Following programs are discussed in c't 8/2001 article by Dr. Justus Noll "Sound distributors": Audionaut 4.01, GNMIDI 2.32, MIDIQuest 8.0, SoundDiver 3.0, Unisyn 1.5 The journalist writes about GNMIDI (version 2.32): =============== GNMIDI 2.32 GNMIDI is a program that was ported from DOS to Windows, whose name comes from initials of its author Günter Nagler. It contains a big number of operations, most of them are applied to a whole MIDI file. What was done originally by calling on a DOS commandline, results by Windows click in a new window, that views information about resulting MIDI file. This method is trivial, but amazingly efficient. After loading a midi file 'Spain' the program directly shows musical structure of the song: it contains ten channels in MIDI format 0, among them tracks for flute, bass and piano. The sound of the song are for the General-MIDI-Standard of the XG-variant by company Yamaha, which published 1995 the file and added its copyright. A MIDI song can be played with the program internal player or with the system player or a new recording can be made with the integrated midi recorder. GNMIDI checks file structure and repairs possible errors. The software can do different kind of format conversions, can cut out a part from a song and can add fadings, create a MIDI-medley, add rhythmic or random controller changes, resort tracks, transpose or add 'human touch' to a song. Handling of text got extra eye glimpse: MIDI can be converted to ASCII text, ASCII text can be converted to MIDI. MIDI channels can be renumbered, Copyright information can be inserted, track titles can be changed and karaoke song text can be displayed. A Karaoke file (.kar) can be converted in MIDI file with lyrics and back. Many MIDI files can even be compressed (better spoken 'reorganized') without changing the musical content. GNMIDI manages also archive information, can display information like song title, composer or rating, show song text even with syllable separation. Note durations can be changed globally, tempo can be changed independent of timing and tracks can be splitted. Some of the extraordinary effects are mirroring of midi songs, 'crippeling' notes to make it more difficult to print or edit the song, and - for bus drivers and restaurant visitors a horror - the conversion of a midi melody into handy ring tones. Facit All programs that were discussed have one in common: They can open nearly unlimitted many windows , so that user will loose overview at some time. This can nearly not be changed, because at work it is an advantage to access different kind of parameters at same time. It is necessary to work with some discipline. But then are the programs really a great simplification in work with MIDI. The usage of Audionaut is oriented on working with naked MIDI-bytes in hexadecimal format - in spite of its good program structure that is not a thing for everyone, especially not for novices, who probably prefer comfortable rotating buttons, sliders or rubberband curves. Opposite of this GNMIDI is more something for desktop workers, who want to perform overall operations to MIDI files, before start working in detail with a sequencer, For example to create a karaoke title. Checklist Product Audionaut Music Manager 4.01 generischer MIDI-Editor, Library Developer Audionaut Productions, Uppsala (SW) Internet http://www.audionaut.com/software Systemrequirements Win95 Price 29 $ Product GNMIDI 2.32 generischer MIDI-/Karaoke-Editor Developer Günter Nagler, A-8120 Peggau Internet https://www.gnmidi.com Systemrequirements Win95 Price 50 DM / 30 $ Product MIDIQuest 8 universeller MIDI Sound-Editor, Library Developer SoundQuest, Victoria/Kanada Internet http://www.squest.com Systemrequirements Win3.11, Mac Price 249 $ Product SoundDiver 3 universeller MIDI-Sound-Editor, Library Developer emagic, Rellingen Internet http://www.emagic.de Systemrequirements Win3.11, Mac OS Price 399 $ Product Unisyn 1.5 universeller MIDI-Sound-Editor, Library Developer Mark of the Unicorn, Massachusetts, USA Internet http://www.motu.com Systemrequirements Win3.1, Mac Price 498 $ =========================================================================================================================================