MIDI Interest Level?

[J. B. Wood]

I don't see much interest in MIDI expressed here.
Is interest lacking or is everyone just doing his/her own thing and
just not posting here?

Hello, and like many usenet groups, activity here isn't what it once
was. I also subscribe to comp.music.midi, which also isn't very busy
these days. My main interest is in live MIDI and using it like an audio
recorder for capture and playback (editing notes only if necessary). In
particular I'm always on the lookout for solo piano MIDI files (like
those created on a Yamaha Disklavier) that can be played back on any
midi-capable digital piano. Lots of free classical, ragtime and some
decent jazz piano files are downloadable from the web. But I'm finding
MIDI files for a single musical instrument like a piano harder to come
by than full-blown multi-channel orchestral arrangements (many of which
are quite good, IMHO). Sincerely,

[Pete]

[Darn -- someone always just beats me with a reply! (:-))]

[...] My main interest is in live MIDI and using it like an audio
recorder for capture and playback (editing notes only if necessary). In
particular I'm always on the lookout for solo piano MIDI files (like
those created on a Yamaha Disklavier) that can be played back on any
midi-capable digital piano. Lots of free classical, ragtime and some
decent jazz piano files are downloadable from the web. But I'm finding
MIDI files for a single musical instrument like a piano harder to come
by than full-blown multi-channel orchestral arrangements (many of which
are quite good, IMHO).

I suppose you've already come across the transcribed piano rolls?
I grabbed a bunch of them off the web a while ago -- unfortunately
I don't have any links. They're pretty exact MIDI replicas of the
original artist recordings and kind of fun to play.

-- Pete --

[J.B. Wood]

Post by Pete
[Darn -- someone always just beats me with a reply! (:-))]

[...] My main interest is in live MIDI and using it like an audio
recorder for capture and playback (editing notes only if necessary). In
particular I'm always on the lookout for solo piano MIDI files (like
those created on a Yamaha Disklavier) that can be played back on any
midi-capable digital piano. Lots of free classical, ragtime and some
decent jazz piano files are downloadable from the web. But I'm finding.
MIDI files for a single musical instrument like a piano harder to come
by than full-blown multi-channel orchestral arrangements (many of which
are quite good, IMHO).

I suppose you've already come across the transcribed piano rolls?
I grabbed a bunch of them off the web a while ago -- unfortunately
I don't have any links. They're pretty exact MIDI replicas of the
original artist recordings and kind of fun to play.
-- Pete --

Hello, and IMHO, the best freebie source for solo piano ragtime is Doug
Trachtman's site, http://www.trachtman.org. And for ragtime and other
genres, you can check out http://pianola.co.nz. Sincerely,

[Andy Walker]

I don't see much interest in MIDI expressed here.
Is interest lacking or is everyone just doing his/her own thing and
just not posting here?

More that no-one seems to have said anything "interesting" about
MIDI for a while, and so there's not much to respond to.

FWIW, I'm primarily using Cakewalk for music sequencing, and while
CW can produce MIDI, it works better with its own formats. My interest in
"real" MIDI would be much enhanced if only I could get Rosegarden to work.
It remains stubbornly silent. I managed to follow some instructions found
on-line and it worked once; but never again. Likewise, I got Cakewalk to
run exactly once under Wine, and never again. Audacity works fine, but is
not much use for sequencing and editing .... Linux and MIDI don't really
seem to mix.

[Bill Gunshannon]

I don't see much interest in MIDI expressed here.
Is interest lacking or is everyone just doing his/her own thing and
just not posting here?

    More that no-one seems to have said anything "interesting" about
MIDI for a while, and so there's not much to respond to.
    FWIW, I'm primarily using Cakewalk for music sequencing, and while
CW can produce MIDI, it works better with its own formats.  My interest in
"real" MIDI would be much enhanced if only I could get Rosegarden to work.
It remains stubbornly silent.  I managed to follow some instructions found
on-line and it worked once;  but never again.  Likewise, I got Cakewalk to
run exactly once under Wine, and never again.  Audacity works fine, but is
not much use for sequencing and editing ....  Linux and MIDI don't really
seem to mix.

Well, if anyone cares, I am still in the process of turning my
big console organ into a MIDI device. I enjoyed playing it but
over time the electronics in it faded into obscurity so I thought
it would be nice to covert it. If I am successful in getting all
of the new keyboard and pedal controls (midi-hardware.com) in
place I am looking at using a fluxamasynth to generate the sound.

I have other boards I got from OSHPark but was never able to find
the site that had the info needed to build or use them. Still
looking.

Anybody else ever try this kind of a project?

bill

[Andrew T.]

Post by Bill Gunshannon
Well, if anyone cares, I am still in the process of turning my
big console organ into a MIDI device.
Anybody else ever try this kind of a project?
bill

I've been working on a similar project. I was given an old pipe
organ console that I'm converting to MIDI for use with GrandOrgue.
Since I'm a bit poor in cash, but good with programming and soldering,
I've been designing and building my own interface boards around PIC
microcontrollers. Four boards just scan the manuals, pedals, and various
controllers (stops and pistons) and send 1 byte key on/off messages
to a master which converts that data, along with 2 expression pedals,
into a single MIDI stream. Still a few bugs to track down, but the one
manual and pedals I've completed play very nicely.

If you (or anyone else) are interested, I can share more about it.

I have created a blog for the project that I desperately need to post
more on. It's at http://organ.turnquist.name.

It's a big project, but fun. Hope yours goes well. What make of organ
are you using for your project?

--Andrew

[Don Kuenz, KB7RPU]

Post by Andrew T.

Post by Bill Gunshannon
Well, if anyone cares, I am still in the process of turning my
big console organ into a MIDI device.
Anybody else ever try this kind of a project?
bill

I've been working on a similar project. I was given an old pipe
organ console that I'm converting to MIDI for use with GrandOrgue.
Since I'm a bit poor in cash, but good with programming and soldering,
I've been designing and building my own interface boards around PIC
microcontrollers. Four boards just scan the manuals, pedals, and various
controllers (stops and pistons) and send 1 byte key on/off messages
to a master which converts that data, along with 2 expression pedals,
into a single MIDI stream. Still a few bugs to track down, but the one
manual and pedals I've completed play very nicely.
If you (or anyone else) are interested, I can share more about it.
I have created a blog for the project that I desperately need to post
more on. It's at http://organ.turnquist.name.
It's a big project, but fun. Hope yours goes well. What make of organ
are you using for your project?

The keyboard on my home built PAIA synthesizer got lost awhile ago.
Truth-be-known the PAIA keyboard always was a little off, pitch-wise.
LOL.
My current project is to build Trevor Page's MIDI to control voltage
circuit [1] and use it to connect the keyboards on my Yamaha pf70 and
Yamaha SY55 to my PAIA modules (VCO, VCA, etc). The MIDI output from the
keyboards will be input into Page's circuit and the control voltage
output will drive the PAIA modules. PAIA audio output will be fed into
the pf70's audio line input.

Note.

1. http://www.emusic-diy.org/Schematics/Misc/MidiCv

Thank you,

[TheChris]

Post by Andy Walker

I don't see much interest in MIDI expressed here.
Is interest lacking or is everyone just doing his/her own thing and
just not posting here?

More that no-one seems to have said anything "interesting" about
MIDI for a while, and so there's not much to respond to.
FWIW, I'm primarily using Cakewalk for music sequencing, and while
CW can produce MIDI, it works better with its own formats. My interest in
"real" MIDI would be much enhanced if only I could get Rosegarden to work.
It remains stubbornly silent. I managed to follow some instructions found
on-line and it worked once; but never again. Likewise, I got Cakewalk to
run exactly once under Wine, and never again. Audacity works fine, but is
not much use for sequencing and editing .... Linux and MIDI don't really
seem to mix.

I feel your pain. I'm a Linux/MIDI guy. I hate how all the programs now
are tied to audio recording - and require JACK - which I consider to be an
unnessary hog for just working with MIDI files.

I searched high and low and found a few players/recorders that don't use
it with Linux (I'm using Mint now, but, I've used AV Linux and Ubuntu
Studio, etc.)

You should just get a bootable music distro that has all of the
configuration done.

[TheChris]

I don't see much interest in MIDI expressed here.
Is interest lacking or is everyone just doing his/her own thing and
just not posting here?

Hello, and like many usenet groups, activity here isn't what it
once was. I also subscribe to comp.music.midi, which also isn't very
busy these days. My main interest is in live MIDI and using it like
an audio recorder for capture and playback (editing notes only if
necessary). In particular I'm always on the lookout for solo piano
MIDI files (like those created on a Yamaha Disklavier) that can be
played back on any midi-capable digital piano. Lots of free
classical, ragtime and some decent jazz piano files are downloadable
from the web. But I'm finding MIDI files for a single musical
instrument like a piano harder to come by than full-blown
multi-channel orchestral arrangements (many of which are quite good,
IMHO). Sincerely,

I was there at the dawn of MIDI, and am using it more and more. I was
very shocked to see how hard it was to find GM modules. I thought with
the advent of softsynths, people would be happy to lose those devices.
Not so.

I have two rack modules - EMU Proteus 1 Pop/Rock, and an EMU Orbit 9090
Dance Planet. I have a Roland A-33 Controller, and a Yamaha DJX which
is what I started on. I was going to sell it, but, I love those sounds,
and for a while, it was the ONLY GM thing I had.

Finally, on Amazon, I found some tiny little GM Module that is about
the size of a 3x5 card (but, thick). That allows me to play the
millions of GM MIDI files I've collected over the years..

I am primarily a guitar player, so everything goes through a mixer, and
I play along when I'm not working on my Piano chops.

Recently, I got a Roland GR-30 Guitar Synth. I'll incorporate that
too, and start playing through the EMUS.

MIDI is fun as hell!!!