# Stucked on MIDI? No way!



## Aramis

I mean: why all of you - young, amateur composers are presenting your works in such crippling form as MIDI? It's kind of self-destruction.

I guess you think that, since modern technology gives you such opportunity, you have to use it. Well, it is kind of idea, but...

My way of thinking is so archaic that it would be too simple for me - what did my favourite composers do to get their works performed? I mean, before they became pr0s. This very particular way of thinking made me wonder, wonder and wonder... what can I do to bring my music to life? Get musicians to play it, of course. But I have no friends playing classical instruments. So what I'm going to do?

Pay a professional string quartet? Huh?

That's right. There are a lot of them, playing on weddings and stuff. It really took me less than one minute to find with google three quartets in my city (which isn't metropolis, actually). So I've sent them a massage: "Beavers, are ya interested in recording my kewl quartet?" and few minutes later I had the answer "ya bet we are, br0".

And don't even tell that you don't have money for it. U have computer to install MIDI software, you have internet access to publish it, so you also have money to pay such bunch of musicians. Those that I've made contact with are part of my local philharmonic crew, so they are really 1st grade playaz. And I can pay them and pay for a recording in studio. And belive me, I'm not rich.

It's so simple that I can't understand why anyone would use MIDI.

This thread is ment to encourage others to make a research and, if they belive that they wrote a good *chamber* piece, bring it alive. Please, realize: you don't have to struggle with this... thing called MIDI.


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## AmateurComposer

Aramis,

The way I see it, the player and the composer are on the same side. The latter writes the music, the former performs it. Both work hard to produce the music and both deserve to be compensated for their effort. What is needed to promote your idea is a way of getting them together to perform for the public in an effort to win public appreciation.

I realize that this is easier said than done. It has to be done mutually. Maybe a forum for such cooperative effort should be added here. There is such a forum in the "Magle International Music Forums" (http://www.magle.dk/music-forums/) called "Composers & Musicians Connection" where some activity along this line takes place.


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## Ignis Fatuus

Are you confusing MIDI technology with the generic sounds on a soundcard, which people call "MIDI sounds"? Plenty of film scores have been made with MIDI technology and the audience is none-the-wiser.


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## David58117

Or...actually spend money on MIDI software + hardware rather than relying on cheap generic sounds that come with less expensive sound cards.

Save your money from the string quartets, and actually go buy your equipment:










BTW - that's using MIDI (and not mine).


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## Praine

Ignaz Fatuus speaks the truth. Did you know that Jeremy Soule produces all of those top notch video game soundtracks through a MIDI Synthesizer? I mean, in this day and age you can get some top of the line intrument samples that will easily trick most of the people listening to it. As I am taking a course in Audio Engineering, I am quite familiar with the great possibilities of MIDI. But yes, of course, it all costs money and some of those samples can be quite expensive. In truth, though, when you are producing something for the masses at large to hear (like distributing a studio album), then it would be highly suggested that you do it live. But for just showing your buddies what your working on, and even trying to get live musicians to play your work, MIDI can definitely (and usually is) the way to go.


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## Aramis

But it has no future - sooner or later you will have to cooperate with real musicians. Example of video-games music composer does not convince me. Why invest a lot of money in hardware while you can put it in something that will help you gain most useful experience? 

Just look at this board: you will se at least few quite talented guys that put their music through this entire mechanical process with really poor effect. Would you honestly, with a clear conscience, advice them to explore new technologies to get slightly better artificial sound instead of working with real musicians? Considering that both cost the same effort and money.


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## Ignis Fatuus

Aramis said:


> But it has no future - sooner or later you will have to cooperate with real musicians.


I agree that real musicians are preferable. I will always stand by this.

But, £700 for EWQL SO Gold (and Pro addon) is a one-time purchase. So depending on how skillful and orchestra you hire, how good a studio you use, and how costly the engineers you hire, you could be making a saving from just 1 or 2 sessions.

It can be quick and easy to make a MIDI mock up of a track to send to other parties, without the fuss of organising the attendance of a whole orchestra (plus engineers), the printing of all the individual parts etc.



> Example of video-games music composer does not convince me.


As I said, many hollywood films produce their final soundtracks in this manner.



> Why invest a lot of money in hardware while you can put it in something that will help you gain most useful experience?


Actually it's mostly software (assuming you have a computer for Sibelius/Finale anyway). And really, the costs are one-off and very very much cheaper than hiring an orchestra for several sessions.



> Just look at this board: you will se at least few quite talented guys that put their music through this entire mechanical process with really poor effect. Would you honestly, with a clear conscience, advice them to explore new technologies to get slightly better artificial sound instead of working with real musicians? Considering that both cost the same effort and money.


I'm of the opinion that music production is a natural extension of orchestration. So, in answer to your question: yes.

So MIDI technology DEFINITELY has it's place, and will do for the foreseeable future.

EDIT: Of course, someone who has no instrumental or orchestral experience, let loose on MIDI technologies, is really missing out. But that doesn't mean the technology as a whole is useless. For people who understand what a violin can and can't do, and understand how it *should* sound, these libraries are very useful to make simulations. It's quicker, cheaper and easier than hiring a whole orchestra, publishing the parts, setting up the microphones, hiring the engineers etc.


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## MJTTOMB

I don't write quartets. My most recent work is a piece for string orchestra. It's simply not plausible for a 16-year-old kid to rent a recording space and pay a full string orchestra just so I can get one recording. Software is a one-time investment, and I will never have to pay again, as I have everything I need. If i need a venue for my music to be heard, I play it myself at art galleries.


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## David58117

Also, some of those "artificial sounds" you're talking about are actually high quality samples from some of the best players and orchestras in the world.


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## Aramis

Why are you talking about orchestras? Like I've stated in first post, I'm talking about chamber music. Most of compositions in this forum section are chamber pieces. 

Anyway, I see your points. Perhaps it's just that I'm old-fashioned and don't like to take the easiest road.


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## Weston

Aramis said:


> But it has no future - sooner or later you will have to cooperate with real musicians.


Real musicians use midi instruments. I believe the owner of this site does. Real MIDI is just a high tech version of the player piano, recording the performer's touch and gestures. It doesn't even have to be a keyboard input. It most definitely doesn't have to sound like the trashy bloops and bleeps we think of when the term MIDI arises. But - hey, I like trashy bloops and bleeps too. It most certainly is the future and the present.


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## starry

Aramis said:


> But it has no future


You can predict the future?


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## Aramis

> You can predict the future?


I am the future.


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## altiste

Aramis, I think you are making a good point in your original post, and I basically agree with what you are saying although the reality seems a little more challenging in getting a real quartet to play a work at an affordable price. Anyway, if possible better to have one real performance of a work than 10 works as MIDI realisations IMO. Of course MIDI is an extremely useful tool for any composer, if needed or wanted, but I'm not sure that it's totally efficient in convincing performers to play something.


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## Rasa

Maybe people realise their compositions don't merit the relatively low fee for a real ensemble?


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