"Owner's manuals suck!"

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does MIDI Assist charge for services?

A: Please go to the Rates section of this website.

Q: What do you mean by, "my work is guaranteed?"

A: My guarantee is pretty simple. If I can't show you a better way to use your equipment, I won't charge you. There are some special situations I must clarify:

1. A client has purchased the wrong product for their task. It doesn't happen very often, but I will charge for a session if the client has procured a product that will not serve their needs.

2. A client's computer is configured improperly. Usually, I can configure the computer properly. Having the computer connected to the Internet at the time of the MIDI Assist service call is very important for my ability to reconfigure the computer. This is because I almost always need updated drivers and files to make the computer function properly. If I cannot configure the computer properly, and don't have access to the Internet, I will charge for the session.

3. Defective equipment is another rare case. However, if I can determine that the clients equipment is broken or defective, I will still charge for the session. I will try to be as fair as possible when I assess the fee.

4. Unreasonable expectations of equipment happens a bit more frequently. For example, I had one customer with a Pentium 75 and 16 meg of RAM trying to run a modern, high performance MIDI and audio recording program. The program's system requirements were clearly listed on the side of the box (Pentium 266 MHz or faster, 64 meg of RAM.) In a case like this, I will charge for the session.

5. Illegitimate software. I have run into occasions where a client is using software they don't have a license to use. I can usually tell because they won't have a manual for it. And without a manual, I'll have a much harder (and more expensive) time getting the client going. In cases where clients are using illegitimate software, I will charge for the session. And because it takes longer, it will cost the client more.

Q: I noticed you use a Macintosh a lot. Do you work on Windows-based PCs as well?

A: Yes, I do use a Mac quite a bit. However, I also use Windows-based PCs. I'm very experienced on both platforms.

Q: Are there some brands or models you prefer not to work on?

A: Yes. I always let clients know that I've had limited success with certain software and hardware. Specifically, multimedia sound card (i.e. Sound Blasters, Crystal Sound, etc...), Kurzweil products, and Coda's Finale program. Most multimedia sound cards offer very poor performance for music. Kurzweil products are extremely difficult to work with (in my experience), and Finale, although a great program, is not one that I've wanted to master.