Best midi player

[calsonik]

Hi all.
Ive been playing in a duo now for a few years, and Im just interested in the general opinion of others. I edit all my midi files on my computer and then record them to mini disc for playback.

Do many others use this same method or do most prefer the dedicated midi player?

I bought one when I first put the duo together, but it never saw the first gig. I found the mini disc so much more effecient.

Comments please!!!

Calsonic...

[saxmidiman]

I use my laptop on stage as my midi player. I use midi because I've programed patch changes for vocals and guitars. I also have a programmed midi light show as well. It works for me, but I know a lot of people using mini disc, ipods or Cd's for onstage. It's just not the way I do things.

[calsonik]

I guess everyone has thier own way. I tried CD's once. But they are prone to skipping all the time through vibration. Midi light show sounds cool though.
Cheers

[khk]

Hi lads and gents,

I stay on stage since more as 25 years. By now, I'm using as well midis for our life perfomance by playing with a "Midi-Sequencer". Those devices are manufactored by many different factories, so here only one example to give to you: From the firm SYNTHAX "MIDIPLAYER MP 88" in combination with an ROLAND Sound Canvas (as sound module). I still work with this "Canvas-Family" and I'm very happy about his funtionallity and sounds!

The MIDIPLAYER includes a harddrive which make it possible to store lots of midis on it and allows you to retrieve any midi in a short time.

Midis on minidiscs do I use only as a backup-system if there should occur any problems with the modules.

I hope this short information helps you.

Regards,
khk.

[saxmidiman]

That sounds pretty cool. Would like a website it you have one handy. I used to use MC500, and then a Yamaha MDF-2. But you can only fit 1.2 MB of songs on them. So a laptop works great for me. Still would like to see the Synthax thing.

[khk]

Hi saxmidiman,

here is a contact address for SYNTAX- Products:

ww?. synthax.com

(for German guys: ww?.synthax.de)

Look on this site for products of "MIDITEMP".

They offer many different midiplayers/midistations for many purposes.

Just have a look.

Bye,
khk.

[mattbrydon]

i put all mi midi on floppy and play it through a yamaha PSR 1700, expensive option but sounds fantastic!!

[saxmidiman]

The Synthax unit looks great but it's really expensive. I'd just as soon use a laptop for the cost. What I would want is a dedicated midi player (no wave or mp3 capabilities). But the specs are impressive on the unit.

[gnets99]

I'm using a laptop as well. I switched to the laptop a couple of years ago and have never had a problem. I guess it's just a matter of a person's comfort level.

[JayPlayer]

I've tried everything out there and if you perform live a laptop with a good sequencer is the way to go period. Mini disc is too slow for song selection and requests and once you've recorded a tune you can't pump any individual instrument up if you get to jamming. And of course if you need lyrics, program changes for guitar, vocal and lights you can't beat the laptop.

[wholehog]

I use an OKYWEB midi player which runs of Compact Flash cards and can holde 3000+ songs. It has a built in sound card which is pretty good. www.okyweb.com

[Nigel Mulvey]

I still use a Roland Sound Brush/Canvas combination, although I have mupgraded to an SC-88ST Pro. The only thing I don't like is that I can only use single sided disks in the Sound Brush. I have picked up a collection from e-bay that should keep me going for a while.

Some time ago I found a player that looked a bit like a sound brush (1/2 rack unit) but that used double sided disks, lost the web address though. Anyone know where it might be?

[Zandro]

Did it look something like this?
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/used/soundbrush.jpg

[Nigel Mulvey]

Zandro,

That's actually the one I have that takes single sided double density disks. The one I saw on the net was slightly differently laid out took double sided high density disks and was definitely not a Roland.

What I have is OK where I do several 20/30 minute sets because I have put the songs onto disks representing different styles/categories. But if I'm doing a longer set it is slightly inconvenient, I don't like any lengthy silence between songs I feel it spoils the flow of the night.

I checked out the Synthax site yesterday, I like the look of the MP88. Anyone here have experience with them?

[saxmidiman]

Here's the next generation of what I use as a backup. It is a midi player, but not a sound module. Somewhere there will be a picture.

Check out more at the website
http://www.yamaha.ca/show_model.asp?ModelId=255

[Zandro]

Nigel, if this is an older unit you are speaking of, after viewing every image in the Audio Playground Synthesiser Museum, I have concluded that the EMU line of products is most similar to what you have been looking for. However, they all look too large to me.

http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/eIV.jpg
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/e64_frnt.jpg
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/e6400.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/esi32.jpg
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/esi4000.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/esynthrack.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/e4xtultra.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/esynthultra.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/e5000ultra.gif
http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/pic/e/emu/esi2k.gif

Otherwise, I have been unable to find any similar matches.

[Nigel Mulvey]

Thanks guys, it's not at any of those locations. I wish I had saved the site where I saw the confounded thing as a favorite!

[musikman1]

I built a "luggable" to use with my stuff. MIDI is great if you don't have quick cues, otherwise CD/R with a sample player unit (I use the Numark CDN90 that allows you to lock the key, then vary the tempo 100% either way).

It depends a lot on whether you are set gigging or show gigging.. sets allow you time btw pieces, show work can get pretty intense with some quick cues.

[spchick123]

i use my laptop

[Rankinfile]

I record to mp3, put through mp3Gain and then use my laptop on stage...

[tomaweg]

i gotta say i like midi notate its genrally cool with the turning it too sheet music but its only got a 30 day trial for free

[scottbridges]

Definitely using laptop for midi performances.