esteven1
10-04-2001, 07:04 AM
I was going to put each question in a separate post but decided not too.
1) What\'s the best way to record rubato music into a sequencer?
Do you just turn the metronome off? Do you record it in tempo and just insert increasing/decreasing tempo events? What\'s the best way to go about this? (Thomas_J and Simon Ravn I\'d be interested in your response becuase I\'ve heard your music and you do these particular things well) Please all feel free to respond.
2) When recording orchestral scores, how do you go about overall balancing between instruments? Do you record each instrument part separately as expressive as possible without regards to the other instrument parts almost as if this is a solo instrument performance or, do you try to record the instrument while listening to the other parts already recorded (ensemble fashion)? Personally, I think the second method would yield better results in an orchestral piece because it would \"match\" the current height of the musical line; however, when you solo the instrument part it might not sound as \"expressively convincing\".
To clarify my question: Most can agree that ensemble playing is very different from solo playing. In an ensemble you wouldn\'t play out as expressively and you would with a solo piece because you\'d stick out like a sore thumb. Should we apply this same practice when recording in orchestral parts to a sequencer since there are other instruments which will be playing with the part you are currently recording?
If the piec is a violin concerto or something, of course you can go wild with the solo violin part because it is being featured and likewise you can record it in the sequencer that way but how about ensemble playing? How should one record ensemble parts into a sequencer with regards to balance with the other instruments in its section.
Hopefully this is more clear after the above rambling.
3) After balancing each section within itself, how do you go about balancing the whole orchestra? Do you have a standard balancing method you use everytime ( string then winds then brass, then percussion etc...) or does it depend on the specific piece at hand.
4) I almost forgot: Expression (CC11) vs Filter (cc 74).
This might draw some dispute but that\'s why we have these forums http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif For those who don\'t own breath controllers, most people grab the expression controller to shape their melodic lines. If you think about it, wouldn\'t one get more __realistic__ results by grabbing a filter controller? As you play most instruments or trashcan tops softer, the higher harmonics are reduced greatly: exactly what a filter does.
I tried this yesterday and was amazed at how much realistic the result was. Especially on something like a muted trumpet sample. The first thing I\'m grabbing for now is the filter instead of the expression pedal to shape lines. The expression controller only reduces volume and NOT the cutoff frequencies. In real life the higher frequencies are not heard at lower volumes. Only at high volumes. \"I smell the word filter\".
Strike the lowest note on the piano as hard as you can.... listen to all those frequencies coming out.... strike the same key softer and listen how only the fundamental note dominates and those other high frequencies are almost non existent to the ear. This works on anything that produces sound.
When you\'re shaping a melodic line the volume will fluctuate between notes. Shouldn\'t we reach for the filter instead of the expression pedal ? Wouldn\'t this be more realistic? It sounds pretty fake to me to hear a trumpet/french horn playing ppp when you still hear the same high harmonics as clear as you did when playing ff. As volume decreases, so does the the \"apparent\" cutoff frequencies in the instruments.
Let me know what you think. I\'m only speaking from my own expirements.
[This message has been edited by esteven1 (edited 10-04-2001).]
1) What\'s the best way to record rubato music into a sequencer?
Do you just turn the metronome off? Do you record it in tempo and just insert increasing/decreasing tempo events? What\'s the best way to go about this? (Thomas_J and Simon Ravn I\'d be interested in your response becuase I\'ve heard your music and you do these particular things well) Please all feel free to respond.
2) When recording orchestral scores, how do you go about overall balancing between instruments? Do you record each instrument part separately as expressive as possible without regards to the other instrument parts almost as if this is a solo instrument performance or, do you try to record the instrument while listening to the other parts already recorded (ensemble fashion)? Personally, I think the second method would yield better results in an orchestral piece because it would \"match\" the current height of the musical line; however, when you solo the instrument part it might not sound as \"expressively convincing\".
To clarify my question: Most can agree that ensemble playing is very different from solo playing. In an ensemble you wouldn\'t play out as expressively and you would with a solo piece because you\'d stick out like a sore thumb. Should we apply this same practice when recording in orchestral parts to a sequencer since there are other instruments which will be playing with the part you are currently recording?
If the piec is a violin concerto or something, of course you can go wild with the solo violin part because it is being featured and likewise you can record it in the sequencer that way but how about ensemble playing? How should one record ensemble parts into a sequencer with regards to balance with the other instruments in its section.
Hopefully this is more clear after the above rambling.
3) After balancing each section within itself, how do you go about balancing the whole orchestra? Do you have a standard balancing method you use everytime ( string then winds then brass, then percussion etc...) or does it depend on the specific piece at hand.
4) I almost forgot: Expression (CC11) vs Filter (cc 74).
This might draw some dispute but that\'s why we have these forums http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif For those who don\'t own breath controllers, most people grab the expression controller to shape their melodic lines. If you think about it, wouldn\'t one get more __realistic__ results by grabbing a filter controller? As you play most instruments or trashcan tops softer, the higher harmonics are reduced greatly: exactly what a filter does.
I tried this yesterday and was amazed at how much realistic the result was. Especially on something like a muted trumpet sample. The first thing I\'m grabbing for now is the filter instead of the expression pedal to shape lines. The expression controller only reduces volume and NOT the cutoff frequencies. In real life the higher frequencies are not heard at lower volumes. Only at high volumes. \"I smell the word filter\".
Strike the lowest note on the piano as hard as you can.... listen to all those frequencies coming out.... strike the same key softer and listen how only the fundamental note dominates and those other high frequencies are almost non existent to the ear. This works on anything that produces sound.
When you\'re shaping a melodic line the volume will fluctuate between notes. Shouldn\'t we reach for the filter instead of the expression pedal ? Wouldn\'t this be more realistic? It sounds pretty fake to me to hear a trumpet/french horn playing ppp when you still hear the same high harmonics as clear as you did when playing ff. As volume decreases, so does the the \"apparent\" cutoff frequencies in the instruments.
Let me know what you think. I\'m only speaking from my own expirements.
[This message has been edited by esteven1 (edited 10-04-2001).]