> From: "John A. Tuttle" <tuttleja@concentric.net>
> To: rolls@foxtail.com
> Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 10:35:29 -0400 (EDT)
>
> Subject: Re:Converting MIDI to .wav
>
> Hi,
> After work yesterday I spent about two hours playing with a variety of
> methods to convert MIDI files to .wav files.
>
> Without any doubt in my mind, the most accurate, cleanest and what I
> found the easiest way to convert the files was to play the MIDI file in
> either JukeBox or Media player, patch the head phone output of the
> computer amplifier to the line input of the cassette deck and record.
> Then play-back the recording into any program that records .wav files
> using the line-input on the soundcard.

I'm sorry, but this is an extremely BAD method: you are passing the sound
through a D/A converter, a phone pre-ampliefier, the cassette deck (lots of
circuitry, and a magnetic tape with about 8 bits of dynamical resolution)
and then BACK (more circuitry, A/D converter).

>
> I did try three combinations of internally converting files but in
> every case, perhaps because I don't have a super fast computer or a lot
> of RAM, there was more noise, some amount of flutter and a loose of
> clear stereo separation.
>
> I also tried WAVmaker which worked perfectly, but the file I ended up
> with was 41,356,832 bytes and the song was about three minutes long.

You can't argue with math: at 16 bits, 44100 Hz, stereo, one minute is
60*16*44100*2/8 = 10584000. If you want a smaller file, you can let WAVmaker
render to any combination of 8 or 16 bits; 11025, 22050 or 44100 Hz; mono or
stereo.

>
> About 1.5 hours into the test, after producing the "huge" .wav file
> just mentioned, I got to thinking, "Why am I converting
> .mid to .wav anyhow?" Personally, I couldn't think of a reason.

There are many. With WAVmaker you can use any sample you want, i.e. the
sound library is fully editable. You can use 8 MB just for a piano if you
feel like it, instead of having to fit all GM instrument into 1 or 2 MB of
soundcard memory. There are virtually no polyphony limitations (you have
65535 MIDI tracks, each one controlling 16 MIDI channels, each one
controlling a virtual 128 note keyboard). There are no timing problems even
when using hundreds or thousands of instruments (whereas hardware GM modules
can handle about 30 voices at most, and usually start having timing problems
long before reaching that). And, of course, you don't introduce noise and
distortion by all those A/D-D/A, pre-amplification etc. stages mentioned
above. The wholle process is performed in the digital domain.

Anyway, most registered WAVmaker users are multimedia or music pros. If you
are just a hobbyist wishing to play MIDs with better sound than FM and
without the cost of a wavetable card, the MIDInight Express should be more
adequate for you.

- Tommy