How to make Midis sound more... real?

Meowster · Thu 30/08/2007 16:54:24

ok, I have a few questions.

First of all, I've come across a few sites where people seem to have taken midi files and then DONE SOMETHING to them that makes the midi instruments sound more like... real instruments. And then saved them as MP3s. How is this done?

Secondly, I'm looking for some software recommendations... I need something to mix together say, you know those short radio station jingles? Things like those. Preferably something nice and simple

And maybe some recording software too...

Any recommendations from you good AGSers?

radiowaves · Thu 30/08/2007 17:11:20

You could always record midi, then tweak some EQ, add a small reverb and compress the whole thing.

Nikolas · Thu 30/08/2007 17:15:08

The how part:

I guess you're talking about samples. You get a "real" piano sound, and record it, so everytime you trigger a certain note, it's not your soundcard playing midi sounds, but the very specific piano sound. Same goes for all instruments.

For a really long answer go here: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=31637.0 and check my really long post, for suggestions as well.

For recording: You need some kind of audio interface. Something where you will "plug in" your mic and then the sound will go into the computer, etc. Prices start from around Â£150, if not mistaken. I don't think that a normal sound card as found in your motherboard will cut it, and the mics for skype and the rest are simply awful to do anything good! Hope it helps

Adamski · Thu 30/08/2007 17:21:33

Have you ever considered opening google and doing your own research before making yet another 'Yufster's vague question of the day' thread?

GarageGothic · Thu 30/08/2007 17:21:40

Slightly off-topic, but Nikolas, do you have any experience with USB microphones? I've been looking at this one and I was wondering if using USB to circumvent my crappy mic port would be an alternative to getting a semi-pro audio card?

BOYD1981 · Thu 30/08/2007 17:25:15

i think what you're talking about are soundfonts that take the place of midi instruments.
while the best ones aren't free there are quite a few decent free ones out there, but then you also need a player capable of using soundfonts. or it could just be you have a rubbish soundcard, the midi sounds on my card aren't too bad.
it's also possible that what you were hearing was the result of midi playing through a hardware synth or keyboard.

Evil · Thu 30/08/2007 17:28:36

Quote from: radiowaves on Thu 30/08/2007 17:11:20
You could always record midi, then tweak some EQ, add a small reverb and compress the whole thing.

I remember seeing on this forum a long time ago a program that took MIDIs and made them into more realistic sounding MP3s. I have no idea what it's called but I know that it does exist somewhere.

Nikolas · Thu 30/08/2007 17:34:32

Guys... All my tracks in my site (www.nikolas-sideris.com), in the commercial section (not classical cause there it's only live) are made starting out with midi. Just go and listen.

I believe that this is rather realistic (there are better of course)... I don't think that midi sounds will cut it, unless it's realy heavily tweaked, PLUS midi sounds different in every soundcard. It may soun dperfect in you rsdouncrad and crap in another. This is why early games with midi had different versions: Adlib, soundblaster, rolland... etc...

GarageGothic:
Depends on why you want it man. If you want something "decent" you will need to spend a bit more than 40$. But it may not sound bad really. I've not heard it. The frequency response is not really great (what the mic captures), and it certainly goes low after the 10 k which is not nice... (humans hear from around 40 hz to 16 khz. but there are hypersonics above that which do give something and make a difference).

On the USB issue, I've never tried a USB mic, so I don't know, but the main thing would be latency.

Still on 40$, I don't think you can really go bad. Just buy it. (Or maybe I'm a bit deaper to what I spend generally), but 40$ is practically 1 game. So save up. It's not THAT much.

The alternatice could possibily be something like 300$ (audio interface + mic) so it's quite a leap...

space boy · Thu 30/08/2007 17:37:54

Quote from: Meowster on Thu 30/08/2007 16:54:24
How to make Midis sound more... real?

Try LSD

GarageGothic · Thu 30/08/2007 17:45:51

Nikolas, thanks for the advice. I should clarify the 40$ figure on the site is only for the shock mount, the microphone itself sells for 80$ on Amazon but the retail price (such as in local music stores) is much higher, around 200$. The reviews I read also mentions the latency as a problem, but since I'm mainly going to use it for voicework and sound effects that's not really an issue.
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but if anyone has a better suggestion for a good all-round microphone (for use with a laptop as recording device), please let me know.

Meowster · Thu 30/08/2007 18:03:32

Quote from: Adamski on Thu 30/08/2007 17:21:33
Have you ever considered opening google and doing your own research before making yet another 'Yufster's vague question of the day' thread?

I do quite often open google and doing my own research. However, sometimes it's nicer to have things explained to you by actual people who know what they're talking about, and who can answer your questions should you have them.

I'm quite surprised you have a problem with threads like this, considering that so many of the other threads on this forum are completely inane bullshit... if you really have a problem with me asking questions you should probably just avoid these threads, instead of trying to be all smart-ass and clever about it.

Nikolas · Thu 30/08/2007 18:04:53

Apart from that, did you get your answer?

Adamski · Thu 30/08/2007 18:14:32

QuoteI do quite often open google and doing my own research.

You wouldn't have thought so with the amount of threads similar to this you've started over the last few months. If you had used google for five minutes you would have come across countless website, forums and articles that are completely dedicated to this sort of thing, and you probably would have gotten loads more information than you could gleam from here.

Only trying to help!

BOYD1981 · Thu 30/08/2007 18:18:10

there are more people than yufster who start seemingly pointless threads here instead of just using google or making their own decisions. i think this is a pot calling kettle black type situation we've got here.

Sam. · Thu 30/08/2007 18:20:24

My foot hurts.

Please help.

Radiant · Thu 30/08/2007 18:30:40

Quote from: Zooty on Thu 30/08/2007 18:20:24
My foot hurts.

Try strawberry jam.

radiowaves · Thu 30/08/2007 19:00:26

Quote from: Zooty on Thu 30/08/2007 18:20:24
My foot hurts.

Please help.

You tried peeing on it?

space boy · Thu 30/08/2007 21:05:49

Quote from: Meowster on Thu 30/08/2007 18:03:32
if you really have a problem with me asking questions you should probably just avoid these threads, instead of trying to be all smart-ass and clever about it.

Do you know what a hypocrite is?

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Thu 30/08/2007 21:37:12

Try "WinGroove".

Works wonders for me.

http://www.cc.rim.or.jp/~hiroki/english/

LimpingFish · Thu 30/08/2007 22:08:44

Soundfonts are indeed what you are looking for, Meowster.

Lots of soundfonts here:

Homemusician.net
Soundfonts.it

And Synthfont, which is a soundfont player and editor, is pretty groovy; it will let you assign multiple soundfonts to midi files, by channel and such, and will also output to .wav, etc.

And it's free. Well it's shareware, but it remains fully-functional forever. So it's free!