Dhwanii - Issue No. 1

You can compose

- Dr. Pradeep Immanuel

In this permanent section, we will be featuring articles from experienced musicians who will help those of you who are keen to jump on the music composing bandwagon.

The aim of this section is to demystify the music creation process, technically as well as creatively. So we welcome contributors to this section. It doesn't matter if your article is a small write-up about an instrument that you play, user-friendly software that you found to create music or some experience that helped you improve your music creation skills. Do share it with us. Send your write-ups to articles@dhwanii.com.

This week, Dr. Pradeep Immanuel explains the basics of MIDI and provides you with information of music schools and other useful links.

How many of us know that most of the film and commercial pop music that we listen to everyday is recorded using 'rhythm loops? Well! Don't be surprised if I tell you that even A.R. Rahman uses such readymade rhythm loops for programming his music tracks.

I don't mean to say (like how Ilayaraaja criticised Rahman once) that computer music is easy and anyone can program music. My point here is that if you are already a musician and are planning to record some music seriously or rather for fun, you can get started!

If you have an electronic musical instrument, which is MIDI compatible, you are almost there! Now, in case you are asking what MIDI means, let me stop here and explain!

What is MIDI?

MIDI or Musical Instrument Digital Interface is a digital communications protocol. It is a standardized control language and hardware specification followed by all the leading electronic musical instrument manufacturers, and hence integrated in their equipment. MIDI enables synthesizers, sequencers, home computers and other related musical equipment to communicate through a common platform over a connected network.

If you already have a toy or a professional electronic keyboard, such as Casio, Yamaha, Korg, Roland, etc., chances are that your keyboard is already MIDI compatible. Look out for the MIDI IN/OUT/THRO sockets in your keyboard. If you are a guitarist, like me, or a drummer, chances are that your instrument is not MIDI compatible. You need a MIDI converter or MIDI interface to convert your output to MIDI format. In-built MIDI guitars and drums are very expensive and are still not accepted well by musicians for various reasons.

Electronic Music Production

Today, MIDI systems are being used by many professional and non-professional musicians alike to perform an expanding range of production tasks including music production, audio-for-video and film post-production, stage production etc. For the first time in Music History, it is possible for an individual to realize a full-scale sound production on his or her own time, cost-effectively. Now it is possible to listen to and edit a production all within the comfort of your own home or personal project studio.

Learn Sound

If you are a musician planning to go for the maiden recording or you are a non-musician who loves to learn to mix, edit and record music, you should learn Sound Engineering/Music Production/Computer Music. In India the Film and Television Institute in Pune and the Film and Television Institute, Taramani, Chennai offer diploma courses in Sound Engineering. The Australian-based School of Audio Engineering better known as SAE offers many courses related to 'Sound ' and 'Computer Music'. SAE center in India is located in Chennai and few other cities. Visit www.sae.edu for more details

USEFUL WEBSITES
http://www.harmony-central.com/Computer
http://www.computermusic.co.uk
http://www.sospubs.co.uk
http://www.sae.edu