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#1 2012-07-30 02:23:28
Midi files and custom instruments are vital
Obviously, when S2 comes out, making games will become more favourable, and of course larger games will be made.
The problem: Large games are preferable with lots of music, which would with current methods require too many megabytes to hold.
The scratch project size limit only allows a few songs, and I don't fancy having it increased for the sake of the server and how long it takes to load projects.
Solution: Add MIDI blocks, which allow you to play a midi file with selected instruments.
If custom instruments are allowed, then somebody with patience could squeeze a lyricless song that is normally several megabytes into under 50 KB, while still having it sound the same.
The result is that you can put over 100 full length songs into your project, with room to spare for some awesome code and art.
The blocks will be identical to MIDI blocks, except where you would normally put in the note you instead put in a MIDI file, and the number of selectable instruments will expand to the number of tracks in the file.
Probably one of the highest file size/time ratios for any midi is a mere 50KB/Min. This is an utterly ridiculously complicated song we're talking about here.
Last edited by complex (2012-07-30 16:23:35)
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#2 2012-07-30 02:39:13
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
another possible solution for if people want lyrics, would be to be able to play a song which is hosted somewhere else(using a service like http://www.filedropper.com/) that way, whilst it may be slower to play that one project, it will not use up so much room on the servers.
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#3 2012-07-30 10:10:36
- scimonster
- Community Moderator
- Registered: 2010-06-13
- Posts: 1000+
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
Well, there are MIDI blocks in Scratch.
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#4 2012-07-30 16:22:52
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
scimonster wrote:
Well, there are MIDI blocks in Scratch.
Sorry, I should have been clearer. Blocks identical to MIDI blocks, except where you would normally put in the note you instead put in a MIDI file, and the number of selectable instruments will expand to the number of tracks in the file.
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#5 2012-07-31 05:31:49
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
This is a good idea, yes, but an importer has already been made. You can import a MIDI using that, and save it, and then open it in the real Scratch. The only problem is that you are going to need a MIDI editor to separate the channels and then import each one into a different sprite, and add a change instrument block to the beginning of the script. 
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#6 2012-08-01 02:35:14
- Jonathanpb
- Scratcher
- Registered: 2008-07-25
- Posts: 1000+
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
BirdByte wrote:
This is a good idea, yes, but an importer has already been made. You can import a MIDI using that, and save it, and then open it in the real Scratch. The only problem is that you are going to need a MIDI editor to separate the channels and then import each one into a different sprite, and add a change instrument block to the beginning of the script.
That's so cool 
And yeah, proper MIDI support would be really nice ^^
"Human beings... must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.
-Charlotte Brontë
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#7 2012-08-02 15:38:30
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
BirdByte wrote:
This is a good idea, yes, but an importer has already been made. You can import a MIDI using that, and save it, and then open it in the real Scratch. The only problem is that you are going to need a MIDI editor to separate the channels and then import each one into a different sprite, and add a change instrument block to the beginning of the script.
One minor problem with that: Almost undoubtedly that chunk of code will be far larger than a MIDI file, and it probably would not be a good idea to feed it the most complex of songs. So yes, thank you, this is useful, but custom instruments and a MIDI file block are still a necessity.
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#8 2012-08-02 16:13:30
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
complex wrote:
BirdByte wrote:
This is a good idea, yes, but an importer has already been made. You can import a MIDI using that, and save it, and then open it in the real Scratch. The only problem is that you are going to need a MIDI editor to separate the channels and then import each one into a different sprite, and add a change instrument block to the beginning of the script.
One minor problem with that: Almost undoubtedly that chunk of code will be far larger than a MIDI file, and it probably would not be a good idea to feed it the most complex of songs. So yes, thank you, this is useful, but custom instruments and a MIDI file block are still a necessity.
I agree. Support.
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#9 2013-03-08 20:17:17
- breenworks
- New Scratcher
- Registered: 2011-10-05
- Posts: 3
Re: Midi files and custom instruments are vital
when fg clicked repeat until <(timer) > [10]>
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