Midterm Work Suggestions

MUSC 108. Introduction to Music Technology - Fall 2013

Suggestions for working on your midterm project

Excel

Work in one Excel file with multiple tabs.
Use scratch tabs for experiments.
Use one tab per instrument, always keeping millisecond times in column A.
Save often at least every 10 minutes. That way you'll never lose more than 10 minutes of work.
Use different file names to track progress. I use this filename suffix "_130129_1" (_YearMonthDate_revision). That way, when something gets messed up you can go back to the most recent revision that worked.

Score Markup

Write on your score with pencil.
Mark every measure with its measure number and Ms time value.
Decide where you are going to use dynamics. Write them in the score.
Decide where you are going to use tempo changes. Write them in the score.

Instruments

General MIDI Instruments

These are the General MIDI instrument patch numbers. Remember that the 128 GM instruments must be zero based (0-127) in MIDI messages.

Drums must be on channel 9
Other instruments can be on any channel except the drum channel.
Remember to use zero based (0-127) based patch numbers.
Your score may use transposing instruments. If in doubt ask me.

General MIDI Drums

Use MIDI Channel 9 for drums.
These are the General MIDI drum note numbers.
Drums do not need a patch change

Timing

ALWAYS do your work in millisecond time.
ALWAYS use 1000 milliseconds for a quarter note, no matter what the final tempo will be.
Do not convert to PPQ time until the very end. Even then keep your millisecond time intact in column A.
Know the Excel tempo formulas for converting between millisecond time and PPQ time.
Know the Excel measure number and beat number formulas to map times in Excel to notes in your score.

Tempo

Do not put tempo changes in your MIDIDisplay data
Tempo changes belong in Track 1 of your SMF
ALWAYS enter data in Excel and MIDIDisplay times using a tempo of 60 (1000 ms per quarter note).

Three Methods for Controlling Dynamics

1. Velocity

Use velocity (data byte 2) to create individual note accents and to create rhythmic drive that defines the metre.

2. Expression Message

Use the Expression Control (CC 11) to create dynamics (crescendo - decrescend0) within phrases (groups of notes) for a single instrument (MIDI channel). This should be your primary means of creating dynamics in a single track.

3. Volume Message

Use the Volume Control (CC 7) to balance the relative volume of of each track. Volume messages should always appear at the beginning of every track and may be used sparingly later.

Location - Pan

Use the Pan Control (CC 10) to position each instrument from left to right in the stereo sound field.
Drums should be panned to the center.

MIDI Messages

Message	Status	Data 1	Data 2	Notes
NOF (Note Off)	$80 + channel	0-127 MIDI Note Number	0-127 Velocity	Use zero. Preferred NOF message.
NON (Note On)	$90 + channel	0-127 MIDI Note Number	0-127 Velocity	0 ( alternative NOF message) 127 is fff

Volume	$B0 + channel	7 Control Message for Volume	0-127 Volume level	0 is silence 127 is fff
Expression	$B0 + channel	11 Control Message for Expression	0-127	0 is silence 127 is fff
Pan	$B0 + channel	10 Control Message for right left stereo Pan	0-127	0 is hard left 64 is center 127 is hard right
Sustain Pedal	$B0 + channel	64 Control Message for Sustain	0-127	Use 0 for Off Use 127 for On
Reset All Controllers	$B0 + channel	121 Control Message for Reset All Controllers	0	Upon receipt of Reset All Controllers message (Controller #121) the following actions are taken for the specified MIDI channel: Set Expression (#11) to 127 Set Modulation (#1) to 0 Set Pedals (#64, #65, #66, #67) to 0 Set pitch bender to center (64/0) Reset channel pressure to 0 Reset polyphonic pressure for all notes to 0.
All Sound Off	$B0 + channel	120	0
All Notes Off	$B0 + channel	123	0

Patch Change	$C0 + channel	0-127 General MIDI Instrument Numbers	MIDIDisplay = 0 SMF = not present	MIDIDisplay does it wrong. It was easier to program if data 2 = 0. The MIDI Standard defines the Patch Change command as using only the status and data1 bytes. In a SMF data2 should not be used.

Refer to Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, and the Reference page for more information.

page for additional references.

[Syllabus]

Revised John Ellinger, January - September 2013