Midi Nonsense

[gangsu]

Can someone tell me if those numerous free midi files on the web are good for anything? I'm interested in symphonic files in particular, but not in hearing them through my on-board computer sounds. Just wondering, would they trigger the appropriate tempos and instrumentation if I had the right host program?

 

thanks in advance.

gs

[ITGITC]

Sue, it has been my experience that the MIDI files that are available on the web can be excellent. They can also be worthless. It runs the gamut.

 

If you have a sound card with decent General MIDI implementation, some files can sound quite good. I use the GM mode on my PC2X & it works well.

 

What are they good for?

 

1. Inspiration

2. You can print the charts for the parts you are interested in. I use SONAR.

3. You can use some of the parts as the basis for tunes you are working on. You may choose to start with the drum track, for instance, and add your own parts from there.

4. They can help you figure out the chord structure and bass line within tunes.

5. They can show you how BAD MIDI files can be - especially if many parts are quantized to the point of sounding mechanical and lacking soul.

6. They can show you how complex an arrangement can be and how to produce a complex production yourself.

7. You can learn an awful lot about using MIDI with these files.

 

There are lots of uses for these files, including muting the melody line and using the rest for Karaoke!

 

Good luck!

 

Tom

[gangsu]

Hey Tom! Thanks for the response. I have no experience with M.I.D.I. I'm still drilling to remember what that stands for.

 

These files I'm talking about do sound as though they are "quantized to the point of sounding mechanical and lacking soul". I'll have to try playing them through the Audigy sound card, instead of wherever they are currently defaulted. I also have Band In A Box taking up space .. I'd be happy to know it's good for something. No offense all you BIAB believers.

 

I'm not too interested in composition. The biggest use I can see for midi, for myself, would be to perhaps capture a performance on the keyboard and edit the flaws. But I just didn't understand how those music-box files could be of interest to anyone.

 

So thanks again!

Sue

[Michelle ggurl]

Musical Instrument Digital Interface.

 

Cool idears, Tom, never thought about the karaoke thing (or, more interestingly, Band in the Box type jam-along). So Sue, that's what I like Band/Box for ... you pick a style, you pick a chord progression, turn up your computer speakers (if you're using your internal sound card, which is the easiest and generally what is "default,") and just blow, as Miles said.

 

Heck, I even used Band/Box to generate the play-along CD in the music book I cowrote. Fun stuff, man.

 

Peace out,

 

gg

[JeffLearman]

MIDI generally sounds very cheesy though a built-in soundcard's synth or MS Wavetable Synth. If it's a good sequence, it'll sound incredibly better played through a real synth or a good software synth. Or even a SoundBlaster Live! card.

 

However, there's a limit. These MIDI files are generally "General Midi" or GM. GM was a great idea, to standardize MIDI enough that you could tell what the originator meant. However, they did drummers a big favor at the expense of MIDI drum sounds everywhere.

 

You see, in the GM MIDI drum map, there's only one bass drum sound. Only one snare hit (excluding side stick, usually mislabeled as rimsot). There are a couple hihat sounds, but only a few (open, closed, closing).

 

To get a MIDI drum sound that even remotely sounds like a decent drummer playing a good kit well, you need at the very least 2 snare sounds (one right stick, one left). Better yet, about 4, hitting the snare in a different spot on the head. Not counting a real rim shot, of course. Ideally, there should be about 7 snare sounds altogether (roll, sidestick, rimshot (ideally 2), and 3 or 4 different normal snare hits). Now on to hihat ...

 

This is a good thing for drummers, a bad thing for GM drum sounds.

 

OK, I'll stop ranting.

[coyote]

General MIDI was never intended to take the place of serious sequencing or real playing. However, it makes sonic verifcation of a midi file very easy - and allows one to use a midi file (along with notation software) as a way to save/transmit complete multi-staff scores.

[DennisR]

Tons of classical MIDI files.

 

http://www.classicalarchives.com/

 

You can get a few a day for free but if you join up you can get tons. Most are extremely well done and professional.

 

Convert these to notation and you can learn tons. Also play all the tracks as Piano tracks and not the indivudual instruments. Solo the tracks using a Piano patch. It gives a pretty good insight into what the writer (composer) was doing.

 

Dennis

[gangsu]

Dennis, those are precisely the files I've had my eye on.

 

I should pick up a midi cable and try playing something through the keyboard (assuming I can do that), and the BIAB program sounds interesting afterall..

 

I think I better stay off this forum lest I get too distracted, and forget everything I've learned.

 

Thanks again for sharing your expertise,

gs

[supermanrulez]

If you ever wanted to learn about midi and how things work, you can dissect the tracks and see what the different effects do to the sound when there not there or add effects to see the difference. You can learn alot about harmonizing and what types of progressions sounds good together. If these types of things interest you, Band in a Box is a great program to have.

 

Chris

[gangsu]

Hi Chris,

 

Band In A Box is also fun for the ear-training games. Name that interval, fast. It's not as easy as taking a piece and outright playing it by ear. That's pretty much the only feature I've used, so far. Pathetic, eh?

 

I am interested in the world of midi. Four months ago I thought I was simply buying a stage piano. It's turning into so much more.

 

Thanks for the response,

Sue