I am mentioning Brittany Spears because I want to discuss how midi recording is more common than you think in the pop world. As you know, Brittany Spears is probably one of the most popular pop singers from the late 90's. Brittany Spears has been singing music that appeals to young teenage girls and she is still popular and has many admirers. How does Brittany Spears, her pop singing and software sampling tie in then?

Download the midi file of Brittany Spears "Oops I did it again". Listen to it very carefully. Next, download the mp3 file of Brittany Spears "Oops I did it again". Compare these files. They are pretty much the same. Obviously the mp3 sounds better than the midi, but this is because it was sampled using an extensive sound library. The instruments of the midi vs mp3 file are exactly the same. Keep in mind that the score uses some uncommon instruments that General Midi has, such as the reverse cymbals, and the recorder. The velocity changes are exactly the same as the mp3, the tempo is exactly the same, and the dead giveaway is that the synchronization is as perfect as the midi file. Also, the drums are exactly similar, because Britney Spears "Oops I did it again" uses general midi drums. If you are surprised, don't be. This is the new way to record music. Back in the 80's in the Michael Jackson era, this was non existent. Now in the year 2000, software sampling is becoming more and more in demand, and it is used in movies and radios more often than you think. The main reason for this is because this saves a ton of money. A Brittany Spears CD may cost $20 per CD, but the only costs to record Brittany Spears in the studio, is to pay her for her time and name. If you listen to my "midi to mp3 conversion" versus the real Brittany Spears mp3, you will hear that my recording may even sound better. The only difference is that my recording will not contain the vocals. What the studio did was have Brittany Spears sing, enhanced her voice using mastering techniques, and mixed her voice with the converted midi file. Then burn Brittany Spears music onto a CD, and sell it in the stores.

So this is the story about Brittany Spears "Oops I did it again". I just observed the midi and mp3, and compared it with my own ears. I realized they both are the same. I came to the conclusion that pop singers may sometimes use my own recording techniques in order to save money, or to provide convenience. This was the case with Brittany Spears "Oops I did it again" score. I do not know about her other scores though.