Choral Public Domain Library

Hello all!

I am a newcomer here, but I have been a choir singer for many years, and I have some experience with computers and midi.
Recently I downloaded the two available versions of Verdi:s Pater Noster.
However, I can't seem to understand how they are "constructed".
With this I mean that I don't understand how the midi channels are used.
My understanding was/is that the usual thing was to assign each part its own channel, thereby allowing the listener to
pan/change instruments etc at will.
I also believe that many practice midi files are done this way.
However it seems that the two Pater Noster are not.
Or, is it me who don't figure it out?

Is there a recommended midi player for choir practice?
I use the Sweet Midi player and it has many features for "panning" and changing of instruments to fit my taste.
However with the two files mentioned, the features seem mostly useless.

Hopefully I can get some help to understand this a little better!..

Grettings

/Johan S

The file named verd-pat.mid is structured as follows:

- the soprano 1 is on MIDI channel 2, alone;

- all the other voices are mixed on MIDI channel 3, but they are logically separated using some MIDI features that allow to distinguish different voices within the same MIDI channel (or, from a different perspective, that allow different logical tracks to use the same MIDI channels).

The file named verd-pa2.mid shows similar characteristics (more voices mixed into a single MIDI channel, logically separated), but it's more complicated because voices are distributed over some 28 (!) tracks.

Maybe Sweet Midi player is unable to separate logical tracks that make use of a single MIDI channel. I use Harmony Assistant, that is able to do that. A simplified version of Harmony Assistant exists, named Melody Assistant (see http://www.myriad-online.com/en/products/melody.htm). The trial version of Melody Assistant already includes many features, and it's free. Probably it is able to divide logical tracks, so that you can then save them to different MIDI channels.

Max

Max!

Thank you for an interesting answer.
Following your advice, I downloaded Melody Assistant.
After some experimenting with it, I understand that this program has a lot of features, and would take a long time to master.
I can activate a mixer form that seems to have the ability to pan individual voices left/right, but unfortunately, it has no
audible effect for me.
There might be some other more general settings that I have to locate first.

Trying to understand the two midi files in question, I wonder:
Are these files constructed mainly for choir practice?
And if so: why have the authors chosen to make them this way?

As a relative newcomer to choir practice midi files, I would believe that a suitable disposition would be to have each choir part (SATB etc)
on a separate midi channel.
And it is my understanding that many choir midi files on the net are also made that way.

I don't know what singers use for playing practice midi files.
I like the Sweet player since it (normally) will allow me to pan/change instruments etc to make practice easy.
What I want is to really "isolate" my part (Tenor) by panning it to the far right (keeping all other parts at left), and perhaps also
assigning it a midi instrument with lots of overtones such as a reed organ.

Sincerely,

/Johan

Generally speaking, CPDL contributors provide sheet music in the form of pdf files. Some contributors also provide alternative formats (e.g., MIDI, Finale, Sibelius, etc.) to facilitate other users to import them into their music editing applications, and derive other works. Choir practice is not a primary goal of CPDL, so MIDI files may require some processing before they can be used for choir training purposes.

Other websites (including mine: http://www.choralia.net) are more specifically focused on choir practice. That's why I'm quite familiar with MIDI stuff, as I often use CPDL MIDI files to create or to cross-check my choir training aids. If you like, I can easily re-distribute the various tracks in the MIDI file named verd-pat.mid to different MIDI channels for you. Just drop a line to me at info@choralia.net.

Max