Here are answers for questions that I get asked from time to time.
Q. How do I find instrument files that are of better quality than the general midi that was included with my multimedia PC soundcard? My budget won't let me get into the world of midi module hardware.
A. There is no software fix for this problem. You cannot get a multimedia soundcard to do what it was not designed to do. Save up for pro MIDI equipment. Buy used equipment, but do your research. Check first if it is general midi or multitimbral.
Q. How can I program a MIDI sound effect to use as a mouse-over sound for a javascript routine?
A. You must use .AU or .WAV files for this. MIDI cannot be used to create a sound that cannot be already made with your PC soundcard.
Q. I just got an old keyboard and I want to get the original sounds for it, the sounds that came with it when it was new. I heard that you can find them on the internet and load them in through MIDI, but how do I go about doing this?
A. Many FTP sites have archives of keyboard sounds. They have been sent from the original keyboard as a "sysex dump" or "bulk dump," then saved on a computer. Once they are downloaded to your computer, you use a sysex utility program to send them to your keyboard. You must have a midi interface between your keyboard and computer to do this.
If you do not have a manual for your model of keyboard, go through the MIDI menus in programming mode, and look for the "sysex dump" settings, you should be able to send and recieve dumps. Sysex utilities for many platforms (Mac, IBM compatible, Amiga) are available on the net, either freeware or shareware. Try here but by no means is this a comprehensive list.
Q. Is there a freeware or shareware program available for making MIDI files?
A. MIDIGraphy is one for Macintosh, look in Tucows for one for other platforms.
updated January 8, 2001