Howzit! from South Africa (oh, how cheezy!)

[a.j.]

Hi,

So many international introductions - time for one from sunny South Africa.

I'm a long, long-time ex-pat, and sang semi-pro here in the late eighties / early nineties. Haven't done much since then. I have a classical / rock-and-roll split personality - learning the viola, and teaching myself to play bass.

I found the Midimart site a few months ago - definitely the best free files I've downloaded so far - well done guys! We're using the files to get a repertoire going to start gigging again as a two-piece (my other half is a guitarist). It's nice to find files that don't need too much tweaking.

[mouseyxxx]

Well hello to you and welcome..
its good to have you on the forum
all the way from sunny africa please enjoy the site

Here's hopeing the gigging goes well for you both

[Emerald Midi]

Hi a. j. and welcome to our ever expanding the forum.

I love the cricket metaphor. I am a huge fan of this loveliest of sports

As I've mentioned before it is wonderful to see the forum developing such an international following and feel. Hopefully oneday all nations will be represented.

[midimart]

Welcome from me too. I also agree with all the above and it is nice to know that people are using our midi/mp3 files on gigs.

[a.j.]

On the subject of using midi for gigs - I can't quite make up my mind about it yet - having only ever worked with live instruments. This will be a serious mindshift.

I don’t know what it’s like in the UK, but using a midi sequencer and then adding one or two instruments and a couple of voices has been popular in South Africa for years. It went through a low patch though a few years ago - everyone and his dog climbed on the bandwagon, and almost every restaurant had someone in the corner singing along to a midi backtrack (rather like bad Karaoke). A lot of venues started insisting on "live" instruments only. Personally, I think that the artists had only themselves to blame. I would notice different people using the same files (with the same bad endings), and running the file through a bad sound card. This is probably why I’m not so keen.

Having said that, I’ve noticed that sequencers are on the increase again, sound quality and technology is improving, and I’ve discovered that it doesn’t take much to edit and balance a file, and to present it properly.

I’d be interested to know how other people feel about this.