MIDI file format

[Phlegmak]

Ok, I have a bunch of songs that are in Tandy's .SNG format. I want to make them all in MIDI file format. I just finished deciphering what I need from Tandy's format and I'm able to create MIDI files. I just want to say:

MIDI FORMAT SUCKS BALLS

It doesn't encode music. It encodes noises that can come out of an instrument. And not just any noises either. It only encodes the pitches found on the scale used by Western instruments. Something like a sitar cannot be easily encoded unless a lot of pitch modulation is used. MIDI => normal music notation is NOT straightforward, since MIDI doesn't store stuff like quarter notes on a staff.

 

[warpus]

The whole point of MIDI is that it doesn't encode music..

If you don't like the format so much - why do you want to convert these files to it?

 

[Phlegmak]

The whole point of MIDI is that it doesn't encode music..

If you don't like the format so much - why do you want to convert these files to it?

Well, what would be totally sweet is if there was a digital music maker which took musical notes and generated a sweet sounding digital song from it. The closest thing there is is MIDI. And, I want to use some kind of musical notation software to compose music again. The best software I found so far is Notation Composer, and underneath Notation Composer's own file format is MIDI. You compose your notes on a staff and Notation Composer sends MIDI commands to your sound card. The overall effect is quite good except the sound quality of the MIDI instruments could be better. So, I'm not really interested in having MIDI versions of my songs, but rather Notation Composer versions of my songs. Notation Composer can read MIDI files so I'm using MIDI as the intermediary step to have it nicely notated in Notation Composer.

 

[mdwh]

There's plenty of software that can generate software using samples rather than what's limited to the MIDI capabilities of your sound card (for free stuff, try searching for "Trackers" - e.g., MadTracker - I don't know what there is in the way of commercial software though).

This also has other advantages - e.g., you can convert the music directly into a wav/mp3/etc on disk, without having to record from the MIDI sound card.

 

[Phlegmak]

There's plenty of software that can generate software using samples rather than what's limited to the MIDI capabilities of your sound card (for free stuff, try searching for "Trackers" - e.g., MadTracker - I don't know what there is in the way of commercial software though).

This also has other advantages - e.g., you can convert the music directly into a wav/mp3/etc on disk, without having to record from the MIDI sound card.

I was not aware of this. Will investigate.

 

[Jerrymander]

MIDI is old, man.

FruityLoops.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I prefer real instruments to MIDI.

I noticed, sometimes songs converted to MIDI sound TERRIBLE. Off key.

 

[warpus]

Fruityloops is good.. but Reason is better.. although a bit more advanced.

 

[Ultraworld]

Well, what would be totally sweet is if there was a digital music maker which took musical notes and generated a sweet sounding digital song from it. The closest thing there is is MIDI. And, I want to use some kind of musical notation software to compose music again. The best software I found so far is Notation Composer, and underneath Notation Composer's own file format is MIDI. You compose your notes on a staff and Notation Composer sends MIDI commands to your sound card. The overall effect is quite good except the sound quality of the MIDI instruments could be better. So, I'm not really interested in having MIDI versions of my songs, but rather Notation Composer versions of my songs. Notation Composer can read MIDI files so I'm using MIDI as the intermediary step to have it nicely notated in Notation Composer.

sonar: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONARStudio/English/default.asp
cubase: http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/musicproduction.html
logic: browse apple site
digital performer: http://www.motu.com/products/software/dp/

about the low quality of your sounds: that is a problem of your soundcard, it is not a midi problem

 

[philippe]

midi is awesome. I got a whole bunch of FF stuff on midi and it fits perfectly.

 

[Phlegmak]

I got my program working. So I converted a bunch of my 16 year old songs to MIDI. Now, I'm trying to improve the resultant sound quality when played back. FL Studio looks the most promising so far.

 

[Zelig]

I got my program working. So I converted a bunch of my 16 year old songs to MIDI. Now, I'm trying to improve the resultant sound quality when played back. FL Studio looks the most promising so far.

For midi formats, like Ultraworld, quality is dependent on your soundcard.

Look up soundfonts.

 

[Phlegmak]

midi is awesome. I got a whole bunch of FF stuff on midi and it fits perfectly.

What is FF stuff?

 

[Trajan12]

I got my program working. So I converted a bunch of my 16 year old songs to MIDI. Now, I'm trying to improve the resultant sound quality when played back. FL Studio looks the most promising so far.

I've used Fl Studio along with some more advanced (and expensive, yikes!) software like Sonar, Cubase, and Acid. Nothing will ever replace it in my workflow. FOR the price you get EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING found in any $500 DAW. The sleek black interface is easy to look at for long sessions, the XXL Producer's edition comes with A LOT of features already built in(Synthesizers, Drum samplers, name it). It can run VST plugins, DX plugins, whatever you want it to run. Plus the Piano Roll Editor(which you'll be using to input MIDI data to record what sounds you want your samplers and generators to make) is unmatched by any software. And all this it manages to do with a low CPU footprint.

I heartily endorse that program.

And for great instrument samples(That sound real!, MIDI . .. .. .. .....) check out the DSK blog. All great sounding Instruments, Samplers, and Synths in VST format for totally free. Everything from Pianos to Electric Pianos to Organs to Drums to Brass to Bass to Strings. Just from that one source you get you're entire orchestra. Actually they're so good they have new stuff since I last visited! Fire up that FireFox downloader!