Post to the Bulletin Board
If you have a question or comment about MP3 or MIDI, whether it concerns hardware, software,
or using music on the Net, it is best to post this to the Bulletin Board There are
probably many other people who have your same question, would like to hear your comment,
or have experience in this area. I check this regularly. Post your questions
or comments and you'll get input from a variety of voices.
Email Your Guide
Like all the Guides at About.com, I'm a real person. You can email me at mp3.guide@About.com.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. I am looking for a particular MP3 or MIDI file. Do you have it?
2. Can MIDI files be copyrighted? How do I do this?
3. I see lots of MP3 and MIDI files on Web sites. Can I use these without violating
copyright laws?
4. How can I make my own MIDI files?
5. How can I add MIDI to my Web page?
6. How can I convert MP3, WAV, CD or other audio files to MIDI?
7. I am having trouble with my computer, sound card, MIDI equipment, etc. Can
you help?
Q: I am looking for a particular MP3 or MIDI file. Do you have it?
A: I don't maintain a very big archive of files. The best
way to find a specific MP3 file is to use one of the search
engines listed on this site. MIDI search engines are listed at the top
of the MIDI Files: All Styles page. Of course, you may
also wish to consult the Net Links list
for sites that carry sound files.
Q: Can MIDI files be copyrighted? How do I do this?
A: When this site began, copyright was one of the first issues I
addressed in my feature columns. You can read the complete article here, but to put it
simply, copyright is granted automatically when a work is created. You don't have to
register it with the copyright office, though this registration can serve as proof of your
authorship in case someone uses it without your permission.
Q: I see lots of MP3 and MIDI files on Web sites. Can I use these
without violating copyright laws?
A: Copyright is routinely violated on Web sites, but that does not
make it legal. Copyright applies both to the author of the music and the sequencer of the
MIDI file. It is extremely rare for anyone to be prosecuted for posting MIDI files, but
you could be forced to remove them. Non-commercial sites are usually ignored. However, in
the case of a commercial site such as mine, I only use MIDI files that are in the public
domain or original files that the author has given me permission to use.
Q: How can I make my own MIDI files?
A: You need a software program called a sequencer (or a piece of
hardware that is also called a sequencer). I wrote an in-depth article about this. You
can also consult the Net Links list of MIDI
Software Companies.
Q. How can I add MIDI to my Web page?
A: This question is asked so frequently that I always post a link to
my explanatory article on the
front page of this site. To summarize, do not use the <bgsound> tag because this
works only in Microsoft Internet Explorer. Use only the <embed> tag because
this is supported by Explorer, Netscape, and other popular browsers. Using both tags will
make the file play twice in Internet Explorer. If you don't know what I am talking about,
I highly recommend learning some basic HTML before building a Web site. Web authoring
tools such as FrontPage and AOLpress make it very easy to build a site without knowing
code, but you can get into trouble if you don't know what you are doing.
Q: How can I convert MP3, WAV, CD or other audio files to MIDI?
A: This is one of the most frequently-asked questions on the Net, and
I wrote a feature article about
converting WAV or other audio to MIDI. However, the short answer is that you really can't do it unless
the audio file is of just one instrument. Since MIDI must be entered one instrument at a
time, you can't take a WAV, MP3 or CD file of a band and convert it to MIDI.
Q. I am having trouble with my computer, sound card, MIDI
equipment, etc. Can you help?
A: My job as MP3/MIDI Music Guide is to point you to the best
places
on the Net. I make every effort to respond to the e-mail and other requests I receive,
but I am not a technical support person and
my time is very limited. It is usually best to contact technical support for the product you own. You
may wish to consult my list of Hardware Manufacturers,
MP3 Software Makers and MIDI
Software Companies.
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