Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

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annayarbrough
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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by annayarbrough » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:48 pm

I find as long as you've got plenty of parameters around what you do - and it's all explained upfront - you rarely have issues later on. With my clients I've got a different pricing structure depending on whether it's acoustic or virtual, set number of revisions, time limit on revisions (I don't honor them past a certain point without charging extra), a small charge for extra revisions (beyond what I include with the project) and a larger charge for complete re-writes or total re-works. And I've found that having everything explained upfront usually results in the client being more clear and specific with what they want... so much so that revisions have even become rare. I find people to be very understanding when they're aware of how everything works/the ins and outs of the process :)
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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by Merryband1 » Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:23 am

Welcome aboard, Mathieu! I haven't seen you here before. Nice to meet you!

This is all excellent advice! I have done a couple of sessions but never thought of half of this!

Andy, I didn't realize it was possible to record a MIDI track simultaneously with an audio track. (As I'm not using the Pro version of my DAW, it may not be, either. ) I haven't recorded much with MIDI due to the latency problem, which messes with my brain! :o Once I can afford to upgrade my DAW, multiple track-at-once recording is a feature that will affect my decision.

Thanks,
Merry

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by martinmichelson » Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:59 pm

If you are a piano player and you have a good real piano, a midi keyboard combined with a vst-piano plugin could never compete with the sound and the feeling.
Last edited by martinmichelson on Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by MathieuF » Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:32 am

Pvgeldrop wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:21 am
martinmichelson wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:59 pm
[highlight][/highlight]If you are a piano player and you have a good real piano, a midi keyboard combined with a vst-piano plugin could never compete with the sound and the feeling.
Can't really agree on that one. An 88 weighted-key MIDI controller with a high-end piano VI produces great quality recordings. Unless you have a concert grand at home that you can record, piano VIs will often produce a better result.
I agree with the disagreement here :D

Sure, having a real good piano, in a good sounding room, with great mics and knowing how to make it all sounds great..IS THE BEST :D

But I live in a tiny appartment, got no piano, no money to record in a studio whenever I need a quick piano track...so...

My Nord Stage 2 with the Royal Grand 3D sample is the best thing I have now and I have done plenty of piano solo recordings for clients and taxi and never got any complaints...

I've done one piano solo album with ivory as well, nobody could tell it wasn't a real piano.

So again, in a dream world...yes I would record a real piano...but until then...I don't think it's always better.
Mathieu Fiset - Keyboardist / Drummer / Composer
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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by MathieuF » Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:33 am

annayarbrough wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:48 pm
I find as long as you've got plenty of parameters around what you do - and it's all explained upfront - you rarely have issues later on. With my clients I've got a different pricing structure depending on whether it's acoustic or virtual, set number of revisions, time limit on revisions (I don't honor them past a certain point without charging extra), a small charge for extra revisions (beyond what I include with the project) and a larger charge for complete re-writes or total re-works. And I've found that having everything explained upfront usually results in the client being more clear and specific with what they want... so much so that revisions have even become rare. I find people to be very understanding when they're aware of how everything works/the ins and outs of the process :)
Thanks for the replay Anna ! Very valuable information.

I will start to explain my process more in details before doing any future session work now.
Mathieu Fiset - Keyboardist / Drummer / Composer
https://mathieufiset.bandcamp.com/

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by dannyrichardson » Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:42 am

Absolutely! It's one more step you have to take in the process, but I think it's well worth it, especially if you are the one mixing the project.

I find taking MIDI to be just like taking guitar DIs incase you need to reamp later on.

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by MathieuF » Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:17 pm

dannyrichardson wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:42 am
I find taking MIDI to be just like taking guitar DIs incase you need to reamp later on.
Yeah...well for sure it's a similar concept but you can't change every details of a DI guitar recording, like you can do with MIDI.

But then again, the question is not really "what are the benefits of recording MIDI" but really "should the clients assume I can edit everything easily because they assume I record in MIDI ?"

It's an interesting discussion and now I will try to record MIDI as much as possible but I will also let the clients know in advance that I MIGHT not always have this option and doing revisions could cost more :)
Mathieu Fiset - Keyboardist / Drummer / Composer
https://mathieufiset.bandcamp.com/

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by martinmichelson » Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:28 pm

Pvgeldrop wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:21 am
martinmichelson wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:59 pm
If you are a piano player and you have a good real piano, a midi keyboard combined with a vst-piano plugin could never compete with the sound and the feeling.
Can't really agree on that one. An 88 weighted-key MIDI controller with a high-end piano VI produces great quality recordings. Unless you have a concert grand at home that you can record, piano VIs will often produce a better result.
I agree about the recording. I think I have some quite good digital instruments. But I get the best ideas when I play my 100 years old Steinway.

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by JeanieLarkin » Thu Mar 21, 2019 2:27 am

martinmichelson wrote:
Tue Mar 19, 2019 4:28 pm
Pvgeldrop wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 12:21 am
martinmichelson wrote:
Wed Mar 13, 2019 3:59 pm
If you are a piano player and you have a good real piano, a midi keyboard combined with a vst-piano plugin could never compete with the sound and the feeling.
Can't really agree on that one. An 88 weighted-key MIDI controller with a high-end piano VI produces great quality recordings. Unless you have a concert grand at home that you can record, piano VIs will often produce a better result.
I agree about the recording. I think I have some quite good digital instruments. But I get the best ideas when I play my 100 years old Steinway.
That is so true - much more inspired also when playing a real piano, that is where I harvest my ideas. Interesting!... But all my recordings are done via a Yamaha Clavinova.

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Re: Recording MIDI or Audio Only ?

Post by annayarbrough » Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:34 am

MathieuF wrote:
Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:33 am
annayarbrough wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:48 pm
I find as long as you've got plenty of parameters around what you do - and it's all explained upfront - you rarely have issues later on. With my clients I've got a different pricing structure depending on whether it's acoustic or virtual, set number of revisions, time limit on revisions (I don't honor them past a certain point without charging extra), a small charge for extra revisions (beyond what I include with the project) and a larger charge for complete re-writes or total re-works. And I've found that having everything explained upfront usually results in the client being more clear and specific with what they want... so much so that revisions have even become rare. I find people to be very understanding when they're aware of how everything works/the ins and outs of the process :)
Thanks for the replay Anna ! Very valuable information.

I will start to explain my process more in details before doing any future session work now.
Welcome! I usually do one or the other, but doing both is an interesting idea to me. Could be a cool package deal kinda thing.
Anna Yarbrough
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