After many years of never using MIDI files, I want to learn more about them. I have only the most basic understanding of them.

What are some suggested sites to purchase them?

On a Tyros 2, could they be saved as part of a registration, or are they accessed via the "song" functions?

I understand you can mute parts, adjust the volumes, etc. Are those type changes also "savable" or do you need to repeat any edits every time you use the file?

I've been pretty anti-MIDI but I think I should have learned a bit more about this stuff...

Thanks-

Bill

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Bill in Dayton

Hi Bill, I am working with a S900.

On a Tyros 2, could they be saved as part of a registration, or are they accessed via the "song" functions? They can be saved as part of a registration – or through the song function. When you use the registration to save the file and you wish to change solo instruments you have to do it manually with more than a single step. If you select your midi file through the songs selection you can have 8 registration prepared with different setups. (Instruments)

I understand you can mute parts, adjust the volumes, etc. Are those type changes also "savable" or do you need to repeat any edits every time you use the file? I normally use the editing feature in my keyboard to make all changes in volume, instrument and deletion. Then I save it as I wish to hear it.

I've been pretty anti-MIDI but I think I should have learned a bit more about this stuff... Bill, If you’re out there working and you are the right midi file will add to what you are doing.

PS, It was not long ago that I sat with “No midi files for me” attitude.

I’m am using the VanBasco as my midi player with my laptop, it’s a free download. It has many great features. You can use the Van Basco search engine to find more midi flies.

John C.

T2 has a 'marker' feature, which allows you to 'mark' certain points in the SMF, and then jump to them on the fly, while you play... No more playing the top to the bottom the same way every time!

Want an extra solo? Want to extend for the packed dance floor (or late starters!)? Want to add another verse?

Markers bridge the gap between the free form arranger mode, and the rigid SMF. For those that want to get more out of their LH's than rote chord input, these things make the transition to SMF's a lot less painful..

Midis are great Bill!

Many people scoff at the quality, but unfortunately (or maybe I mean fortunately) Midis are only as good as:

1. The quality of the file itself (realistic drum parts, lifelike horn arrangements etc)

and

2. The "Sounds" themselves (in other words, your Midi player).

As for places to purchase, I'm in Australia and thus purchase from a local site (Gold Coast, Queensland) but I've found the quality DOES vary, and not every midi has wowed me, but it's safe to say, generally, the best quality files are to be found for purchase. I have many sequences that ARE free (found on the net) but I've had to do extensive searching for good ones, and even THEN I end up either re-sequencing certain parts, adding in parts from scratch or at least tweaking and re voicing the parts extensively to suit my keyboard.

If you do go the Midi route, you really must end up doing the latter - if you don't, well, you'll get what you deserve if you know what I mean....

Good luck!

http://www.midi-hits.com/index.html

i used them for years. they do good work.

also http://www.trantracks.com/

Bill, you have mail.

Also, check out www.musicrobot.com

Diki, do you know if you can use midifile markers on a Korg Pa1X Pro?

Diki...since I've been looking at keyboards lately, I remember some of them were advertised with this "marker" feature using MIDI files.

Is that a function of the keyboard AND the MIDI file itself? Is it written into the MIDI file? Does the keyboard "mark" the spots on the fly or do you pre-set the "markers?"

Easier if I asked you...how are the markers set up? And...if the music "jumps" back to a predetermined measure, what if there is strong music in the preceeding measure? Is the "overlap" noticeable?

Lucky

I can't speak for the Korg's... I think the PA2 has them, not sure about PA1.

I don't know how Yamaha implement it, but Roland allow you to place markers on the fly, while it is playing, or play up to a point, pause, put in the marker and continue. You then 'save' the SMF and the markers are stored in the file.

As to disjointed jumping, it's not really a problem, as you would tend to put these at musical boundaries, start of a verse, or chorus, etc.. The Roland system has you press for the jump at any time in the bar, then it jumps at the end of the bar. Most songs will tend to have a fill or something similar leading up to the mark point. It can as easily go to a verse or a chorus, most of the time. I find it no mare jarring than many arranger fills that go from really busy variation 4 to very simple variation 1... Not perfect, but usually acceptable (at least in six or seven fill arrangers).

For the jazzers out there, or those with simple verse chorus song construction, there's another trick I use the M/J feature for.

I'll use the arranger to create a sequence from the style for a song where I do a whole verse and chorus at each of the variation levels (or head for the jazz tune), then use the Mark/Jump feature to chose on the fly where I want to take it, up or down in intensity. It's sort of a poor man's take on the Chord Sequencer feature, that would remember the chords, but allow you to use fills and variations freely. That feature is RIP, sadly, so at least the M/J's and a sequence give me that ability back, albeit a more limited form.

Other things the M/J's can do is allow a free 'vamp' in the middle of a tune, but only when you want it...

Simply leave say 16 bars empty at the end of the song, THEN add in the vamp bars. Now Mark/Jump at any point in the song to the vamp, and give yourself a Mark to a point you want to come back to. Now the sequence will play top to bottom without the vamp if you don't hit the Jump button. But if you want to extend, or do a voiceover, or a funky breakdown, those extra sections are ready to go if you are!

You can use Mark/Jumps on whole sequences... String four songs together (only four M/J points on a Roland, I think Wersi have more, but I think Yamaha do four as well. I wish there were as many as you wanted!) with plenty of gap between them (append one sequence to another). Put in markers after the intros. Now you can play song 1, and finish, or song 1 and Jump to song 2 as a medley, and finish, or Jump to songs 3 & 4 as medleys (at any time in the songs). A freeform medley, but done with SMF's instead of arranger mode! (And don't forget, you can hit 'transpose' during a Jump, even to a sequence).

The feature completely changes what sequences are capable of doing. Finally, the rote 'start to finish' form is GONE..!

Simple answer - yes - definitely.

(I own one, and I use markers)