IMSLP Forums

I think that before the last software update, items under the "Synthesized/MIDI" tab didn't show up automatically when opening a work page without any recording under the "General" tab; now they do. May I say that I prefered the old behaviour?

---
Maybe my English is too poor, but if I think I understand both words "Synthesized" and "Performance", I can't refrain being shocked by the expression "Synthesized performance"... I think no human is actually "performing" a MIDI file, am I wrong?

"Synthesized Performance" refers to a virtual realization. In other words, a recording made by a computer. While a human programs the piece, the computer "performs" it. Is that what you were asking for?

I suppose 'Synthesized Recordings' might work better. Don't know if ordinary wiki users can change that, though.

The idea of using terms like "Synthesized performance", "Virtual performance" or "MIDI performance" is to convey to the viewer that the item is not an actual performance, but a computer-generated rendition of a piece, regardless of file format. A fair number of the "Virtual performances" on the site are MP3 audio files, for example. They are not recordings of live performances using a synthesizer, but audio files generated by a computer program from MIDIs. Virtual performances don't have to sound like a dirge-accordion with kazoo. They are actually capable of being a fairly good representation of a piece, as can be heard in this one - created using expensive software and high grade equipment by Jay Bacal at the Vienna Symphonic Library site.

Carolus wrote:The idea of using terms like "Synthesized performance", "Virtual performance" or "MIDI performance" is to convey to the viewer that the item is not an actual performance, but a computer-generated rendition of a piece, regardless of file format. ... They are not recordings of live performances using a synthesizer, but audio files generated by a computer program from MIDIs.

This seems to be in favor of what Pierre is saying, namely that it doesn't make sense to call something a performance when it is really nothing of the sort.

pierre.chepelov wrote:I think that before the last software update, items under the "Synthesized/MIDI" tab didn't show up automatically when opening a work page without any recording under the "General" tab; now they do.

Some pages do, other pages don't. I just find out that if you start from a page with this "bad" behaviour, click on "edit" and save it without modifications you obtain the behaviour you want. General (0) shows up and it is the default tab.

We really do not want to have synthesized renditions mixed in with actual recordings of performances. The tab-level designation "Synthesized/MIDI" is where they belong - even if they are MP3s generated from MIDIs. Having them appear under the default "General" tab is a bad idea. The majority of such renditions are useful for getting a rough idea about a piece - nothing more - tough I've run into some that are surprisingly acceptable. It might be a good idea to change the level-2 division, which now reads "Performances" to "Recordings" and have the default tab read "Performances" instead of "General." That's a fairly major change in the page design so we should put this up for a wide discussion to see if anyone has a better idea.