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Anyone around here use MIDI software?


MarioKirby
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I've been wanting to get into making and/or manipulating music for a while, just for experimental purposes, so I was wondering if anybody has any recommendations about any particular MIDI software (or any other music software) that I could look into.

I currently have a Windows 7 laptop, so that will affect what software I can use, I'm sure.

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I'm a real fan of FL Studio's MIDI Piano Roll editor's interface, but it's hard to export MIDIs with the free version (you need to make all the channels use MIDI Out and Export it that way) and isn't very good at loading MIDIs with pitch bending. But still, its features and feel make it way better than Anvil Studio, for instance (unless you want to compose via score, in which case Anvil is pretty good)

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audacity will not help with midis at all

yeah sorry I didn't really think it through. I kinda just skimmed the post without reading it closely. I was thinking editing instrument tracks after they were already in digital format. Actually I don't know what I was thinking tbh so you should probably just ignore the first reply.

Edited by Walhart
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Anvil is a jack of all trades but the UI is a bitch and not good at all.

I personally use Mixcraft, I find it really easy to use and it does exactly what I need it to. It's not freeware, though. I think the entry-level version is like $75 or something like that.

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I use WIDI 4.1 Professional for all of my stuff. Unfortunately, you have to pay for the full version in order to save midis as they are. The trial version still does its job, though, and it never expires. (which is probably why I record the finished products with audacity before saving them but...)

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WIDI is the best program by far, but it costs money.

I do however, have a free program on my computer, that lets you take mp3 or wavs (forgot which one =P) with only one instrument and midi-fy it. In other words turn it into a MIDI. Once i get back on my (today, tomorrow?) computer, i can link you to it.

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WIDI is the best program by far, but it costs money.

I do however, have a free program on my computer, that lets you take mp3 or wavs (forgot which one =P) with only one instrument and midi-fy it. In other words turn it into a MIDI. Once i get back on my (today, tomorrow?) computer, i can link you to it.

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm okay with what I have. No worries.

I guess what I was trying to get at was that the trial version of WIDI Pro can do everything its paid for counterpart can, minus being able to save by itself beyond the ten second mark (and frankly, I know nobody wants that). That's why I threw in Audacity for recording and saving the finished midi as an mp3. You can download all versions of WIDI online, and through a bit of experimentation, I think 4.1 Pro is the most stable out of all of them so far.

So yeah. does it cost money for the full thing (that isn't much more)? Yes.

Does the "trial" still do the job with one extremely tiny drawback that can be easily fixed? Yes.

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Just out of curiousity, what's your need for MIDI's?

And also, yay, because now i dont need to dig through my computer, i forgot the name. =P

Nothing fancy. Just playing around with sheet music and doing cheap celesta compositions.

And congratulations to you. That just means less work.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I use Digital Performer 7 with Kontakt for samples, but that's because I work with full orchestral compositions and do video game scores as a side profession. For my laptop I use Sibelius 6 and Finale 2012 since most of the actual notation goes on away from my main computer. If I'm in a hurry or away from the house, I default to Reason if my needs are less orchestral and require more electronic audio.

If you're just playing around with audio manipulation and MIDI composition, I'd default to one of the earlier options like Anvil or FL because they're much cheaper. WIDI is certainly a good option if you're willing to pay for it/go for the Audacity option.

Really, it largely depends on what you're trying to do and whether or not you're willing to spend money.

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