The factor which determines the quality of the midi playback is the quality of the midi synthesizer. That is it in a nutshell - as others have pointed out.

The factor which determines the quality of the midi synthesizer is the quality of its samples and the size thereof. The cheapest and by association - cheapest sounding - have a very small and limited sample set. As Mac has said the Hollywood composers are using Mega Gigabyte sample libraries which with all the various articulations available will sound very realistic indeed. The Edirol SD range of modules falls in the middle ground with obvious smaller sample sets. Sometimes even a poor sample can sit just fine in the mix!!

BIAB's realtracks are the closest you'll get to real before you get a real band in and record them.

I sometimes wonder why the obsession with making it sound totally real from midi - the musicians of the 80's only had analogue synths and drum machines, but to me, some great pop songs came out of that period. Stevie Wonder and his early synclavier (limited memory and sample quality)were a great team and nobody despised the sound of his backings.


Kevin