Difference between revisions of "Project-jos-220c-2021"

From CCRMA Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m
(Status Update 2021-04-22: Classical Guitar Part for Handel's "Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me?" (for Elena's project))
Line 29: Line 29:
  
 
My workflow for original music is similar, but without the initial MIDI and/or score.  The parts may accumulate in any order, but I normally work on one musical "stretch" at a time, but don't fail to capture your ideas in some form immediately!
 
My workflow for original music is similar, but without the initial MIDI and/or score.  The parts may accumulate in any order, but I normally work on one musical "stretch" at a time, but don't fail to capture your ideas in some form immediately!
 +
 +
=== Handel Status Update 2021-04-22 ===
 +
 +
* Latest Logic project file is [http://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/tgz/HandelOSleep-jos3.logicx.tgz here]
 +
* Cello part defined as the bottom note of the harpsichord part (from the found MIDI)
 +
* Guitar part is the harpsichord part minus the cello part and any duplicated notes, although I left in any doubling of the soprano because Handel apparently wrote it that way
 +
* Cello and flute parts "played in" on MIDI keyboard to give them better note velocities
 +
* Overall volume for cello and flute were sculpted by hand using "automation", which can be applied to any parameter
 +
* Guitar part is still original MIDI events in because I plan to mute that and play a real guitar; also, I believe the original events were played in, so they're not bad to my ears
 +
 +
To most clearly see the velocities and volume-automation, select the flute track, say, press p to open the piano-roll view, and press a in that window to show the automation.  If the pop-up menu on the left doesn't say "Main: Volume", then click and select that.  (The other active choice is Ch. 1: Note Velocity.)

Revision as of 19:00, 22 April 2021

JOS 220C Projects

Classical Guitar Part for Handel's "Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me?" (for Elena's project)

I love doing "classical covers", and this is my typical workflow:

1. See if a printed score and/or MIDI file are available:

  • Web Search (without quotes): "Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me? handel midi"
  • First search result is fine
  • Also download a score PDF if available, or make one from the MIDI
  • Open osleep.mid in Logic Pro X
  • Play it and watch the score to see that it's ok, which it is in this case
  • Edit as desired to make it look and sound better (set the key, choose instruments, add effects, etc.)

2. Learn the music like a guitar player :-)

  • Switch the bass to treble clef and transpose it up two octaves to make it look like a guitar part
  • Play the bass along with the playback until I more or less have the structure in my head (use "cycles" to scrub tricky parts)
  • Write out the chord chart (by hand)
  • Play along in free form on guitar until I feel I "know it"
  • Think about a nice guitar accompaniment for vocalist and cello or bass or something (for Elena's project)

3. I am normally arranging for my "band" consisting nowadays of an imaginary drummer, bass, guitar (me), one or more synths, and often a featured soloist (voice, flute, violin, etc.):

  • Settle on a final tempo, key, and parts (MIDI editing)
  • Record each part myself using a synth patch for each voice/part (normally sticking to Logic instruments so everyone will have the instruments and effects used)
  • Sometimes it is necessary to lay down an audio track or two, which is still fine as a placeholder (it can be time-scaled and/or pitch-shifted in a pinch)
  • This is now my "demo" for the band (the original MIDI can be muted forever)
  • In reality, the "band" may be just me and a flute player, or the like, and we play live to a Logic playback (or "bounce") with our respective tracks muted
  • In the lucky event of a full band, we all play our parts and Logic can take a rest (and we are more free with tempo and vibe, etc.)

My workflow for original music is similar, but without the initial MIDI and/or score. The parts may accumulate in any order, but I normally work on one musical "stretch" at a time, but don't fail to capture your ideas in some form immediately!

Handel Status Update 2021-04-22

  • Latest Logic project file is here
  • Cello part defined as the bottom note of the harpsichord part (from the found MIDI)
  • Guitar part is the harpsichord part minus the cello part and any duplicated notes, although I left in any doubling of the soprano because Handel apparently wrote it that way
  • Cello and flute parts "played in" on MIDI keyboard to give them better note velocities
  • Overall volume for cello and flute were sculpted by hand using "automation", which can be applied to any parameter
  • Guitar part is still original MIDI events in because I plan to mute that and play a real guitar; also, I believe the original events were played in, so they're not bad to my ears

To most clearly see the velocities and volume-automation, select the flute track, say, press p to open the piano-roll view, and press a in that window to show the automation. If the pop-up menu on the left doesn't say "Main: Volume", then click and select that. (The other active choice is Ch. 1: Note Velocity.)