MESSAGE
| DATE | 2002-01-04 |
| FROM | marco
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] Audio InService
|
Ruben Safir wrote:
> I, for one would love to learn what a midi file is exactly and how I
can use my
> Casio with my sound card with Free Software :)!!
ok ,
First you have to understand that midi is not sound. It is just a
control protocol. A midi file is a series of control messages ( like a
music score only you can specify more stuff). There are different ways
of encoding a midi file, so you have the obligatory compatibility
issues. (1)
When you "play" a midi file on your computer, you are actually sending
control messages to a sampler or synthesizer on your sound card. This
is confusing. The midi sampler or synthesizer on your sound card plays
sounds in reponse to midi control messages (note-on + volume, and
note-off). But midi is still not sound.
Most soundblaster compatible cards also have a DB-9 midi in/out on
them (Midi Interface). This allows you send midi messages to machines
outside your computer ( to a sampler or a synth in your casio keyboard
say or to all sorts of other gear). Also your keyboard can send Midi
messages to your computer to any piece of software you want-- a sampler
or sythethiser, but you can control anything really (like you can with a
mouse).
There are certain midi controllers which send out a slightly different
"continuous control midi message". This is different than the
keyboard's usual note-on, note-off. Often a keyboard will have a pitch
bend wheel which can send out these continuous control messages which
you would need if you want a more joystick like control.
(1) I don't know the midi file details too well, as I use midi to
control many different types of machines, more than as a way of sending
compositions around the web.
>
>
> How to record and edit with sound?
Recording and playing sound is getting easier and easier under Linux.
Alsa's in the kernel now. Many distributions set this up out of the
box. The rest is just a choice of a huge variety of small programs. I
was thinking of testing out as many as possible and getting down to a
group of interesting ones which complement each other. But often each
project or person has different needs or desires, and the capacities of
these programs changes constantly.
Do you think taking about the issues, and having a question answer
would make an In Service? I'm used to demo-ing things. Examples help
alot I find. Obviously this is more dificult to set up.
> How about Jaz?
Jazz?? Jazz++ the midi sequencer?
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