Converting MIDI files to WAV or MP3 files

[mapmeister]

I am a new user, so if this is really basic, forgive me, but I can't figure it out. I have a MIDI file and I just need to simply convert it to a WAV or MP3 file so that I can use it in Adobe Captivate. Can anyone help? Thanks.

[steve]

You need to play the MIDI file in a suitable media player, for example QuickTime player, then record it following the method described here: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... e_computer

[steve]

Hmm... not quite sure why you would want to spend money on that when you can do it in Audacity for free. Oh well, each to his/her own.

[knitfast]

Regarding voice-recognition programs:
Can we use Audacity to record a conversation then ask this voice-recognition program to 'listen' to the Audacity recording and type the information
to a document? Could this also be saved as a MP3 file?

[steve]

Sure, why not. You'll probably need a pretty fast computer though.

[mapmeister]

Thanks for all the kind responses, but I have a MIDI file that I downloaded for free off of Microsoft's web site and I need to convert it to WAV...how would I do that in Audacity? Can someone point me? Thanks again.

[waxcylinder]

Stevethefiddle gave you the right answer in the first response you got ....

Basically you can't import Midi music directly into Audacity. Midi is not an audio format like WAV or MP3 - rather it is like a set of instructions: play this note for so long, then this other note for so long etc. (like the difference between a recipe and a meal). So what yo have to do i s to play it it some sogtware that will play MIDI - while at the same time recoirding it in Audacity.

WC

[icx]

another possibility is to use http://solmire.com an online service to convert your midi to mp3 and then import it into Audacity.

hope it helps

[kozikowski]

<<<Basically you can't import Midi music directly into Audacity.>>>

What he said. MIDI isn't music. MIDI is a list of instructions. You have to have software or hardware that understands the instructions and then the software or hardware produces the music.

That's one of the MIDI problems. If you feed the same MIDI file into my two keyboards, you will get different instruments playing the music. So yes, there's a software product needed in the middle.

If you have a big enough music production system, you can intentionally cross the MIDI instructions. You can have the Sonata for Piano in B-Flat playing on a steam calliope. A performance not to be missed.

Koz

[steve]

another possibility is to use http://solmire.com an online service to convert your midi to mp3

Nice
I'd not come across that before, but it works pretty well.

Yet another option is to use TiMidity++ to directly render the MIDI file as a WAV.
http://timidity.sourceforge.net/