Easy EMOTIONAL MIDI Instruments, by DianaDee Osborne

Earlier blogs explain how to easily "quantize" - 
ensure each Count lands exactly on the click: 

      But often we want a personal, "emotional" sound
especially for the song introduction,  before the 
verses or chorus demand a completely on beat timing
to   match the drums   that come in later. 

BUT-- It's difficult to visually tell where the 
flexible timing ends & the on-beat timing should start and thus be quantized. 

Easy fix:  TWO tracks:  Piano 1 and Piano 2, e.g.
Just label the FLEXIBLE track, such as
                      Dont Q-Piano 1.

EASY WAY TO GET 2 SOUNDS -- 
and exactly the timing you want.
Later you can "bounce out" the 
tracks together to get a combined 
WAV  or   MP3  file  for that instrument.

Have lots of fun PLAYING music while you create it!
Lots of Examples to hear free at http://www.DianaDeeOsbornesongs.com/

©2015 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved; feel free to share on Facebook etc
with credit info above.

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

Easy Tempo or Signature Switch from 4/4 to 3/4 in GB

I have written a number of songs like "Christmas with the Birthday Boy" that begin in a 4/4 rock "angst" mood -- and then switch to a comforting 3/4 swing to portray peace.
SAMPLE AUDIO (free to hear):      Click on this LINK.  

But simple (cheap:) studio programs like Garageband do not have the built-in capability to do this. I figured out an

            EASY WORKAROUND  to share with you:            

1. Set your signature info (tempo, 4/4 or 3/4 e.g.) for Part 1.

2.  Create all the tracks for the first part of the song. 
In the track name include original info. Example:

PIANO 4-4 at 120

3.  "Bounce out" (like sending to iTunes) the Part 1 song.

4.  In the Project info box, change the signature info to what you need for Part 2. You will see the tracks for Part 1 SHIFT - that's ok; they'll go back if you later revert to the original settings.

5.  Now -- important, NOT UNTIL you do step #4 --
IMPORT the bounced out song of Part 1 into a new track.


6. Starting where Part 1 ends (which you visually see from the Step #5 imported track):  
Create all the tracks for the 2nd part of the song. 

HINT:  If needed, create some interim music to switch the timing.   For example, I often use the following interlude:

---- 2 measures in 4/4 time of drums and a bit of piano, then 
---- 2 measures in 3/4 which lead to the switch. 
And the transition is easily completed.  

Other examples can be found at my main Music website
http://dianadeeosbornesongs.com/Songs-2013.php

Much joy to you creating new dramatic and comforting music!

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved

Customizing Sounds of Drum Loops, by DianaDee Osborne

Drum loops are an easy way to get an "approximate sound" as you create your song, before hiring a professional drummer. Problem is -- often they end "abruptly" because loops end on the last count of a measure: 

      Easy fix so you can    sound more realistic:    

1.  Under your drum loop track, pull in a MIDI loop of drum beats -- does not matter what it sounds like.  
2.  Begin the track at count 1 and extend past to where your loop ended abruptly.
3.  Do NOT delete all MIDI notes (yet); in GarageBand, a track with no notes often causes a problem.
4.  At the place where the original drum loop track ends abruptly, add a MIDI sound on the MIDI track.  I like to use crashes or other 'ending' sounds that will blend with the sound of the original. This MIDI sound will extend the drum sound to be more natural, tapering off as live drums do.
5.  Now delete the unwanted imported MIDI notes.
6.  Remember to adjust the volume of the MIDI note(s) 
to match the sound of the original loop.  

This easy customizing of canned loops works for any type of loop! --

Much joy to you creating new music with good sounding drums 'til you get live drummin'!

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved

Editing Multiple Draft Guitar Tracks

It's so exciting that the new LOGIC program has incorporated many of the advantages of GarageBand !!! --
especially EASY FADERS for fast volume control!
But GB still has both LOGIC and ProTOOLS beat when it comes to super-fast access to the menu for quantizing notes to 1/8ths or 1/4ths.  I'm still 'blown away" by someone thinking to put 1/32nd notes as the top menu choice in the old LOGIC program!

Here's an easy way to take several draft guitar tracks and work them into your song:  

SETUP:
1.  As the complete or almost-complete project is played, play a guitar track that "fits" in timing, chords, notes.... like "comping", playing "anything" for fun.  If this is a lead guitar (mostly single notes), name the track "Lead GTR 1 draft".
2.   Create another "comp for fun" track.... obviously named "2"!
3.   Now create a few "comp for fun" tracks using rhythm guitar chords, and name these "Rhy GTR 1 draft" (2,3, etc).

Now you're ready for lots of fun!
First decide for each kind of guitar (Lead and Rhy), decide which is your favorite.  Put these 2 tracks on top.   Group the other guitars under those 2 (easier to see). 

4.  Adjust the volume of EACH track to be consistent with the project.

5. Mute all guitar tracks except the first lead one.  Play the project and.... as you find parts of the track you do not like, split around the parts and delete them.  It's easiest if you can find a "space" between note, using the Notation editor's wave form.

NOTE:  At this point, it doesn't matter if there are large gaps!

6. Mute that track, un-mute the 2nd lead guitar track, and repeat Step 5.  Then do the same for each Rhythm GTR track.

7.  Visually look at the tracks.... Where both lead guitar parts are playing, decide which of the 2 you prefer and delete the other part.  Then do the same for the rhythm guitar tracks.

8.   Finally.... and then of course check at the end! ...
A.  DELETE SOUND:  Decide where you want sonic space" -- no guitar at all -- and delete those sections.  
B.  ADD SOUND:  Copy-paste favorite guitar riffs from one part of the track to another part of the same track.  (I do this a lot for copying verse 1's special riff into verse 2 for that same music.)
 

Much joy to you creating fast initial edits from multiple drafts of instruments!

©2013 DianaDee Osborne;  all rights reserved