Posted
Hello, I'm still in the process of setting up Synfire Express, but since Black Friday sales are happening right now for midi libraries, I'm wondering what styles or types of midi files would be best to complement Synfire's built in midi libraries.
Personally my "genre" is singer-songwriter/experimental with influences from disparate musical styles, ranging from Bob Dylan / Leonard Cohen / Joanna Newsom to Grimes / 21 Pilots / late Bowie. I'd like to keep my stylistic options open and juxtapose elements from different genres.
Do., 22.11.2018 - 04:15 Permalink
Related question: are the "Example" phrases the only ones that come with Synfire Express, or are there more I haven't found yet? Seems shockingly limited....
Any good recommendations on harp, violin/fiddle, or flute midi (medieval, ancient, and nonwestern are great too, as well as modern) would be greatly appreciated....
I guess I can just put the royalty-free samples I own licenses to through Melodyne to generate midi, and the license to use the samples will extend to the midi?... and/or Synfire will change them enough that I won't have to worry about copyright?
Do., 22.11.2018 - 16:40 Permalink
I've been using Orb Artist for about two months... it seems best at classical and orchestral music, particularly piano. And since sheet music before the early 1920's is out of copyright, I'm sure there are plenty of cheap/free midi files of that. While there are syncopation options I've had a hard time getting it to play jazz piano or anything resembling acoustic folk or rock guitar that isn't pop. (Adding "Groove" in my DAW is a simple workaround for piano, but makes rapidly arpeggiated harp notes run into each other.) Its ability to respond to imported melody is also extremely limited now, though they plan on implementing something more intelligent in January.
Their Ambient genre is pretty good too. Their harp is just okay, but nowhere near as good as my sample library.
Fr., 23.11.2018 - 08:50 Permalink
I've used Orb Composer Pro since it was released and it's quite okay for quickly generating ideas for a melody or a simple accompaniment.
When it comes to making "real" music, Synfire is still my first choice.
I've even experimented with combining both programs and refining OC's creation using Synfire's advanced possibilities.