEvent :: MidiSysExEvent -> PutM ()
 putSysExEvent (SysEx n ws) = 
     putWord8 0xF0 *> putVarlen n *> mapM_ putWord8 ws
@@ -199,6 +205,11 @@
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Output helpers
+
+optTagByte :: MidiRunningStatus -> Word8 -> PutM ()
+optTagByte RS_OFF n = putWord8 n
+optTagByte _      _ = return ()
+
 
 prefixLen :: Word8 -> PutM () -> PutM ()
 prefixLen n out = putWord8 n *> out 
diff --git a/zmidi-core.cabal b/zmidi-core.cabal
--- a/zmidi-core.cabal
+++ b/zmidi-core.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:             zmidi-core
-version:          0.5.0
+version:          0.6.0
 license:          BSD3
 license-file:     LICENSE
 copyright:        Stephen Tetley <stephen.tetley@gmail.com>
@@ -14,9 +14,24 @@
   .
   Changelog:
   .
+  v0.5.0 to v0.6.0:
+  .
+  * Extended the parser and changed the syntax tree to interpret 
+    MIDI Running Status. 
+  . 
+  * Added a module @ZMidi.Core.Canonical@ to translate MidiFiles
+    to a canonical form where any shorthand NoteOff introduced by 
+    Running Status is expanded to regular NoteOn and NoteOff 
+    events (with Running Status set, MidiFiles can signal NoteOff 
+    events as another NoteOn with 0 channel velocity).
+  .
+  * Added a hack to the pretty printer to stop printing ASCII
+    chars greater than 164 causing an error when printing to 
+    stdout.
+  .
   v0.4.0 to v0.5.0:
   .
-  * Changed order of @MidiVoiceEnvent@ constructors so the Ord 
+  * Changed order of @MidiVoiceEvent@ constructors so the Ord 
     instance follows the order of the /tag/ in the MIDI binary
     representation.
   . 
@@ -85,6 +100,7 @@
   
   exposed-modules:
     ZMidi.Core,
+    ZMidi.Core.Canonical,
     ZMidi.Core.Datatypes,
     ZMidi.Core.Pretty,
     ZMidi.Core.ReadFile,