Tunes in progress

[m0ds]

Hello music fans, just a quick one here. I've recently (and finally) come out of the dark ages & been able to convert from placing every note one by one to just playing it through on my keyboard - which has made composing 10x more fun for me. However, I'm not sure why but I can't quite optimise the metronome - sometimes it slows down, speeds up etc even though I'm running a high-end PC.

I've got a few tunes for you to check out, I'd really just like to know how they sound on your sound-cards, if you can hear any duff notes (and where) and generally what you think.

Firstly, here is the most recent tune in my "older" style - of just placing all the notes. It's for a game about a drunkard at Christmas;
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/MIKEMIKE.MID

It's possible to create some cool sounding MIDI's that way, I can really focus on the sound of the instruments. UNTIL AGS COMES ALONG AND USES ITS OWN DRUM SYNTH!!! Grrr :p Several of the following tunes are un-finished...

Here are the newer tunes created simply by playing them:
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/COOTHEME.MID (for Nellie Cootalot)
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/COOTABCH.MID (for Nellie Cootalot)
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/SPINKS.MID (for Nellie Cootalot)

I find it harder to control the actual sound of "MIDI" this way, especially in the next few tunes.

http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/PLUCKY.MID (for FoY)
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/FOYCRAP.MID (for FoY)
http://www.screen7.co.uk/junc/CREDIT.MID (for FoY)

Thanks for taking a listen, I appreciate it!


m0ds

PS - on a random note, I'd like to mark today as a special day because I put a letter through the director of Edward Scissorhands door...

[Vel]

Hey m0ds, you've made some nice tunes as always.
Your playing is good overall, but I think there are some slight inaccuracies(with velocity, in particular) which could be easily removed by editing the midi. Other than that, keep up the good work!

[The Bedminster Incident]

How's your keyboard connected to your computer? I believe the accuracy of the metronome to be dependent on that rather than on the capacities of your computer. I myself am using a Yamaha S90 with a rather old computer (866 Mhz) via USB, and it still works perfect for me. Then, does your computer do the metronome clicks or the keyboard? Maybe play a bit around with the preferences concerning this.

You'll hear more from me when I got round to listen to your tunes.
- Blodvarg

[Ali]

Hi m0ds,

I'm not able to listen to the FoY tunes, but I have listened to the Nelly Cootalot tunes. Because they're for my project. Yay!

I mentioned in a PM that I thought I heard a few duff notes in the latter three tunes. My lack of a musical vocabulary may have been to blame there, I think the main thing I was picking up on was the changing velocity that Vel noticed.

I don't know enough about music to suggest any way of improving though, I'm just posting to let you know that I  like the style. Let me know when you have a midi you're happy with so I can add it to the in production thread.

-Ali.

[Gregjazz]

It's sounding a lot better! More velocity changes in the notes since you're playing it in live.

You'll find that you might have to do a little editing afterwards to tighten things up. On any drums, a little bit of quantization in some parts can be helpful. Don't quantise everything, and don't quantize with the strength on 100%, that takes away all the humanization.

I always love the music by Michael Land and those guys because they would play it in live through midi keyboards. (I have Sam & Max music in mind while saying this)

A step in the right direction!!

Looking forward to more of your music...

[m0ds]

Thanks for the comments guys! Sorry that I've only just re-stumbled upon this post!!

Your playing is good overall, but I think there are some slight inaccuracies(with velocity, in particular) which could be easily removed by editing the midi.

Vel, thanks! I've been playing around with velocity a bit more. I'm still making "final versions" by placing notes rather than playing live, the software I've got just isn't that great for recording live but it helps me make roughs. Velocity is becomming easier to me (I think!) but obviously not if you don't find it apparent in the next couple of MIDI's.

I have listened to the Nelly Cootalot tunes. Because they're for my project. Yay!

Hehe! And an awesome project it is, Ali! Can't wait to play the full game! Is the GiP thread up to date? Is coding still only 10%? Hopefully no duff notes now, and I updated the theme tune - you have the original if you don't like the new one (below). Also, general exteriors is done.

The Nelly Cootalot theme
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/nellytheme.mid

General exploration
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/nellyexplore.mid

Uh-oh!
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/uhohnelly.mid

And here are some others for CoS Hopefully you'll be hearing a full soundtrack in-game next! Same for Nelly
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/costheme.mid
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/cosbrunwald.mid
http://screen7.co.uk/junc/cosjail.mid

Then, does your computer do the metronome clicks or the keyboard?

Blodvarg, I play the clicks through the keyboard, it's awful when it goes through the computer!! The clicks still jump a bit when they go through the keyboard, and I've tried adjusting memory & stuff, but it hasn't really changed it.

A step in the right direction!!

Geoffkhan, thanks But what does quantise mean?

Finally, I'm glad you're enjoying the music! Thanks!!!

[Nikolas]

Geoffkhan, thanks But what does quantise mean?

It means that it makes all notes right on target! It fixes any possible errors on timing, length, and begining and ending. automatically. It makes muisc less human sometimes but generally for someone not good in keyboard is a life saving device.

The Nelly tune is brilliant, I love the mixing, and although midi it has an exceptional quality. You are indeed the master of midi music.

The velocity is handled great in the last midis.

The tunes and melodies are really nice and well thought/inspired. Great harmnies as well and the orchestrations are really imaginative.

I don't think I have anything to comment on, because they seem perfect (and midi is not my area :-/)

Thanks for posting mOds

[Vel]

Indeed m0ds, your midi mixing skills are exceptional... I think you should take the next step and move on to digital audio, it gives you much more freedom.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I like what you're doing here, but what I cannot understand is why someone so clearly talented is still using the midi format.  The simple fact that your vision for a tune can easily be butchered by crappy soundcard instrument banks should be reason enough to bump up to sample-based music programs or better.  At least then you are assured that when the tune sounds the way you want it it will sound that way for everyone.  Heck, if you want a midi-ish feel to your tunes and small files you can just use low quality 8-bit samples and jam away.

As for the actual tunes, the only one so far that seemed off to me was foycrap.  The string in the main theme trails on at the beginning and cuts off awkwardly.  Nice work overall.