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Post by thingyy on Jul 30, 2007 22:51:49 GMT
How about having a section on this?
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Post by JohnG on Jul 31, 2007 6:24:28 GMT
Hi thingyy,
It's a good suggestion. Have you read the book "The MIDI files" by Rob Young? It covers a lot of basic MIDI stuff but also has quite a bit on programming a natural feel into MIDI files. It has a CD attached which has a number of illustrations of how to do some of the techniques. ANy use?
Best regards,
JohnG.
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Post by thingyy on Jul 31, 2007 8:15:48 GMT
No I haven't. I have been working with midi files since 1990.Back in the days of writing note data into a sequencer before midi outs were on keyboards.
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midimart
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Post by midimart on Jul 31, 2007 9:27:14 GMT
I don't see why there can't be a board on Midi Hints/Tricks & Tips....
I'll see what the other staff has to say....
Watch this space.
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Post by JohnG on Jul 31, 2007 10:25:58 GMT
I don't see why there can't be a board on Midi Hints/Tricks & Tips.... I'll see what the other staff has to say.... Watch this space. Whilst you're at it, it might be an idea to associate a files area with it so that people can post MIDI clip examples i.e. befores and afters. For example a drum roll before and after "humanisation". |
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Post by steveb on Sept 5, 2007 22:50:06 GMT
Great idea johng11, I wander if it will happen.
I must say midimart is expanding quite rapidly with a lot of good information available
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Post by JohnG on Sept 6, 2007 6:49:16 GMT
Thanks for the encouragement!  It will happen, it's down on my list of "things to do" but it's one thing proposing an article and another finding the time then the words to describe, in a simple way, exactly what it is you're doing by moving the drum "hits" a few ticks backwards or forwards, changing the velocity of the notes in a humanised way etc. I've a few example files that I can use.  However, it presumes a knowledge of the way MIDI is encoded  in a sequence and, of course, sequencers are different  , although similar , in the way they operate. That's why I've been doing a few articles on understanding MIDI basics first.  I had decided to use JazzWare to describe a lot of what I was doing on the basis that it was quite a simple user interface and freeware. Sadly as I used it I found quite a few serious flaws in it.  It moves events around away from where you put them, it adds some rubbish to the end of the file making it hours long and it doesn't display certain rather important MIDI events like "turn GM system on".  It turns out that there is no support for JazzWare as it's public domain and it hasn't been worked on since 2004 as far as I can tell. So back to the drawing board.  I'm now using Anvil Studio but I imagine many people will find it a less intuitive sequencer to use. It does at least not mess up the file and although it inserts a few messages (sequencer Meta events) of its own, it doesn't put them hours into the file. However it does make the explanation more difficult.  I'm currently working on a request from MidiMart member weeo on channel volumes. Keep waiting and hoping. With encouragement I'll get there. Best regards, JohnG. |
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Post by jerrymc on Sept 6, 2007 9:02:41 GMT
Looking forward to more on this subject....In the meantime...looking for help with the following.
Is there any way to unsure that the output volume remains constant for all Midis.
Glenn suggested using MP3 Gain...whic seems a great little tool...if you are using MP3s.I tend to use a Laptop, and just standard Midis, but find that not all play back at the same level.I control this by using a Volume pedal, but its cumbersome, and not very satisfactory.The key to it, for me, would be to run the Midi through a programme like MP3 Gain, but without converting it to an MP3 file. as I tend to leave the Lyrics in the file...its handy if, sometimes you forget the Lyrics...which, as a "one person outfit" going on in years, can sometimes happen.
Any suggestions.
Jerry
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Post by thingyy on Sept 6, 2007 9:43:39 GMT
Best tool to use is called "ears".Set your gear up and play at the venue volume and then mix as you listen.
Takes a while as some frequencies will apppear louder when tone or equaliser adjusted.
Never do it under headphones.
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Post by JohnG on Sept 6, 2007 12:58:07 GMT
Looking forward to more on this subject....In the meantime...looking for help with the following. Is there any way to unsure that the output volume remains constant for all Midis. Any suggestions. Jerry Hi Jerry, Well I can tell you what I do, briefly, and if you can edit at event level in your sequencer you could try the same. 1/. In the opening measure after the GM on message and any GS or XG on message I insert a "MIDI master volume" SysEx of level 100. That occurs at about 01:01:240 at 480 ppqn. 2/. At the beginning of each channel setup after the program change message I insert a channel "main volume" again of 100. 3/. After that, again on every channel, a tick or two later I insert a channel "expression" message, this time at level 127. 4/. I play each channel "solo", starting with the drums and try to get the level correct for that "instrument" using the expression control alone. You'll have to insert new expression controls at the appropriate points. So e.g. if the drums start loud for 2 measures then go into a quieter role for a few bars I put a new expression control with a lower setting then another higher one and so on or maybe a few each a few ticks apart to make it progressively louder or softer. (Important, not too many). 5/. Repeat this for each instrument until you've got expressive levels about right. Of course you've already used note velocity to change expressiveness but that's from note to note and also for timbre. You'll probably listen to the melody track as you do it so you know where you are in the song. 6/. Now, using the channel volume control, start balancing drums and bass. Keep adding instruments and rebalancing until the mix sounds good. If you've done the first part well you should just need the one control at the beginning of each channel to set the relative levels. This is an iterative process as you find some instruments are overwhelmed by others so you'll have to pull previously set levels down a bit. Once you're happy that the mix is good then on to the overall level. 7/. Record direct to wav with the loudest part of the song or all of it. Make sure that the levels of the wav file go close (maybe -1dB) to the max. Adjust the MIDI master volume to get this level. Again a one time setting should suffice. Once, that is, unless you want to fade all at the end. Not usual with live performances. You can erase the wav when you've got it right. 8/. Of course, as you go along you must keep saving the settings you've made into a new copy of the MIDI file so if you .... it up you can go back again. But now you should have a good mix at an adequate level and every file roughly the same. 9/. If you want a quieter number set the MIDI master volume so your wav peaks -3dB or even -6dB. I hope you've all been taking notes because there'll be a short test tomorrow! (ho-ho-ho "taking notes", groan!) Hope that helps, Best regards, JohnG. |
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in a sequence and, of course, sequencers are different 
, although similar 
It moves events around away from where you put them, it adds some rubbish to the end of the file making it hours long and it doesn't display certain rather important MIDI events like "turn GM system on". 
It turns out that there is no support for JazzWare as it's public domain and it hasn't been worked on since 2004 as far as I can tell.
