1237e18697ca
tech



Hello Wayne - 

CA>> Being the Christmas season, and one of the few holidays
CA>> with a focus on music, I've been listening to a great deal
CA>> of music lately. Much of it in the MIDI format. I've even
CA>> 'improved' a few that I had worked on last year and
CA>> doubled the number of titles on my Christmas MIDI music
CA>> page. 

WC> Not exactly Chrismas music but I downloaded the
WC> HorseRace.mp3 file you compressed down to just over 1/4
WC> meg, thanks. 

You're welcome. It's easier to share those files with others
when they are smaller. :-) 

Not sure if you like guitar music but have a 'new' resequenced
version of Kenny Rogers "Lady" on my MP3/WMA webpage
(streaming): 

Windows MultiMedia verison: 

http://www.undercoverdesign.com/cgi-bin/ctram.cgi?lady.wax 

MP3 version: 

http://www.undercoverdesign.com/cgi-bin/ctram.cgi?lady.m3u 

Used TIMIDITY to record the MIDI to WAV then LAME to make the
MP3. 

CA>> I've done some reading about Linux apps and MIDI music
CA>> files and what I've read so far is a bit of a
CA>> disappointment. :-\ 

CA>> As I suspected the 'playmidi' included with KNOPPIX is
CA>> intended to only use the FM synthesizer (sounds like a
CA>> child's toy on batteries) and not the soundfonts I am
CA>> using when in Windows. 

WC> Likely there are additional packages out there. 

Yes, one of the very best is out there - TIMIDITY originally
written for Linux. :-) 

--8<--cut 

CA>> Disappointing that Linux users aren't being made aware of
CA>> it's (TIMIDITY) existence more often than what I'm seeing
CA>> now. 

WC> Well you're way ahead of me in sound apps but it's
WC> encouraging to hear you say that about a native Linux app. 

It's difficult to give a wholehearted push behind software you
haven't used and I haven't been able to test Linux software
using Linux. Windows ports of Linux software are often only
'similar' to the Linux versions. Even those that I have and
have used with Windows don't tell me what they are like when
using Linux. :-\ 

CA>> From what I'm reading at this point, I can see why few
CA>> Linux users get involved in MIDI music files. The 'setup'
CA>> seems to be primarilly manual configuration for most Linux
CA>> apps and there are 'dependencies' that require other
CA>> drivers with no links where to find these drivers. When
CA>> reading about these Linux apps they make it seem that you
CA>> must have a midi-card to use them. Few make it clear that
CA>> a normal sound card is sufficient. 

CA>> TIMIDITY has been written and maintained by Japanese
CA>> programmers (primarily) and many, if not most, webpages
CA>> for TIMIDITY are in Japanese. Not an easy thing to deal
CA>> with (for me). Fortunately for me I have had earlier
CA>> contacts with Eric Walsh who put together the largest
CA>> collection of GUS patch files for TIMIDITY and can
CA>> probably get some assistance from him to get TIMIDITY
CA>> working under Linux here on one of my machines. :-) 

WC> I believe I've seen a GUI interface to it in Knoppix and if
WC> it follows form it should be dead easy to use from there. 

I will double check. I didn't think TIMIDITY was on the KNOPPIX
release. Would be great if it is though. :-) 

CA>> For those who care, there are links to WinGroove, TIMIDITY
CA>> (for DOS, Windows, and Linux), and other MIDI software at: 

CA>> http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/dos/w31_midi.htm 

WC> But of course ;-) 

:-) 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

--- * ATP/16bit 2.31 * 
... DOS the Ghost in the Machine! http://www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost/