Help! I'm dumb.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brad
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Brad

Brad

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Maybe you guys can help me. I posted this question in the MIDI mania forum to no avail.
I do not record using my computer. I know almost nothing about using a computer to record, but an opportunity has presented itself to me and I need help. I have been hired by a company to write a jingle for them. No problem, it is done. They also want a standard MIDI file of this jingle (minus the vocals, of course) so they can have it looping on their website. I composed the music for this jingle on a Roland PMA-5, it is a little handheld sound module/sequencer. It has a serial port that will go out to a computer. If I plug the PMA-5 into the computer, what is my next step in order to get this baby into standard MIDI file condition. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Brad

P.S. I have access to a PC and an early version of cakewalk if that would help me.
 
Brad I went to the site at sweetwater that describes the PMA here is what they said about getting this to the computer...get your wallet out... Computer connection.

Because the PMA-5 has a computer interface, you can connect it directly to your computer - Macintosh or IBM compatible - with a single cable. The PMA-5 can exchange song and pattern data with your computer
using the optional PC Communication Kit. This affords more elaborate sequence editing using your software - based sequencer. To minimize equipment hauling you can transfer sequence data from your computer to the PMA-5 and take it to gigs. Standard MIDI file music data or your favorite phrase data can also be loaded into the PMA-5.
Basically this sounds like a micro computer with a downsized Cakewalk or Cubase editor. Don't sell yourself short. Computers are intimidating at first but just as you had to figure out the PMA and were able to get a jingle out of it you also will be able to do the same with a PC. That PC with an early version would be a fine start. Just re-input the song via a midi keyboard into the computer and then you've got your midi file. I wouldnt invest in the PC interface personally because you are going to have to learn how to use Cakewalk or whatever via the PC anyway. It appears the PMA is for folks with a lot of time and cash on their hands that do songwriting for a living (I HATE THEM! maybe envy is a better word)And they use it it while they're jet setting across the world to their next performance. By the way remember the only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask good luck!
 
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