Before reading this article, I only had a vague concept of to what extent one can really manipulate the 128 General MIDI sounds to create or complement other sounds. Especially interesting was the concept of doubling parts an octave above or below what is written to reinforce the second partial - creating a specific acoustic that would not have been present otherwise in a synthesized representation.
I'm excited to learn more about synthesizing software - I think it could be so useful to me as an educator and in my personal practice. The idea of creating relatively realistic-sounding accompaniments that can be manipulated at will is pretty fantastic. As the author points out, having a MIDI/digital audio recording of accompaniments allows a classroom teacher to focus on something other than playing the piano (not that piano skills should be underemphasized - I still think that the ability to play the piano reasonably well is extremely important).
Something else from this article that appealed to me was the fact that MIDI data doesn't take up much space, so one can "create lots of tracks without needing the latest, fastest computer." That feature also makes it easier to post MIDI accompaniments online for students to practice with, something that I've personally found helpful. As far as music education in general, the possibilities are endless - it seems like sequencing software could be used in so many capacities and in virtually every music class imaginable. Something else that just occurred to me - rehearsal time is almost always lost when a music teacher has to be absent from class for some reason or another. Pre-recorded MIDI accompaniments combined with any number of other technological capabilities could enable a substitute with little or no musical training to help a group rehearse.
Alison, I like how you thought to use a MIDI accompaniment that a substitute can put into a tape and the choir can sing along with when the director is absent! Good idea!
ReplyDeleteMIDI is interesting for a lot of uses, but I am pretty skeptical about using it effectively in place of an accompanist or director. Even as a high school student, I always found attempting to play with MIDI or even Music -1 type electronic files frustrating. It was static, often unmusical, and, as I didn't make the files, there was often less chance to develop or portray my own interpretation of the piece. I was stuck following many of the musical ideas of whoever had created the file.
ReplyDeleteOn a more basic level I can see the useful of MIDI though. Having a loud obnoxious sound at a fixed pitch can be extremely useful for working on intonation as an instrumentalist, something that is not payed n early enough attention to in solo playing. We get so used to getting something approximating the right note simply by pressing the right keys that we often forget to pay attention and don't realize how out of tune we are.
Likewise for singers, MIDI could be useful for learning pitches and exact rhythms(supposedly a notorious problem with singers). But of course, good singing is much more. When I sang in the chorus for Case's production of "Dido and Aeneas," I had to do a lot of work to learn the material, as it was a stretch considering my modest vocal abilities. I did use recordings extensively in my study of the music, but they were digital audio. While I did occasionally wish I could slow something down, all the other stuff I heard from the professional recordings: subtlety of articulation, diction, ornaments, were invaluable influences that really don't come through in MIDI.
I see what you're saying about this article being a bit detailed for beginning sequencers. I find this sort of thing easier to try and learn as you go. Perhaps as you play around with sequencing software, you'll have a better idea of how you'd like to use it. You may be surprised how quickly you can pick up the techniques suggested in the article. I love your idea about somehow using MIDI technology with substitute teachers. When I was absent from my band, I'd often use those days to have the students work on creative projects that didn't involve full rehearsal, such as mini composition projects.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea to use MIDI accompaniment with substitute teachers!
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