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View Full Version : Inserting real time section in existing composition


john s. smith (jss)
03-16-2009, 11:58 PM
Hi,
I have a (piano) composition well under way and it has all been entered by hand (mouse). I would like to record a separate section in Real Time (ie play it in at the keyboard) and insert this midi recording within in the main work.

Are there any particular things I should be careful about when doing this - or maybe tips on a best way to do it? I guess I just open a new file, do the read-time recording, and cut n paste the result into the first file?

On an unrelated matter: is there a "randomize" function available that I can use to randomise the note velocities? The intention is humanise the playback. A really good need for this is in long (piano) trills where the machine gun effect stands out - mainly because of note velocities (but I guess such precision timing of each note too).
thanks
regards
-john

Sherry Crann (sherry)
03-17-2009, 07:21 PM
Howdy John,

I've done a bit of this type of thing myself, but I typically would be playing the "live" bit in a separate staff along with the already entered material. Your suggestion to have a separate file for recording (then copy -> Edit/paste special/Insert Measures from clipboard) should work just fine.

Another method you can use is to insert some number of measures into the existing work, select just those measures, and do a "punch in" recording there if you know how long you want it to be ahead of time. The nice thing about this method is that you can listen right away and see that it "fits" within the musical context of the work.

Related to your "note velocities" question, you'll probably need to adjust the note velocities between the mouse-entered section and the recorded section, to smooth it out a bit.

Composer does not currently have a "humanize" function, but it's on the wish-list. We've also got some other goodies coming up for "warming up" the performance of song files http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif

ttfn,
Sherry

john s. smith (jss)
03-19-2009, 03:20 PM
Thanks Sherry,
Method seems to work fine. One thing though - when I recording in real-time (midi piano input from technics keyboard), the recorded notes appear only on one of the staffs of the piano score I have set up. Although I can go through it afterwards and place the notes on correct staves - I wonder if there is there a way to have this happen automagically?
thank you.
regards
-John

Sherry Crann (sherry)
03-19-2009, 03:29 PM
Howdy John,

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

I wonder if there is there a way to have this happen automagically?<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

I love the term! Can I borrow it sometime when telling Mark how things should happen in the software? ;)

Yes, you can have it happen "automagically" - just be sure to select both piano staves before you start recording, and the "split hands" logic should kick in to separate the notes between those two staves when it transcribes the recording. The logic is pretty good, but you may still want to shift a note or two here or there between the staves, depending on your tastes and technique.

ttfn,
Sherry

john s. smith (jss)
03-19-2009, 03:54 PM
<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

automagically. love the term! Can I borrow it sometime when telling Mark how things should happen in the software? ;) <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

heh heh yes by all means. I can't claim credit for inventing it though (wish I had) :-)