I make, (what passes for) my living playing music for Retirement, assisted living and nursing home facilities.
I also create midi files for my own use, and when someone wants to sing a song (for a wedding for instance) and they can't find a karaoke track for it, I'll learn the song enough to create a midi (Musical Instrument Digital Interface, but being a 'tech type' I'm sure you knew that), remove the vocal line, create an MP3, (once I've put it into a key suitable for my customer) and send it on. I work cheap doing that.
I really enjoy what I do for the Seniors, I've been playing piano for 51 yrs now.
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BTW...I live in the ruins of NW Atlanta, about 1.6 mi from the Ga Dome and the Merc.
wow that's cool man! I'm sure the Seniors love it. That's unique, haven't heard of that before. And I like you create your own MIDI and build an mp3 from that. Have you ever gotten into using a DAW (ie. Ableton, Cubase, etc)? I'm just starting to play around with Ableton. Actually was thinking about making a video of me just playing around on it. It's fun.
I've toyed with the idea of using Cubase, and I have a cd for Presonus. I bought it several years ago when my music pc was win xp, and I could barely get any functionality out of it. (all my machines are now Win 10)
I got a refund, but they didn't ask for the cd back.
Now, I can't use it without purchasing a new license key, and the software is probably out of date now as well.
I am QUITE low income, and as such I'm very stingy; I don't spend money on stuff at the drop of a hat.
Anvil Studios is a free download midi editing software. They make their money by you having to purchase accessories. I have the ProMix and the Audio accessory. Promix allows you to control the parameters (volume, tempo and more) over time, and with the Audio accessory, I can record my vocals (and/or guitar...which I also play) as an analog track (s) along side the midi, or as a standalone track.
Once I have it all down, I can export the mixed track as a .WAV, then using VLC media player (also free), I can convert the .WAV to several other formats.
Using a DAW would be a whole new learning curve, I've spent about 6 yrs getting to know my way around Anvil (I simply canNOT watch tutorial videos, to glean one or two iotas of data out of a half hour video) so it has been a lot of trial and error, plus their support knows me by name, and I know them (Hi Tom).
I also have "FINALE" which a cousin purchased for me. It is a MASSIVE software, taking up loads of space, hopelessly complex to use, but it WILL create a musically accurate score (sheet music style rendering). I have the 2012 v, it has since been updated, that software cost my cousin close to $500 5 yrs ago.
My main objective for creating the midi's in the first place, is to have files I can put on a flash drive, plugged into my keyboard so that I can either play along with 'the band' or I can just let 'the band' play and I can walk around singing to the ladies (I use a wireless mic, either lapel or headset; keeps my hands free)
I tell people that I am a "One Man Band"...the PA, Keyboard and Wireless systems are 'the band' and I am the 'one man'.
I get paid to haul 'the band' around, I play the ♫music♪♫ for free ☺