The MIDI Files: With Disk

I've made a large number of midi files via the trial and error method and used them regularly in live performances. But, until now, I could not find a good book telling me how to make better, more professional, midi's. Some "midi manuals" gave a few tips, but were mostly devoted to a general overview of midi music. The Midi Files gives an excellent intro to basic midi knowledge, but it then goes on to provide a wealth of practical information on how to actually produce better files. Be sure you get a copy with the floppy disk that comes with the book. It has dozens of examples of how the techniques sound when properly applied. The book references the floppy's examples and is just a great tool to get you producing better files, starting with the channel headers and going right through the various techniques to the final entries on the channels. If, like me, you are someone with a little bit of knowledge looking for clear assistance on how to make better files, this is the best book I have found to date (November 2008). This is the only book I have found with this range and depth of practical advice, examples, and background explanation. I almost let the 1996 copyright date throw me off but I am glad I didn't because this is a far better book than the books I have purchased that were printed in 2005 and 2007. Scott.

This book can make you understand the whole MIDI technology pretty well. It tells you how MIDI works, how to set your system (the basics of course, the rest is up to your imagination), how to start sequencing and how edit all the material you've just recorded, including basic binary, hexadecimal and SysEx subjects. All this with .mid files included so you can check the examples out.Great source for basic-intermediate folks.

I was amazed to see how thorough this book is on MIDI. There is a good introduction section, but there are lots of those types of books. What differentiates this book from other titles is the author's practical approach to working with MIDI, including a number of .mid examples you can listen to while reading the book (very professional sound). The tutorial is very thorough, and although I have not completed it yet, appears to be well structured.A must for any MIDI aficiando !

I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for publishing this book, "The Midi Files", by Rob Young. I'm just past 40 years of age. I've been working with computers my whole life. I've been a musician longer than that. But I only recently took the plunge into Midi. And it was hopeless. I couldn't make head or tails out of the documentation that came with either the synthesiser or the sequencer. I have always been able to pick things up on my own, with the help of the manuals. It wasn't happening. I was really getting down about it. But then I remembered I'd bought this book.And man, what a book.It is such a good book I can hardly believe it. It really saved my life. Not only does Mr. Young show a great understanding, technically, of the MIDI standard and its various interpretations in hardware and software, and of the pitfalls that we new MIDI exploresrs will be faced with. But he does it all with such amazing musical sense too. So I don't know what else to say. Thanks. From my heart. This foray into the MIDI world really means alot to me. I've been thinking about it and planning on it for a long time. I've been needing and wanting to get back to music, especial composition, and this was how I was going to do it. When I finally went for it, and then it was going so badly, I was really down on myself. I felt stupid. I thought maybe I was too old for this. But then this book, this one simple book, changed everything. It finally helped me to unlock the door. I still have a long way to go. But at least I'm developing. I'm so appreciative, it's hard to express it. But I hope I have done so, in some small way.

You've read about how MIDI works. You've made a General MIDI or two. Sounds okay, but... not as good as some you've heard... sounds that are bolder, brassier, cleaner, more punch. How do they do that? Learn from this book and you'll be they. Rob Young is a MIDI pro. He shares HUNDREDs of tips from years of experience, in an easy-going style that belies his expertise. Technical detail? Enough for starters. How to make instruments (bass, sax, drums) play more like the real thing. Stuff you'll skim through the first time, then come back to appreciate again and again. CC's? SYSEX? Detailed with care. Many example screens from a typical modern sequencer are included as illustrations. Tucked inside the back cover: a floppy with 50+ example files in GM format (playable in any sequencer) so you can *hear* the techniques and *see* how it's done. The tunes are too elevator for my tastes (ultra-commercial and non-experimental), but the methods apply to all genres. Oh and, uh... keep it under your synth, okay?