Editing Solo Piano ???

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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by BJG145 »

There's a tutorial here which introduces the tool Desmond mentions along with a few other tips...might be worth a look...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiFWFfkyR4Q

You'd use MIDI compression to work on the performance, and audio compression to work on the mix.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by DigitalMusicProduction »

Thanks everyone for your links and support, very helpful.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by DigitalMusicProduction »

BJG145 wrote:You'd use MIDI compression to work on the performance, and audio compression to work on the mix.

Interesting you mention this as I've just spent several hours comparing velocity compression to audio compression in Logic, the results from both we're very similar. I found the velocity processor attenuated more of a quiet less brighter sound from the Piano, and the vintage ETA compressor gave a slightly more brighter tone.

That said both we're better to perform with, however which out of these two effects processing tools should i be using to attenuate for a more comfortable performance and recording? as they are both very similar in their results..
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by soundproofed bob »

Good performance can save your time editing notes, but there's another feature like "Warp" in Pro Tools if I remember correctly or alternatives that can edit an audio file so you're in control of tempo. Use it by dragging parts of the audio clip, and elastic audio will make processing invisible.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by RichardT »

DigitalMusicProduction wrote:
BJG145 wrote:You'd use MIDI compression to work on the performance, and audio compression to work on the mix.

Interesting you mention this as I've just spent several hours comparing velocity compression to audio compression in Logic, the results from both we're very similar. I found the velocity processor attenuated more of a quiet less brighter sound from the Piano, and the vintage ETA compressor gave a slightly more brighter tone.

That said both we're better to perform with, however which out of these two effects processing tools should i be using to attenuate for a more comfortable performance and recording? as they are both very similar in their results..

It’s completely up to you. Go for whichever one sounds better to you.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by BJG145 »

DigitalMusicProduction wrote:That said both we're better to perform with, however which out of these two effects processing tools should i be using to attenuate for a more comfortable performance and recording?

Ultimately, you can use whatever tools you prefer to get the result you want. In general though, there's something to be said for recording music in a way that allows the performer to hear the result while they're playing, because it changes the performance. If you imagine recording a guitar solo which is played and monitored completely dry, then you start chucking loads of effects on it...well, it's likely that the guitarist would have played differently if they'd heard their instrument like that when they were playing. That's not to say that you can't/shouldn't change the sound of instruments, just that you might capture a synergy between the musician and the instrument when they hear something close to the final performance that you wouldn't get otherwise.

If you mess with note velocity information afterwards, you can potentially change the 'feel' quite noticeably. I guess you could say the same about audio compression, but personally I feel there's something a little more sacrosanct about MIDI data. I'd only mess with that if I felt the performance was below par. Messing with audio compression is less 'intrusive' generally. Of course, that's assuming you're using the same piano source in the mix that the performer used; if it's different, then all bets are off.

But like I say, at the end of the day, you can do whatever you like to get the results you want. There are no rules, only preferences.

*edit*

RichardT beat me to it and said it much more succinctly. :D
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by DigitalMusicProduction »

BJG145 wrote:In general though, there's something to be said for recording music in a way that allows the performer to hear the result while they're playing, because it changes the performance. it's likely that the guitarist would have played differently if they'd heard their instrument like that when they were playing.

This is indisputably true.. many times I've attempted solo Piano recordings with a flat signal and dry environment and almost every time found it difficult to get impassioned about the performance. I then oppose the current settings for a warmer Piano and wet environment and almost immediately all the expressiveness returns to the performance usually rendering overall a better recording, where as remaining with the previous settings would kill the passion of the performance resulting in a worse recording.

Therefore although its normally the case that effects processing tools are added at the end of a project towards the mastering stage, i find it helpful to apply them whilst recording to provide the expressiveness needed for the best recording.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by Sam Spoons »

And with computer/VSTi recordings it is simple enough to monitor with fx while recording and track bothe the audio, with and without fx, and the midi simultaneously giving you the chance to completely redo the audio later.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by James Perrett »

DigitalMusicProduction wrote: Therefore although its normally the case that effects processing tools are added at the end of a project towards the mastering stage, i find it helpful to apply them whilst recording to provide the expressiveness needed for the best recording.

You are talking about what is often called 'comfort reverb'. Singing or playing any instrument in an acoustically dry environment is strange for most people so it is standard practice to add reverb or echo to the sound that the artist hears when they are recording. However, this reverb doesn't get recorded (or it is recorded separately) to give more freedom to choose effects at the mixing stage.
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Re: Editing Solo Piano ???

Post by Martin Walker »

BJG145 wrote:If you mess with note velocity information afterwards, you can potentially change the 'feel' quite noticeably. I guess you could say the same about audio compression, but personally I feel there's something a little more sacrosanct about MIDI data. I'd only mess with that if I felt the performance was below par. Messing with audio compression is less 'intrusive' generally.

Yes, tweaking MIDI velocity information can change the feel of a previously recorded performance, but unless you're working with 'well known' sounds such as acoustic/electric piano this does't have to matter.

I've manipulated plenty of keyboard performances after the event to enhance the final sound, and where the notes and phrasing were more important to me than the sound, sometimes even replacing that with another completely different one that works better in the context of the track.

As others have said, there are no rules, but many happy accidents! 8-)

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