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MIDI MAKING
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NoblemanNick
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CloseHello RMN Community I come for help. I want to learn how to create my own MIDIs and maybe MP3s so I come to you to say where would I start to learn, any free programs out there that could help me. Also if you would like to give me any pointers or tips. Does it matter what type of melody and music I'm trying to make. I want to make a spacey-futuristic and techno sound to go along with my new game. One program I heard was good to have was Audacity so I do have that.
Much obliged in advance,
Nicholas/NoblemanNick
Much obliged in advance,
Nicholas/NoblemanNick
Jabbo
140
Personally I've always used Noteworthy Composer for MIDIs. It's a simplistic little program, and a lot of people don't like it because it's too simplistic (as compared to Finale), but good god is it easy to use for copy and paste. Plus the trial version is free and never runs out.
For the translation to MP3 you're going to need a) an MP3 program (like Audacity. I use FLStudio myself) and b) Soundfonts.
Soundfonts are effectively instruments that you can map to different pitches. So you make a MIDI in Noteworthy, import it into an MP3 program and apply a soundfont to it. There's a lot more complexity to it but I'm not a hardcore audio junkie so I haven't figured it all out.
Garritan Personal Orchestra has some of the best commercial soundfonts out there (but it's only for classical instruments). Also there's this one site I used to use, www.sf2midi.com with free soundfonts (and some of them are pretty good, if you can find the right ones).
Then after you've got your MIDI imported with soundfonts and all you can use the MP3 program to tweak effects like reverb and all that.
For the translation to MP3 you're going to need a) an MP3 program (like Audacity. I use FLStudio myself) and b) Soundfonts.
Soundfonts are effectively instruments that you can map to different pitches. So you make a MIDI in Noteworthy, import it into an MP3 program and apply a soundfont to it. There's a lot more complexity to it but I'm not a hardcore audio junkie so I haven't figured it all out.
Garritan Personal Orchestra has some of the best commercial soundfonts out there (but it's only for classical instruments). Also there's this one site I used to use, www.sf2midi.com with free soundfonts (and some of them are pretty good, if you can find the right ones).
Then after you've got your MIDI imported with soundfonts and all you can use the MP3 program to tweak effects like reverb and all that.
I always thought it would be great to have all custom music for my game, but y'know...you need to have some talent to be able to do composing xD
Maybe I'll try out this "Noteworthy Composer" one day, I'm sure there's online tutorials. Who knows maybe I have a latent ability for MIDI composing, just like I thought I had a latent ability for spriting last week...turns out...no, I don't.
Maybe I'll try out this "Noteworthy Composer" one day, I'm sure there's online tutorials. Who knows maybe I have a latent ability for MIDI composing, just like I thought I had a latent ability for spriting last week...turns out...no, I don't.
Darken
3952
I'm no music expert. But I'm pretty sure the best way to get into stuff like that is to learn a variety of instruments (or at least one instrument) and actually learn how music works. This isn't the sort of stuff you can pick up just for some hobby RPG game you're working on.
No one has a pre-born/destined talent for anything. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Who knows maybe I have a latent ability for MIDI composing, just like I thought I had a latent ability for spriting last week...turns out...no, I don't.
No one has a pre-born/destined talent for anything. Rome wasn't built in a day.
Jabbo
140
Yeah, you're pretty much going to want a piano/keyboard. Guitar is probably the second best option.
If you're already familiar with sheet music then Noteworthy is the easiest thing in the world to use (no tutorial necessary: space bar is rest and tab is measure line). If not, Noteworthy is still pretty easy. Provided you have the patience to try and figure out what note you played and how long it should last (everyone should know what a quarter note is and that going up and down the staff increases/decreases pitch, right?). You really can't just open up Noteworthy and see what you pull off, though, so you kinda need to know what melody and such you're aiming for ahead of time.
If you're already familiar with sheet music then Noteworthy is the easiest thing in the world to use (no tutorial necessary: space bar is rest and tab is measure line). If not, Noteworthy is still pretty easy. Provided you have the patience to try and figure out what note you played and how long it should last (everyone should know what a quarter note is and that going up and down the staff increases/decreases pitch, right?). You really can't just open up Noteworthy and see what you pull off, though, so you kinda need to know what melody and such you're aiming for ahead of time.
I don't use a piano or instrument, I just toss notes onto a staff and hope it sounds good. Well, there's a little more to that, but I like how that sounds.
I use an old program called Rhapsody. Sure, I tried stuff like Finale but I didn't like it. So basically, assign the instruments to the staves, set clefs, set volumes, click and place notes. That's how I do it, I don't like to have keyboards and stuff taking up room in my room.
So yeah, your first songs should sound like random pieces of junk. It's normal. I'd recommend taking a look at other midis, and even copying one directly so you get a feel for working with midis. Of course don't claim that copy as your own... but that's obvious.
I use an old program called Rhapsody. Sure, I tried stuff like Finale but I didn't like it. So basically, assign the instruments to the staves, set clefs, set volumes, click and place notes. That's how I do it, I don't like to have keyboards and stuff taking up room in my room.
So yeah, your first songs should sound like random pieces of junk. It's normal. I'd recommend taking a look at other midis, and even copying one directly so you get a feel for working with midis. Of course don't claim that copy as your own... but that's obvious.
demondestiny
889
I have always wanted to compose my own music just don't know how or anything. I too might try out that noteworthy composer some day and see what type of song i can produce. :P
If you're a piano/keyboard player, a MIDI controller, or a keyboard with a MIDI interface is a million times more convenient than using a mouse to click the notes onto a staff.
If you don't play any instruments at all, it would probably be exceedingly difficult to use a MIDI interface keyboard to compose.
Really, if you don't plan on using advanced techniques such as modulators, expression, reverb, pitch-bending, etc, etc, then an older, simplistic program is more than adequate.
Finale is not the program to use for composition. It's great for arrangements of existing pieces, and printing off scores.
If you don't play any instruments at all, it would probably be exceedingly difficult to use a MIDI interface keyboard to compose.
Really, if you don't plan on using advanced techniques such as modulators, expression, reverb, pitch-bending, etc, etc, then an older, simplistic program is more than adequate.
Finale is not the program to use for composition. It's great for arrangements of existing pieces, and printing off scores.
Like Jabbo I use Noteworthy Composer but i also use GuitarPro5
But you also ave to have some musical talent to make your own game music...
But you also ave to have some musical talent to make your own game music...
Quiversee
195
Anvil studio works for me, but I usually do music editing in Moteworthy since Anvil messes up editing other MIDIs (at least for me). It's pretty simple and easy to use.
Jabbo
140
I was actually kinda hoping someone would go into a little more detail in terms of soundfonts. I'm sure there are some other things out there besides GPO (and yeah I know GPO isn't technically soundfonts, either), but I don't know what they are and I'd kinda like to get a list of what else people actually use.
I'm in the process of building a new computer, at which point I'll be installing Eastwest Symphony Orchestra gold bundle VST.
And I use a Yamaha KX8 MIDI controller.
The whole setup cost around 1500 bucks though.
And I use a Yamaha KX8 MIDI controller.
The whole setup cost around 1500 bucks though.
S. F. LaValle
1069
Jabbo: Soundfonts are unwieldy nowadays and are rarely used. It's difficult to find free soundfonts out there, but you may wanna Google search for Fluid, the most well-documented free soundfont that I know of.
Nowadays, the work of most wavetable synths is done via DXi or VST plugins for sequencing software (like GPO and EWQL mentioned above). Because computers are so much better nowadays, these plugins have taken the place of soundfonts, which originally required dedicated memory on your soundcard to use. Your software simply loads them up, a plugin interface will let you choose which sampled instruments to load, and your midi sounds like magic. Very simple.
I personally really like the Edirol HQ Orchestral plugin. It's much easier to use than both GPO and EWQL, and is mid-ranged with price (used to be the cheapest I think, but not anymore). GPO has some issues that hopefully have been corrected by now, but sounds pretty good; and the price is great. EWQL sounds better, but is much more expensive.
These plugins can be loaded by any software that supports DXi/VST and is capable of midi sequencing (from high-end programs like Cubase and Sonar, to low-end and cost-effective alternatives like FL Studio, if I'm not mistaken). I don't know that any freeware sequencers tout this support.
Nowadays, the work of most wavetable synths is done via DXi or VST plugins for sequencing software (like GPO and EWQL mentioned above). Because computers are so much better nowadays, these plugins have taken the place of soundfonts, which originally required dedicated memory on your soundcard to use. Your software simply loads them up, a plugin interface will let you choose which sampled instruments to load, and your midi sounds like magic. Very simple.
I personally really like the Edirol HQ Orchestral plugin. It's much easier to use than both GPO and EWQL, and is mid-ranged with price (used to be the cheapest I think, but not anymore). GPO has some issues that hopefully have been corrected by now, but sounds pretty good; and the price is great. EWQL sounds better, but is much more expensive.
These plugins can be loaded by any software that supports DXi/VST and is capable of midi sequencing (from high-end programs like Cubase and Sonar, to low-end and cost-effective alternatives like FL Studio, if I'm not mistaken). I don't know that any freeware sequencers tout this support.
Jabbo
140
author=S. F. LaValle link=topic=1465.msg23210#msg23210 date=1215576029
Jabbo: Soundfonts are unwieldy nowadays and are rarely used. It's difficult to find free soundfonts out there, but you may wanna Google search for Fluid, the most well-documented free soundfont that I know of.
Nowadays, the work of most wavetable synths is done via DXi or VST plugins for sequencing software (like GPO and EWQL mentioned above). Because computers are so much better nowadays, these plugins have taken the place of soundfonts, which originally required dedicated memory on your soundcard to use. Your software simply loads them up, a plugin interface will let you choose which sampled instruments to load, and your midi sounds like magic. Very simple.
I personally really like the Edirol HQ Orchestral plugin. It's much easier to use than both GPO and EWQL, and is mid-ranged with price (used to be the cheapest I think, but not anymore). GPO has some issues that hopefully have been corrected by now, but sounds pretty good; and the price is great. EWQL sounds better, but is much more expensive.
These plugins can be loaded by any software that supports DXi/VST and is capable of midi sequencing (from high-end programs like Cubase and Sonar, to low-end and cost-effective alternatives like FL Studio, if I'm not mistaken). I don't know that any freeware sequencers tout this support.
Exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you!
myersguy
292
Lol, I'm trying to figure out all of this midi stuff, god Fruity Loops is confusing to me, never mind sonar! Oh well, soon enough I should get the hang of it. Just trying to figure out VST's right now...
Any help as to how you overlay a midi track with a vst would be appreciated, as well as importing the VST to begin with.
Nevermind, that proved to be incredibly easy.
Also, for anyone looking for free VSTi's to mess around with, I came across this Site
Edit: And another, ya, I'm really getting into messing around with this stuff. Also, for all you midi-mp3 experts out there, why is it that some of my VSTi's can't overlay? It just makes the track not play. The piano roll is still there, but no sound comes out. If I make a new track, and then do the piano roll, it works that way.
Oh yeah, that second site : is here
EDIT: yes, again, why is it that changing a midi to a vst seems to speed it up? Is this a result of using cheap software? (fruityloops). I've noticed every single VST has done this. EDIT: I find that when using a midi with less tracks, this new vst doesn't speed up as much, it just comes in early, etc. Maybe my laptop isn't made for this. Good thing I have a studio in my basement.
Nevermind, that proved to be incredibly easy.
Also, for anyone looking for free VSTi's to mess around with, I came across this Site
Edit: And another, ya, I'm really getting into messing around with this stuff. Also, for all you midi-mp3 experts out there, why is it that some of my VSTi's can't overlay? It just makes the track not play. The piano roll is still there, but no sound comes out. If I make a new track, and then do the piano roll, it works that way.
Oh yeah, that second site : is here
EDIT: yes, again, why is it that changing a midi to a vst seems to speed it up? Is this a result of using cheap software? (fruityloops). I've noticed every single VST has done this. EDIT: I find that when using a midi with less tracks, this new vst doesn't speed up as much, it just comes in early, etc. Maybe my laptop isn't made for this. Good thing I have a studio in my basement.
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