The Art of MIDI Orchestration, by Jerry Gerber

[Jerry Gerber]

I hope this article on MIDI sequencing gives some insight and tips on how to improve your virtual orchestrations:

READ

Jerry

Edited August 1, 2023 by Jerry Gerber

[Max Arwood]

Thanks Jerry! I have always enjoyed your work.

Max

[Xoo]

Really good article and some practical suggestions to boot.

[Byron Dickens]

Bookmarked!

[Glenn Stanton]

i liked it. one consideration - maybe also speak to how some of the instruments have articulations (and/or key switches) which may assist in the creation of more realistic / fuller performances (trills, legatos, staccatos, slides, etc etc) (i noted in your event list in the article: Virtual Orchestra Composition and Production by Guest Author Jerry Gerber (soundbytesmag.net) https://soundbytesmag.net/virtualorchestracompositionandproductionwithjerrygerber/ -- you had patch changes / notes about the articulations ? )

Edited August 1, 2023 by Glenn Stanton

[Jerry Gerber]

1 hour ago, Glenn Stanton said:

i liked it. one consideration - maybe also speak to how some of the instruments have articulations (and/or key switches) which may assist in the creation of more realistic / fuller performances (trills, legatos, staccatos, slides, etc etc) (i noted in your event list in the article: Virtual Orchestra Composition and Production by Guest Author Jerry Gerber (soundbytesmag.net) https://soundbytesmag.net/virtualorchestracompositionandproductionwithjerrygerber/ -- you had patch changes / notes about the articulations ? )

Hi Glenn,

Cakewalk has an articulation screen that I never have used, it doesn't make sense based on the way I work.   I didn't comment on key switches because I use them rarely, only when working with one of the vocal sample libraries I have.   As far as the way use articulations, I have a dedicated computer for my VSL library, it can hold a huge amount of samples in RAM so whenever I need a new articulation i just call it up using cc22 and cc33.  When I want to change, for example, a crescendo to a decrescendo, I use cc44.   Control changes work well for me, so I use them extensively.   Or when I want to go from a col legno to a normal pizz, I call up that articulation using CCs.   In the article in SoundBytes that you mentioned that image of the CW event list displays what I am talking about. 

The more detail you put into your sequence, the better the music will sound.  Velocity changes, articulation changes, attack and release times, tempos, cc11 and cc7--the more of these MIDI commands you use, the more expressive, intentional and nuanced the music will sound. 

Remember, too, there's no one right approach to working with music technology.  For me the most important thing are results, .   For every technique I use to create my recordings, another composer may use a different technique to achieve the same thing.  That speaks to the incredible flexibility of software.

Thanks for commenting Glenn!

Jerry

Edited August 1, 2023 by Jerry Gerber

[Glenn Stanton]

thanks for this! do you have a HW controller device to manage adjusting the CC or using a mouse? or some combination? in my mind, have a MIDI controller with a number of knobs set to CC # would make initial changes "easier" and then zoom in and adjust for more detail.

[Jerry Gerber]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:24 AM, Glenn Stanton said:

thanks for this! do you have a HW controller device to manage adjusting the CC or using a mouse? or some combination? in my mind, have a MIDI controller with a number of knobs set to CC # would make initial changes "easier" and then zoom in and adjust for more detail.

No, I make all of my CC edits, insertions and deletions in the Event List and also in the Controllers View.  Over the years I've gotten very fast doing it this way (motor memory and repetition!)  Also CW has the dialogue box to insert multiple CCs and multiple tempos, I use those often too..

[Henrik Svensson]

Extremely insightful :)) thank you for this!

[Peter C]

Jerry, a really well written concise deconstruction of these issues.

You make a very valid point: the moment there is an attempt to capture an orchestra's acoustic sound in any given space, it becomes digital. Extra people become involved. Just the placement of mic positions and the choices of mics can of course dramatically alter how a 'real' orchestra sounds. Then there are production decisions about levels and so on.. the choice of equipment it all goes through. The net result can often sound more unrealistic (to my ears) than a well-constructed virtual orchestra.

As usual this year I am watching the Proms and I'm always struck by how the woodwinds, in particular piccolos, can sound too prominent and destroy entirely what a composer originally intended. Don't get me started about how soloists - piano, violin, horn, whatever - are deliberately brought up in the mix, giving an entirely false impression of what it actually sounds like in a concert hall.  What was a breath of fresh air for me was a couple of years ago I watched an orchestral concert from I think it was Austria. A piano concerto was a delight to listen to because the producer had very obviously decided the piano was actually part of the orchestra and was not over-amplified. (Take note please BBC)

So when I bought my first virtual orchestra, back in 2005, the first thing I did was write a couple of orchestral style pieces. I quickly realised it was only possible to mimic a real orchestra and my first production decisions were not to use woodwinds (sorry woody players). That decision was probably the result of me listening to too many broadcasts and getting too used to those mixes. 

As something of a traditionalist (you'd never have guessed would you), how do I feel about virtual orchestras? As long as it makes a pleasing sound, whatever instrument combinations are used, I'm happy. We are making decisions now with all these wonderful things available which composers centuries ago were making, albeit at a simpler level: how many string players, do we try this new-fangled brass thing.........

Many thanks for making me think.

[Jerry Gerber]

4 hours ago, Peter C said:

Jerry, a really well written concise deconstruction of these issues.

You make a very valid point: the moment there is an attempt to capture an orchestra's acoustic sound in any given space, it becomes digital. Extra people become involved. Just the placement of mic positions and the choices of mics can of course dramatically alter how a 'real' orchestra sounds. Then there are production decisions about levels and so on.. the choice of equipment it all goes through. The net result can often sound more unrealistic (to my ears) than a well-constructed virtual orchestra.

As usual this year I am watching the Proms and I'm always struck by how the woodwinds, in particular piccolos, can sound too prominent and destroy entirely what a composer originally intended. Don't get me started about how soloists - piano, violin, horn, whatever - are deliberately brought up in the mix, giving an entirely false impression of what it actually sounds like in a concert hall.  What was a breath of fresh air for me was a couple of years ago I watched an orchestral concert from I think it was Austria. A piano concerto was a delight to listen to because the producer had very obviously decided the piano was actually part of the orchestra and was not over-amplified. (Take note please BBC)

So when I bought my first virtual orchestra, back in 2005, the first thing I did was write a couple of orchestral style pieces. I quickly realised it was only possible to mimic a real orchestra and my first production decisions were not to use woodwinds (sorry woody players). That decision was probably the result of me listening to too many broadcasts and getting too used to those mixes. 

As something of a traditionalist (you'd never have guessed would you), how do I feel about virtual orchestras? As long as it makes a pleasing sound, whatever instrument combinations are used, I'm happy. We are making decisions now with all these wonderful things available which composers centuries ago were making, albeit at a simpler level: how many string players, do we try this new-fangled brass thing.........

Many thanks for making me think.

Thanks Peter, I'm glad you enjoyed reading the article..

[Bristol_Jonesey]

Fascintating stuff Jerry. 

[Glenn Stanton]

On 8/3/2023 at 12:57 PM, Jerry Gerber said:

No, I make all of my CC edits, insertions and deletions in the Event List and also in the Controllers View.  Over the years I've gotten very fast doing it this way (motor memory and repetition!)  Also CW has the dialogue box to insert multiple CCs and multiple tempos, I use those often too..

might be cool to have a MIDI baton and allow someone to conduct the virtual orchestra - feed in the scores and then let the conductor movements providing the timing and directions...

https://www.musanim.com/Tapper/

[rsinger]

I liked the article. As a guitarist I tend to think of recording, which is what I do, but I've been playing a bit with orchestration and after reading Jerry's article I see MIDI orchestration more like painting.