Why Would a Guitarist Want to Know about MIDI
Because there are MIDI guitars! And there are MIDI interface attachments for regular guitars.
You can make totally new sounds, change your existing sounds, or add instrumentation
you never thought possible before!
So let me give you the rundown!
Historically the Musicical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, got started with MIDI keyboards.
Although there were researchers and hobbiests experiementing with other MIDI devices including guitars,
it was predominantly a keyboard world.
If you used a keyboard standalone (or without a PC), the MIDI keyboard MIDI out would be connected to the MIDI in of a sound module or other keyboard. The keyboard could then be used to play
multiple sound modules at the same time.
If you used a MIDI keyboard with your PC, a MIDI keyboard MIDI out would be connected to your PC’s MIDI in. The PC’s MIDI out would be connected to the keyboard’s MIDI in. When you press a key on the MIDI keyboard the MIDI note number and velocity (how hard you hit the key) is transmitted over the MIDI. This is somewhat like an old piano-roll piano. If you’ve ever examined one, you know the holes in the roll let a pin slip through as the paper rolls by (with the speed that the roll is turning controlling the tempo). And the pin corresponds to the piano key that will be hit at a particular time (relative to the start of the roll). MIDI data is like this except it also includes some dynamics (i.e. how hard the key was hit). When the keyboard is operated “standalone”, normally the MIDI out just loops back to the MIDI in. This is done internally so you don’t need to put a MIDI cable in. Most MIDI keyboards let you turn off this automatic loopback when you’re working with a PC so that you don’t get double notes from the keyboard and from the PC echoing it back. It’s as if the keyboard and sounds are two separate pieces. There’s an assumption here. The PC must have some software directing the MIDI connectors on the PC for this to happen. That software is usually a MIDI sequencer which functions almost like a multi-track analog recorder. With the MIDI sequencer running, you start the record function and the sequencer program will store all the MIDI notes it receives into memory (and let you file them to disk later into a MIDI file). The recorded MIDI file can be examined with a graph showing the notes (and it looks almost exactly like a piano-roll). Most sequencer software is smart enough to display (and print) in standard musical notation as well. Cool!
There are a couple more wrinkles, but good ones. In addition to MIDI note number and velocity, there’s a channel associated with MIDI transmissions. MIDI allow up to 16 different channels over the cable “simultaneously” (in quotes because I’m fibbing a little). Just like the cable TV coming into your house has 50 or 500 channels at the same time you can set a MIDI device to send or receive on a specific channel and it will only send or respond to notes for its channel. But you may have a TV with a preview capability that shows a whole bunch of TV channels at once so you can surf channels. Well some MIDI devices are like this. Actually most MIDI devices are like that these days. They can handle multiple channels at one time. Which is to say the MIDI device can “play” multiple instruments at the same time by being able to listen to multiple MIDI channels and play the notes for which each instrument is assigned. This assignment can be done on the MIDI device’s panel or sometimes by using a computer program running on the PC. This way you can have a whole band in one keyboard — piano, bass, percussion, vibes, flute, etc. As a general rule, as the number of instruments and/or simultaneous notes the keyboard can play increases, so does the price! And some MIDI keyboards have the squencer built in so you don’t even need the PC.
There are lots of freeware, shareware, and open-source MIDI sequencers out there, so just query your favorite search engine.
There are MIDI guitars, and MIDI interface attachments for regular guitars.
You can play your guitar and have it sound like a flute, or trumpet, or
a string section, or depending on the synthesizer or synthesizers you use,
it can sound like a flute AND a trumpet AND a string section AT THE SAME TIME!
For backing or solo work, your universe of sounds expands.
It opens a whole new world of music making for you!
Mike Furlong
I like to play guitar, talk about guitars, and collect them. So many guitars, so little money!
Check out
Electric Guitar Advisor
or my blog Electric Guitar Advisor Blog
Web Coach Tip 4 Ingenious Ways to NOT Give Away the Digital Farm!
A few days ago a prospect replied to one of my follow up auto-responders where I asked how they were doing and if they had any questions or if they needed help with my free workbook they downloaded.
I was so proud, and down-right tickled silly as I read their e-mail, and I quote:
“Hi Donna,
The check list is great and helped a lot. I’m on my way in terms of writing the copy for my website and am working with a web designer to get it up and running. Thank you for providing wonderful materials”
End of quote.
Hmm… (sigh)
Well. I’m so glad to provide awesome tools to the masses. If she liked my workbook so much, why didn’t she contact me? All my work preparing a document to ultimately help me get clients on track was being used to benefit some other web designer. GrrrI was steaming mad!
Then it happened - a king-size slap of reality just smacked me right across the face. Duh? I’m giving away my “goodies” for FREE!!! It’s time to start CHARGING for my knowledgeJeez I do live in the information age, don’t I?
I immediately sent an IM to my Business Coach. What do I do? How did I not see this happening? How long was I going to continue to give away the farm? After an awesome brainstorming session with my Coach, I’m ready to re-draft my workbook with killer web site & marketing tips I learned at a recent seminar and package my workbook 4 different ways, WITH NEXT TO NO COST! Listen up! YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS FREE ADVICE!
#1. Read my workbook aloud to record an mp3 on my computer. Sell the instantly downloadable Mp3 for $37 + a boat-load of irresistible bonuses (don’t forget those). Cost to me - $0.
#2. Of course I’ll have my new draft saved as a .pdf file. The next package will be: the instantly downloadable Mp3 & .pdf file and the irresistible bonuses for $97. Cost to me - $0.
#3. I just love this one. A hard copy workbook with CD of the audio, the downloadable Mp3 & .pdf, PLUS 30 minutes of free coaching, and the bonuses for $197. Cost to me - under $20.
Do you see how this is working…just keep sweetening the pot a little at each price point.
#4. Ahh! the ultimate package! All the goodies from #3 PLUS a seat in my 6 week “Website U” teleseminar for $397. Payable in 2 payments (you can do that thru your shopping cart or Paypal - being flexible is key!) Cost to me - under $50 + time setting up the seminar.
And another Bonus tipI have a small digital recorder that also records phone callsbetcha’ can’t guess what I’m planning to do? Ha! You guessed correctly! I’m going to record my teleseminars!
Isn’t it amazing what you can come up with when you get slapped in the face?
And it all started with an 8 page word.doc I created to help my clients prepare to build their web sites. Whodathunkit?
Copyright 2005 Donna Payne
Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net and is known as the gal to call when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the internet. To spend some more time with Donna and to experience Web technology, Development and Marketing in the most SIMPLIFED way possible go to http://thewebcoach.net
Tags: create a product, help with website, teleseminar, Web Design, web help, web siteSelf Publishing Era Digital Publishing Tears Down Walls
Since the birth of publishing, authors have been forced to deal with the middlemen of this industry; the publishing houses. Often some of the best authors are turned away at the door because they are not “recognized” enough. Sometimes the best talent is rejected because big publishing houses just do not have time to look over all of the manuscripts. Well the times have changed. Now authors can self publish their material for next to nothing in the form of an ebook. While many traditionalist stubbornly claim that “customers won’t buy ebooks”, nothing could be further from the truth. Some ebook authors make exorbitant amounts of money. What’s better is they get to keep most of their profits. If you are thinking about writing a book, consider publishing it in ebook format. Here are some of the benefits of ebooks
Lower costs than self publishing
Larger returns than many traditional publishing offers
Work on your own terms
Constant and growing profits
Here are some of the downfalls of self publishing ebooks:
You must learn online promotion strategies
Effectively you are the author, distributor, webmaster and many more positions
May require some knowledge of web design, book design etc etc
As you can see, digital publishing is not all fun and games. If you are serious about promoting your book online you should understand that you will no longer be just an author. You also take over the publisher’s role and become your own distribution agent. If you’re willing to sit down and do a little learning than transforming your book into digital format may be the right thing for you to do.
To learn more about digital publishing visit http://www.zizzoo.com. Alternatively if you are ready to start writing and designing you ebook check out http://www.zizzoo.com/guides/ebook
Tags: author, authors, book, books, Ebook, Ebooks, publisher, publishing, self publishing