"Joyful Joyful" from Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit is one of those gospel arrangements that brings joy to anyone who hears it. A few years ago, I recorded this track on an old Korg Trinity workstation, and after searching for a while, I found the file with the original MIDI sequence. I exported it to MIDI, replaced each sound with updated virtual instruments, and here it is — brought back to life with modern production quality.
The Challenge of Reviving Old MIDI Files
It's never as simple as loading up old MIDI files and applying sounds from a library. There's always extra work involved: adjusting the ranges of recorded controllers such as the Mod Wheel, Pitch Bend, Expression, and others. Each library has its own articulations and control ranges, and some keys in certain areas of the keyboard serve as articulation switches that can trigger unexpected sounds.
Because I originally recorded these tracks on the Korg Trinity, using percussion kits and drums without General MIDI order, the process gets prolonged. You have to remember — or guess — which percussion instrument was assigned to each keyboard note. And as many know, recording on a workstation like the Korg Trinity limits you to 16 simultaneous tracks, so instruments like the cowbell, agogô bell, triangle, and shaker all had to share a single percussion kit channel to save tracks.
The Outcome: Old MIDI, New Sound
Here you can listen to a preview of how the updated tracks sound with modern virtual instruments applied to my original MIDI performance. The result would certainly be different if I had recorded it while listening to the new instruments in real time, but it definitely sounds much better than the original Korg Trinity kits and sounds. That said, I'm still a fan of my old workstation, which I still use occasionally as a MIDI controller.
Multi-Track Demo
This is a demo version of the multi-tracks you'll get. Listen to the different instrument groups and hear how the arrangement holds up with the new sounds applied.
Get the Complete Multi-Track on Loop Community
I published the full, updated multi-track version of Joyful Joyful on Loop Community, where you can get professionally balanced stems ready for live worship, rehearsals, or studio recordings. Whether you're a worship leader, choir director, or musician preparing for a performance, these tracks are ready to go.
Joyful, Joyful (Movie Version)
Want to discover more of my instrumental remakes and multi-track stems? Visit my Music Hub or browse the Demo Stems section for tracks in gospel, pop, orchestral, and more styles.
