It's a bit Synthy but it keeps me in the mainstream of arranging.

[Alan Russell]

This is a classic Sergio Mendez medium Bossa-Nova tempo composition called "So Many Stars" from the 1960's. I've always wanted to arranged this song and I've used basically many of the Classic Motif 8 voices. I have also added a few percussive samples in Giga Format along with an acoustic Guitar in the distance. The Motif voices include The Legend Trumpet, Alto Sax (vib) Sweet Flute, Medium Brass Ensemble, Sax Ensemble, Background Strings, Romantic Trumpet, Trombone, Slap Bass and Dr. Jazz Kit Drums. I have also included "The Midi Format 1 file for study purposes.

http://www.alanrussell-music.com/So%20Many%20Stars.MP3

Midi File Format 1

http://www.alanrussell-music.com/Stars.mid


All tracks were rendered in REAL time.


comments are always appreciated.

Alan Russell

[Alan Russell]

Oh well folks,

I tried..maybe the sythy samples have an issue here..

Back to the drawing board..

see ya!

Alan Russell

[tradivoro]

Actually, that is a nice arrangement of the tune... I've always liked that tune, along with others by Sergio Mendez, like a lover, and their brazilian stuff...

I think the trumpet and sax samples worked in the arrangement for the short phrases... I just found the attack in the sample too hard for each... If each was more legato, it would have added to the realism of the sound... I think that the extended solo would have probably worked better with a rhodes sound or acoustic piano sound... I don't know what the sound was that you were using but it should have been either more synthy, or more real, it was too borderline...

But overall it was a nice arrangement... I definitely dug it... :)

[thesoundsmith]

I agree, nice arrangement - but definitely a synthy issue - I'm going to play with it a bit with my Giga libs, see if I have anything more realisit. If it works, I'll post back to this thread (but don't hold your breath controller, until GPO BB is out, I don't think I have much to offer.

My duo already does this song with just bass line, and while this is a much nicer arrangement =-hey, it's an actual arrangement, ;) My drummer/partner hates to change charts, but if he likes it - without the lead, drums and solos, we'd do them live - would we have your permission to use it, Alan?

[Alan Russell]

Dasher,

this was what I was hoping for. The need to substitute other (real) samples for the midi tracks can make this interesting. thanks for your future efforts. I will be listening.


Alan Russell

[Alan Russell]

Actually, that is a nice arrangement of the tune... I've always liked that tune, along with others by Sergio Mendez, like a lover, and their brazilian stuff...

I think the trumpet and sax samples worked in the arrangement for the short phrases... I just found the attack in the sample too hard for each... If each was more legato, it would have added to the realism of the sound... I think that the extended solo would have probably worked better with a rhodes sound or acoustic piano sound... I don't know what the sound was that you were using but it should have been either more synthy, or more real, it was too borderline...

But overall it was a nice arrangement... I definitely dug it... :)

Hi tradivoro,

yes, the legato issue is always with keyboard samples - I concur. This is where VSL could make a good play with their performance tool. I'm still hoping that others will sub the midi tracks for better samples and see what can be done. Thanks for your comments - truly apprecuate them and your critiques are quite accurate.

BTW, the muted trumpet played the entire solo chorus...of course a rhodes or an accoustic guitar may have been better placed..

Alan Russell

[Alan Russell]

I agree, nice arrangement - but definitely a synthy issue - I'm going to play with it a bit with my Giga libs, see if I have anything more realisit. If it works, I'll post back to this thread (but don't hold your breath controller, until GPO BB is out, I don't think I have much to offer.

My duo already does this song with just bass line, and while this is a much nicer arrangement =-hey, it's an actual arrangement, ;) My drummer/partner hates to change charts, but if he likes it - without the lead, drums and solos, we'd do them live - would we have your permission to use it, Alan?


Dasher,

why certainly you have my blessed permission. If and when you can get a live play recording of this, this would bring joy to my heart. We are all in this together for the sake of art currently dwelling in the virtual community.

Alan Russell

[Alan Russell]

Say, as a side note, if you're not already hip to it, check out the Singers Unlimited version of this song for some harmonic inspiration. Then again, after hearing Bonnie Herman croon her way through it, you might just give up and move on to a different tune. ;)

Lee Blaske


So Lee,

are you saying that there are better versions of the tune and this one should be abandoned for the sake of the midi tracks provided.

Please clarify..I'm a bit confused

Alan Russell

[thesoundsmith]

Alan, thanks for the kind thoughts,. If this works out, I'll try and get you a recording. If not, it'll go into my file of tunes for instrumental performances.

Either way, remember - there's always more than one 'definitive' version of a song...

[Alan Russell]

Dasher,

I appreciate the opportunity here. Please look for my latest post, I do have a question for all..

Alan Russell

[Journeyman]

Alan,

I think that Lee was just turning you on to another hip rendition of the song; that's all. I'm always open to hearing fresh approaches to standards.....

[Alan Russell]

Journeyman,

I understood Lee's post. I was truly looking to see if anybody would swap out other samples for those synth samples due to the fact that I provoded a midi format 1 file. I'm always looking for great samples that will get us all closer to the real thing eventhough the real thing in the virtual community can't be entetained to the trained ears.


Alan Russell

[Journeyman]

Alan,

I'm afraid that you're collection is already superior to mine, so I can't help.

[Alan Russell]

Journeyman,

are you saying that the Motif Classic 8 internal voices are pretty good in sound.

BTW, can you tell me your first name?

Alan Russell

[Journeyman]

Alan,

Great song choice;I had forgotten all about this tune!

Regarding the Motif on this arrangement: The quality of the drumkit samples sound fine, as does the Sweet Flute, though I'd program it to have less attack when played softly. The muted trumpet and trombone sound rather synthy. The background brass and strings aren't bad in the background, but become questionable in the more prominant sections like the intro and ending. Though I've never been a fan of rompler saxes, you do a nice job with this one. Bottom line; giga sized libraries are always going to blow away most things that a rompler can do, but I think you already know that.

If I had to make a musical criticism, it would be this: You're to be applauded for attempting this with little or no quantizing. But that said, there are many places where the drums, bass and percussion just lose the groove completely and start to fall over each other. Not quantizing is great, but then the parts have to be played right in the pocket or things will start to sound less than professional. (One of the main offenders is the shaker, and it's one of the loudest things in the mix.)

Unless I'm mistaken, you have several Giga libraries, including a Bosendorfer and that new acoustic bass library. I do realize that you used the Motif for most of the instrumentation on this piece though. I currently have no software sampler until I upgrade my single processor Mac G4 to a dual G5; hopefully sometime soon. My only sampler is an Akai S3000XL which isn't much in this day & age. The rest of my rig consists of a Motif ES7, Triton Classic, Korg Karma, and Novation KS4, and half a dozen or so plug-ins. I have bought several libraries in advance of my computer upgrade. (The "group-buy frenzy" of a few months back was too much to resist.) So I've got The Old Lady, the Vintaudio C4, EWQLSO Gold, all ready to go when I get the new Mac. Since I use Logic, the built-in EXS24 will be my main soft-sampler, and I'll also have Kompakt, which comes with EWQLSO Gold. I very much look forward to accessing those giga-sized libraries. The only thing left that I'm looking forward to buying (other than the new G5) is the upcoming Garritan Big Band Collection. That will round me off nicely.

Regards,
-Mark

[Alan Russell]

Mark,

thanks so much for the expanded and follow up post. These critiques are objective and are treasured by me.

What I like about the Motif voices is that they respond to the touch immediately where as Giga and other samples have velocity parameters to deal with which sometimes lags behind the articulations that I prefer.

Yamaha seems to have a better way of mapping out their voices except for the fact that they lack the meat and gravey as far as byte size goes. With more RAM down the road, maybe we can fatten up these sounds and smoothen them out.

I will attempt a swapping of Giga and or Kontakt voices down the road for this chart. I am looking to replace my percussion with a Vst or Dxi drum module. (I'm sure this will offer an improvement)

All of my performance are done in REAL time, I never quantisize anything.

Thanks again for your thoughts and suggestions.

Alan Russell