changing key of files

[funnygubber]

HI I download the midi backing files and think most are great and very useable. I download onto my laptop and connect to pa desk, though I can only use the songs that are in my key. when I play with my keyboard player we can change the key via keyboard software, but i cant do this on laptop for when playing on my own. Any suggestions?

[Emerald Midi]

Hi funnygrubber and welcome to the forum.

A simple solution is to use something freely available like vanbasco ( www.vanbasco.com/ ) which will allow you to change key, tempo and even remove any instrument while you are playing that file.

Another option ( also free ) is one of my own personal favourites and that is Jazz Sequencer. which allows you to permanently alter midi files.

Hope this helps.

[Steptoe]

Careful you don't alter the key on the drum channel or that will change the actual drums!

[ironbaden]

steptoe said:

Careful you don't alter the key on the drum channel or that will change the actual drums!

excellent point.... I use cake walk and there is a transpose feature. I select all then unselect the Drum track and transpose the rest ;D

[Emerald Midi]

ironbaden said:

steptoe said:

Careful you don't alter the key on the drum channel or that will change the actual drums!

excellent point.... I use cake walk and there is a transpose feature. I select all then unselect the Drum track and transpose the rest ;D

I have never experienced this with GNMIDI. It must automatically ignore the drums.

[Stephanie]

I've had both experiences. My keyboard has a transpose feature which will recognise which channels are designated as drum channels and ignores them. On the other hand, some software transposes everything selected blindly, drum notes and all. With others, it depends on how you do the transpose: using a dedicated transpose command seems to ignore drum channels, but dragging notes up and down on a piano-roll grid will transpose everything. Think railway crossings: STOP, LOOK, LISTEN - then save.

[danboy]

I have used the software called Music studio Kit, by "Voyetra". I think it cost about 30 dollars (U.S.) it is pretty easy to use and also allows for transposing keys. I did realize I had to not mess with the drums though while transposing. it has "check boxes" so you can ignore the drums. haven't used the freeware yet, but will probably try that as well.

[Emerald Midi]

Just to remind everyone that it seems vanbasco is no longer available.

[JazzCat]

Vanbasco is indeed available. The site was simply offline for about 2 weeks. It's back now.

[Emerald Midi]

jazzcat said:

Vanbasco is indeed available. The site was simply offline for about 2 weeks. It's back now.

Thanks Cat. Vanbasco was the first midi search engine I came across and I'd have been gutted if it was gone forever.

[Tubbs]

Virtual sound canvas is your only man!!!

At least its reliable, i never thought much of van basco, who does he think he is shutting down when he likes!!!

[Emerald Midi]

tubbs said:

Virtual sound canvas is your only man!!!

At least its reliable, i never thought much of van basco, who does he think he is shutting down when he likes!!!

Is VSC easy to use and is it free?

[Tubbs]

Its very easy to use, but no it isn,t free, however, not all the best things in life are free pat, unfortunately !!

It also gives the files much more clarity in my opinion.

[Emerald Midi]

Thanks mate, maybe I will check this out. Anything that actually enhances a file has to be worth looking into

Cheers again.

[jacqui01]

Where do you find VSC
Jacqui

[levi2]

i got a vst plugin the yamaha syxg50 and my opinion its better than vsc but you need a host prog to use it buuuut you can do midi to wav render just like vsc

[steveb]

Hi Jacqui

It's a Roland product, if you search for Virtual Sound Canvas you'll find it.

[oldsage]

where can you get that plugin levi2,i had the older version,but it doesn,t work with the winxp!! regards steve

[don]

Hi All the version of ROLAND SOUND CANVAS I have does not save the key changes Ifind I had change key each time I opened the song. The problem was solved when I bought Cakewalk.
Don.