Once again, MIDI only sounds as good as the synth you are using.

I'll add:
  • (1) Tone matters more to the musician and less to the audience member. After all, what you think is perfect tone, is your opinion. Take vocalists, does Doctor John have a good voice? John Lennon? Rod Stewart? Stevie Nicks? Bob Dylan? Most people say "no" but they sell a lot of records. How about guitar? Ask 100 guitarists what perfect tone is, and you will get at least 90 answers. Is it Hendrix? Slash? Walsh? Page? Van Halen? Joe Pass? Eric Gale? Jeff Beck? Clapton? Kenny Burrell? Emily Remler? Nancy Wilson? ______? And on which guitar or which stage of their career?
  • (2) Expressiveness trumps tone as far as the audience is concerned. That's why people like Doctor John and Stevie Nicks sell so many records
  • (3) It is possible to get more creative AND more expressive with MIDI tracks with the available continuous controllers (http://www.nortonmusic.com/midi_cc.html), ability to subtly shift note placement, ability to alter dynamics, add notes, change notes, and so on
  • (4) So I must conclude that MIDI tracks, while with a good synth are only slightly inferior in tone to real tracks, can be made to sound more expressive and more musical. The musician may notice the difference in tone, the audience will relate to the difference in expression and favor a well made MIDI track -- this is why most of the professional musicians I know prefer MIDI over recorded loops


It really bugs me when people sell MIDI short. MIDI sounds bad only when people don't take the time to learn how to use it and/or if they are using a cheesy synthesizer. Much of what you hear on contemporary recordings, including bass, drums, piano, B-3, etc., are played by studio musicians on MIDI instruments.

Remember, MIDI has no sound, it tells the synthesizer what the original player is doing with his/her fingers, breath, feet or whatever else the player uses to play an instrument.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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