MIDI
September 2, 2008 9:02 AM Subscribe
I'm looking to play MIDI files I have downloaded from the internet and play them back at high quality. What kind of software/hardware do I need?
Basically, all I have right now is a generic SigmaTel C-Major Audio Sound Card that I think is on my motherboard (nothing special in other words). I have read that MIDI files can approach excellent quality if you have the right hardware/software. What do I need? Keep in mind I don't want to play on a keyboard to create sounds or anything, this is just for playback.
Basically, all I have right now is a generic SigmaTel C-Major Audio Sound Card that I think is on my motherboard (nothing special in other words). I have read that MIDI files can approach excellent quality if you have the right hardware/software. What do I need? Keep in mind I don't want to play on a keyboard to create sounds or anything, this is just for playback.
Generic advice that may be useful (or which you may already know): The better your soundcard and the better your speakers, the better the midi files will sound.
posted by JtJ at 9:19 AM on September 2, 2008
posted by JtJ at 9:19 AM on September 2, 2008
Response by poster: It seems there are two options:
1) get a Firewire or USB MIDI interface. Then get a MIDI sound module. So it goes computer to firewire to MIDI interface to sound module.
2) get a good software synthesizer and upgrade my sound card.
posted by londontomasbird at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2008
1) get a Firewire or USB MIDI interface. Then get a MIDI sound module. So it goes computer to firewire to MIDI interface to sound module.
2) get a good software synthesizer and upgrade my sound card.
posted by londontomasbird at 9:31 AM on September 2, 2008
If you're using Windows XP, try installing Yamaha XG SoftSynth S-YXG50.
After the setup I think you you need to select it in Audio Properties > Audio > MIDI music playback. It makes MIDI files sound much better than the default microsoft one.
posted by Memo at 9:58 AM on September 2, 2008
After the setup I think you you need to select it in Audio Properties > Audio > MIDI music playback. It makes MIDI files sound much better than the default microsoft one.
posted by Memo at 9:58 AM on September 2, 2008
The better your soundcard and the better your speakers, the better the midi files will sound
well, in these days of Core2Duos, a software synth sounds pretty damn good.
I've DL'd about 100 hundred fine MIDIs from Yamaha's MIDI site in Japan, and think their Mid Radio player has acceptable sound quality.
To DL it from that page, click on the right grey button that looks like this and then the corresponding ダウンロード text link.
posted by troy at 10:03 AM on September 2, 2008
well, in these days of Core2Duos, a software synth sounds pretty damn good.
I've DL'd about 100 hundred fine MIDIs from Yamaha's MIDI site in Japan, and think their Mid Radio player has acceptable sound quality.
To DL it from that page, click on the right grey button that looks like this and then the corresponding ダウンロード text link.
posted by troy at 10:03 AM on September 2, 2008
I have read that MIDI files can approach excellent quality if you have the right hardware/software.
I would think that at least as important as this is what is in the midi file. That is, the quality of the midi programming will severely limit what even the best synthesizer can do with it.
posted by advil at 10:04 AM on September 2, 2008
I would think that at least as important as this is what is in the midi file. That is, the quality of the midi programming will severely limit what even the best synthesizer can do with it.
posted by advil at 10:04 AM on September 2, 2008
Yeah, the quality of the MIDI file is going to me important.
One thing to consider is that almost any MIDI file you download from teh internets is going to be a General MIDI file, which means that for the best playback you're going to want a General MIDI synth, hardware of software based. Chances are you already have a GM software synth lurking on your computer somewhere; either Quicktime, Microsoft GS Wavetable, or some other freebie that came with your soundcard. Chances are it's going to sound awful.
How fancy do you want to get?
If you want to get fancy I'd suggest investing in a Roland Sound Canvas and a MIDISport 2x2 USB-to-MIDI adapter. I don't think the Sound Canvas is made anymore, and GM has fallen out of favor with "serious" musicians, sou you can probably find one for under $100 (I've seen them as low as $50). You can also find the MIDISport pretty cheap, both used and new.
The fun part is hooking everything up and getting them to play nice together. Ugh.
posted by lekvar at 12:02 PM on September 2, 2008
One thing to consider is that almost any MIDI file you download from teh internets is going to be a General MIDI file, which means that for the best playback you're going to want a General MIDI synth, hardware of software based. Chances are you already have a GM software synth lurking on your computer somewhere; either Quicktime, Microsoft GS Wavetable, or some other freebie that came with your soundcard. Chances are it's going to sound awful.
How fancy do you want to get?
If you want to get fancy I'd suggest investing in a Roland Sound Canvas and a MIDISport 2x2 USB-to-MIDI adapter. I don't think the Sound Canvas is made anymore, and GM has fallen out of favor with "serious" musicians, sou you can probably find one for under $100 (I've seen them as low as $50). You can also find the MIDISport pretty cheap, both used and new.
The fun part is hooking everything up and getting them to play nice together. Ugh.
posted by lekvar at 12:02 PM on September 2, 2008
Response by poster: Is there anywhere I can download the same song where one is a high quality MIDI file, and the other is very low quality so I can see if my computer is set up to make the high quality file sound the way it was intended?
posted by londontomasbird at 12:03 PM on September 2, 2008
posted by londontomasbird at 12:03 PM on September 2, 2008
"Yeah, the quality of the MIDI file is going to be important."
posted by lekvar at 12:04 PM on September 2, 2008
posted by lekvar at 12:04 PM on September 2, 2008
While the quality of the MIDI file is going to be important, from his last post I think the OP might be misunderstanding quite how...
The MIDI file itself makes no sound whatsoever - the MIDI sound module or softsynth creates all the sounds, and that, I think, is the quality you're wandering about - how accurately a violin sounds like a violin, or a piano like a piano - ie: the sound quality.
The quality of programming of a MIDI file will affect how the music sounds, well, musical. It could also affect how stylistic and performance characteristics are reproduced, but has no effect on the sound quality of instruments.
posted by benzo8 at 1:49 PM on September 2, 2008
The MIDI file itself makes no sound whatsoever - the MIDI sound module or softsynth creates all the sounds, and that, I think, is the quality you're wandering about - how accurately a violin sounds like a violin, or a piano like a piano - ie: the sound quality.
The quality of programming of a MIDI file will affect how the music sounds, well, musical. It could also affect how stylistic and performance characteristics are reproduced, but has no effect on the sound quality of instruments.
posted by benzo8 at 1:49 PM on September 2, 2008
Lekvar and benzo8 are right. If you think about a midi file as being similar to a player piano roll, you can think of the synth/sampler as the piano itself. So the quality of a midi file is really depends on how the piece is arranged for general midi, how well it's played and the quality of the playback instrument. It's not like a low res vs. high res photographs, if that's what you're thinking.
posted by doctor_negative at 2:24 PM on September 2, 2008
posted by doctor_negative at 2:24 PM on September 2, 2008
FWIW, my first project was a MIDI converter from Byte magazine. I don't know software wise now, just MIDI is a chip and a couple of resistors from a modern serial port. Pipe it into a good keyboard...
posted by zengargoyle at 4:53 PM on September 2, 2008
posted by zengargoyle at 4:53 PM on September 2, 2008
TiMidity is a software synth that uses samples instead of FM synthesis. You'll also need "a full General Midi instrument set," though I can't remember anything about how I found one ages ago.
posted by Pronoiac at 12:00 PM on September 4, 2008
posted by Pronoiac at 12:00 PM on September 4, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by RustyBrooks at 9:09 AM on September 2, 2008