h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Do we have any?

I have just uploaded a set of (mostly quite cheesy) MIDI files, written from scratch using Finale NotePad (I can't afford CakeWalk, Sibelius etc).

http://www.freewebs.com/ousgg

Any other hootooers got a collection to share?

B

I've plugged you on the Guild Page (if you'll pardon the expression), but sadly you're probably better off going to AskH2G2 with this

I'm too modest.

B

Does the real Master B know you're using his account..?

Blah.

B

I love MIDI. It is the power to make a band without having to pay anyone, even if the sounds are mostly aweful. Anyway, a good MIDI program that I've used to make some righteous techno for my ninja soundtrack (not that the music has anything to do with ninja's besides the fact that I am a ninja) is called Fruity Loops.

For rock or solo guitar, go for Guitar Pro 4. You can use guitar tab to create songs and then export them into MIDI if you want. This is particularly cool because www.mysongbook.com holds an extensive archive of songs to learn or turn into MIDI and listen to.

I'm going to college starting Sept. 19 and one of the classes I'm taking is specifically called 'MIDI music'. I hear their lab just got upgraded this summer, so I'll let you know how it is. I have little doubts that they're powered by either Sibelius or Finale, but if not, I'll give you a heads up.

Pez,
GN

Er, by the way, I don't have a website with my MIDI's, but if you get a hold of me then I'll send you some of the stuff I work on periodically. Mostly solo guitar, guitar duets, or experiments with metal harmonies, but some of it sounds pretty good (to me at least).

MSN Messenger: [email protected]

Yahoo! Messenger: ninja_doho

Hey - have you tried using it's a search engine specifically for MIDI files and is simplicity itself to use. Just type in the song you are after, and up will pop a list of all the files with that title.
happy hunting!!

fingersofglee

P.S. sorry about the non-appearance of the URL - haven't mastered that bit yet

Back when I was in high school, I used to use Cakewalk to sequence popular music and write experimental (ie. horribly atonal) music; nowadays I just use it to arrange stuff for brass quintet. I'd post my quintet version of Jesus Christ Superstar, only I'm not quite sure it would make the grade.

Ben, have you tried GVox Encore? It's a pretty nifty programme, and user-friendly (Sibelius is the most user-hostile prog I've ever used Bleargh); it's easy to learn most of the commands and controls in one sitting.

How expensive is it?

B

OK, I've seen the price, and I'll rephrase that. What is the disadvantage to using the demo product?

B

Um, save and print are disabled in the demo.

Well, that's no Earthly use.

B

Ah, back from college. Ok, in my Electronic Music class, I used Digital Performer 4.0 on brand-new Mac G4s. I have to say that the experience was most satisfying, whether I was using the Korg X5 to do real-time or step recording, or if I was using mics or guitar on a direct box.

Another fun, though often annoying program, was Band in a Box- a program that allows you to simply type in a chord progression and choose instrumentation and style... and out comes a song (complete with algorythmic solo from an artist of your choice!)

Finale was the scoring program of choice, which (after a year) I am pretty comfortable with using, but the learning curve is really frusterating at first.

Although all of my own computers have been PC's, I'm now a solid believer in the media power of the Mac. If I could afford it I'd get a Powerbook and a MOTU traveler and record an album in the rotunda of the Salem, Oregon capitol building. Cakewalk is cool... but Digital Performer just takes the cake (IMHO).

GN

If anybody cares, I have (but don't use very often) a freeware synthesizer called Psycle. Someone who knows more about using synths could probably coax some really good stuff out of it.

For MIDI I tend to stick with Finale PrintMusic which I know. Have tried setting up my kit for recording, but it doesn't seem to know that I can plug a mic in.

hey, does anyone know of an adapter I can use to plug midi cables from my piano keyboard into my computer via usb/firewire or even the microphone jack? I've got an ibook, see so I'm kinda limited as to how I can connect the keyboard. found out about this thing called a Griffin Imic, but I dunno if that's just for transfering info from a hifi/record deck/cassette deck to a computer or whether it supports midi connections, cos I know the plugs are different.
ta
Kaz.

They do exist but they're pricey.

http://www.edirol.net/products/en/UM-1/

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=usb%20midi&C=GKW&U=usb%20midi&T=B&gclid=CLDrkYrXjIYCFR9XQgod7XRnAw

I'll have a look at those links. Why do these things always have to be so expensive? its totally mad, I can't find an affordable midi package either. I only could do with one so I can have a written record of songs I've worked out on piano-otherwise I forget stuff if I don't practise (can read flippin' music, but can't write it accurately, how ing annoying is that?).

You could buy a copy of Computer Music. There's a complete studio on the cover disk (multitrack audio/sequencing program, shedloads of softsynths etc)

http://www.computermusic.co.uk/main.asp

(other computery musicy magazines are available, but this one's got loads of free stuff!

finally had a chance to look at those links. . Thanks. And one's not too pricey. thanks for the tip about the mag. I'll go check it out.