Enough ideas for composing

Hi Janamdo:

I import internet midi's and clean them up..  If there are excessive programs changes, I take them out.

I also check that data on each midi channel is correct.. In Logic if you assign a channel it will send only 

to that channel, regardless if there are other channels ins sequence.. which messes up SFP

I also find sometimes you have to create a 'chord' track for SFP to help the process along.  A popular thing among quitarts is to 'comp' around the chord... A fast slide of a "F" into a "G"  or quickly throwing in 4th or 5th into a chord.

These things confuse SFP.. So you must decide what notes in each channels are 'grace' notes and not to be used in SFP figuring out the chord progression..  

It would be nlice if SFP had a % amount for each midi channel when analyzing..  or ignore '16ths' notes.

I suppose this is best left to 'human intelligence'... 

Also beware of notes with no ending, you may have to fix them in Cubase, before you go onto importing in SFP or SFE.

I've had varying degree of success with midi's off internet. some cause errors for SFP to read.. Others just plain have the wrong chords.. I search for as many midi's of a song as I can find.. And then listen to youtube videos, to see which one is most accurate..

There a couple of midi sites, that sell midi's..  For me it's worth the $5 or $7 rather spend a couple of hours cleaning up a midi.. If I had perfect pitch that would be another story.. 

Hi Janamdo:

Ozone 5 is great. I use it a lot.  If you're patient with it, and play around awhile with it, it's very amazing. 

I've loaded many a good midi song into Logic to study how/why a good arrangement works..  I've also found a few sites, where they have full orchestra scores, that is helpful too.  After many years, I've come to realize how important your 'tonal pallette' is.. That is the choice of instruments you use to make a piece..  

I'd often create parts, overdub, etc.  Then realize I had three electic piano parts.  Or two or three instruments that are sonically related.. I'd boil them down to one track, taking the best of both.  You want to select instruments that don't 'cut' into each other's space, or else you want to voice them so they are not stepping on each other..  When you undestand this,  mixing becomes much easier.  I think of sounds as colors; you don't want too many colors otherwise it gets muddy, or too gaudy.. 

Sounds are somewhat similar.. That's why an orchestra works so well.  They've had hundreds of years to hone the instruments and settle on sonically complementing blends. 

thanks for the heads up about halion, didnt realise it was so powerful. Always thought it was just a sample engine. For now though I think ive got enough sonic capabilities but I understand why you want to get the best out of it with synfire

I've downloaded Halion 5 demo.. but it won't let me e-license install.. I have a tech message to them.. I am anxious to hear it..  It does work as a Audio Unit plug-in too doesn't it?...  I use LogicPro on an Apple.