Karaoke Forums

Has anyone here experimented with using MIDI files as karaoke, either when they are recorded without vocals so it's easy- just karaoke, but cheesy sounding, or when they have to use MIDI software to isolate and remove the vocal tracks, thereby kind of making your own karaoke?

There are some good accompaniments out there, but you can't burn them to a CD or mix vocals over them to record into the computer without changing file type.  

Does anyone else know a better way to combine vocals with MIDI files without changing them to another file type so they sound tinny and cheap?

Unfortunately, the short answer is no.

MIDI is a not a digitized music file but a music information file. What they have is what notes to play when for how long with which instrument. So, it uses synthesized musical instrument to simulate the music. That's why it's so small and sounds lousy.

if you use digitized music files, such as CD+G or mp3+G files, it's actually is a music played by someone, whether live or using synthesizer, and digitally sampled and compressed. That's why it sounds much better than MIDI in almost all cases.

You can't convert the MIDI file to sound like real music no matter how hard you try. The only exception is if you have high end system that has high quality synthesized musical instruments.

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Seize the day and SING!!!

there is no easy way of doing this Jen. To play midi (and yes there are some really really good sounding files out there) adequately you need some specialist equipment. I used to use them to gig with. I did a lot of research and selected a "daughterboard" that attached to the top of my soundcard. it was a db50 xg. the sound improvement was nothing short of stunning. Hell the time it came loose from my soundcard and we set up to do a sound check for a gig we had travelled 8 hours to get to, it was scarey stuff. But I digress...to get a decent reproduction of sound you will need something like that. Sadly only the really high end cards these days have the clips on top to allow a daughter board to clip on. this seems to be becos soundcard manufacturers seemed to realise and dislike the idea that the $400 daughter board gave even a $10 soundcard cd quality sound.

If you can get your hands on a yamaha xg keyboard then you should be able to play the midi thru that and record into your computer as a wave or mp3 with reasonable sound reproduction. XG is very good indeed however normal midis do need editing before you can sucessfully play them as xg. For one thing the drums need to be assigned to a different default channel or number or something (its so long ago I cant remember) But I do have a rather easy to learn software that will play midi, edit midi and play and edit the karoke part if there is one. So you can permanently silence the annoying melody line etc
If you would like this rather old programe you are welcome to it I doubt I would be breaking any laws by passing on a prog that is antiquated.

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

and should you require them, I have a couple of thousand midi karaoke files and I am happy for you to have them as well

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

I use midi parts in quite a few of my recordings, and no one has ever lifted an eye brow. The reason, I use decent hardware and sampled sounds (Yamaha XG). Don't use the onboard computer generated sounds. With sampled sounds, you sound as good as any live performance. You'll be surprised to know just how many great bands use midi. Pink Floyd was actually one of the first bands to use midi in their live performances.

What do you expect? MIDI is data , not sound. You can use Cakewalk, or use something like the Roland virtual Sound Canvas. Not bad for home use at all.

Get yourself the Roland virtual Sound Canvas, it uses the midi interface but plays sampled sounds. You can also get the better Yamaha XG, slightly more expensive, but professional.

Wow!!!  I should have guessed there would be a lot of artists here who really know what they're doing.

I'm a midi newbie myself.  I got a Yamaha (so old I could put it in a museum) V50 when they were destroying that series and beginning the SY series, in the early 1990s.  It was the computer my parents got me for college.  I figured I could use the labs if I needed a computer, but I'd need a music computer if I didn't want to be in a practice room all night.

So I have been sequencing data since I was 17 or 18, but my keyboard was always obsolete sound-wise.  Also, I have only a very very cheap midi program, so I'm limited in my capability.

I seem to be unable to handle much more outside of muting tracks and occasionally printing sheet music out for students, and only then if the music has been entered by someone with the piano all on one track or one track for right hand, one for left, one for melody.

I never thought about purchasing a daughter board- I didn't even know you could do that but am intrigued to learn more.

I wonder if there's a good midi class you can take?  I bet it would be pointless, though, as my little V50 is dying and sometimes the buttons stick.  

These days, I sequence stuff on one voice, don't even synthesize an orchestra, and then immediately play it through a stereo into my computer with a sound program to make mp3s, and bypass the midi file entirely because the disk drive in the keyboard is on the fritz and pretty much won't always work.  Sometimes trying to save destroys an old disk that is nostalgic to me from HS or college, too.

Maybe I should stick with regular karaoke, except to make sheet music for students?

If you are into MIDI, have a look at Band-In-A-Box, Try the demo at
http://www.pgmusic.com/

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

sorry but DO NOT EVER LOOK AT BAND INA  BOX IT IS CRAP AND ANY MUSICIAN WILL TELL YOU ...PHEW I got quite overcome at the thought of any decent musician being recommended band in a box. You can tell midi made with that a mile away. They are quite simply horrible

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Jian hon I owe you an apology that looks like I set out to demeen you and that was not my intention. Your advice has always been very sound in the past but I would seriously projectile vomit all over you shoes if you provided band in a box.
I apologise if I offended you  :hug:

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

I use it to change song genere and print notes. There are musician that I know who use it to help in solo improvition of musical instrument; a mean to practised diffrent styles.. It is also a good starting point for song compostion.

If you go beyond it usefull features then I will agree it is carp.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

that's not improvising, that's just lazy. The way BIAB improvises is just a very basic and lousy chord progression, and then I won't even mention the lousy drum patterns. In general, BIAB sounds like a cheap Casio keybord with it's pre-programmed styles, but...........that's just my opinion.

hmmmmmm Allstar I find myself agreeing with you...wonder if there is a pill I can take for that? lmao

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

  There is no cure for that.


Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly

Careful you have absolutely no idea what you suggest, they dont call me the black widow for nothing

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Will you stop being nice to me? This is scary..............

Yes you are quite right the witch being nice to you is scaring me as well.



***hovers in the rafters sipping magic mushroom soup***

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."