Tabby's Midi Junction

Featuring:
• Midi Files (last update 3/8/00)
• Composer's Tip of the Day (last update 8/1/97)
• Tabby's Momentary Distraction (last update 4/30/98)
• Midi Links--only the best! (last update 2/28/01)

Introduction

There's a lotta midi pages out there, maintained by guys with a lot more html-savvy and spare time than I may ever have. Still, midi composition is my biggest spare time investment (It's too serious to call a "hobby"), belied, unfortunately, by the size of my midi page. I use Midi to write original material, to record in my home studio, and to perform live as a one-man band.

Rather than attempt to compete with the big boys' midi sites, with their huge libraries and stuffs, I'm just hoping to provide a gem or two that you can't find anywhere else to make this a site worth visiting, with my own original Midi files and my "composer's tip of the day". Don't let the names fool you: I'm NOT going to be changing them every day, but since I don't know exactly how often I *will* be changing them, I thought these names were accurate enough for any contingency.

And while I have your attention, I should mention that I would like to make the virtual acquaintance of a few other midi composers, as I often have questions, and--occasionally--answers. So email me if you'd care to exchange ideas.. I won't spam ya!

Good News! Since Angelfire has graciously decided to increase the server space for my humble little web page, I can now keep more than one Midi file available at a time, and can keep an archive of previous "Composers' Tips of the Day"

Here's a list of all the stuff I have in my Home Studio, in case you might have any questions about the stuff, or want to see how I like (or dislike) a particular piece that you're thinking of getting. Remember, if I don't have it, there might be a reason! I do a good bit of research into the gear I get before buying, and I'm always glad to talk hardware!

Tabby's momentary distraction: A while back I downloaded a Shareware program called "The Strummer" which is supposed to help you sequence guitar tracks. I started the program and found that it wasn't very intuitive (understatement alert!). So I printed the instructions, started reading, got cross-eyed and put filed the stuff and haven't looked at it since. I'm not stupid, and I could eventually figure it out, but I want a program that will Save Me Time, not one that's going to take several days to learn to use! Can anybody help?

If you have any thoughts on my Momentary Distraction, I would appreciate it if you would email me or Put it in my Guestbook

• There are never any melody tracks--I sing those myself. I also perform MOST of the solos live, so those are often missing as well.
• There are numerous imperfections in the performance, some deliberately placed there, and some were just imperfections in my performance that I chose not to correct.
• My Midi cover-versions of other artists' works are not meant to duplicate the original recording or performance. They are my own interpretations and are often treated the way a band would perform the song "live". For example, the solos might be extended or repeated, and there are no "fade outs".

I'll be discussing many of these compositional methods in my "Tips of the Day": I know I'm not the only performing/recording musician who uses Midi to expand his one- or two-man band. I'll also be leaving my Midi files "Undressed", so to speak: After I'm done writing them, I won't be rearranging the tracks and organizing it to make it look neat. Maybe seeing the finished product in its raw form will give other composers an insight into a shortcut or method they hadn't thought of trying before.

takeme.mid Uploaded 4/30/98:
The Talking Heads' Version of "Take Me To The River". I've been working on this sequence, in small doses, for EVER, and I don't think I'll ever be completely finished with it, so I decided to just go ahead and put it on the site, and hopefully get some feedback on it. It doesn't come close to reproducing the original performance exactly but then, I've never heard a live performance that did.

tainted.mid Re-uploaded 8/1/97:
My first Midi contribution to the internet was, admittedly, first uploaded to AOL. It has been available there since July 96 and has been downloaded over 5,500 times (makes ME feel loved!). It is my version of Softcell's "Tainted Love". I have improved it since uploading to AOL, so this file is a little better than the one still available there. Still, I had a heck of time getting the Bell Sound to come out right on my Dr Synth. If you find a better patch for it on your synth, feel free to use it, and let me know about it..I'm curious.

dykwim.mid Uploaded 8/1/97:
My version of Lee Michael's "Do You Know What I Mean?". I originally composed this on the Dr Synth, and when I played it on my Supercanvas, I didn't like the way the string patches sounded on it. I made some minor alterations to make it sound ok, but it could probably be better. If I make any more major improvements on it, I'll probably upload the revision. If you come up with any, I'd love to hear about them.

yclyho.mid Uploaded 8/1/97:
The Joe Cocker version (in case there's any other) of "You Can Leave Your Hat On"--a song that was, I think, featured in the movie "9-1/2 Weeks". Again, I originally wrote this song with the Dr. Synth. The main trumpet patch on my Supercanvas, however, is a bit disappointing. I didn't look for a better patch before uploading it, but if the trumpet part sounds wimpy on your synth, try other patches. It sounds best if it's got a hard attack. As usual, there is no lead vocal track, but there is also no background vocal track and no sax solo track, because I play the sax solo live, and intended to do this song with a duo so the second person could do the background vocals through a harmonizer. I may end up doing this in my solo back, in which case I might put in a background vocal track. If you find a way to do this that works, I'd like to know about it.

desprado.mid Uploaded 8/1/97:
"Desperado" loosely based on the Eagle's version--I've been doing this tune live with my weekend band, "Back In Time" for years, and this Midi file is more or less the way the band does it. There are tempo fluctuations at various points where the band's tempo invariably varies. For instance, when the drums kick the band in during the middle of the song, we always speed up. When I tried to record this song to a sequence, it felt "wrong" when the tempo didn't speed up at that point in the song. If you don't like it, take it out, but I like the "Human" feel it lends to the sequence. I didn't put the background vocals in the sequence because I intended to do this in a duo. I may add them in later..at least the "Oooh"'s.

hotlegs.mid Uploaded 3/8/00:
"Hot Legs" as performed by Rod Stewart. I play the solos live with the saxophone. You'll hear the octave-doubling of the introductory guitar lick in the midi file though. The song is originally in "G", but I had to lower it to "F" for my voice.

ntua.mid Uploaded 3/8/00:
"Never Tear Us Apart" as performed by INXS. I love INXS, and this was a natural for Sequencing, because it doesn't require a lot of guitar-trick stuff. During the out-choruses, there's a background vocal part that I used a Choir voice on, but mixed it very low to stay out of the way of a background singer. But if you perform solo, you can raise the volume of that track and it should sound ok. Also, I have very little reverb programmed into the sequence because I prefer to crank up my outboard reverb on this song. If you're not using outboard reverb, you might want to throw in a nice long reverb; otherwise it sounds pretty choppy (in other words, this sequence is going to sound much better on professional gear than it does on your sound card, trust me!) Oh, and I play the sax solo live, of course. I extended it, in fact. It was too short.

Only the Best Midi Links

The Big Boys (Huge Midi Libraries)

MIDI-Network.com : hundreds of free MIDI songs
Alternating Currents Midi Homepage--Specializing in Alternative Music Midi's
Midiworld
Musical Internet Discovery Institute
Midi C.A.D. Productions

Pages with Lots of Midi Links

Standard MIDI Files on the Net

Cool Personal Midi pages (like mine!)

"Oot" Midi Page

How many people have enjoyed the Midi's on this page since I re-opened it on 8/4/97???