Frequently Asked Questions about e~hymns

How are e-hymns put together?
How do I receive e-hymns that I have ordered?
Is my on-line Credit Card information secure?
How are the MIDI files named?
How do I play a MIDI file?
How does a MIDI recording differ from a CD?
Can e-hymns be edited in a MIDI sequencer program?
Will e-hymns play on every MIDI instrument?
I can't find the hymn I want. Is the index being added to?
Are there plans to add organ music, wedding music etc?

How are e-hymns put together?
Every e-hymn is an individual performance, played specifically for the words of the hymn. In each case there is an introduction, followed by the correct number of verses. Each verse is played to accompany the words of the hymn, they are not simple duplications - where the same tune is used for more than one hymn, a different performance is provided for each set of words so that the phrasing is correct.

How do I receive e-hymns that I have ordered?
The midi files will be delivered electronically immediately after payment is received.

Is my on-line Credit Card information secure?
Yes - all purchasing is done through PayPal. PayPal has been running for some years and has many millions of satisfied users. You can pay by credit card using PayPal without having to sign up to PayPal membership.

How are the MIDI files named?
By 'hymn book' number. Several hymn books were used in the production of e-hymns; for example, hymn no.001 in Hymns & Psalms (first line "All people that on earth do dwell") is named HP001.mid. Use our 'Print Lists' feature to create an index of the MIDI hymns for reference.

How do I play a MIDI file?
The soundcard in your PC is equipped to play MIDI files directly (via the media-player) - double-click on any .mid file.
Copy your MIDI e-hymn files to a floppy disk and play the the disk in a keyboard with a disk-drive, a digital piano or organ with a disk-drive, or a MIDI File Player such as the Roland MT series.
External MIDI disk players are available for organs and pianos without a built-in disk-drive. (E-mail us for details of Yamaha, Roland and Viscount players). Virtually every digital piano, organ and keyboard can play MIDI files from their MIDI-in sockets, connected to a disk player.

How does a MIDI recording differ from a CD?
Unlike a CD recording, MIDI data contains no sounds : instead it tells the digital piano, organ, keyboard or soundcard which notes to play, and when to play them. In recording terms it is the 21st. century equivalent of the punched paper-roll in a pianola or player-piano. MIDI recordings can be speeded up or slowed down, without changing pitch, and conversely they can be raised or lowered in pitch without changing speed. The playback `instrument' can be substituted; soundcards and keyboards have hundreds of instrumental sounds available and you can select any of them for playback of the hymns. A MIDI recording made on, say, a digital piano can just as easily be played back by an organ or a keyboard - each instrument will produce its own sounds, according to the organ stops or the keyboard sounds that you select.

Can e-hymns be edited in a MIDI sequencer program?
Yes - MIDI music program enthusiasts will be able to duplicate tracks, add instruments, change keys, delete or add verses, and generally customise the recordings.

Will e-hymns play on every MIDI instrument?
In order to be as compatible as possible we have made the majority of the MIDI files single channel recordings, on MIDI channel 2. On most manufacturer's digital organs this will play the Great manual, and on keyboards and soundcards a `piano' will be selected, which you can easily change to `church organ' or any other sound. Any MIDI instrument set to receive on channel 2 or `omni' will play the recordings. Some of the files have been arranged in `General MIDI' format (see the indexes) and are marked with the GM symbol - these are multi-channel arrangements for multiple instruments. The 30 Christmas Hymns & Carols collection are GM arrangements.

I can't find the hymn I want. Is the index being added to?
Yes - If you have a specific request, e-mail us and we will endeavour to add the hymn as soon as possible.

Are there plans to add organ music, wedding music etc?
Yes, we are intending to add a music index in the coming months.