Mastering CD Track Volumes, by DianaDee Osborne

Easy way to master CD tracks so each has a
consistent volume level with the others: 

As we "send to iTunes" in GarageBand... or "bounce out"
completed songs with all tracks in Logic or ProTools etc, 
it's difficult to have exactly the same volume per song.
       ONE REASON:       
Some drum tracks or instrument tracks
are naturally louder-- a song full of flute and light keyboard
only is naturally softer unless we're careful to raise volume.

Simple method for a quick mastering of volumes:
1. Create a separate recording program project with the CD Name.
2. Pull in each full song, in track order.
3. Slide each track to begin after the previous track--
      with the amount of "silence" you want between tracks.
4. Listen to the "seam" between each track, and 
5.     adjust the track's volume to match TRACK 1.

6.  OPTIONAL IDEA:  Create a filler track to transition 
     from one track to the next with a bit of continuing music.
     I like to use foundation tracks from the SYNTH LEAD
     instrument family in Garage Band. 
7.  BUT REMEMBER: Unlike in expensive programs,
     you cannot "bounce out" track pieces from GarageBand.
     A.  If you have no filler (#6), just drag each song track to
           Measure 1; send each to iTunes; and create CD from there.
OR
     B.  If you DO create a filler, it's a bit more time consuming:

--  Send the FULL CD tracks to iTunes,
--  Pull that new merged track into the GarageBand project.
--  Separate each track as each new song starts
-- Then do Step 7A above. 

EVEN  IF  YOU  HIRE SOMEONE  TO MASTER YOUR CD,

     this is a good way to get Advance Ideas on what you want.
 

BEST OF ALL, YOU SAVE MONEY by
hearing how tracks blend into each other--
so you get a preview and can experiment with
changing song track order to give the CD sound you want.

Much joy to you creating new music!
Lots of Examples to hear free at http://www.DianaDeeOsbornesongs.com/

©2014 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved

Managing VOLUME for MIDI Instruments, by DianaDee Osborne

Here's an easy hint for composing counter-melody music with MIDI instruments, with an important VOLUME hint: 

An earlier post noted that it's easy to
1. Duplicate the piano (keyboard) track.
              Click here for link:     DUPLICATE TRACK trick
2. Delete all PEDAL marks below the score (* in GarageBand)
3. Delete all BASS level notes --- but if you have runs 
    only a bit lower than Middle C, you might leave them to:
4. Select and drag any special notes that are too low for 
    your MIDI instrument up to an octave higher.

5. Now adjust counter-melody notes the way you want - 
       see my earlier blog
   I like to shift notes to ALTO harmony or higher soprano
       for  flutes and the top trumpet in a horn section.
            WARNING:  High violins are  painful !   Keep quieter!

6.  Now for VOLUME adjustments:

 If you want to sound professional...  You really need to
check MIDI note volumes one at a time to be sure they
approximately     match the volume of notes near them.  
Another of my earlier blogs discusses ACCENTS
   (having a higher volume for Count 1, slightly higher for Count 3 in 4/4 time, e.g.).

It's FUN  to have the MIDI instrument run ABOVE and
BELOW the melody and sometimes be the same note --

much like BACH  and other classical musicians  did.
A simple VOLUME  HINT  that uses simple Math:
TWO  notes in a chord -- such as a C and a G note for two trumpets, may 
MERGE into one note -- such as the E (in between, for a C chord.)

If you have about the same volume for the single note as you had for the two
the single note will be too quiet. Like two Volume 50 notes = ~75; one = 50.  THUS:
    Raise the volume of the single note  ~15 points   
where the two instruments meet,  so that it can be heard 
in the "sandwich" when the higher and lower MIDI instruments separate again.

EXAMPLE:  From my website  www.DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com 
on the 2014 tab:           CLICK HERE  for   LINK 
The TRUMPET section of "Infant Holy Savior Lowly".  (currently still in draft stage)

Much joy to you creating new music that's not too loud or too soft!

©2014 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved

Easy Quantizing for Jazz Swing MIDI Instruments

Quanitizing:  Making the music right on the beat.
Usually good.  But not in jazz.

For jazz notes, you can't just select notes and then "quantize to 1/8 notes" in a recording program like GarageBand or Logic or Protools.  You have two choices:

1. Play the song perfectly.    Note to self:  THAT ain't happening. 

2. Quantize each & every Count 1 note one at a time, and then go into MIDI editor and slide all the other notes that aren't perfectly timed.  
   Note to self:  Don't WANT that happening!

Here's a better Option 3:

3. Write and Record the music as 3/4 time. 
When you quantize, you'll still have the swing - but the timing will be perfect

DETAILS at my website, on the OTEN tab.

DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com                  LINK 

Audio Example (free),  Click on link:             LINK 
  2014 song    "ALL OF MY TROUBLES"  
Music Sheet Example for same song:             LINK  

Much joy to you creating EASY steady timing music!

©2014 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved