Synthesized Performances tab

[pierre.chepelov]

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?

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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?

[pjones235]

"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?

[KGill]

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

[Carolus]

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.

[KGill]

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.

[coulonnus]

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.

[Carolus]

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.