Here are a few tips about how to organize what one is doing with Musinum when trying to compose. Staying ORGANIZED and doing one thing at a time saves a lot of confusion.

Write the midi in ONE key, either major or minor, but mixing keys will make the midi sound out of tune.

First, set the volume to 0 on all but voice one.

I usually start with the drums or bass. If you start with the drums use the drum midi channel for best results.

Then go to the second voice and fit the bass pattern to the drums....or drums to bass...adjusting the volume as needed. This sets the beat section and sets the "flavor" of the tune.

Then the third and maybe fourth voice is melody.....but the trick here is to not overwhelm both voices when combined. You might try a guitar on the third voice and set the fouth voice with the same settings, only use the overdrive patch. Try and match similar instruments. For example, harpsicord and piano. Be sure to adjust the volume setting.

If I use the fifth voice, it is for a background strings or orchestra sound to fill out the whole tune, but again, the trick is to not overwhelm the original melody.

I find it is not needed, and indeed sometimes counterproductive to try and use all the voices.

I have found that trying to compose a midi by adjusting more than one voice at a time tends to get confusing and the midi becomes jumbled.

If you dont like what it sounds like, but you like the basic idea of the bass and drums, then doing the voices one at a time will make it possible to just change one or two voices instead of forgetting where you are and having to start over.

Now a few thoughts on some of the settings for a few of the functions. Most of them you just have to play with to get a feeling for the midi you are making. But, I have noticed that:

1. The "beat" numbers for moderate tempo are best between 250 and 300. Unless you want a "frantic" sounding midi.

2. Leave the "length" at 256. That will get you 64 measures to your tune and wont make the midi a hugh file. Mine tend to be between 3K and 7K. Then use the loop=3 or 4 in your tag.

3. The "volume" is best between 40 and 80. Two similar voices set at 40 will not overwhelm your drums or bass set at 60 or 80.

4. Use the "slow" set at 2 to 4 to keep the step setting sounding good, but it slows down the time between the steps. Try setting a melody voice patch to 32 and use the slow at 2 or 3.

As Greenmonk pointed out in his original tute, the trick is to experiment and play with it.

Feel free to email me with questions, I am by no means an expert with this, but I will help if I can. I would also love to hear what you came up with.