understanding a listing

[brianvassallomusic]

Hi,
TAXI #Y170917EB SAYS " Anything that’s stiff, synthetic, or MIDI-sounding won’t work for this pitch"

Does this mean, that we can use good orchestral sounding plugins, and avoid being too midi or not so authentic sounding?

Much thanks

Best
Brian

[Len911]

Brian, it basically means, anything that doesn't sound like a real human, playing a real instrument.

The irony is that that may or may not have anything to do with the sample quality, a synthetic synthesizer can actually be played expressively as if a real human is playing it, and that by using more midi properly, makes for a less "midi-sounding" composition. It's possible that using "humanizing" quantization makes for a stiff performance,lol!

And it's possible that playing and recording a real instrument ends up sounding "not real".

And finally, is there ever really a listing that is looking for "stiff, synthetic, and midi-sounding"?

[LOCK88]

Hey Brian, I also take that as "customize your sounds". If you just grab a preset on a synth, chances are the screeners have heard that exact same preset 1000's of times. Tweak the eq settings, add some distortion, maybe add another layer...

[hummingbird]

What Robb said. And what Len said.

If you are going the midi route you need to play each instrumental line in using modulation and volume so that the expression of your performance is recorded in the midi. Then you need to choose an appropriate articulation. I think layering is very important, particularly with strings, but also with any kind of synth patches too for the very reason Robb mentioned. When layering tonal instruments I will always have at least an octave between the layered lines.

In particular with some articulations the onset of the sound can be too harsh so that's where you might need to do some automation of volume or expression to 'ease in'. By playing each individual instrument line in you are giving each instrument expression and a touch of humanness.

It's also very helpful to have at least one live instrument in the mix.

HTH

[LOCK88]

Its also very helpful to have at least one live instrument in the mix.

HTH

Really amazing how 1 real instrument can make everything else feel real. I will try to highlite that real instrument in a way that draws the listeners ear...volume, eq, placement, etc...

[davekropf]

Its also very helpful to have at least one live instrument in the mix.

HTH

Really amazing how 1 real instrument can make everything else feel real. I will try to highlife that real instrument in a way that draws the listeners ear...volume, eq, placement, etc...

This!

Also, if you're layering in strings, be sure you lay in each line individually as opposed to blocking them all at once from a keyboard. This helps to capture more believable lines.

[brianvassallomusic]

Agree .. thanks guys.

Brian

[Danny]

Ride that Mod Wheel for velocity expression like Hummingbird said.

Also, if you must quantize a phrase, do it at 50-75 percent. It doesn't have to be at 100 percent. No Viola player in the world is a robot at timing like a metronome.

[mikehamm123]

Great comments here.

I usually take it to mean a taboo on mechanical-sounding timing primarily, as opposed to organic timing and phrasing.

next, the need for subtle variations in how the (high quality) samples are used.