99 Tips You Can't Live Without
Abstract (summary)
Provides tips and advice for keyboard
players on the following: ways to "humanize" your sequences; things
to check when your hardware won't sync properly; tricks for equalizers; fresh
ways to market your music; unexpected ways to use FX; do's and dont'ts of hard
disc recording; ways to make sampled instruments sound real; how to survive the
road; sampling techniques; synthesizer programming shortcuts; home studio
techniques; ways to overcome songwriter's block; tips for improving studio acoustics; sequencer
edits. Notes that tips were
provided by "Keyboard"'s regular contributors.
Full Text
Octavio
Diaz
Ever wish you could watch over the should of a
seasoned pro while he or she works a little of that patented magic with a
sampler, hard disk recorder, secret tricks. ''Tell us how you get more music
out of your gear, how you eliminate headaches, how you save time, how you
stretch your studio to the limit.'' They didn't just respomd, they outdid
themselves. Enjoy.
7 ways to
humanize your sequences
- [squf ] Don't use straight
quantization unless you want a particularly stiff feel. Most sequencers
have a ''percentage'' or ''strength'' quantization option that moves a
note closer to the selected rhythm by a certain percentage. For example,
if a note is 10 clocks behind the beat, applying 50% quantization will
move it to 5 clocks behind the beat. Try applying 50% quantization for
your first pass; if the timing is still too loose, apply 50% again. --CA
- [squf ] Not quantizing works
especially well with crash cymbals, ride cymbals, hi-hat parts, and other
high-end percussion parts, where the underlying kick/snare pattern has
been strictly quantized. Your sequences will feel more like a band is playing
instead of a computer. -DB
- [squf ] Randomizing timings
will not humanize a sequence; it will simply make it sound as if the
drummer had too many beers. Randomization seems to work better with
velocities. For example, if you have a sixteenth-note hi-hat part, change
velocity randomly within a 15-value range (e.g., velocity values of 80 to
95). This adds just enough variation to humanize the part. --CA
- [squf ] Rather than keeping
your drum pattern confined to a single track in your sequence, try splitting
each instrument off to its own separate track. This makes it easier to
edit the overall velocity of each track to balance the drums, but more
importantly, you can make quick timing shifts. If the beat feels a bit too
uptight, select the snare track and nudge the notes forward a few clicks
at a time until the pocket loosens, and vice-versa if the groove feels too
lazy. --GR
- [squf ] Tempo changes are
essential to allow a composition to breathe. Small changes make a big
difference -- increase the tempo by 1 bpm during the solo to push things a
little, or pull back by 1 bpm during the chorus to make it more
deliberate. Real drummers push and pull the beat; your sequences should do
the same. --CA
- [squf ] Whenever possible,
use real instrumentalists playing alternate controllers to lay down MIDI
parts. Have a guitar player enter guitar parts with MIDI guitar, a drummer
enter parts with MIDI drum pads, and a wind controller hotshot do the wind
parts. --CA
- [squf ] When sequencing drum
parts, consider recording real cymbals into an audio track. Cymbals are
often the least realistic sound in drum machines and synth drum programs,
and recording the real thing can sometimes feel the ear into thinking that
all the drums are real. --CA
p.32
things to
check when your hardware won't sync properly
- [squf ] Before wasting time
thinking the problem is due to your error, go to the manufacturer's Web
site and check to see if there's a new software revision to download. The
same goes for any drivers for your hardware. For whatever reason, sync
seems to be one of the aspects of software that gets cleaned up in
updates. --CA
- [squf ] If you're using
SMPTE sync (or MIDI Time Code) to lock up MIDI sequenced tracks, check to
make sure you haven't changed the tempo of the sequence. These are
realtime, not tempo-dependent, formats, so the playback tempo can be
altered, causing the music to fall apart, even when the sync is working
properly. --JA
- [squf ] Software programs
often have little check boxes stuck under Preferences, Setup, etc., and
there may be a control panel for your sync box that has redundant
settings. You have to make sure that all software that accesses the
hardware is set consistently. Once everything is syncing correctly, write
out a ''cheat sheet'' that tells you where (and what) the crucial settings
are. If you have to re-install the software or update it, or have a hard
disk crash, you'll be able to re-create these important settings. --CA
4 fresh
ways to market your music
- [squf ] Work from the top
down. Try to get your music to the director, artist, or producer, thereby
bypassing the usual red tape and insuring that your music is heard by
someone with their heart and soul into the project. --CJV
- [squf ] You know that
secretary who answers the phone at the record company or publisher? They
wield more power than almost anyone in the biz when it comes to relaying
your message. If these people care about you, it's an immeasurable plus.
The secretaries, second engineers, personal assistants, and such make this
world go 'round. --CJV
- [squf ] Harpist Georgia
Kelly worked out an arrangement with several local realtors to have her
music playing while houses were being shown. From the realtors'
perspective, the music set the right mood (she plays very beautiful harp
music), and she received exposure she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. --CA
- [squf ] If you're looking
for in-store play from smaller stores (the chains will be much more
inflexible about what gets played, as well as more influenced by
politics), go into the store just before or during lunch hour to plead
your case. There won't be as much foot traffic then. --CA
4 tricks
for better EQ
- [squf ] Boosting can
increase distortion and decrease headroom. If it's possible to achieve the
effect you want by cutting, you'll generally get a cleaner sound. For
example, if you want to boost both the high and low ends of a single,
trying adding a gentle midrange cut instead. --CA
- [squf ] Using EQ can
desensitize your ears so that over time, you add more EQ changes than you
really need. After boosting or cutting by what seems like the right
amount, pull back by 1 or 2 dB. Listen to the audio with this new setting
for 15 to 20 minutes before deciding how much boost or cut you really
need. --CA
- [squf ] It's very easy to
over-EQ a sound or mix.
For best results, constantly compare the un-EQ'd version with the EQ'd
version. In particular, our ears quickly become accustomed to high-end
boosts. Take frequent breaks, then come back and compare dry to EQ'd
sounds. --MG
- [squf ] If you're EQing a
synth at the board, check to make sure the patch you're using doesn't
already have its own EQ programmed. If you're using the board to
compensate for the programmed EQ, you'll only be adding noise. --JA
p.33
9
unexpected ways to use FX
- [squf ] No one believes that
this is a cool effect until they try it: Parallel a bandpass filter with
the vocal, at a center frequency of about 3.5kHz. Control the filter's
resonant frequency with the vocal envelope over a narrow range, for
example between 3 and 4kHz. Mix
the effect in subtly behind the main vocal -- enough so that you notice if
you take it out, but not enough so that the effect stands out. The
filtering adds modulation in the range most responsible for vocal
intelligibility, and produces a sort of ''organic animation'' that makes
the vocals sound more close-up. --CA
- [squf ] Distortion is only
good for guitars, right? Wrong. Distortion can add punch to an electronic
drum set like you wouldn't believe. Drums have strong initial transients,
which, when clipped, add a significant amount of harmonics and make the
drum really stand out. --CA
- [squf ] Dedicate one mixer
aux bus to feeding a vocoder's carrier input, and a second bus to feeding
the vocoder's modulation input. This way any instrument can modulate any
other instrument, which produces some wonderful effects-modulate bass with
drums, guitar with drums, keyboard with kick drum, you name it. --CA
- [squf ] If you're using
distortion pedals, make sure you reduce your synth programs' release times
to almost instantaneous, as they will be exaggerated by the compressive
nature of the distortion. --DF
- [squf ] If your reverb
doesn't sound world-class, add a different make and model reverb in
parallel. Program the second reverb to be as close as possible to the
first one -- similar algorithms, decay times, etc. Because it's a
different model, the sound won't be exactly the same. Instead, there will
be just enough differences so that the second reverb ''fills in the
cracks'' on the first reverb, creating a more lush, convincing sound. --CA
- [squf ] If you use an
envelope-following filter, especially with bass, run it in parallel with
the instrument's straight signal. (Split the instrument into the filter
and into a spare mixer input.) The filter will often ''thin'' the sound; mixing in some of the
straight signal preserves the filtering effect, but leaves the signal's
low and high frequency ranges intact. --CA
- [squf ] Try the totally
wrong one. It may be the right one! --CJV
- [squf ] It happens all the time:
You're experimenting with a stompbox (or any effect, for that matter),
twisting knobs like a mad scientist, and something magical happens. But
when you try to re-create it with the recorder running, it doesn't measure
up to the original. A good habit to get into is to pop a DAT tape in at
the beginning of each session, hit Record, and let it run. --GR
- [squf ] Experiment with
different effect routings. Take, for instance, a volume pedal and a delay
box. Put the delay first, and the volume pedal will control the dynamics
of both the echoes and the original signal. Put the volume pedal before
the delay and you'll be able to control the original signal's dynamics
separately, so that the echoes of individual notes can be emphasized. --MV
5 hard
disk recording do's and don'ts
- [squf ]Always arrange to a
vocal. Get a scratch vocal ''on tape'' with at least the click or one
instrument, and mute the instrument. Let the vocal guide you through the
arrangement. --CJV
- [squf ] Defragment
periodically. For the Mac, Norton Utilities is a good choice. Windows
includes a disk defragmentation utility that will do the job, but most
computer gurus agree that Norton Utilities for Windows outperforms the
Microsoft utility. Defragment before closing down for the day so you'll be
ready to go next time you start up. --CA
- [squf ] When assembling a
composite vocal track from several takes, use uninterrupted chunks that
are as long as possible. The continuity of the feeling is more important
than the minutiae of pitch and pronunciation. --JA
- [squf ] Don't apply unneeded
DSP, especially with 16-bit systems. Each time you process, round-off
errors occur that can accumulate and eventually add fuzziness to the
sound. This is less of an issue with programs that use 24, 32, or 64-bit
internal processing, but is still a consideration. If you're going to
normalize, do so only after all other DSP has been applied. --CA
- [squf ] Turn off waveform
overviews or select less precise waveform calculations, if your program
allows you to. This really speeds up the recording process when tracking,
as the computer doesn't have to stop to compute an image for each new
waveform. When it's time to edit, turn waveform overviews back on. --CA
p.34
5
Lifesavers for surviving on the road
- [squf ] If you have to ship
a computer by airline, odds are that the hard disk will be the first item
to be trashed due to excessive handling or dropping. As a safety
precaution, remove the internal hard drive. (If you're not comfortable
inside a computer, get some advice on how to do it correctly.) Stuff the
hard drive in a padded briefcase and bring it onboard as carry-on baggage.
Another advantage: If the computer is lost or trashed, you can rent a
computer, pop in your hard drive, and be ready to go. --CA
- [squf ]For outdoor gigs:
- [check ] Pack mosquito
repellent, sunglasses, sunblock, a warm coat, and a towel. Wear
rubber-soled shoes or sneakers for electrical insulation.
- [check ] Carry reflective
space blankets to protect electronic gear from the sun. Since duct tape
won't hold blankets down in the wind, use curtain clips, which you can
buy in a hardware store. Beware of black front panels. They can
practically fry an egg alter absorbing a few minutes of direct sunlight.
- [check ] Mount all
footswitches in pedalboards. Snake all cables with twisties and/or Velcro
strips, but keep MIDI and audio cables separate from power lines. Don't
run cables on the floor or ground; elevate everything you can.
- [check ] Make sure all
racks are closed up with blank rack panels. Rackmount power strips or
multi-output power conditioners inside each rack so that only one AC
cable powers the entire rack. Install multipin MIDI and audio patch
points into rack panels, so that interconnections between racks and
controllers are simple. You shouldn't have to reach inside the rack to
make any connections, and the entire box should essentially be sealed to
keep out dust and dirt. Install a magnetically shielded drawer in the
rack to carry disks and other small items.
- [check ] If the gig will be
powered by generators, specify that they be high-quality with built-in
cycle convertors. The latter is necessary in case the generator doesn't
run at the American standard of 60Hz. The Hammond B-3 gets its pitch from
the cycles, so it will play flat if the power cycles at 50Hz.
- [check ] Don't expect to
see much on a computer monitor in direct sunlight. Even under a blanket,
it can be almost impossible to make out what's being displayed.
- [check ] If you see
lightning, either delay or cancel. Don't get killed; no gig is worth
dying for. --JG
- [squf ] Many of you who gig
with keyboards that are at least partly RAM-sample-based know the constant
fear of losing power in the middle of a set. For us, even a fraction of a
second is long enough to make our finely honed instruments deadly silent.
If your sample reload time is measured in minutes,
consider making an emergency program bank that can load quickly and get you
running until the next break. If your keyboard has onboard ROM, spend an
evening creating a ROM-only version of your programs that will at least put an
approximate sound into each program location. Keep this file on a floppy that
sits in your floppy drive during the gig.
If you run completely on RAM samples, try paring
your bank down until you've got an alternate miniature version that can load in
under a minute. Use that tiny piano you hate and any other small instruments
that will get you by until break time. If you just can't deal with alternate
samples, consider purchasing an uninterruptible power supply just for your
samplers that will last at least five minutes. --DF
- [squf ] You've packed your
instruments, clothes, first-aid kit, and (ahem) STD protection for the
tour, but never underestimate the importance of extension cords, power
strips, fuses, duct tape, spare universal wall warts, and extra cables and
power cords. (And speaking of wall warts, take note of the voltage,
amperage, and tip/ring
polarity of each unit's power input, so you'll be able to plug in the
universal adapter without frying anything.) It sounds like common sense,
but I'm always amazed at how many bands find themselves in major binds
deep in the heart of Nowheresville, USA, because they forgot to pack the
essentials. --GR
- [squf ] Always carry a
voltage tester. Older clubs often have lousy wiring, and there could be a
major voltage drop. Furthermore, the outlets might not be properly
grounded. Use an uninterruptible power supply on all
microprocessor-controlled gear, not just to get you through brownouts but
to protect your gear horn spikes and surges. --CA
4 ways to
make sampled instruments sound real
- [squf ] Tie velocity to
filter cutoff so that louder dynamics create a somewhat brighter sound.
This is characteristic of many sounds -- percussion, guitar, piano, vibes,
etc. -- which sound brighter when hit harder. You don't need much of a
boost to make a difference; even a slight boost will add the proper
psycho-acoustic effect. --CA
- [squf ] Learn about
orchestration. (The library of your local community college will probably
have some excellent textbooks on the subject.) And think about phrasing.
With wind lines, pay attention to where the player will need to breathe.
With steel-string guitar, always spread out the notes of a chord to
emulate strumming. If your writing is more idiomatic, the sampled
instruments will sound much more authentic. --JA
- [squf ] Program slight pitch
variations at the beginning of wind and voice samples. Wind players and
vocalists almost never hit a note dead on pitch, but start slightly sharp
or flat and glide down or up from there. A slight bit of upward pitch-bend
at the beginning of a sax note can add realism, with layered choir
patches, have one layer bend up slightly and the other bend clown
slightly. This makes a far more human, less machine-like sound. --CA
- [squf ] If you're sampling
vintage synths, use velocity to add very slight amounts of pitch change
(just a couple of cents). Analog synths were notorious for slight pitch
drifts, whereas digital instruments have no drift at all. Adding
occasional, slight pitch changes gives more of an analog synth feel. --CA
p.36
11
awesome sampling techniques
- [squf ] Set the sample start
time several milliseconds into the sample, then modulate start time
negatively according to velocity so that at lower velocities the sample
starts further in, while at higher velocities it starts earlier. This is
particularly useful for percussive instruments (guitar, drums, etc.), as
it gives more lifelike dynamics. --CA
- [squf ] Use an audio
editor's pencil tool to draw a really crazy attack for the first 20ms or
so of a drum note. This acids a percussive transient that really makes a
drum sound stick out; it's particularly useful with wimpy analog drum
sounds, as it adds an attack that makes them far more forceful. --CA
- [squf ] If you have looped
samples based on repeated clicking, clanking, shaking, or rainstick
sounds, you can create long atmospheric programs that have an almost
hypnotic effect on the listener. Assign the looped sample across the
entire range of the keyboard. Use a key tracking of 20% or less so that
thepitch changes subtly from key to key. Now assign a pitch envelope that
goes from 100% to 0% in the longest non-infinite time you can get. If
possible, set your amplitude envelope to hold the volume at least as long
as the duration of the pitch envelope. (if you can't, then step on the
sustain pedal for the duration.) Now play a chord. The resulting sound
will be a polyrhythmic clatter that slowly and almost imperceptibly slows
down until, minutes later, it becomes occasional low-pitched clanking
reminiscent of a huge metal sinking ship. --DF
- [squf ] Sometimes it's hard
to know exactly where to put the start point on a sample, especially if
there's low-level transient noise (scraping, breath, picking) that's
inherent to the sound. One easy test is to play the note one and two
octaves down from its original pitch and see if there are noticeable
delays before the note starts. If the sample seems reasonably tight when
played back slowly, you'll know that it will work great at its regular
pitch. --DF
- [squf ] Don't ignore the
tail end of the sound. Sometimes the release portion plays a big part in
the identity of the sampled instrument. Pianos have a distinctive release
sound as the hammer falls back into place and the damper drops down to
mute the note after you take your finger off the key. Create a keymap with
just the release sounds, and set your sampler to play this as you release
each note. --JM
- [squf ] Take a rhythm loop
or spoken sample and create a separate reversed version. (Many samplers
allow you to do this without using extra sample RAM.) Now take a program
using the normal sample and duplicate the layer, putting the reversed
sample in the second layer. Assign the mod wheel to control the volume of
each layer, with the first layer fading out as you increase the rood wheel
level and the second layer going from silent to full on. Now you can
loosely simulate stopping a turntable and spinning it in the opposite
direction. --DF
- [squf ] When sampling
acoustic instruments, use more mics: Never assume that one mic (or even a
pair of mics) is enough to adequately capture the sound of an instrument.
Try a pair of mics close up and another out in the room for more ambience.
This is great for pianos (nobody listens to pianos with their head two
inches over the strings), but also works for almost any instrument from
strings to woodwinds and even sound effects. If you've set up several
pairs of mics for an expensive sampling session, record them all to a
digital multitrack and worry about blending the signals later. --JM
- [squf ] Always sample in
stereo. Yes, it uses up RAM and polyphony, but most instruments (a solo
violin, for example) only play one or two notes at a time, so polyphony
may not be an issue. Stereo samples convey a tremendous amount of sonic
information to the listener about the size and shape of the instrument,
distance from the listener, size and shape of the room, and so on. --JM
- [squf ] Never sample
directly into your sampler; always record to DAT. You'll always have a
library of raw sounds to come back to when you get more RAM or buy a new
sampler. You'll also find that having more than one take of each note on
tape is a great blessing when it turns out that the that sounded fine
yesterday is a bit too bright (or too dark or too nasal)once you listen to
it with fresh ears. --JM
- [squf ] Although more and
more samplers feature complex realtime timbre shaping, there are still
many advantages to getting your samples to sound exactly right by
themselves, thus freeing your parameters to do more exotic sound shaping
tricks. Some samplers have internal non-realtime DSP processing tools that
can permanently change the EQ and dynamics. If your sampler doesn't have
these features, consider playing each sample through an external processor
to DAT and then resampling it. If you have digital audio software in your
computer, you can do extensive processing and never leave the digital
domain. --DF
- [squf ] One very useful
application of sampling is to provide occasional background vocal
harmonies. Since your drummer is probably not listening to a click track,
you'll have to create the harmony samples as short segments (one to three
words) that you can assign to successive keys. By walking up the keyboard
at the current tempo, you'll get a convincing synchronization. If you
already have live
backup singers, consider putting these samples only into the monitor mix. It will give your
singers a target that will make them project much more confidently. --DF
p.38
12 synth
programming shortcuts
- [squf ] If you need your
instrument to have an extremely wide and full ambience, try this simple
experiment: Take your single layer and duplicate it. Pan the first layer
all the way to the left, and pan the second layer all the way to the
right. The serial nature of keyboards is such that the first layer will
always start slightly ahead of the second layer. This slight (and somewhat
random) delay between the left and right layers will create a wide aural
image. Experiment with some detuning (make the first layer slightly
flatter and the second slightly sharper) and you'll get an even wider
spread with chorusing. If you have a layer delay parameter, you can
increase this effect even more. --DF
- [squf ] Start with a factory
synth patch that has some of the characteristics of the sound you'd like
to create. For example, if you're going for a synth sound with a fast
attack and no release (like an organ sound), call up a standard organ
patch, find the oscillator page in your synth and just start substituting
waveforms. You may also want to try some random effect settings, which can
produce happy accidents. --DB
- [squf ] Have your sequencer
play the synth while you program the patch. For example, if you want a new
bass patch for a piece you're working on:
- [check ] Record the bass
line into your sequencer.
- [check ] Solo that track
(for now) and loop it so it plays indefinitely.
- [check ] Now you can use
both hands to select menus and change parameters on menu-driven synths or
to set knobs, sliders, switches, and patch cords on your knobby synths.
--ZVP
- [squf ] Most factory patches
are not programmed with a lot of controller options, in order to make them
as ''bulletproof'' as possible (maybe the store doesn't have a footpedal
hooked up to the synth on the showroom floor).Adding pressure, velocity,
footpedal, and other controllers can give a factory patch far greater
expressive potential. --CA
- [squf ] When making minor
edits in factory patches, use a consistent naming convention, such as
adding your initials to the name. This way, if you should need to restore
the factory patches later on, you won't accidentally overwrite any of your
work. --JA
- [squf ] MIDI aftertouch
(channel pressure) is usually used to apply LFO vibrato or to modulate a
lowpass filter's cutoff frequency. Here's a way to get some fresh vibrato
effects: Assign aftertouch to raise the pitch slightly as you press down
on the keys. With practice you'll find that you can create vibrato that
exhibits your own musical personality. If your synth offers it, experiment
with putting the aftertouch signal through a lag processor to smooth out
the control. --DF
- [squf ] If your
synth/sampler doesn't have onboard EQ, there are still some ways to boost
the treble to make a program cut through a mix better. one way is to use resonance in the
lowpass filter, especially if the filter cutoff is not moving. Increase
the resonance to about 50% and slowly sweep the filter cutoff frequency
until the desired upper frequencies are boosted. If your synth/sampler has
a highpass filter, you can duplicate the layer with a second oscillator
and put the highpass on the second layer. Raise the cutoff frequency until
only the desired high frequency components are left. Now make this layer
louder than the first layer and you'll have plenty of treble boost. --DF
- [squf ] In multitimbral
synth setups, effects applied to individual patches are often sacrificed
for a single ''global'' effect. But you can sometimes build effects into a
patch by clever programming. To simulate reverb, add a slight amount of
release time to sustained patches. For echo, feed two modulators into the
program's final DCA: an envelope to add a slow decay, and an LFO's
negative-going sawtooth wave to ''chop'' the signal in an echo-like way.
For slapback delay, layer two voices and crank up the second oscillator's
delay start parameter. --CA
- [squf ] When making a
program with a single waveform or multisample, you'll typically use only
one layer. But sometimes it can be tricky to get the key tracking (key
follow) parameters to produce the desired sound quality across the entire
range of the keyboard. If you duplicate the layer (one or more times) and
give each layer its own keyboard range, you can then program each area
independently to get the timbres, volumes, and envelope times needed to
create a satisfying instrument across the whole keyboard. --DF
- [squf ] It has unfortunately
become the de facto standard to make your pitchbend wheel modulate the
pitch by exactly ±200 cents (one whole step). This makes for very predictable
bend riffs that scream, ''I'm being played by a synthesizer.'' If you use
a pitchbend depth of 300 cents or an octave, you'll find it difficult to
learn a consistent bending technique, and you'll have problems when you
try to swap programs in a sequence if they have different bend depths. As
an alternative, try setting the pitchbend depth to values slightly beyond
±200 cents-say -- ±230 cents. Now you can overshoot or undershoot the
target pitch with a loose feel that more closely resembles string and lip
bending techniques. --DF
- [squf ] There's nothing that
says ''artificial'' quite like a boring, stagnant LFO vibrato. Try making
the speed (rate) of the LFO variable. One method is to assign the mod
wheel (which is already increasing the vibrato depth) to also increase the
speed. This mimics the natural tendency of players to make deeper vibratos
faster. An even more expressive way is to assign another controller
(aftertouch is ideal) the sole job of modulating the LFO depth while the
rood wheel controls the LFO speed. --DF
- [squf ] Spend quality time
-- at least a week -- with only one synth at a time; put all the others
away. When you fully concentrate on one instrument, you'll learn it much
better and get more out of it than when you're distracted by having
multiple synths at your disposal. --MV
p.40
6
breakfast breakthroughs
- [squf ] Here's a great way
to put your personal stamp on a generic drum loop and add some lo-fi grit
at the same time: Sample a breakbeat, make a copy of it, pitch-shift the
copy down to half the tempo of the original, and then layer the two loops
together. For each repetition, you'll need to trigger the original beat
twice so it matches the length of the pitch-shifted copy. Not every
combination works, but when it does ... stand back. --GR
- [squf ] Suppose your
favorite drum loop is a beat you've sampled from a Beatles record. You
love the feel, but you wouldn't dream of using it in your music because
the source is so obvious. Too bad you can't change the sound and just keep
Ringo's groove. Actually, you can. This trick requires a noise gate with a
sidechain trigger. (A simple box, such as the Alesis MicroGate, will do
the trick.) Here's how beat masking works:
- [check ] Run a mono version
of your loop into the gate's trigger.
- [check ] Select a sustained
sound -- this will become the groove's new timbre -- and feed it into the
gate's audio input. This sound can be a synth pad, grinding power chords,
or noise from a sound-effects CD, such as steam, ocean waves, industrial
machinery, a dragster burning rubber, etc.
- [check ] Set the threshold
knob so the original loop opens and closes the gate, chopping your new,
sustained sound into rhythmic bursts. Sample the output, loop it, and
voilà -- Ringo playing, say, a throbbing jackhammer.
- [check ] For even more
sonic stimulation, run the new loop through a triggered wah, a flanger,
an auto panner, or a distortion pedal. --AE
- [squf ] Build a loop using
all of your arsenal (multiple loops and drummachine elements), then
resample that as a new loop. Do three or four variations and fills, and
you have a custom loop set as yet unknown to mankind. --CJV
- [squf ] Take a great loop
and, instead of just holding the note down for the duration of the loop,
play a pattern. Triggering the loop rhythmically with different note
durations creates a completely different feel. --DB
- [squf ] Take a loop, copy it
several times, and assign each copy to a different key on your controller.
Edit the sample start and end points to isolate each segment of the loop
on a different key. For example, the kick hit can be on one key, the snare
on another, the clap on a third, and so on. Now you can program a new
pattern with the sounds from the original loop. --DB
- [squf ] A great way to
camouflage a rhythm loop is to layer it with other loops. This allows you
to create a whole new rhythm that would be much harder to spot than a
single rhythmic loop. This works well with percussion loops and loops that
are less busy. Sometimes a very subtle, barely audible loop layered with a
more prominent one is enough to change the flavor entirely. --DB
8 home
studio lifesavers
- [squf ] Nothing is more
aggravating than working with someone who answers every phone call. So
don't fall into the trap. Buy a good 900MHz cordless phone with a ringer
on/off switch. Let the messages build, then take a break and return 'em.
Music is sacred; don't let callers ruin your flow! --CJV
- [squf ] Label everything.
Yes, you'll have to invest some time, but in the long run, you'll save
yourself both time and effort. --MG
- [squf ] Add a subwoofer to
your studio. You won't believe how much better your music will sound when
the bass line shakes the walls and you can feel the kick drum as much as
near it. But unless you're mixing
tar dance clubs, do your final mix
without the subwoofer on. In the real world, most people won't have a
subwoofer handy. --JM
- [squf ] Get labeling down to
a science. I use Filemaker Pro templates. As I label my media, I'm also
making a searchable database, killing two birds with one stone. --CJV
- [squf ] Be sure to route
audio cables separately from power and data cables. Power cables can
induce a great deal of noise in audio cables. For best results, keep power
cables at least a couple of feet away from audio cables (especially from
unbalanced cables). If they must cross, make sure they do so at a
90-degree angle. --MG
- [squf ] Yes, it's cool to
get the latest whizbang digital whatsis, but sometimes small investments
can really make a difference in the way you sound, the way you work, or
just how easy it is to get your music recorded. Inexpensive items like a
good mic stand with a well-balanced boom, a direct box, quality cables, or
even a comfortable chair can make your musicmaking much more enjoyable. --JM
- [squf ] Patchbays can be
great convenience items. They can also be sources of noise, signal
degradation, and other problems. If you use patchbays in your studio,
periodically go through and check all the connections and pull each plug
in and out of its jack to clean the contacts. Use patchbay burnishers
sparingly; each time they're used, they chew off a little more of the
bay's contact material. You'll find that patchbays stay cleaner if they're
oriented horizontally, rather than vertically with the jacks looking at
the ceiling (and open to dust and other airborn debris). --MG
- [squf ] Unless your mix is being created
entirely in a computer multitrack audio workstation, you'll find it's
useful to keep an accurate log of how the hardware is set up for each song
or project -- effects sends, panning, the programs used in each synth, any
unusual MIDI channel settings, etc. if you need to reproduce a mix later on in order to
make some edits, the log will save you hours of hair-pulling. --JA
p.42
6
surefire ways to blast through songwriter's block
- [squf ] Add another brain to
your rig. If you've been working alone in your laboratory for so long that
your latest chord progression seems like it's going nowhere, ask for help.
Find another musician. It doesn't even have to be another keyboardist.
Collaborate. --ZVP
- [squf ] While the creative
process is different for everyone, I find that many song ideas come while
walking, swimming, travelling in an airplane, etc., and sometimes it's
hard to remember these until I get back to the studio. A dictation-oriented
minicassette tape recorder (or one of those battery-operated digital jobs
like Musician's Pocket Memo) can capture your ideas; these units are
small, portable, and fairly rugged. --CA
- [squf ] For fresh
inspiration, get out of the studio: At the very least, grab a synth and a
set of headphones and head for the living room. If you're really
adventurous and you've got something that can run on batteries, take a
trip to the woods or to the top of a hill. Bring a tape recorder along so
you can expand on your ideas while inspired by your new surroundings. --ZVP
- [squf ] When songwriter's
block is major, just compose anything. Sure, the results may be
awful. But keep at it, and you'll get back into the groove eventually. If
l go into the studio after a hiatus, the first session is usually a waste
of time. But the next day, things magically fall into place. --CA
- [squf ] Write a song with
just a melody, then put just a drum beat to it. Hone the melody,
and the rest will fall into place. I have a sign in my studio that says,
''It's the melody, stupid.'' --CJV
- [squf ] With the amount of
RAM we have in our computers now, it won't hurt to keep your sequencer in
record mode while improvising. You'll be surprised how long you can play
without running out of memory. Keeping the sequencer recording will ensure
that you don't lose any of the musical ideas. If you don't have a
sequencer, turn on a tape recorder and keep it running. --ZVP
5 tips for improving studio
acoustics
- [squf ] If your booth
acoustics suck, do your vocals in the control room with all participants
using headphones. The enhanced vibe and communication factor may spoil
you! Use a silent switch for punch-in/out. (I use my trusty Alesis LRC
plugged into the BRC.) Many singers and guitar players love working this
way. --CJV
- [squf ] Be careful where you
place your computer monitor when setting up your studio. In addition to
the various EMI (electromagnetic interference) problems a monitor can
cause, placing a large, reflective surface like a monitor screen near
studio speakers can affect your stereo imaging. If your monitor must be
placed near your speakers, try to set it back as far as possible to remove
it from their acoustic equation. --MG
- [squf ] Placing studio
monitors on lop of racks or studio furniture can cause the furniture to
resonate, destroying the accuracy of the speaker's midrange and low end.
If speakers must be placed on top of furniture, put some dense foam
underneath the speakers to decouple the acoustic connection. (Mouse pads
work well.) --MG
- [squf ] Never place studio
monitors against walls, or in corners (unless the manufacturer directs you
to do so). Surfaces like these increase the apparent bass in the speakers,
making them less accurate. Locating a speaker near a wall will increase
the low end by 3dB; in a corner, by 6dB; where a corner meets a ceiling,
by 9dB. For best results slay a few feet away from these surfaces. --MG
- [squf ] Equipment racks can
cause sound reflection problems if they're near studio speakers. Sound
coming from the speakers bounces off the side or front of the rack and
arrives at your ear slightly later than direct sound coming from the
speakers, which can cause phase and imaging problems. One approach is to
keep all racks well below the level of your speakers. If you don't want to
do this because you often need to get at the front-panel controls of the
rack gear, turn or position the racks in such a way that reflections are
not coming straight to your ears. One way to check this is to place a
mirror against the side or front surface of the rack. If you can see the
tweeter of your speaker in the mirror when you're sitting at the mix position, turn or move
the rack until the tweeter disappears. --MG
p.unnumbered
4
insurance policies for painless CD burning
- [squf ] In Windows, use
Ctrl+Alt+Delete to bring up a list of all open programs. You might be
surprised to find out there's a lot going on under the hood -- virus
utilities scanning, Norton Utilities checking disks, Clean Sweep
monitoring the system to see if you're installing any software, whatever.
Select any programs that aren't needed for the CD-burning process, and
click on End Task. This reduces system overhead and improves the changes
for a successful burn. --CA
- [squf ] Always leave a dB or
so of headroom above the highest peak on your CD. This will prevent
lower-quality CD players from distorting when playing back your songs. --MG
- [squf ] In windows, disable
the following: screen saver (right-click on desktop > Properties >
Screen save > select ''none'' from dropdown menu) and CD-ROM
auto-insert notification (right-click on My Computer > Properties >
Device Manager > click on the + sign next to CD-ROM > right-click on
the CD-ROM > click Properties > click Settings tab > uncheck Auto
Insert Notification check box). --CA
- [squf ] Your burning program
will likely allocate some memory for its own internal bullets that hold
data in case something interrupts the system. Find out how to allocate
memory to these buffers, and increase to the maximum possible, given your
amount of system RAM and however much RAM your OS and program require for
operation. With one program I've used, simply increasing the program's
buffers from 10 seconds to 20 seconds made the difference between a
coaster generator and a reliable CO burner. --CA
6
sequencer edits you must try
- [squf ] Use the logical edit
function to remove all notes with velocities under 10 and all controller
events with values under 5. You won't usually hear the effect of this data
anyway; it's just clogging up the data stream. This is particularly
important with alternate controllers such as MIDI guitar, as they generate
a ton of extraneous data. --CA
- [squf ] For each MIDI
instrument you're going to use, program a very short percussive sound (for
drum machines, call up a clave patch). Create a test sequence consisting
of nothing but eighthnotes all playing at the same pitch, on as many
tracks as you have instruments. Solo two tracks at a time, start the
sequence, and listen for any flamming effects caused by different MIDI
response times. Use the sequencer's track shift function to delay the
instrument with the taster response so that it triggers at the same time
as the slower one, and take notes on how many clock pulses you shifted the
track. Work through various instrument pairs to determine which units are
faster and which are slower, and keep shifting tracks until all the
instruments trigger at the same time. On future projects, use the track
shift data you've collected to make sure all the instruments line up in
time. Do this early on in the overdub process so you're overdubbing to the
correct ''feel.'' --CA
- [squf ] Assign velocity to
the filter in the synth patch, then record a synth comp part into your
sequencer. Find the ''randomize velocity'' function in your sequencer edit
page. If you don't have this function, you can go into the edit page and
change the velocities manually. The filter will change with the different
velocity levels, giving the part an altogether different tone and feel. --DB
- [squf ] Adding pitchbends to
a lead or bass synth line as you record it into a sequencer? Play the bend
in real time for the best feel, and then open up your sequencer's graphic
controller display. Chances are, the bend will look somewhat stairstepped,
especially if it's a quick bend. Use the sequencer's pencil tool (or an
interpolate command) to add more pitchbend messages between the existing
ones. The bend will still have the shape you played, but will sound
smoother on playback. --JA
- [squf ] Take any drum kit
program that you're using in a sequence or pattern and assign the pitch
wheel to have the greatest pitchbend depth possible (greater than an
octave is preferred). After laying down your drum track, record (on the
same MIDI channel) rapid downward pitchbends that you throw in
occasionally as a sonic spice. If you do it very quickly and tastefully,
it won't even be recognizable as pitchbending; it will simply sound as if
you have some very deep samples in your drum kit. --DF
- [squf ] A cool way to make a
bass line or comp part in a sequence sound a bit less ordinary is to go
into the event list edit window after you've played a part and remove some
of the notes randomly. This adds space to a part and makes it sound more
unusual. Try it with drums, too. Great parts can be created by making
things less busy. --DB
p.46
END
©All material published in Keyboard is copyrighted
1998 by Miller Freeman, Inc.
Word
count: 7361
Indexing (details)
Narrow
subject
Keyboardists, Touring, Business
attitudes, Computers, Sampling, Synthesizers, Recording
Studios, Songwriting, Copyright, Advice
Broad
subject
Title
99 Tips You Can't Live Without
Publication
title
Volume
Issue
Source
details
272
Pages
32-34,
36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46
Publication
year
1998
Publication
date
Dec 1998
Year
1998
Publisher
NewBay
Media, LLC
Place of
publication
New York,
N.Y.
Country
of publication
United
States
Journal
subject
ISSN
0730-0158
Source
type
Magazines
Language
of publication
English
Document
type
Instruction/Guidelines
ProQuest
document ID
1360971
Document
URL
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1360971?accountid=144516
Last
updated
2012-08-01
Database
International
Index to Music Periodicals Full Text
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