[linux-audio-user] recording keyboard works (e.g. rosegarden)

[pirrone]

Hans Fugal wrote:

>I'm interested in rendering some organ works electronically. The first
>step of course is to get the music in the computer, e.g. in MIDI
>format.
>
>The piece I'm working on you can see at
>http://www.xmission.com/~fugalh/in_dulci_jubilo.pdf
>
>I can play this piece well enough. I don't have a MIDI pedalboard but
>the pedal line is easy enough to add later. But as you can see the
>music is in multiple voices, and I would like to instrument each voice
>differently. I have tried recording them one at a time, in an ensemble
>style, but even when I follow a metronome it ends up sounding like
>trash. I have decided that either I need to work on my ensemble
>playing or I am going about it the wrong way. Maybe I should just
>record the manuals and try to separate out the parts into separate
>tracks as a post-processing task. That's going to be a problem when I
>try to do something else that requires more than one manual since I
>only have one MIDI keyboard. Also, as much as I'd like to, I don't
>have the time to learn each piece I'd like to render to the point of
>perfect performance like I have this one.
>
>What do you all do in this situation? The same issues naturally apply
>to other styles of music as well, e.g. choral or orchestral.
>
>  
>
Hans,

This may not be too helpful with your particluar needs, but all complete 
compositions I've recorded with MIDI have been done by necessity one 
voice at a time.  With Jazz, Blues, and Rock the key is putting down the 
timekeeping track(s) first.  For example, drums and rhythm instruments 
over which melody and color instrumets are added.  This approach allows 
both good timing and good expression for anyone at all comfortable with 
automated programs that provide accompaniment for either practice or for 
building up a complete recording.

I assume your timing is working well but expressiveness is lacking with 
the pieces you're trying to build.  If that is so, then it's not a 
simple matter of getting more used to following the metronome, or 
quantizing after recording. 

One possibility would be to record under a duet situation where you get 
someone to play a critical timekeeping part on a keyboard or other 
instrument (guitar) acoustically while you record your first parts 
digitally.  That way you'd have the ensemble feel, and also the creative 
interplay with another live musician, both of which should help you get 
the feel down that you'd like to have.

Others with more experience or even a technological solution to offer 
will be more helpful, so good luck.

Frank

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