When I make my own MIDI styles, I record everything live, in real time, into a MIDI sequencer. Then I import snippets of what I recorded into BiaB's StyleMaker. The result is MIDI that sounds live as long as you have a decent GM Synth (not the cheap synth chip in your sound card).

Check out this mp3 http://www.nortonmusic.com/mp3/Sweet_Home_Chicago_M128.mp3

I made this 12 bar blues progression (public domain chord progression) to play "Sweet Home Chicago" with. However I use a 192kbps mp3 for my duo, and this one is ripped at 128 so it doesn't take so much time to download. It can be used for dozens of other blues songs.

I recorded it in BiaB using a couple of my Norton Music blues styles (#BluBrk2.sty and #BluChi1.sty). Added some minor horn riffs and let BiaB harmonize them, and then exported to MIDI. I imported it into an old bug-free copy of Master Tracks Pro and added the walking bass line in certain sections.

The fact that all the parts of the style (including the drums) were recorded using live into a sequencer before importing into BiaB's StyleMaker meant that very little post editing was necessary. I moved a couple of the drum rolls around and a few minor edits like that, but nothing to change the groove or feel.

All the sounds except the bass are General MIDI sounds from the following sound modules, Roland SD90, Roland SC55, Roland MT32, I have other modules, but they were just the sounds I wanted.

The bass is from a sampled Faux-Fender-Jazz Bass that I own and sampled in an old 12bit Akai S900 hardware sampler. Of course I could have used a General MIDI fingered bass for this, the bass on my Yamaha VL70m would have worked as well, but I happen to like using the one I sampled.

So there is nothing wrong with MIDI -- and nothing wrong with General MIDI. There is something wrong with cheap synth chips though.

For the price of all that extra storage and back up storage needed for RTs, you could buy a great General MIDI sound module and enjoy the thousands of non RT styles plus have the editing ability that only MIDI tracks can give you.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Last edited by Notes Norton; 04/02/11 07:25 AM.