[sdiy] MIDI live interface project... suggestion

[Jean-Pierre Desrochers]

Hi list,
This is a 'funky' project suggestion for anybody..

Some musicians use live MIDI controled devices
(projectors, motors, visual effects, etc..)
while playing some stuff at the same time
on stage. These devices need some MIDI stream
coming "normally" from a sequencer or a PC
based MIDI software and a way to sync this all
with the music on stage.. So we are talking
about many instruments, sequencers, PC, etc..
So what about a way to get rid of some stuff
here and have a minimum of circuitry installed
for live MIDI/music perfomance?

Here is the idea:

The project I think of is an interface
that 'reads' an external MIDI stream (in studio) 
and... converts it to a NTSC video output 
that can be recorded using a video capture card.
Obviously that capture card will at the same time
record the music that needs to be in sync
with the MIDI info..
Now you have a 'video' that contains the MIDI information
(I try to imagine the screen video that this would produce... !!)
and the audio in a video file format, on a PC.
You then burn a DVD with the saved video file.
Finaly in a live performance, 
you play the DVD with a standard DVD player,
connect the video out to the project interface to read back the
MIDI stream out and at the same time play 
the musical audio tracks all sync together.. allways!

So on stage you only have this:

- DVD player
- MIDI interface plugged to DVD player video out
- Your normal audio mixing/amplifying stuff
- All the normally used MIDI devices (projectors, etc..)

No more PC or sequencer stuff..

I'm sure I can forget something here
but hey, this is just a suggestion on DIY list !

JP