How It's Done
Creating Synthesia videos is basically creating MIDI Files and recording the Synthesia footage.
Just follow these steps and you've made your first Synthesia video faster than you could have ever imagined.
Just follow these steps and you've made your first Synthesia video faster than you could have ever imagined.
MIDI Sequencer
Anvil Studio 2015
If you want to get started making MIDIs you have to download a MIDI editor first:
I personally use a programm called "Anvil Studio" to create my MIDIs. The program is free, although there are some useful accessories for around 30$.
You can also use other programs like "FL Studio" or "Domino" but I personally recommend "Anvil Studio" for basic MIDI files.
You can download Anvil Studio here: www.anvilstudio.com
I recommend the accessory "Pro-Mix" because it lets you craete automation track for the volume or the pitch bend throughout a track. The Pro-Mix comes with a cost of about 29$.
I personally use a programm called "Anvil Studio" to create my MIDIs. The program is free, although there are some useful accessories for around 30$.
You can also use other programs like "FL Studio" or "Domino" but I personally recommend "Anvil Studio" for basic MIDI files.
You can download Anvil Studio here: www.anvilstudio.com
I recommend the accessory "Pro-Mix" because it lets you craete automation track for the volume or the pitch bend throughout a track. The Pro-Mix comes with a cost of about 29$.
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The programm works like adding notes on a sheet music paper. You can also plug your own MIDI-Keyboard in to add notes. If you're not too much into sheet music you can aslo use the piano roll editor (shown left). It's easier for beginners. To add tracks you have to go to "Tracks" - "Create" - "Instrument Track". You can then change your MIDI instrument from "Acoustic Piano" to something like "String Ensemble" or even "Telephone Ring". You can adjust the volume and L/R balance with the controllers on the top center. To add sustain to one of your tracks you have to go to "Edit" - "Insert MIDI Event" - "Kind of event" - "Sustain". There are various of other MIDI events to choose from if you don't like sustain for some strange reason.
Anvil Studio is not an easy programm but you can edit or create MIDI files really fast once you get the hang of it. To create an IMPOSSIBLE REMIX you just have to add enough piano tracks to your MIDI. To export a MIDI file you go to "File" - "Save Song As" and choose where you want to song to be saved. Please respect the copyright policies on MIDI files and don't spread MIDIs you don't own. If you want more information you can read the following article: https://www.quora.com/Are-downloaded-MIDI-files-copyright-free |
Piano Roll Editor
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Soundfont |
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MIDIs themselves don't have a sound. A MIDI file only consists of information when a note should be played to be able to communicate with other musical instruments. You can read the wikipedia article on MIDIs if you want to know more about this.
So what you need to record the audio is a soundfont and a Synthesizer. I use "VirtualMIDISynth" with "Arachno Soundfont 1.0" because it's stable, it sounds pretty good and it's for free. You can download the synthesizer here: http://coolsoft.altervista.org/en/virtualmidisynth You can download the soundfont here: http://arachnosoft.com/main/download.php?id=soundfont-sf2 Windows does come with a Synthesizer itself but it performs pretty badly and doesn't sound very good. |
VirtualMIDISynth with Arachno Soundfont
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MIDI to audio
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(You can skip this if you're lazy) Once you made your MIDI file it's time to extract the audio from it. You can record the audio alongside with the Synthesia-recording but you'll get better results if you prerender the audio with a MIDI-to-MP3 programm. I personally use Keppys MIDI Converter, which is a fast and detailed MIDI-to-WAV converter. WAV files are larger but better than MP3 files. You can download the converter for free here: https://github.com/KaleidonKep99/Keppys-MIDI-Converter.
Alternatively you can download this converter which is easier to use: http://download.cnet.com/Free-MIDI-to-MP3-Converter/3000-2140_4-75211970.html |
Keppys MIDI converter
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Synthesia visuals
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Now you want to record the visuals for your video. For this you obviously need the program "Synthesia". Along with that, you have to download a screen capture software. I recommend using "Fraps" to record 60fps footage without too much lag. A free alternative would be to use "Open Broadcaster Software", "Bandicam" or "Camtasia". You can download Fraps at a cost of about 30$ here: http://www.fraps.com/buy.php
For the best results you can run Synthesia in a 1280x720 window and set the framerate to 60fps. Synthesia was free for a long time but they changed that with the release of the newest version Synthesia 10.0. You can download Synthesia for around 30$ here: http://synthesiagame.com/ (If you skipped the MIDI to audio part you alos have to record the sound along with the recording) |
Synthesia 9.1
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Video Editing
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Once you made your recording of Synthesia you are left with a pretty large .avi file, which takes hours to upload on YouTube. That's why you need a video editing software to render the video and to add the audio file to your Synthesia recording. I also add some contrast to my video to make it look more proffesional. I use "Sony Vegas" for editing but there are many free programs such as "Windows Movie Maker" or "Camtasia". Just use the one which you can work with the best. Make sure to render the video in the best quality (1080p and 60fps).
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Sony Vegas
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You are done.
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Once the video editor is done rendering you have made your first Synthesia video. Be sure to respect the copryight rules with MIDI files though. It's usually no problem to upload Synthesia videos to YouTube but only if you made the MIDI file on your own. You may not use ither people's arrangement and upload it to YouTube without their permission.
If you still have any questions or comments you can write me an email to "mail@bghmusic.ch" |
Youtube video
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