PUTTING YOUR EMOTIONS INTO MUSIC
MIDI ORCHESTRATION
«One of the many ways a composer can get a really solid idea of how orchestral-based productions will sound live is through orchestral simulation MIDI. The idea began when the composers wanted to deliver a more realistic reproduction of their compositions to the interested conductors, before signing the checks to hire the room and the musicians »
Frederick Russ
The philosophy of this course is that the student understands how libraries (samples) work, and using this information, try to get the best out of them. Taking into account that not everyone has the latest libraries with hundreds of gigabytes and super scripted, we will also talk about certain techniques to make the most of those old libraries that still have great samples. Those who have new libraries may not need to do as many programming to achieve, for example, a realistic legato.
The contents will be structured according to this script. The difficulty of achieving realism increases at each point:
- Sounds without a sustain stage (percussion instruments, plucked string, staccatos, keyboard instruments)
- Sounds with changes in dynamics (crescendo and diminuendo)
- Sounds with articulation changes
- Sounds with legato
- Sounds of solo instruments
CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
REALISM IN MIDI ORCHESTATION – FACTORS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
- The DAW
- The Drivers
- Libraries
- The Sample
- Effects
- Knowledge of orchestration and instrumentation
- Patience and Practice
SOUNDS WITHOUT SUSTAIN STAGE
CONCEPTS
- Dynamics and Timbre
- Mapping samples by velocity
TECHNICAL
- Velocity X Fade (Kontakt) or Track Mix
CONCEPTS
- Machine Gun Effect
- Round Robin (real and fake)
- Tracking and Root Notes (Kontakt)
TECHNICAL
- Reset RR (Play)
- Fake RR (Kontakt)
CONCEPTS
- Most used CCs
- CC7, CC11 and Release
- What can we expect from the CC11?
- The Lag (Kontakt)
TECHNICAL
- Real Dump Effect and MIDI
- Made with CC7, CC11, CC1 and / or Release
CONCEPTS
- Velocity Curve
TECHNICAL
- Velocity Curve Compensation
CONCEPTS
- Time Machine and Pitchbend
TECHNICAL
- Lengthen and shorten Staccatos
SOUNDS WITH DYNAMIC CHANGES
CONCEPTS
- Same programming philosophy
TECHNICAL
- Controller Programming
- MIDI Transformers
- Virtual instrument programming
CONCEPTS
- Loop in Group Sus (Kontakt)
- Release Group
- Dynamics and Timbre in Crescendos and Diminuendos
CONCEPTS
- Dynamics = Velocity in Patches of a Velocity Layer
TECHNICAL
- Use of CC7, CC11 or CC1 (Non-editable Players or Romplers)
- Using CC1 (Kontakt or other Sampler)
- Filter in Velocity or CC1 (Kontakt or another Sampler)
CONCEPTS
- Dynamics = Velocity in Patches of various Velocity Layers
TECHNICAL
- Use of CC7, CC11 or CC1 (Non-editable Players or Romplers)
- From Velocity Layers to DXF Layers (CC1) (Kontakt or other Sampler)
SOUNDS WITH ARTICULATION CHANGES
CONCEPTS
- Natural surround and ADSR
- Attack and Mushy Attack Effect
- Joint change
TECHNICAL
- KeySwitch (one and two tracks)
- Pitch Bend
- Controller
- MIDI channel
- Program Change
- Expression Maps
- Colash
CONCEPTS
- Match sound
TECHNICAL
- Reverb, Panning and EQ
CONCEPTS
- More definition
TECHNICAL
- Multis / Combos / Layering
- Use of CC1, CC7 and CC11
INSTRUMENTS WITH LEGATO
CONCEPTS
- Legato groups (Kontakt)
- Simulating legato
TECHNICAL
- Sample Offset
CONCEPTS
- Release and Mushy Release Effect
TECHNICAL
- Schedule and / or automate Release
SOLO INSTRUMENTS
CONCEPTS
- Creating a Custom Instrument
- Undesirable chorus effect
TECHNICAL
- Speed and Attack
- Tuning corrector
CONSIDERATIONS
CONCEPTS
- Basic Orchestral Template (real and MIDI)
CONCEPTS
- Natural Tempo Changes
TECHNICAL
- With the Tempo Track
- Without the Tempo Track
CONCEPTS
- Scripts (Kontakt)
TECHNICAL
- Script for Fake Legato
- Script for Fake RR
- Script for Fake Vibrato
- Script to Humanize
CONCEPTS
- General considerations about what orchestra instruments can and cannot play
TECHNICAL
- Premix
- Composing «playable» parts
- How to play a virtual instrument
The approximate duration of MIDI Orchestration is 22 classes.
The classes are developed via Skype for the videoconference and we use Teamviewer to share our desktops. I also use other tools, such as a whiteboard Surface using Onenote , Staffpad and Reflector ; a webcam that shows every detail of my hands on my digital piano; and Cubase to load libraries, record MIDI, annotate the Score Editor, etc …
& nbsp;
If you need more information, do not hesitate to contact contact with me.
Latest Posts
TEMPLATE – SHEET «REDUCED ORCHESTRA»
If you want to make orchestral sketches like the one in the previous blog post, here is my reduced orchestral template.
