The recorder MIDI's were produced on an IBM personal computer either from "scratch" or downloaded from the internet, then extensively reprogrammed for recorder and an accompaniment best suited to the sound of the recorder. "Sequencer" software was used to enter notes, determine tempos and key signatures, adjust the balance and volume between individual parts, add fades and retards, and produce an ambience similar to the reverberation of a large concert hall. Two different programs were used for this: Music Sculptor 1.7 and PowerTracks Pro 3.5d.
The music is produced on the computer as a MIDI file (which stands for
Musical Instrument Digital Interface). There is ac
tually
no recorded music in these MIDI files whatsoever. Instead they are brimming
over with deadly dull messages in computer code which are in turn sent to my
soundcard so its "synthesizer chip" will know what sounds to make. All
sounds are, therefore, electronic nes produced by the synthesizer when the MIDI
file is used.
An example of the messages for just ONE note of the thousands in a midi file for a piece of music would be: Turn on the note "C" in the fifth octave at beat number 3 in measure number 67. Make it sound like a violin. Make it sound at a volume of 95 (out of a range of 1-127). Turn this note off at the end of beat 4 in measure 67. Then there are messages which apply to the whole piece like what overall tempo to use and what special effects to use such as echo. Finally, there are messages that apply to a group of notes like slowing down the tempo for a retard or fading out the volume at the end.
(This
page Copyright 1998 by Jim Phypers)
Articles by Jim Phypers / Recorder Music Listening Page