These examples use modified internet soundfonts and re-programmed keyboards or modules.
Over time the fonts and the keyboards have been refined in sound, yet even an old
effort can sound reasonable if the sound is matched well to the music.
The challenge is to make something musically expressive and satisfying despite the medium used.
1. A flourish of brass 489 k.
( short extract with modified end ) Can't remember who composed this music, but it is well written and a good demonstration of the brass instruments one can create with
a Korg M50. The use of impulse reverberation works quite well I think.
2. Blaze away. 1,857 k.
A very old (and tattered) simple piano score for this was found in a second hand shop. It was great fun to make various orchestrations over the years. It was played and
midi recorded live in the first instance, so timing not as precise as it should be. This version has an extra trumpet added .. for no good reason.
3. A sequence from Haydn's clock symphony 1,450 k.
Can be looped for ever. Uses soundfonts with some Korg brass.
4. 'Deck the Halls' (Xmas carol) for strings and brass. 1,295 k.
Modified internet midi file. Korg strings and brass were added to soundfonts. Not sure the percussion assignments on my fonts match what was intended.
5 Dvorak's cello concerto. 1,018 k.
Short experiment to exactly match a particular live performance, including the somewhat dry acoustics.. Amazing to me how much tempo changing was required.
6. Some "Swing" 1,063 k.
Quite bouncy with neat 'plunking' banjo instead of guitar. (The instruments were varied a little from original internet midifile). A less interesting end was cut short and
modified.
7. Vaughn Williams, part of the 'Thomas Tallis' theme. 1,329 k.
An attempt with older soundfonts to match a Garritan library version. Lovely high harmony line and feel to the piece.
8. Paganini n24 short. 1,084 k.
Almost the same piece as for the myriad 'user' dark violin here but showing how the Korg nylon guitar ( modified a little) sounds with its tonal sensitivity to velocity.
9. Peace full. 2,096 k.
Composed about 1966 or so, when still young enough to think one might seriously work at music. Intended as a 'Dona Nobis Pacem'. This 2002 (?) version was for a
Xmas CD for family. The male voice is mostly from a sample I made by singing 'aah' about a dozen times on overdubbed tapes, till there was choir sound.. This was
transferred to an old Roland sampler. Only one sample (!) at about E4. Still, it was all I had and it worked quite well with some music. The pleasant chime like sound
throughout is the original 'fantasia' preset on the 1980's Roland D550 module.
10. Silent Night 2,062 k.
A relaxed version from internet, somewhat modified for the same Xmas CD. Uses older soundfonts.
11. Very short Brahms cello extract. 513 k.
Modified Korg cello and a Korg piano doubled with a soundfont.
12 Theme from film "Twister" 1,831 k.
Soundfonts plus Korg. From an internet midi file which shows how well some composers can make such files. What is the secret????
13. Nachtmusic Mozart. 572 k.
Short example of the quality of strings possible with custom Korg sounds combined with soundfont.
14. A slow clarinet movement. 4,200 k.
My composition, but obviously influenzed by Mozart's clarinet concerto. Original createdsome years ago but recently refined and re-orchestrated with higher quality
instruments.
15. An extemporized violin adagio. 1,622 k.
A curious effort from some years ago when I was depressed by my recurring failure to make a decent violin sound. This experiment, while not exactly realistic, was quite
effective musically... to my simple tastes anyway. Used a soundfont ( Cambells violin, changed a little I think ) playing same notes as a cello sound (created on the Roland
D20). I think there was a little D550 in background but it was done too long ago to be certain.
16 Procession. 1,204 k.
This was composed as the introduction of an early Xmas CD but despite using some older soundfonts it has to my ear a pleasing sweetness. Meant to be the ancient
musicians playing as they entered into the cathedral where the concert occurred. Methinks it needs a modern upgrade for the strings sound. Realized afterwards that I
must have been unconsciously affected by someone else's composition .. can't remember the composers name. Fairly well known?.
17 Star Trek theme 1,888 k
There was an interesting test running on a "Cakewalk" web forum to compare different orchestral libraries 'playing' the same short piece of music. This well written midi file
was used. Most people modified it in some way to suit their sound devices. I altered some velocities and volumes and added a soft spiccato like effect for the strings in
places .. though you can hardly hear it.
Most sounds are my modified internet soundfonts but the brass is my custom Korg M 50 efforts. Percussion also Korg. I went for a spacious sound, -- the wild west
outdoorish soundtrack style -- with the theme perhaps more flowing than some entries. Less dominant percussion too. All a matter of taste.
The MP3's of official entries, ( 72 of them!) can be heard at this link HERE
The voted "winner" was number 50, second 47, fourth was 54 ... but there are many which were just as good in their own way. And all were interesting as examples of
the possible instument sources. Oh yes ... No 6 has a rather amusing start and end.
( No, I did not know of the competition to enter, but might have been too afraid of criticism to do so in any case.)
The descriptions and notes about libraries used for each mp3 are HERE . It is flash screen that greets you on this last page. Hmph.. annoying to some of us. Even if you have broadband they can be rather slow loading.
18 Vivaldi 3rd movement Two violins and orchestra 2,381 k
Opus 3, No 11. 3rd movement in D minor. From "L'Estro Armonico".
The original movements were among my earliest favourite real performances. When searching through my mp3's I listened to the middle portion of this and couldn't
decide whether it was mine or the mp3 of the real performance (which I have floating about somewhere). So encouraged I re-worked this to match a video at much higher
playing speed. ( see 'videos' page) The realism however, is less, if you hear the 'real thing' immediately before of after. Uses custom Korg M 50 violins and strings, plus
various custom soundfonts.
19 For myriad forum ... a few examples of ambient sound applied 1,329 k
20 Mendelssohn's wedding march ..as if by Mozart 7,013 k ( This mp3 is at the highest possible bit rate.)
My original version of this started as a quiet joke, but it has received improvement and polishing for general consumption. In particular, it seems there may be a few people
who wish to use it for some public occasion. I confess I am somewhat surprised about this, but I hereby give permission for it to be freely used. I'm only sorry it is not
better quality, but alas, I do not own an orchestra (!) or have the funds to buy the superbly realistic sound libraries available these days.
21 Canzona for brass no2 by Gabrieli 6,373 k ( High bit rate mp3)
This is the audio for my youtube video of animated brass.