Music in MIDI, some instrumental prog/rock songs of mine

[icronic]

Lately I've been writing a bunch of guitar based instrumental stuff that I'm looking for thoughts and opinions on. I've already presented it to the guitar community who generally seem to be digging what I've done, but I'm curious as to what everyone else thinks.

Anyway, I've got 3 songs that are near complete. They're basically done in MIDI (well technically something called RSE, which sounds slightly better). I've got another 3 in progress right now. I figure once I have 10 or so I'll head into the studio and record them, and see how far I can go with it.

The songs can be heard HERE (http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/icronic/) again, keep in mind they're basically midi, so real instruments will of course sound far better :)

The titles are just placeholders for the moment, but abit about them:

Dor:
The first song I did, prog/rock all the way. This one really started the idea to write my own CD.

Mix:
A happy sounding upbeat rocker, that's kind of in the vein of Joe Satriani.

Meta:
This started out as my own personal joke to test both my playing ability and my knowledge and ability to apply theory. It went from something incredibly silly to something I'm rather proud of. It's basically a shred/prog/rock styled song that's constantly cycling through different keys, and different moods.

Anyway, if this generates any interest I'll continue to post my songs up here, and eventually I'll put the real recordings up whenever I get them done.

[Karak]

Good job. Listened to them.
I am mixing myself and have done a couple gigs here locally. Not too much. Press on man.
Most of mine is real instruments but MIDI allows for some great flexibility.

[icronic]

Good job. Listened to them.
I am mixing myself and have done a couple gigs here locally. Not too much. Press on man.
Most of mine is real instruments but MIDI allows for some great flexibility.

Thanks man.

The midi is more of a way to keep track of what I've written as I don't have the ability to record with any decent quality, or a drummer for that matter. So I just grab my guitar, play around with the rhythm parts until I find something that feels right, punch that into the computer, loop it and then jam over top of it until I find something I like.

I've been looking to get some kind of 4 track recorder and some kind of programmable drum/bass machine. While midi does offer some cool flexibility, I'm trying to keep everything I write within the realm of what I can actually play and record myself, so in reality it's kind of limiting, since it lacks any kind of dynamic, and it's almost impossible to actual tab all the slight little nuances of my playing into it.

[CES]

I noticed a JSX in your equipment list, +1 for that alone. Instead of using RSE, why dont you dump the midi to something like Reason and use VSTi's to add some sound?

I like the songs though, very good.

[Karak]

Thanks man.

The midi is more of a way to keep track of what I've written as I don't have the ability to record with any decent quality, or a drummer for that matter. So I just grab my guitar, play around with the rhythm parts until I find something that feels right, punch that into the computer, loop it and then jam over top of it until I find something I like.

I've been looking to get some kind of 4 track recorder and some kind of programmable drum/bass machine. While midi does offer some cool flexibility, I'm trying to keep everything I write within the realm of what I can actually play and record myself, so in reality it's kind of limiting, since it lacks any kind of dynamic, and it's almost impossible to actual tab all the slight little nuances of my playing into it.
Fruityloops, VSTi's and some of the electronic software can do amazing things now for what you need. Check into them.
THe only thing I hate is their cost. And they still crash just like any software.
But its cool to have them.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

What program do you use to do this MIDI stuff? I would love to do this stuff. I shred my guitar, but I have a problem writing multiple guitar parts because I jam by myself typically.

Some of the leads in this stuff are sick man. How long have you been playing?

[Stoke]

I don't know a lot about the technical side of music, but I do know that I liked what I heard, especially Mix. Definitely keep playing and posting them.

[CES]

Fruityloops, VSTi's and some of the electronic software can do amazing things now for what you need. Check into them.
THe only thing I hate is their cost. And they still crash just like any software.
But its cool to have them.

The cost you say?

I bring you REAPER (http://www.reaper.fm/). Made by the same guy who originally built Winamp, it's a DAW that costs nothing.

As for the VST's, I suggest KVR (http://www.kvraudio.com/) since they have a collection of the finest free instruments around.

[icronic]

What program do you use to do this MIDI stuff? I would love to do this stuff. I shred my guitar, but I have a problem writing multiple guitar parts because I jam by myself typically.

Some of the leads in this stuff are sick man. How long have you been playing?

I've been using Guitar Pro, it's cheap ($50) and fairly easy to use. I've only been playing guitar for about 7 years, but I've been putting enough time into it each day to be worth about twice that :) Plus I've been playing other instruments on and off for as long as I can remember. Guitar seems to be my calling though.

I'm going to have to check out some of the other programs you guys mentioned though. Might be fun to play around with a bit, although I always thought they were more geared towards the electronica side of things.

Thanks for all the compliments, I've got 3 more in the works right now, kind of a slow sad mysterious sounding piece, a real upbeat funk blues style solofest and another with a hint of a spanish/flamencoish kind of sound.

[CES]

I've been using Guitar Pro, it's cheap ($50) and fairly easy to use. I've only been playing guitar for about 7 years, but I've been putting enough time into it each day to be worth about twice that :) Plus I've been playing other instruments on and off for as long as I can remember. Guitar seems to be my calling though.

I'm going to have to check out some of the other programs you guys mentioned though. Might be fun to play around with a bit, although I always thought they were more geared towards the electronica side of things.

Thanks for all the compliments, I've got 3 more in the works right now, kind of a slow sad mysterious sounding piece, a real upbeat funk blues style solofest and another with a hint of a spanish/flamencoish kind of sound.

REAPER is geared to whatever genre of music you really feel like working with. Also, KVR has tons of effects to work with your guitar that you might get some amusement from. FL Studio however is geared towards the people who want fat beats and fatter synths.