Improving Midi Sound Quality

[redjeep!]

Hey,

I use Band in a Box and other midi files a lot as accompaniment when I practise.

The only problem is that on my standard computer a lot of the instruments sound like a cheap 1980's Casio and even my kids laugh at how unrealistic they sound.

What do I need to do to improve the sound ? Should I buy a better soundcard or a softsynth, or should I be looking at something else entirely. I was thinking perhaps of the small M-Audio midi controllers as a sound source or even buying a s/h Yamaha sequencer to use as a sound module.

Help, I'm confused (but I do have a good general knowledge of computers).

BTW I'm not too bothered about the ability to record anything too seriously, although I'm thinking of buying the soundcard anyway to be able to record my practise sessions to be able to focus on certain aspects and was looking at the M-Audio 2496, but was recommended the E-MU 0404 instead by my music shop. Any thoughts ?

Thanks.

 

[barthanatos]

Hmmm. Well, there should be sampled instruments that are used when you play the MIDI file. The quality of the samples can vary HUGELY.
The MIDI file pretty much only contains information such as:
note
duration of note
note dynamics
maybe something else, can't remember

The MIDI file contains no information about the sonic characteristics of an instrument. That's why you can reassign different instruments to the notes stored in the file. Anyway... if the "instruments" (samples) that your computer is using sound like crap... it's gonna sound like crap.

I'm not sure where to get better ones, or how to swap 'em around... but I believe all the info I provided to be correct. Someone please add/subtract from what I said as appropriate.

 

[DWBass]

If your PC/Mac can handle the load, Soft Synths are the way to go. Or send the midi out to an external sound module. Way back when, I used to use Virtual Sound Canvas (Roland back then). I think it's still available by Edirol. It had 2 types you could install. A soft synth version and a stand alone version where you could play standard midi files, assign sounds and when you tweaked it enough, convert it to wav or mp3!

 

[lemur821]

Some sound cards support loading in additional soundfonts, which are sets of samples (patches) they'll use to play the music. If you've got one that does, that may be easiest. After that, I'd try a softsynth.

 

[Shelly]

Newbie buttin' in...

Another option would be to forgo the computer altogether as a sound source and use a GM module and computer midi interface. Someone else has already mentioned the Sound Canvas line. Roland also makes JV series modules (JV1080, 2080, etc.) that can be had pretty cheaply from eBay.

On the software side, there's Colossus from EastWest (www.soundsonline.com). The thing is, this library is huge (something like 32GB). Also check out IK Multimedia's Samplitude sample library, which will allow assembly of a GM soundset.

Good Luck!

 

[geoffkhan]

Yup, you'd be well off with Colossus from EastWest, as Shelly mentioned. If you want good sounds, go for software--hardware usually doesn't compare with good software, since hardware is so size-limited. Don't get me wrong, there are some good sound modules out there, but I've heard a lot of better sample libraries.

The other way to go is to build your own library of sounds consisting of Soundfonts, VSTis, etc. Figure out what's the best of each. You want drums? Get BFD, Jamstix, NS Kit7, DFHS, etc. You need good B3-ish organ tones? Look into NI B4, NuBiLe, ORGANized Trio, etc. This way you're sure to get the best of each instrument, not just a jack-of-all-trades softsynth. Granted it will take a longer time figuring out the best of each, but in the end it's worth it, IMO.

 

[redjeep!]

Thanks everyone.

The mists are starting to clear. I'll have a look around to see whats available on the s/w side of things.

 

[David Vector]

If you want to stay on the computer, you could snag one of the less expensive audio sequencers like Mackie Tracktion, which comes with a very rudimentary sampler and several simple but decent-sounding bundled softsynths for things like piano, Rhodes, strings, etc. There's a TON of freeware VSTi's (VST softsynths) out there that you can download and use in Tracktion as well (the majority of them seem to fall into the analog synth category).

Another possible route is to get something like Sony Acid Pro (if you're on the Windows platform) or one of the "lite" versions of Acid and use Acid loops to create beds for practice accompaniment. The newest version of Acid also includes audio track recording and editing.

 

[geoffkhan]

There's a TON of freeware VSTi's (VST softsynths) out there that you can download and use in Tracktion as well (the majority of them seem to fall into the analog synth category).

Yup!

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