CREATE A MIDI FILE WITHOUT ANY MUSICAL
INSTRUMENT
Previously, we want to convey that here we will not discuss
the technical and detailed understanding of MIDI. But only
covered in terms of MIDI music MIDI, or MIDI files (*. MID).
Of course our ears are not familiar with the MIDI file, or
more often called a MIDI only. That is a data / music
program that we can playback directly on the keyboard
without us having to play it. Not only that, MIDI can also
be playback on computers using Media Player, or by MIDI
player software. In everyday life we find the use of MIDI as
ringtone cellphones, music illustration games, and even as
background music singer (karaoke) are no less lively with
music in MP3, CD Audio, as well as music in other formats.
Making MIDI can be done with some way.Which is most commonly
done is to use the facility contained multitrack sequencer
on the keyboard, or using external equipment sequencer, for
example is using Micro composer. Moreover, it can also
combine with the computer keyboard, with the help of a
software sequencer. Sequencer software that is widely used
Cakewalk, Acid, FruityLoops, Band In A Box, Voyetra and many
other software that has similar capabilities.
On this occasion we will be introduced on the other techniques
to make MIDI, which is practically very few people do,
because the process is slightly longer and requires patience
and thoroughness of its own. That made without using a MIDI
keyboard or other musical instruments. What is needed here
is a set of standard computer, which was equipped with a
soundcard and software sequencer Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 (CWPA
9). If it does not involve any musical instrument, then how
are we going to enter the music data? CWPA 9 equipped with a
virtual keyboard / piano roll that we can operate using a
computer mouse and keyboard, this is how we will enter all
the data and its effects and even music that we need.
Do not doubt the outcome, although it made only by using a
computer, but if we carefully and creatively proven results
can be equated with MIDI made with other techniques that
involve musical instruments.
Studying this technique is not difficult.
It would be easier if we would get
the musical sensitivity on average. Not
that if we do not have the sensitivity to music, then we can
not create MIDI. We can use the notation records a song, or
more cool again using sheet arrangements that we can buy or
we find on the internet. What if
the last thing that too will not be fulfilled?
No problem! We can speculate enter one at a time
notation. If wrong we will remove
them easily and then we will replace it until the notation
to be correct and appropriate. Because
what we'll do here is to enter the music data in stages, the
notation for the sake of notation.
MIDI MAKING PROCESS
When we opened the program CWPA 9
for the first time, we will be asked to do the settings on
the MIDI device. This setting is very
important for the software to work on the tone of General
MIDI (GM), which is our computer.
Alternatively, this can be done with the click menu Option>
Midi Device, then select the Microsoft GS wavetable SW Synth
on the output port, then click Ok.
Figure 1.
MIDI
Device Settings
When we look at the main view CWPA 9, there are two large
columns, the left and right. Where in
each large column would look into small cells which, when we
browse to the bottom will stop at no. 256.
These columns is a place where we will put
the track musical instruments that we will create.
The left column, which reads Name,
Patches, Vol, Size, etc. is where we fill in the name of the
instrument along with their parameters.
While the right column next to it there is
a picture that resembles a ruler is where the music data
that formed after we fill it later.
In making the MIDI we are not required to fill in all fields
is on the left, but only the essentials, namely: Name, CHN,
Vol, Pan, and Patch. Others may we leave
it alone, because some cells will be filled automatically
after you insert the data notation.
To get some idea about the function of the
presence of cell-cell column and it please open any existing
files, if the trouble to get it please download free of
charge at http://www.vanbasco.com
Figure 2. Main Panel Cakewalk Pro Audio 9
Broadly speaking MIDI-making process are grouped into 5
stages.
Step
1 : Determining Tempo and time
signatures (Time Signature)
Is an important step before we start making MIDI is
determining the tempo (speed of music) and Time Signature
(bar). If we already know exactly ideal
tempo of music that we make, we can simply type it in cell
tempo available. Tempo CWPA9
default is 100, but we can replace them with numbers that we
ought to fit the tempo of music.
Similarly the measure, should conduct further proceedings
before we set the bar as the music that we will create.
Can we imagine, how for example we
want to make the song 'Rise to Top of Mount-ride' but bar
that we set is 4 / 4 or 2 / 2, it will be very strange as it
sounds, because the bars of the song should be �. To
determine we can use the menu bar View> Meter / Key, default
is 4 / 4, but we can replace it with angaka bar that
according to the music that we will create.
Figure 3. Tempo and time signatures
Step 2 : Creating and Filling Data
Track
As already slightly alluded to above, before we stepped on
stage to include some musical notation, we have to make
tracks and fill the necessary data on the cell that has been
available. Say we'll make the Track 1 for the lead / main
track by selecting the instrument Flute.
So who will we fill the data like the following:
a. Name
In this cell we are free to type a
name that we want in accordance with the name of the
instrument. Since we planned this track for the instrument
Flute, then here we will fill it with a flute or flute or
LEAD or MELODY or whatever it's up to us, which is important
we understand the intention of writing it.
b. CHN
CHN is an abbreviation of the Channel. We are free to choose
the number of channels from a range of numbers 1 to 16. But
remember! Avoid filling it with the
number 10, because channel 10 only to track drums.
Especially if we intend to fill Lyrics on MIDI
that we make then you should fill it with number 4 CHN.
Because if not, then the lyric
which was tired-tired we write will not appear on screen
keyboard, even though the sound is out according to what we
want.
c. Patch
Cell this is the place for GM tone.
For the filling we could not type, but
must choose one of 128 GM tones available.
You do this by pressing enter or double click
when the cursor is in the position of these cells. Please
select one. But because of this contract we have defined
Flute, then we will choose the Flute. Then click Ok.
d. Vol
Stands for Volume, which is hard
weak instrument sound you want. The range of numbers from 0
to 127, which means that if we fill with the number 0 then
the instrument will not be read, otherwise if we fill it
with the number 127 so that audible noise is the loudest.
As an example we will fill this cell with
100.
e. Pan
Panning Pan stands for, namely the
balance of left and right your loud speaker. The range of the
score is 0 to 127, which means that if we fill it with 0
then the sound that comes out will be heard on the far left,
when we fill it with the number 127 then the sound that
comes out will be heard on the far right side.
And if we fill it with the number 64, then the
sound will be heard in the middle (center) on the devices we
monitor.
Step 3 : Load Data Notation
If we have to fill the data tracks that are needed, it is
time to enter the main stage of MIDI-making, namely to
include some notation. For this we will go into another
worksheet called the Piano Roll. You do this by right click
on the Track Name, or via the menu View> Piano Roll
Figure 4.
Piano Roll
Here we see the picture vertically elongated piano keys and
the little boxes on the right. Also be
seen numbers 1,2,3,4 etc, these figures indicate the number
/ number of bars. In these boxes we will be entering data
one by one with the notation using the mouse.
It is very easy, when we already
understand or know the song notation that we want to make,
we can directly enter data notation into the boxes provided.
If we click the picture to the left of the pencil and then
we click back to the area of the boxes, then once you hear
the sound and picture shown red line stretching.
That data notation. We
may cut, sliding to the left -
right, sliding up - down to produce the sound we want.
When we want to delete them, just click the
image eraser (symbol bar) and then click the notation that
we want to remove, then immediately notation will disappear
from sight. So forth. Of course now
we know that there are no significant problems in entering
data notation, even if we do not understand the notation,
because the piano roll is very helpful for us.
Now stop dabbling and start by making the actual song.
One more thing to note, if there is a
section in a song the same, then we need not repeat again
enter the same data notation. We can use the copy command
sequence like the following:
Edit> Select> By Time
In From the contents of the initial number of bars that will
be copied, Through the end of the bar is filled with numbers
that will be copied, then Ok
Edit> Copy> Ok
Edit> Paste, Starting At Times
filled in the bar numbers where we want to put the copy, the
copy number of repetitions completed we want, then on What
to do with existing materials we select the Replace old with
new and then Ok
Then copy will soon be established we need not repeat the
same notation data entry.
If all the data notation on this track we
have entered, please click the Play Button.
At the moment we can stop playing any time
and re-fix it if there are parts that are less tasty
sounding. So forth until the music
sounded absolutely perfect.
To make the other tracks, such as
Track Organ, Bass Track, Guitar Track, Track String, etc, do
the same. We can repeat the whole step in
stage 2. To be considered, we must
fill with CHN numbers different for each track, while the
type of instruments may be the same. Similarly, cell volume
and pan, can we fill with the same number, but we certainly
will fill with different numbers (as needed) if we want to
get results that matched the music and the harmonious
alignment of each tracks.
Step 4
: Creating and Filling the Drum
Track Data / Percussi
Basically the steps to create and
fill data on the track Drum music is not much different from
the others. The difference is, we must
fill cell CHN with the number 10, while cell patch we should
leave it blank (default), meaning in this music project we
will use the Standard Drum Set. How do I fill in the music
data? Let us enter the piano roll drum set, how the drum
tracks right-click and select piano roll.
Figure 5. Drum Roll Piano
Will we see a difference when compared to other tracks with
the piano roll. In the piano roll
will not be visible image is elongated vertical piano keys,
but the names of instruments and drum sets percusi as his
successor. While the boxes where the
music remains the same data. Similarly filling way, just by
filling out the other tracks of music data.
In fact it can be said to include some
drum notation is actually easier than the others because it
is the same drum pattern from bar to bar, except the fill
ins or roople. So especially for the to drum we can make only one bar
only, then stay copy to another bar.
Copying same process. Use a combination of
copy and paste commands as described above.
If there is no difficulty with all
of the above process we hope you can make and complete other
tracks to form a unity song is intact, although still
modest. But with spirit, discipline and high seriousness
over time we will become accustomed to and able to develop
their own individual features that are available on the CWPA
9.
Step 5
: Saving Work
What's the point when all our
efforts to make MIDI from beginning to end is not in the
store (save) it will be futile is not it? Broadly speaking,
keep the work cakewalk can be categorized in 2 ways:
a. Normal Save
Music files will be stored in a
cakewalk format (*. wrk)
With this storage method will only music files can be opened
and played using software cakewalk. Not only CWPA 9 only,
but all programs are compatible with sequencer cakewalk WRK
file.
b. MIDI files
This is a common way of storage. By
saving the work as a MIDI file, then we not only music files
will be opened by the cakewalk it, but can be opened by any
software midi sequencer, all keyboards, and all the MIDI
player that supports General MIDI (GM) and Standard MIDI
FILE ( SMF)
How to use the following command
sequence:
- View> SysEx> Load Bank for file 0 (the symbol of an open
folder)> select gmsystem.syx> Open
- File> Save As> Define Name File> Save As Midi 0> Save
This is the end of our MIDI-making process. We'll be
back on the other MIDI tutorial periodically. Good luck !
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINKS :
www.vanbasco.com ;
www.freemidi.com ;
www.midicenter.com ;
www.mididb.com ;
www.findmidis.com ;
www.infimidi.com ;
www.midi4u.com ;
www.midisite.co.uk ;
www.midifiles.co.uk
; www.midibank.com ;
www.musicamidigratis.com ;
www.cool-midi.com ;
www.midimole.com ;
www.mymidifiles.com
;
www.pcmus.com ;
www.midispace.com ;
www.all-midi.com ;
www.midiarena.com ;
www.hqmidi.com ;
www.notation.com
