A Closer Look at the Beatnik Editor

Now that you have a MIDI file that the Beatnik Editor will understand, we're ready to take a closer look at the Beatnik Editor.

You can import any MIDI file into the program, but if you don't follow the same steps as the tutorial How to prepare your MIDI file for the Beatnik Editor, you'll get nothing more exciting than a generic, boring QuickTime MIDI-Instruments-sounding version of your MIDI song. You want in to get into where the fun starts: Special Instruments Bank 2, and the User Instruments Bank 3.

Here's a quick guide to the windows available in the Beatnik Editor Mac beta version. The Beatnik Editor Pro is not greatly dissimilar.

1. The Real Time window
   The Beatnik synth module
2. Bank 1; General MIDI Instruments window
   Also in Bank 1 is General MIDI Percussion.
3. Bank 2; Special Instruments window
   Also in Bank 2 is Special Percussion.
4. Bank 3; User Instruments window
   Also in Bank 3 is User Percussion.
5. Songs window - User Songs
6. Songs window - Groovoids
7. Songs window - Imported .rmf
8. Samples window - User Samples
9. Samples window - Built-in Samples
   << How to Prepare MIDI Files for the Beatnik Editor | Intro to Beatnik Home | Convert MIDI Files to .rmf Files >>