Midi Songs

[nddhc]

When youre making midi files to share with people, do you have to use the basic GM sounds?


Thanks,
-Matt

[Gordo]

I'm kind of new at this game but I think General Midi is a standardization of "patches" which insure that no matter what machine you play the file back on (as long as the machine's General Midi compatible), what you intended to sound like a violin will sound like a violin, and what you intended to sound like a piano will sound like a piano etc. etc.

Sounds, themselves, however, can vary from one instrument and/or sound card to another, i.e. you may not like the violin sound on your instrument or computer card but the same midi voice can sound much better on another synthesizer or sound card. If you're dissatisfied with the way the voices sound on your own instrument, I'd advise taking your midi file to a music store and hearing it played back on other midi instruments. Playing your violin patch on a machine which uses a sample of a Stradivarius as it's tone generator might improve the sound a bit.
The same goes for sound cards. Your General Midi file will sound different on different cards, even though the instrumentation will always remain the same.

[sebpowles]

I think you do have to use the basic GM sounds. My Roland SD35 player has about three versions of each of the GM sounds but I have not found any way of putting them on my midi files.