On 6/12/03 12:21 PM, Tammy wrote: > > Like some of you, I use Finale to help with arranging as well. I have gotten > to the point where the cheesy sound from GM is no longer accceptable for > auditioning my score. > > I am trying to upgrade my system so I can get an accurate portrayal of how > the score would actually sound. This would normally mean to start with Finale, > make a MIDI file, and then feed it thru a performance package. There are two > approaches: > > (1) Hardware: Buy a very expensive sampler, and use a sequencer to feed a > Midi file into it. Then listen to and do a mix of the result. > > (2) Software: Upgrade my computer so it can handle sampling software (I have > been told I need at least a 1 Ghz CPU, and more than 256 MB of RAM). > Basically, this will convert my existing computer into a sampler. One such > product is > GigaStudio. > > I was wondering if there is a third approach that would merely make a WAV > file in the computer from a MIDI file, then I could simply play that back. If > it's done offline, then computer speed and memory wouldn't be a limiting > factor. > The disadvantage is in the latent time it needs to do the off-line processing. > Plus, I have to keep adjusting the mix every time it does the processing. But > this may be something I can live with for the time being. > > Any comments on your personal experiences would be sincerely appreciated.
Tammy, You've gotten some good suggestions. I would suggest that you try out Reason as your sound source (they have a free demo download at www.propellerheads.se, but the whole program costs a few hundred). It is a fabulous software synthesis program, with a save as WAV (or any other format) feature. It is compatible with Finale as well as most of the high quality sequencers. In Performer, you play Reason back into Performer which saves it as a .aiff or .wav file, and then bounce it to the disk as a stereo file. Reason also has a semi-OK sequencer, at it will read standard midi files. You can get pretty close with Tobias's modify playback plugin and Finale and Reason's sounds (Reason comes with a huge selection of fabulous sounds, and also reads sound fonts). Or you could save Finale's output as an smf and then import it into Reason and tweak it there. Or, for maximum quality, do two files -- one in a good sequencer, the other in Finale (for printout only), and send the sequencer's output to Reason. No matter what you do, it will still sound vaguely like a midi file. One way some folks get around this is to layer live soloists over the top, but by then, unless you are doing TV or film music, you might as well use live performers. David Froom _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
