Tech
Talk
You can copy MIDI files (or any files) out of your "temporary internet" folder if you'd like to have them for yourself. The temporary internet folder can be accessed from your browser by going to "tools/internet options/settings/view files." Simply copy and paste the song (s) to a folder on your desktop or wherever you'd like to save them.
Many people don't know what "MIDI" is. "MIDI" is simply an acronym for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface." You see, computers can't make music, they can only process data (information). MIDI files contain NO music, only stored data. Your sound card converts that data into electric signals which your speaking then turn into sound (music). MIDI files always end in ".mid"
WAV files on the other hand actually store recorded music, much like a vinyl record stores music. WAV files always end in ".wav" and are extremely large. In comparison, a ".wav" file will average up to 50 MB of disk space PER SONG; whereas, a ".mid" file averages under 20 Kb in size per file. In other words, it would take 2,500 MIDI files to equal just ONE WAV file. Wow! You can see why ".wav" files are no good for the internet. You won't find too many on my site...there just too big. When you buy a music CD, those are WAV files. That's why you can only get 20 or so songs on one CD. A CD only holds about 650 MB.
The latest and greatest file format is the MP3 files (".mp3"). An MP3 is a compressed file (something like a ZIP file). You can convert a large 50 MB WAV files into a MUCH smaller 2 to 4 MB MP3 file. You can fit about 200 MP3 songs on one standard size CD...not bad at all. I have a few MP3 songs on this site. MP3 files are great! An MP3 can be converted to a WAV file or visa versa; however, MIDI files cannot. As with the WAV files, MP3's are actual recorded music. Therefore, MP3 songs will generally be very high quality. MIDI songs can sound very nice, but not with most music. MIDI sounds more realistic with piano or classical music because the strings and woodwind instruments are easily imitated by a good sound card. Thus MIDI's sound great for the old hymns of the faith.
Sound files are a lot of fun!!! You can go into your "setting/control panel/sounds" section of your computer and change all the different sounds on your computer to whatever you want. If there's a sound that annoys you, CHANGE IT!
I just thought a word on this subject would be of interest to some folks who may have been curious.
Your web servant, Dave
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