Davide BucciI found this little converter utility from the old #Cakewalk .wrk files to standard MIDI files .mid. I could retrieve my compositions dating back from 1996-1998 and import them in Logic Pro 😍 I still have the MIDI rig I had a the time (#Proteus/2 and #GEM #S2), so I only have to tweak some details to get results that are quite similar to what I listened back then. Kudos to the author of this little open source gem, that worked flawlessly for me: https://wrk2mid.sourceforge.io
Since I could retrieve quite faithfully the music I wrote in 1996-1997 thanks to the #MIDI conversion, I can listen again to the pieces I wrote for a small theatrical performance in 1997. I tried to develop similar themes in the introductions of the 5 acts. Here is the first act, where I imagined to create some unsettling atmosphere, then reveal the themes after a big crescendo. Enjoy! I cheat a little, as the piano sound is a modern VST 😅 #music #1997
For the second act of the 1997 theatrical performance, I tried to write a sort of quintet with two violins, a viola, a cello and an harpsichord. The #proteus2 had excellent solo string instruments for the time, but I recall that I used to write the parts, instead of play them, so they sound a bit mechanical. I'm happy to see that I realized that quantizing the harpsichord was not a good idea, though. #MIDI #1997 #music
For the third act, I wrote a variation in 5/8 of the same theme. I was not entirely comfortable to play in such time signatures back then, so it is a string quartet that plays from written MIDI tracks (and good grief, it shows 😅). I used to like a lot the variation in minor in the middle of the piece, it has a sort of eastern Europe-ish vibe in it that I found very interesting. #1997
For the fourth act, I went back to a much more reassuring 4/4 😜 It is a string quartet (#Proteus2 as you know), plus piano (in this version played by a modern VST). I used to like a lot the counterpoint I managed to write for the central section of the piece. Now I see (and hear) quite evident errors, but I still think it does not sound too bad. #terriplecounterpoint #1997 #midi
For the fifth act, I wrote another variation of the same theme in 3/8, once again for a quintet. I like the section where violins I and II play pizzicato. I think that in the final version for the performance, I edited out the final, as the piece already sounded conclusive enough. #1997 #MIDI #Proteus2
I wrote a longer piece for the end of the performance. I wanted to write something much more rhythmical and I use one of the very good good drumkits of the #GEM S2. Of course, the orchestral instruments are played by the #Proteus2. What is played by the saxophone in this version was originally sung by a friend who had a beautiful voice and backed by myself one octave lower. #MIDI #1997 #oldmusic
Listening today the music I wrote almost 30 years ago is a fun experience. I can hear something good in it, even if there are some counterpoint errors. The main defect is probably that is too quantized and too stiff. I should have written the orchestral parts, then play and record them on the keyboard and avoid quantizing as much as possible. #oldmusic #1997 #MIDI
There was also another piece that was a 3min 30s song. It was a good song, so I may re-record it a day or another and issue it in an album.
By the way, it looks I found a small bug in the #wrk2mid tool, I opened an issue on GitHub and the author was able to find the problem and suggest a workaround in less than a few hours. Kudos to them! #opensource https://github.com/pedrolcl/wrk2mid/issues/4
Continuing the conversion of my old music from the #Cakewalk format I used in 1997, I found this little march where I tried to somewhat manage an instrumental crescendo (even with Tubular Bells!). Harmonically-wise is a very classic and there's nothing to write home about. However, I quite liked a passage where the piano does a little scale. As usual, the #Proteus2 plays most of the tracks #MIDI #1997 #music
I also found this piece that I didn't recalled at all. I think I haven't listened to it for more than 25 years. It features more electronic patches (almost #ItaloDisco) and repetitive sections. I can see very well from where the rhythmic pattern of the bass in the middle section of the piece comes from (Stéphane Picq's Dune soundtrack). I blended in a modern #Arturia patch and the sax is a modern VST. #MIDI #1997 #music