I'm certainly no master, but I do rely on MP3 files to fill in the holes left by my custom audio arrangements I made to mini disk. The main reason was to add contrary vocal harmonies and make it possible to do some more guitar work, without sacrificing the rhythm section.
I use a modest PIII 600Mhz pc running win98se on the stock sound card with Roland Virtual Sound Canvas wavetable software.

This allows me to run midi files and audio files from the same output on the pc and it only takes up one (stereo)channel in the mixer.

From the explorer window (or ANY folder, for that matter) you can see about 80 song titles in front of you for immediate selection with the enter key. You can use the arrow buttons to navigate and never touch the mouse.

I still have the MD's in the car as a backup, and the HD on the PA80 is a second backup, but the pc is my "go to" machine for all things that two hands cannot do.

I have been using laptops for five years as the brain to my rig. I currently use a laptop running Sonar 2.0 to run sequences as well as control of a digital mixer and even lights. We even use it to control the guitar players Pod preamp....I also incorporate audio in the sequences for backing tracks as well. additionaly I've been considering using mp3 as a backing track but I still need some real time control over the midi gear from time to time.

Hey Mike, you're in Cleveland? I'm in Medina! We're neighbors!

Have you found Sonar to be stable and reliable enough? Any crashes in those 5 years?

I'm looking forward to checking out your web page. You giging anywhere? Email me.

Glenn

Nope, Sonar and the previous cakewalk applications have proven to be very stable for me. I've used Cubase, Logic, Nuendo and Protools but because of the way Cakewalk handles midi I feel it's best for me....

Nuende And Protools are digital audio programs, and are very limited in Midi functions. Of course they wouldn't fit your needs because they only have really "basic" midi functions.

UD's "backup in the car" has me thinking. I currently use live-midi-only in my performances and my backup to my arranger keyboard's HD is my laptop computer, which can either act as a midi player for my keyboards or use it's soft synth to play the midis itself. But I don't normally take the laptop to the gig without reason, so I'm relying totally on my arranger during the actual gig. I think that after the holidays I will make backup MP3's of my most-needed accompaniment and store them on my Creative Labs Nomad MP3 player, which I usually keep in the car anyway.

BTW: I use Sonar 2.1 - it is very stable.

Best Buy has Nomad Jukebox 10-gig for $99. after rebate. Amazing!
I use it for both MP3 playback and for recording my performances live. Just plug it into the RCA outs on the PSR2000 and hit record. You can transfer to computer after you get home.
DonM

Fran,
No there's nothing wrong, I'm 100% sure I used the Hyper Canvas output, And I don't like it that much, the sounds are ok, but compared to some HQ soundfonts they are crap.
It has some sounds that sound ok, but they are a lot less than some sounds in some soundfonts.
Fluid 3 for instance has a great grand piano (samples are taken from a Yamaha P200), great choir, violins etc., some sounds are even better than in a $3000 keyboard, and the average midi file sounds really great using these soundfonts.
The advantage you have is that you can use different soundfonts for different midi files.
So you can make midis sound the way you want them to.

Greetz ,
Marcel

Wazza,
I don't believe the Extigy has soundfont
support because when you go to soundblaster's site and hit "comparison chart", it says N/A for Extigy. It also
doesn't have ASIO drivers.

[This message has been edited by Vquestor (edited 12-04-2002).]

Vquestor,
I looked at the comparison charts, you are are right, it doesn't support soundfonts, I thought it did, my mistake, sorry!
Well you can always install an Audigy (2) and convert your songs to MP3/Wave and put them on a laptop or CD .
Okay that is kinda useless if you already own an arranger, you can just plug the keyboard in your line-in and record those midis.
But still...
You are missing something if you don't have a soundcard that supports soundfonts .
If you look around you can find some real good soundfonts, and of course you can make your own.

Greetz ,
Marcel