Bill SloyerLos Angeles Recording Connection

17th Studio Lesson 12-1-17 Posted on 2017-12-13 by Bill Sloyer

During our 17th lesson on Friday, 12/1, Larry and I talked about:

-Originally, MIDI was used for instruments to communicate w/each other

-Digital Performer was the first MIDI.

-MIDI parameters are:  NOTE / VELOCITY (how hard or soft) / DURATION.

-MIDI used to have “aftertouch,” but it’s not popular any more.  Aftertouch is MIDI data sent when pressure is applied to a keyboard after the key has been struck, and while it is being held down or sustained. Aftertouch is often routed to control vibrato, volume, and other parameters.

- A controller in MIDI has no sounds, it simply controls other synths.

-MIDI just uses USB now, but old MIDI gear has a 5-pin DIN euro cable that carries 16 channels of data.  Each synth has it’s own channel.  This type of gear also has 3 jacks:  IN / OUT / THRU

IN:  MIDI in

OUT: Audio out

THRU:  MIDI out

Connecting synths w/MIDI:

-“Local On” means you hear sound from the keyboard you’re playing

-“Local Off” means your only transmitting out of the keyboard you’re playing

“Omni Mode” – synth reads all channels.

-Eurorack MIDI is a newer phenomenon:  build your own synth!  Google it for more.  Can get pretty deep with setups!

-A Step Sequencer is like how Boom in ProT works.

-Pro Tools resolution is 960 ticks, but in digi performance, it’s half of that, 480. 

-The Event Operations Window is used for MIDI editing, such as quantize, transpose, write MIDI real time properties, etc.  Can split notes, but have to know piano notes & input range.

-MIDI changes can also be made in the Real Time Properties window.

-The MIDI Event List is literally a text list of all MIDI operations in a selected track.

-With Superior Drummer, you can drag a groove into a MIDI track.  It’s $200-$400.

-When you turn a record in to a record company, must be ALL audio tracks, no MIDI!

-Synth types: 

--Analog synthesis

--FM synthesis

--Wavetable synthesis (use bits of real audio to create sounds along w/reverb, delay)

**Samplers are now used for realistic sounds instead of synths.

-Logic X is better for composing music, as compared to ProT. 

-SHOULD ALWAYS USE THE COMMENTS COLUMN IN PRO TOOLS TO RECORD INSTRUMENT & PATCH NAME.

-Use FREEZE if you aren’t recording to a track.  It renders your audio and frees up computer.

-An EBow electronic bow is a small handheld electromagnet that you can play the guitar with.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoSbHKpRI4M

**TEMPO changes all the time if you do movie scoring.

-Larry recommends Pro Tools Prefs to keep your software cleaned up and running smooth.  Might have to redo some settings after running the program.  He uses it once a week.

-To MUTE PART of a track in the EDIT window, click on it, and then CMD + M

-CLICK TRACK:  To make changes (to tempo, etc), can just simply add a long delay plugin like Larry has/does, or can also just go to EVENT à TIME OPERATIONS WINDOW

-To make changes to the click track, conductor track needs to be ON.

 

 

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Bill Sloyer

23rd Studio Lesson 4-9-18Posted by Bill Sloyer on 2018-05-01

During our 23rd lesson on Monday, 4/9, Larry and I talked about: -In Superior Drummer, Larry sends the kick and snare to separate output so he can control each on a separate track, and even manipulate with Structure Free... Read More >>