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As I listen to music from my huge MIDI collection, it seems to me that some pieces should rise again from semi-oblivion and should merit a new presentation.

Sound Quality. What do we need to resuscitate a few choice oldies from the good ole days of the MIDI collection?

We require at least MP3s at 48 kHz - 320 kbps.

Is this good enough? I've listened to many loss-less reproductions, and I don't really need much more. The need for additional bandwidth and storage, plus the risk of gapping for users on slower connections, is rarely worth the extra gain in audio quality in our type of music. So I stay with the very efficient 48kHz 320 kbps two-channel MP3 standard, for all our recordings.

My contribution. When I find something that I like, I go through it with a fine-tooth comb. MIDIs merit a new orchestration and various adjustments, or even some minor adaptations. That's what I want to do: round out the edges -- to a reasonable extent.

Then the piece goes through my high-fidelity setup. I select the instruments, adjust the volume settings, add some compression, plus some delay and reverb, and I place the instruments into a virtual room. As you know, all my recordings are made with virtual instruments. At the end, we have resuscitated a presentable end product.

What music? What do I select? In short, I like music that is pleasant and memorable. It encompasses a much wider range of music than what I study in my regular course of music composition (here and here).

This is not necessarily great or sophisticated music, nor is it free of all imperfections. It's simply what I stumble upon and happen to like, as I make my wide-ranging trails through the vast jungle plastered with boredom and disharmony. Unpretentious, but hopefully welcome.

These days there are few commercial incentives for this type of effort, so this may fill a musical need. It might also provide the incentive for some new commercial initiatives.

Public domain, and for you personally. These recordings are destined for private listening and enjoyment. It is assumed at the outset that all selected re-creations are in the public domain -- which is often difficult to ascertain in the case of MIDI recordings. I shall gladly remove any recording in case of conflicting rights.

Image: A summer evening (Pixabay)

 

Current complete collection

Beautiful

Chariots on Fire

Flower Duet

El Cóndor Pasa, version 1

El Cóndor Pasa, version 2

Evening Song

Haiku

Hold Onto Your Dreams

Music Box Dancer

Somebody

Sounds of Silence

Unicorn

Watermark

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