Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?

Subject: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: Howard Kaplan
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 10:19 AM

I'm trying to find out what to call a musical activity that I'm starting to practice.

If I create new music and lyrics for a song, that process is called "songwriting".

If I write out parts for the song, telling the concertina, fiddle, and banjo which chords or notes to play at which times, that process is called "arranging".

If I use a music notation program and a MIDI soundcard to listen to the arrangement, that's certainly good enough for proofreading purposes but may not be good enough to make an interesting performance. On the lead sheets, I will indicate the general tempo, I may say things like "louder" or "softer", and I may also suggest articulations such as "near the bridge" or "with fingernails, not picks". However, any good musicians will still do a lot of reading between the lines (or notes), doing things such as subtly adjusting tempo, timing or volume on the basis of what the style requires or what singers or other musicians are doing at the time. That process is called "playing an instrument" or perhaps "interpreting the arrangement", and the people who play their instruments well do a lot of such adjustment. On a CD cover, the person playing fiddle will be credited with "fiddle".

Let's say, however, that instead of having a concertina player I have a keyboard player using concertina samples, playing in real time and making subtle adjustments to what the lead sheet specifies. On a CD cover, this person is likely to be credited with "keyboards" or "synthesizers", not "concertina".

Now, let's say that, instead of either being or hiring a keyboard player, I (the arranger) want to let the computer play synthetic concertina. (The only keyboard I play is QWERTY, not GABCDEF.) I start making adjustments to either the musical notation or the MIDI file it produces, moving some notes forward or back a bit, putting in volume profiles, specifying articulations, etc. I do not necessarily do this in real time: specifying how an 8-second passage gets louder might take me much less than 8 seconds, around 8 seconds, or considerably longer than 8 seconds. I don't think this process qualifies as any of "arranging", "playing", or "keyboarding". I suspect that some of what I see credited on CD covers as "programming" might be this kind of work, but I'm not really happy with that term.

What is an appropriate name for this kind of not-necessarily-real-time micromanagement of MIDI events that will eventually be played back by a computer?

Howard Kaplan
Songwriter and occasional performer
Toronto, Ontario

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 10:23 AM

interpretation

For all intents and purposes you *are* playing the instrument.

Or Sound Effect Mastering

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 10:55 AM

A MIDI file is a script. It just happens to be all numbers.

When you make changes to a script/text/list the most generic term for what you're doing is "editing."

You can invent just about any term you choose to use, but if you want others to understand, with reasonable likelihood that they'll know what you're talking about, the most generic term available that still conveys information is usually best.

When/IF you find others doing the same thing, you'll likely find a "trade jargon" that uses some other name for it; but the next group you find doing the same thing is pretty likely to call it something else.

John

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:17 AM

"I suspect that some of what I see credited on CD covers as "programming" might be this kind of work, but I'm not really happy with that term."..... ???

but it does seem to be the appropriate term to describe
what you want to..


..and it was definitely a cool and 'sexy' hip new term back in the early days of midi recording


ok.. so what about these simple alternative,
or something similarthen..



"Midi [& Sample] Editing / Manipulation .." ???


"Digital Music Data Editor" ..???????


"21st Century Post-Atomic Space Age Computer Music Composition Technicial Commander".. !!!???

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: jeffp
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 11:24 AM

Programming is the usual term for it. Not sexy, perhaps, but there you are.

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 12:31 PM

Sequencing.

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 12:56 PM

Jon is exactly on target.... Google 'sequencing' and 'midi' in one search.

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 12:57 PM

is it sequencing though if you only tweak it?

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 12:59 PM

Yes, Mmario.

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: MMario
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 01:01 PM

well - I donn0 - if I took a sequence of Barry Taylor's , and tweaked it; I don't think I would be justified in saying "sequenced" -- midi sequenced by BarryT" and adapted by....might be acceptable.

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 01:12 PM

Well both your jobs "were" sequencing, Mmario.

You could justifiably say something like "Additional sequencing by Mmario".

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: Howard Kaplan
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:31 PM

Many thanks to all who contributed their suggestions. I had forgotten about the eminently appropriate word "sequencing", though I may decide that I'm more comfortable with the phrase "sequence editing".

Howard

Subject: RE: Micromanaging MIDI: what's it called?
From: Artful Codger
Date: 28 Jul 06 - 08:49 PM

I also see the term "engineering". "Sound engineers" give the illusion that many pop performers can almost sing, so it would seem to encompass the work you describe.