Thats exactly right! I use them if I hear some nice progressions or a nice run or riff I like. I try to learn it by ear first, then if I need help I go to the midi file. I t will show you what was played. Just a way to add to your bag 'o tricks!
Midis helped me out alot when I was a few months into my playing & even now:
#11 of the ways I learn from midi files is like drebeatz...
BUT, the way I use them, I try to get principles rather than to have another riff or run or chord to play in a particular song..how?
I ANALYZE THE CONTEXT: ie, if I want to extract a riff/ run, I look at
what led to that chop being played...& then before I learn the actual chop I try to think of all the songs or situations where I apply/ I can apply the part that leads to the chop...(now I know that I'm taking my playing to the next level for sure because it's not something relevant to just 1 song).
Now I get to the meat, ie, the actual chop (sometimes it can be some very very fast run /fast long progression
, in which case I reduce the tempo to the lowest possible speed & my cursor is always on the play/pause button.)..in such a case, it's useful to jot down the chop in small chunks & try to play those parts you have written down, trying to emulate the actual recording as much as you can.
Since the speed is so low, it's a good idea to rewind & play the parts you've covered already every now & again so that you don't get completely lost on what you are trying to achieve
You follow these steps until you get the chop & then play the pre-chop part along with the chop to see if you really have it..Now U can celebrate if you want.
But we haven't finished the learning because we don't know what to do after playing that great chop..So I always ANALYZE
where the chop is taking me to/ what it resolves to (eg, is it to a 2-5, some ending, change of key etc? off course you don't have to limit yourself to that..Sometime you can identify other ways to use the chop other than the way it has been applied in the midi)..
#2If I want to learn a style of music I'm not familiar with, midis come in handy..For instance, I learnt shout music through midis (just click on bass & analyse the bass pattern& then the RH part & then everything together), the same goes for latin music & many of the midis with multi-instruments (Samuel Tolbert & Hammondman +other budding stars from here are excellent when it comes to creating those midis!)..those help me out to learn how to syntesize with the other instruments.
#3Midi files with drum patterns are also useful if you want to learn how to play the drums manually on the board.. you should that out
#4Last but not least, if you want your music to sound richer/ you play alone at church (or wherever), then midis are quite a good tool to just load onto the board & play along/ synthesize with a different instrument.
This is what I do nowadays most of the time when I use midis because my focus is on being able to play in a band setup.
I hope all that stuff makes sense & will be of some use to you Virtuenow & any1 else.
