Midi-hits songs not in A440 tune

[vocalizzie]

A while back I ordered several dozen midi-hits songs in the audio CD format, because I don't have midi-equipment. About 75 % of them were out of tune. Not just the wrong key, but not at A440
( thankfully all out the same way). tuned guitar to be "in tune" with songs for performance. Have a second guitar tuned for the 25 % in tune and a third for back up. It becomes a problem when you want to use a specific guitar for the best sound on a song and it happens to be tuned for the wrong group.

Now I am changing over to MP3 and getting ready to order a lot of other songs, but worried they may be out of tune in some other way. Perhaps some other variance , heaven forbid! Does anyone know how I could correct the tuning on the ones I have on Cd or if I get new MP3s that are out of tune? I was thinking of asking Midi-hits for help, but don't think they would be receptive.

I have looked for other sources for MP3 backing, but want live mix, not just Karaoke. Any suggestions there?


Thanks!

[thingyy]

I would suggest you get them as midi files.
You can change the key and cut and paste extra verses and choruses in.
Then if you are happy with the mix etc convert to Mp3.
There are free sequencer software available on the net.
Also some of us can do it for you as we all appreciate free midis!

[JazzCat]

I agree with Thingyy. It's not a good idea to get them in MP3 format.

What ever you do, do NOT ask MIDI Hits for help! They not only will not be receptive but, they will flat out cancel your account and tell you if you don't like the way their files are, tough and to go elsewhere!

[JohnG]

Hi VocalLizzie,

And welcome.

As JazzCat has said, unfortunately MIDI hits is NOT renowned for its customer relations, far from it in fact. If you were to acquire the files you need as MIDI files I may be able to convert them for you. It depends upon the number of files, how quickly you want them converted and the quality of the files.

But assuming I have to do no editing other than putting them into tune, then I may be able to help you. I have a pretty good MIDI set up using Yamaha and Roland sound modules and could play them into audio for you, convert them to mp3 and post them to say 4shared for you to download one at a time.

You can contact me via my PM here on the MIDImart forum or at "jlgarside (at) googlemail (dot) com". You know what to do with the spaces and brackets etc.

The ball is in your court
JohnG.

[JohnG]

Hi John,

I do it deliberately that way to avoid bots reading the email address and getting on their spam list.

Could you delete my address in normal format off the last message pretty please?

When you've been using the internet for as long as I have, I was one of the early Demon subscribers in 1993, the spam has a tendency of building up and I do everything in my power to avoid it. Most people know the code and why it is posted that way.

Many thanks,
All the best m8,
JohnG.

Consider it done!

Cheers
JohnC [/i]

[weegeo]

Hi there vocalizzie great name welcome to our little mad house. As Jazzcat has said if you go back to Midi Hits they will probably delete your account, my best advice is to contact our two resident guru`s John G and they very lovely Jazzcat and if they have the time i`m sure they will resolve your problems for you once again a big welcome to you


weegeo

[oldsage]

use karafun!!! alter key to what you want!! and record to an mp3

[JohnG]

But the files are already in wav format I believe, which makes key transposition a little more difficult. Not a Karafun function I think? I think audio pitch shifting can be done in one of the programs I have. Maybe Audacity?
JohnG.

[Steptoe]

Jan 23, 2009 13:58:47 GMT JohnG said:

But the files are already in wav format I believe, which makes key transposition a little more difficult. Not a Karafun function I think? I think audio pitch shifting can be done in one of the programs I have. Maybe Audacity?
JohnG.

Older versions of Nero Wave editor also have a pitch shift capability

[mikemandaville]

A while back I ordered several dozen midi-hits songs in the audio CD format, because I don't have midi-equipment. About 75 % of them were out of tune. Not just the wrong key, but not at A440
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocalizzie, the "right key" is the key that it is most comfortable for you to sing a song in at any given time, and this will vary from song to song, and can very easily change during the course of the day. This is how the "original key" was established in the first place.

[JohnG]

Strange that we haven't heard back from vocalizzie isn't it. And I checked out Audacity and you can pitch shift audio files within it, so you "may" be able to slide those songs back into some kind of correct tuning. If you are still there you can contact me about how to do it.

Good to see you here Mike, are you going to join?
JohnG.

BTW here's a screen shot of Audacity:

[mikemandaville]

Hi, John. Yeah, I'm a member here now. I would be curious to know what kind of sequencing software you use.

[JohnG]

Hi Mike,

Welcome aboard, nice to have you "over here" which doesn't mean to say that you can't be "over there" too!

My main use software is the rather long-in-the-tooth XGworks from Yamaha. Now discontinued outside Japan. It is still the best for me as I use a lot of different Yamaha synths and it gives me all the control I need of them with built in commands.

Occasionally I also use Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 (another old one) and Record Producer MIDI (now also discontinued I am told). These two have some nice features which allow one to "humanise" MIDIs created by step sequencing. And, of course, Cakewalk has the CAL facility in it which allows one to write little bits of code to modify files in unusual ways (not that I use it much at all, but way back in the late 60s and early 70s I used to be a programmer) so I can alter files that way too.

A program that I use quite a bit is the notation software Mozart. It allows me to create sheet music and export the entered notes to MIDI. I then do a lot of tweaking in XGworks.

I have a copy of Cubase LE on my PC, which I am gradually learning, and have a copy of Anvil Studio so I can give advice to others who use that tool. I have to say that I am not that fond of either personally, I find Anvil does strange things to files from time to time and Cubase is really probably too facility rich for me. But that's just my opinion.

As for equipment (which you didn't ask about) I use an old laptop, running win 2k, most of the time. It has a USB 1 connection to a Yamaha UW500 audio/MIDI interface. Connected to that via a "to host" connector (allowing 5 x 16 channels of MIDI) is my MU1000 with 3 synth cards in it (VL, AN & DX). That has a MIDI out which allows one of the 5 channels to overflow to an MU128 with an added vocal harmoniser card. The audio from the MU128 feeds back to the MU1000 (analog) which feeds back (digital) to the UW500 which feeds back (USB digital) to the laptop, and is then recorded when a CD based backing track is needed. RazorLame software can then convert that to mp3 for demoing. Phew! Oh, and now my brand new Akai EWI (still learning) is plugged into the extra MIDI in/out on the UW500 so I can edit the on-board voices. An additional module, a Roland SC8850, is also available to plug in instead of the MU128 if I need it. And I have just acquired a Yamaha VL70m to add to the Akai EWI.

All that is pssible with a 750Mhz 256M RAM laptop. Who needs XP or Vista or multi Gigahertz CPUs and gigabytes of memory? This works just fine.

Of course there is a mixer (12 channel Mackie) and dB technologies speakers, a couple of mics (one Beta 58a, and a Studio Projects B1) and an Edirol PCM30 controller keyboard. Oh and a Denon DN-C615 CD wav/mp3 player. Much of the kit was bought 2nd hand on eBay.

That's a pretty complete picture of the set up to date.
Don't know if that is any help to you?
JohnG.

PS It would be great for us all if you could post a few paragraphs about yourself in the "Introductions" area. Then everyone can welcome you aboard.

[mikemandaville]

Hello again, John,

Thank you for your warm welcome, and for your comprehensive response, which I enjoyed reading very much. There was one part in particular which especially caught my eye, and it was this:

"I have a copy of...Anvil Studio so I can give advice to others who use that tool."

I also have a copy of Anvil Studio, and my opinion of it is the same as yours. However, I also have this:

www.notation.com/DownloadComposerTrial.php

which I can assure you is a much more substantial program than Anvil Studio is.

Is there any chance that I might be able to persuade you to download Composer for the same reason that you downloaded Anvil?

Thank you.

[JohnG]

Hi Mike,
Download in progress. I'll try to find some time to get to it this week if I can.
Looks interesting.
You will always find IMHO that a paid for product is better than a freebie.
JohnG.

[mikemandaville]

Thank you, John. I appreciate it very much.

[danwan]

According to your PC equipment you can easily change any sound file (not Midi) using software. As a mac User I sill use Peak which allows me to change the tune in several formats exactly as much or as little as I need. It may take time if you have plenty of files, so get MIDIs if you can. However if you go for other formats there is a lot of software around to give you what you need. I would complain with the company ... they should be A440