Topic Quick help about making sounds/music
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In Response to K-Pone
First of all, I know that not everyone has got the money to buy professional software to create own sounds or soundtracks. Those, who haven't got the money and those who have never made own sounds can look here.
To make your own sounds you should get a better software for recording audio than the audiorecorder that is brought with Windows. I suggest to use audacity. Audacity can be downloaded here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
If you're using Linux, Audacity is maybe already installed. Users of Windows can download it from the link above.
With Audacity you can generate sounds, record sounds, edit sounds, add VST Effects and so much more.
For making Music/Soundtrack you can choose from the programms at the bottom of the post. With these programms you are able to make your own soundtrack. You can easily find out what you can do with these programms. If not, you can use google to search for manuals or tutorials for the programm you use. In most cases the programm has got a homepage where you can find tips and tricks, tutorials, manuals and several other ways of support (like a forum).
When you finished making your soundtrack, you can export your song as a MIDI file, as an MP3 or WAVE or whatever. If your programm hasn't got an export feature, you can record your song with an audio recording software, like audacity. You also have to configure the recording device of your computer. To do this, make a rightclick on the speaker icon next to the clock on the taskbar and choose "Audio Properties" (maybe it's called similar to this. It depends on your operating system). Go to the "Audio" tab and click on the "Volume" button under the dropdown box for the recording device. Then activate "Stereomix" by clicking on the checkbox below the entry. If you use an operating system that is older than Windows XP, you can also do this by opening the volume mixer and click on "Options" -> "Properties" -> and choose the recording device of your computer (in most cases the recording device has got "input" or "record" in its name).
To make the result better, exit all applications that are not needed while recording. Very important: Instant messengers (like ICQ, MSN / Windows Live Messenger, Skype, Jabber, Yahoo! Messenger and so on) should be turned of because Stereomix is recording everything that you hear from the speakers, so you would also hear the sound from the IM if a new message arrives, someone added you to your list or whatever (to make it short: whenever the IM plays a notification sound). So you solve to problems within one action: No noise while recording and more performance for your machine. At least older computers will benefit from this, new computers may have already enough RAM and enough CPU Power to run more than one application at the same time.
You need some tips and tricks for making sounds? Well, if you have got a mobile phone or any device that can record audio by using a microphone (like an iPod), think about what and where you can record sounds. After you thought about that, go there and record as many sounds as you want to. When you finished recording, load the files with Audacity (or another audio editing software) and edit as long as you want. What about adding effects? Audacity has got lots of effects and supports VST plugins for more effects.
(If you have got any questions, that are not written down here, just ask me by PM or reply to this post)
Which format should I use for sound/music?
Well, for sounds you can use the WAVE format. If you want to shrink the file a little bit, you can lower the quality. Normally, a WAVE file has got "44100 kHz, 16 bit, Stereo". You can also use Mono instead of stereo, this would half the filesize because there's only one audio track needed instead of two. You should always use Mono, if the sound does not require to be stereo (for example a bird tweet).
For Soundtracks you could use:
... OGG. This is a quite good format for soundtracks and causes less problems than MP3. If you haven't got any software to play OGG files, you can download VLC Media Player and use this software to play them.
... MIDI. This format is a very small format because it only contains informations about Note events and controller changes.
Other formats are not supported.
I want to convert an MP3, a WAVE file or another format to OGG. How can I do this?
One way to do this is to use a converter like SUPER. SUPER is very easy to use: Just add the files you want to convert via drag and drop from the Windows Explorer. Select OGG as the container format.
Another way to convert files to OGG is by using an online converter like Media-Convert.com. Just choose your file and the output format (in this case "OGG Vorbis") and click ok. It may take 2 or 3 minutes of time. When the converter finished, you'll get the download link. Just click on it and download the converted file.
Can I convert a MIDI file into OGG?
Yes, there are also two ways to do this. The first way is to use media-convert.com (link a few lines above). The second way is to record it when you use a software synthesizer or an external sound module (like me. One good Sound Module that I know is the Roland JV-1010.)
Can I convert an OGG file into MIDI?
No, unfortunately it is not possible. There are some programs that can do this, but the quality is terrible.
What does General MIDI mean?
General MIDI is a format for MIDI that was made to make sure that the MIDI file is played with the correct Intruments. Maybe you know this from some Keyboards: If you select the sound/voice that is assigned to the number 42, it may sound like a trumpet, on the next keyboard it may sound like Strings and on another keyboard it could be a Marimba, just for example. To prevent this, a list was created and it contains all the Instruments for playing a MIDI file. Just to mention a few: Patch 1 is the Grand Piano, 19 is a Rock Organ, 82 is a Sawtooth Synthesizer, 90 is Warm Pad and so on and there are 128 Sounds in this list and every sound is assigned to a specific number and this list is the same on every instrument that supports General MIDI. For the whole list, visit the page on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_MIDI
General MIDI is most used for creating MIDI files that are meant to be played on a PC, like in games like Clonk.
What is General MIDI 2?
General MIDI 2 is an extended version of General MIDI. There aren't just 128 patches (voices) in the list, there are 256 of them. The controllers are the same from General MIDI.
What is a soundfont?
A soundfont is a file with the ending .sf2 and usually contains the 128 General MIDI patches. Some soundtrack editors or media players are compatible with soundfonts. It's good to use a soundfont if you think that your Hardware Synthesizer sounds terrible. In most cases today Microsoft GS Wavetable is installed on a computer. Older computers might have a Soundcard build into it which has got an own Wavetable Synthesizer. This often sounds better than Microsoft GS Wavetable.
======
Well, here's a list of free programms with download link for creating soundtrack. If you also know a programm for editing sounds or soundtrack, PM me or answer in this topic.
To make your own sounds you should get a better software for recording audio than the audiorecorder that is brought with Windows. I suggest to use audacity. Audacity can be downloaded here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
If you're using Linux, Audacity is maybe already installed. Users of Windows can download it from the link above.
With Audacity you can generate sounds, record sounds, edit sounds, add VST Effects and so much more.
For making Music/Soundtrack you can choose from the programms at the bottom of the post. With these programms you are able to make your own soundtrack. You can easily find out what you can do with these programms. If not, you can use google to search for manuals or tutorials for the programm you use. In most cases the programm has got a homepage where you can find tips and tricks, tutorials, manuals and several other ways of support (like a forum).
When you finished making your soundtrack, you can export your song as a MIDI file, as an MP3 or WAVE or whatever. If your programm hasn't got an export feature, you can record your song with an audio recording software, like audacity. You also have to configure the recording device of your computer. To do this, make a rightclick on the speaker icon next to the clock on the taskbar and choose "Audio Properties" (maybe it's called similar to this. It depends on your operating system). Go to the "Audio" tab and click on the "Volume" button under the dropdown box for the recording device. Then activate "Stereomix" by clicking on the checkbox below the entry. If you use an operating system that is older than Windows XP, you can also do this by opening the volume mixer and click on "Options" -> "Properties" -> and choose the recording device of your computer (in most cases the recording device has got "input" or "record" in its name).
To make the result better, exit all applications that are not needed while recording. Very important: Instant messengers (like ICQ, MSN / Windows Live Messenger, Skype, Jabber, Yahoo! Messenger and so on) should be turned of because Stereomix is recording everything that you hear from the speakers, so you would also hear the sound from the IM if a new message arrives, someone added you to your list or whatever (to make it short: whenever the IM plays a notification sound). So you solve to problems within one action: No noise while recording and more performance for your machine. At least older computers will benefit from this, new computers may have already enough RAM and enough CPU Power to run more than one application at the same time.
You need some tips and tricks for making sounds? Well, if you have got a mobile phone or any device that can record audio by using a microphone (like an iPod), think about what and where you can record sounds. After you thought about that, go there and record as many sounds as you want to. When you finished recording, load the files with Audacity (or another audio editing software) and edit as long as you want. What about adding effects? Audacity has got lots of effects and supports VST plugins for more effects.
FAQ - Frequently asked Questions (about making Sounds/Music)
(If you have got any questions, that are not written down here, just ask me by PM or reply to this post)
Which format should I use for sound/music?
Well, for sounds you can use the WAVE format. If you want to shrink the file a little bit, you can lower the quality. Normally, a WAVE file has got "44100 kHz, 16 bit, Stereo". You can also use Mono instead of stereo, this would half the filesize because there's only one audio track needed instead of two. You should always use Mono, if the sound does not require to be stereo (for example a bird tweet).
For Soundtracks you could use:
... OGG. This is a quite good format for soundtracks and causes less problems than MP3. If you haven't got any software to play OGG files, you can download VLC Media Player and use this software to play them.
... MIDI. This format is a very small format because it only contains informations about Note events and controller changes.
Other formats are not supported.
I want to convert an MP3, a WAVE file or another format to OGG. How can I do this?
One way to do this is to use a converter like SUPER. SUPER is very easy to use: Just add the files you want to convert via drag and drop from the Windows Explorer. Select OGG as the container format.
Another way to convert files to OGG is by using an online converter like Media-Convert.com. Just choose your file and the output format (in this case "OGG Vorbis") and click ok. It may take 2 or 3 minutes of time. When the converter finished, you'll get the download link. Just click on it and download the converted file.
Can I convert a MIDI file into OGG?
Yes, there are also two ways to do this. The first way is to use media-convert.com (link a few lines above). The second way is to record it when you use a software synthesizer or an external sound module (like me. One good Sound Module that I know is the Roland JV-1010.)
Can I convert an OGG file into MIDI?
No, unfortunately it is not possible. There are some programs that can do this, but the quality is terrible.
What does General MIDI mean?
General MIDI is a format for MIDI that was made to make sure that the MIDI file is played with the correct Intruments. Maybe you know this from some Keyboards: If you select the sound/voice that is assigned to the number 42, it may sound like a trumpet, on the next keyboard it may sound like Strings and on another keyboard it could be a Marimba, just for example. To prevent this, a list was created and it contains all the Instruments for playing a MIDI file. Just to mention a few: Patch 1 is the Grand Piano, 19 is a Rock Organ, 82 is a Sawtooth Synthesizer, 90 is Warm Pad and so on and there are 128 Sounds in this list and every sound is assigned to a specific number and this list is the same on every instrument that supports General MIDI. For the whole list, visit the page on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_MIDI
General MIDI is most used for creating MIDI files that are meant to be played on a PC, like in games like Clonk.
What is General MIDI 2?
General MIDI 2 is an extended version of General MIDI. There aren't just 128 patches (voices) in the list, there are 256 of them. The controllers are the same from General MIDI.
What is a soundfont?
A soundfont is a file with the ending .sf2 and usually contains the 128 General MIDI patches. Some soundtrack editors or media players are compatible with soundfonts. It's good to use a soundfont if you think that your Hardware Synthesizer sounds terrible. In most cases today Microsoft GS Wavetable is installed on a computer. Older computers might have a Soundcard build into it which has got an own Wavetable Synthesizer. This often sounds better than Microsoft GS Wavetable.
======
Well, here's a list of free programms with download link for creating soundtrack. If you also know a programm for editing sounds or soundtrack, PM me or answer in this topic.
Audio editors
- Audacity (Windows, Linux)- http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
MIDI/Soundtrack editors
- LMMS (Windows, Linux) - http://lmms.sourceforge.net/
- Modplug Tracker (Windows) - http://www.modplug.com/
- Anvil Studio - http://www.anvilstudio.com/
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