: : : I am looking for a way to convert AVI to Mpeg.

: : : Hi

: : : I want to create audio/midi music on a laptop computer! Apart from meeting the min sys requirements of the software programs I'll use are there any other considerations I should take into account before selecting a Laptop? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

: : : steve

: :
: : I wouldn't recommend a Laptop, because you cannot put a MIDI cable through it, meaning you can't play a Keyboard or synth into the laptop - but you can with a conputer
: : Subman

: :if the laptop has a usb then you can connect something like the new yamaha uw500 audio + midi interface - don't know how well it works tho'
: :clive99

: I've had the uw500 for about a week and it is simply awesome for the money! Works great with any laptop that has a USB. Without a good tone generator you'll have to have a really good sound card though. But with a good tone generator you can use it as a hard disk recorder as well as a midi-interface for use in live performance.

: Funny thing though, he has made nearly a $1000

: Experiment:

Here's the experiment I would suggest:

1. Make up a song and convert to MP3

2. Upload to a 'pay for play' site like mp3.com

3. Start a controversy in discussion forums like this one (maybe even post the first few complaints yourself)

4. Sit back and collect the checks as everyone downloads your song to see what all the fuss is about :)

Alf.

I had a listen to the music to see what the conversation is all about and for what it's worth, here's my opinion.

For starters, I will say that most people have a right to do what they want with music but when presented to the Gen Pub, it's then like fame, and is up for fiece critisism from afar, live with it or don't do it. I think this is a good thing for the creator as it allows them to receive honest opinions from listeners that don't care if you live or die. If I was to play something to my mother, she would say something like, "that's nice dear", thanks mum! but I get the feeling that it may not be nice but she's being kind. I personally need that hard edge to progress...

I will have to lean though towards the Angry post of Rank Amateur due to the fact that his points are hitting the nail on the head about the state of post second world war music. This sort of music is fine if you like that sort of thing, but the reality of the music industry is, that they will support the type of music that is easy and cheap to make and plaster it with image and sell it at a unreasonably high price to the detriment of people that are far beyond that level.

I suspect RA has been working hard at making music for many years and I suppose he feel he is qualified to look down on the simplicity of the construction and absense of original feel and grace, and I can't help but agree that this is a direct copy of a now boring format and represents nothing but average technical ability. I've seen people make music like that and it qualifies as the sort of thing you may do when you first start off in the computer music world which is great but so many people get stuck there and never learn the next stage. Therefore I would encourage the writer to be more interesting and look for new and interesting rythmns and ideas to move into the real creators world. If someone wants to listen to this music and then listen to the first Leftfield album, they will realize what a difference there is in one or two NON musicians with a computer and a bit of spare time. That is computer music of quality and feel WITHIN the bounds of computer music (and I bet THEY wouldn't go near Acid or FruityLoops....hehehe...) Listen to your music, think about it and don't be boring and TOO derivitive...

Best wishes and chill out...

Steve...

p.s. 4/4 is drastically over used and IS boring compared to mixing 6/4 with 4/4 and a bit of 5/4. It's easy once you try and takes away the monotony of having to hear the same crap on the radio all the time... Try a 3/4 verse and a 5/4 chorus. It'll spin you out at first but you will thank me when the song is making sense....

Established style, bollocks... If the music world was removed of boring little cut and paste ripp off merchants then you would see a bunch of repressed but excellent musicians emerging from the wings. There is nothing hard in making music like that other than conquering the surface of musically deprived programs like Acid and Fruity loops. I bet you a weeks wages that MOST of those users don't even know how to use their more than likely stolen software let alone anything about musical theory or tempo changes. They probably don't even know what the difference in feeling between a Cmajor and Cmajor 7th. I have been in this industry for 20 years and have watched people pretending that they are creators of interesting music when all they are doing is copying outdated styles that are created by a computer. Some computer programs are probably better at making music than that without the input from a human being. 4/4 is all they know, set at the same tempo, step time sequenced from start to finish. Very uninspiring, talentless and boring...

My sisters 10 year old is into music which is great, he is doing the same as this bloke but he's 10. He's learning the guitar and the keyboards and will be producing more interesting and emotional music than most of the sad pretenders that visit this site by the time he is twelve. Play the stupid little bubblegum tunes to the kids but don't expect the real songwriters and musicians to be impressed because we are not... Roll on the internet musical revolution and put the falsies up against the wall.

RA...