Unfortunately, creating MIDI sound files takes musical talent. Unless you have studied music, it is unlikely that you will be able to write a hit single using MIDI software.

Sequencers

To make a MIDI musical score you will need a sequencer program. Sequencer software like Cubase, Midisoft Studio or ConcertWare allow you to play music on the electronic instrument e.g. a keyboard, record the music as MIDI data, edit it at a later date and play it back through the sound board and loudspeaker.

A MIDI file can contain up to 16 channels of music data, so you can record several different instruments and have the sequencer play them back together. This way you can build up a musical score. For example, you might have drums on channel 1, piano on channel 2 and guitar on channel 3. When you are building a tune up from various channels, it is likely that you will have to move where some of the notes begin, to match up with other channels. This technique is known as quantising.

A MIDI file does not store the digital music. Instead it contains a series of instructions on what sound to make. For example it might hold instructions telling the synthesiser what instrument to use, which note to play, how long and how loud to play it. Because these instructions can be stored in a small amount of memory, MIDI files are much smaller than digital audio files, but are not as useful. For example you can’t have spoken text.

• Cubase is the most widely used sequencer. From the Cubase web site write a paragraph describing the main features of the program along with the price.

Answer the following questions in your jotter.

1. Describe what the term quantising means.

2. Describe how a sequencer program allows a musical score to be built up using different instruments.

3. Name six instruments you would expect a music synthesiser on a soundboard to be able to play.