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Computer
Music Products
Making
Accompaniment Tracks With MIDI
by Michael Tyler
Computer Music Products
Beginner’s Section
Music recording programs are called "SEQUENCERS" and are
used for creating multi-track recordings for personal or commercial
applications. Music
ministers, home musicians, professional performers, recording studios, and
teachers use sequencer software to produce song arrangements for a variety
of purposes. In performance situations, pre-recorded soundtracks are often used along with live
instrumentalists and vocalists to achieve a
fuller sound enjoyed by larger musical groups. Soundtracks are created
using sequencer software for video and movie backgrounds, radio and TV commercials,
CD production, interactive storybooks, games, and so on.
The most popular sequencer programs are Cakewalk Home Studio , Cakewalk SONAR Studio), Cakewalk SONAR Producer), -these programs offer just about all the features a musician will need for complete music production. (In case you're curious, I currently use Cakewalk SONAR Producer for my own recordings).
When using sequencing software, each instrument's part can be recorded on its own track. As you record each additional part, the previously recorded tracks can be monitored as the new ones are added, until your song becomes a completed ensemble. All modern sequencer programs support digital audio recording in conjunction with MIDI so that you can synchronize vocal and live instrument performances to play along with your MIDI recorded tracks. This is exactly how most of today's professional recording studios make albums, movie soundtracks, commercials and so on. Software-based digital recording has largely replaced analog multi-track tape recorders for music production.
Note: Many sequencer software programs offer a "printable notation" feature (such as the Cakewalk line of products). This is most useful as a proofreading aid, but certainly not intended to replace a full-fledged notation product. Notation software has numerous features used for creating printed scores that a sequencer product is simply not equipped with. If you want software designed specifically for music notation and printing, then you need Notation Software.
Making Your First MIDI Recording
The raw basics of recording a MIDI soundtrack is easier than you may
think. Before you actually start to make your recording though, it is
helpful to organize your thoughts in advance. You need to decide what
instrumentation you are going to use, what the most logical recording
order for the parts will be, and the tempo you can play the parts in at
without making mistakes. Let's use a simple instrumental trio for an
example of how to make your first recording. Our instruments will be
PIANO, BASS, and DRUMS. You will record the drum part first, then piano
and bass. A tempo of 76 will be a nice, easy-going speed for entering the
parts.
STEP 1 - Open your sequencer software on the computer and confirm that the main "Track View" is displayed on your screen. (Most sequencers are in this view already when you first start the program, so you probably won't have to do anything to get to the Track View!).
STEP 2 - Prepare to record by setting up three different tracks, one for each instrument. We'll set up the Piano track first. Select TRACK 1 and name this track "PIANO". Next, you need to assign a MIDI channel to this track. Find the CHANNEL column and assign this track channel "1". Find the "INSTRUMENT" column ( your software may call it the "PATCH" column - it's same thing). Type in the number "1" in this column or simply select the "ACOUSTIC PIANO" sound from your General MIDI instrument list. Now, we need to assign a volume level to this track. Find the column that allows you to enter the volume value and type in a value of "100". (In MIDI, the valid number range for most functions is from "0" to "127". Zero is "minimum" and 127 is "maximum." When we assigned the Piano Track a volume level of 100, this is close to maximum volume.) Find your TEMPO SETTING box and type in a value of "76" to set the tempo for the entire song.
STEP 3 - Now select TRACK 2, name it "BASS," assign this track MIDI channel "2," choose the "FRETLESS BASS" sound from your GM instrument list (or type in number "36"), then enter a volume level value of "90."
STEP 4 - The final preparation is to assign the drums to track number 10. (You could really put the drums on any track you wish, but the "standard of practice" for commercial MIDI recordings suggests putting drums on Track 10.) Select TRACK 10, name it "BASS DRUM and SNARE," assign it MIDI channel "10," and type in a volume level of "80." In the instrument column, type in the number "1" (this selects the General MIDI "STANDARD DRUM KIT").
STEP 5 - While TRACK 10 is selected, play a few notes on your MIDI keyboard and verify that you hear drum sounds. Keep playing notes until you find a BASS DRUM note and a SNARE note. (In a GM instrument, the BASS DRUM is on note #35 and another on note #36. The SNARE is on note #38 and another snare on note #40.) Let's use note #'s 36 and 38 since they are conveniently located side-by-side on your keyboard ( a C-natural and D-natural).
STEP 6 - Let's record the Drum Part. Select Track 10. Find your "RECORD" button and click it. You will have a one or 2 measure count-off with a metronome click. At the end of the count-off, start playing the BASS DRUM on beats 1 and 3, and the SNARE on alternate beats 2 and 4. Not exactly an "exciting" drum track, but it will serve as a rhythm track to follow when recording the piano and bass parts. If you goof, just "undo" your recording and do it over. When you are happy with your drum track, you are ready to record the piano part. (You should now turn off the metronome click, so when you enter the piano and bass parts, you will hear just the drums as your timing reference. Check your software documentation for instruction on how to do this in your particular program.)
STEP 7 - Select Track 1 (the Piano Track). Click the RECORD button, wait for the count-off and play in your piano part in time with the drum track you recorded.
STEP 8 - Select Track 2 (the Bass Track) and play in the bass part in time with the drum and piano parts you recorded earlier.
STEP 9 - You should save your song at this time. Congratulations! You made your first multi-track, multi-instrument MIDI recording! Now you can load and play your "virtual trio" anytime you want.
The steps outlined above can be applied to any multi-track MIDI recording project. Have fun!
Here's How to Transpose Your Song
You can easily transpose any MIDI recording you make. Let's transpose the
song you recorded for this exercise.
STEP 1 - Open your songfile and be sure you are in the TRACK VIEW.
STEP 2 - Select all tracks except any tracks that are on MIDI Channel 10. In this example, select the PIANO and BASS tracks, NOT the BASS DRUM and SNARE track!
STEP 3 - Your software will have a Transpose Function. Usually this function is located under the "EDIT" menu, but check your software documentation if necessary. Once you have found the Transpose function, you can choose an interval, up or down, for the transposition. Make your interval selection and return to the Track View. Click on your PLAY button and you will hear the song playback in the new key. Simple, eh? By the way, you never want to transpose the DRUM Track. If you do, then it will not play the correct drum notes. Only transpose the "melodic" tracks, never tracks assigned to MIDI Channel 10, the drum channel. Just remember when doing a transposition to leave the Drum Track alone and you'll be fine!
Final Comments
Here are a couple things to keep in mind when planning your recording
projects.
When your are deciding what instrumentation to use for a song, remember that you will be limited in the number of different instruments you can have playing at the same time. If you are using a basic GM instrument, you can have up to 15 "melodic" instruments and 1 Drum Kit in the same song. This is because a GM instrument has a total of 16 MIDI channels and you can have only one instrument playing on each channel at a time.
Your MIDI instrument is limited in the number of voices (notes) that are able to play at the same time. A basic GM instrument will allow 24 voices to play simultaneously. If this limit is exceeded, then you will hear dropouts of notes as the song plays back. You will need to learn to work within the limitations of your particular MIDI instrument. Fortunately, many newer GM instruments offer 32 or even 64-voice playback, so it's not as confining as it used to be. Some MIDI instruments even have 32 MIDI channels (16 on one MIDI port and another 16 on a separate MIDI port) giving you a total of 30 melodic instrument playback with two Drum Kits at the same time. This requires the use of a dual-port MIDI interface to be able to take advantage of both MIDI ports in the instrument.
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