Creative SequencingTechniques

Creative Sequencing Techniques

for Music Production

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page i

This page intentionally left blank

Creative Sequencing

Techniques for Music

Production

A practical guide for Logic,

Digital Performer, Cubase and

Pro Tools

Dr Andrea Pejrolo

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD

PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page iii

Focal Press

An imprint of Elsevier

Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP

30 Corporate Drive, Burlington MA 01803

First published 2005

Copyright © 2005 Andrea Pejrolo. All rights reserved

The right of Andrea Pejrolo to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted

in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including

photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means and whether or not

transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written

permission of the copyright holder except in accordance with the provisions of the

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a license issued by

the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, England

W1T 4LP. Applications for the copyright holder’s written permission to reproduce

any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher

Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science and Technology Rights

Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (
44) (0) 1865 843830; fax: (
44) (0) 1865 853333;

e-mail: [email protected]. You may also complete your request on-line via the

Elsevier homepage (www.elsevier.com), by selecting “Customer Support” and then

“Obtaining Permissions”

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN 0 240 51960 4

Typeset by Charon Tec Pvt. Ltd, Chennai, India

www.charontec.com

Printed and bound in Great Britain

For information on all Focal Press publications visit

our website at: www.focalpress.com

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page iv

Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

1 Studio setup 1

1.1 Basic studio information 1

1.2 The project studio 3

1.3 The music equipment 4

1.3.1 The MIDI equipment and MIDI messages 4

1.3.2 Channel Voice messages 7

1.3.3 Channel Mode messages 11

1.3.4 System Real-time messages 15

1.3.5 System Common messages 15

1.3.6 System Exclusive messages (SysEx) 16

1.4 The MIDI devices: controllers, synthesizers, sound modules, and

sequencers 16

1.4.1 The MIDI synthesizer 17

1.4.2 The keyboard controller 17

1.4.3 The sound module 17

1.4.4 The sequencer: an overview 18

1.4.5 Which controller? 20

1.4.6 The sound palette 23

1.5 Connecting the MIDI devices: Daisy Chain and Star Network setups 26

1.5.1 Daisy Chain setup 26

1.5.2 Start Network setup 29

1.5.3 The future of MIDI 30

1.6 The audio equipment 31

1.6.1 The mixing board and the monitors 31

1.6.2 The computer and audio connections 36

1.6.3 The audio interface inputs and outputs 40

1.6.4 Audio interface connections 43

1.6.5 Software and audio interface compatibility 44

1.7 Which software sequencer? 47

1.7.1 The primary goals you plan to achieve with your audio sequencer 47

1.7.2 Ease of use and learning curve 48

1.7.3 Which features suit you best? 48

1.7.4 Other factors to consider 51

1.7.5 What about the computer? 52

v

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page v

1.8 Final considerations and budget issues 55

1.9 Summary 56

1.10 Exercises 57

2 Basic sequencing techniques 59

2.1 Introduction 59

2.2 The sequencer: concepts and review 59

2.3 How a sequencer works and how it is organized 60

2.4 MIDI tracks 62

2.5 Audio tracks 66

2.6 Organizing your projects 69

2.7 Flight-check before takeoff! 70

2.8 The first session: click track and tempo setup 71

2.8.1 Who plays the metronome? 72

2.9 Recording MIDI tracks 73

2.10 Basic MIDI editing techniques 78

2.10.1 The graphic editor 78

2.10.2 Level of Undos 80

2.10.3 The list editor 80

2.10.4 The score editor 81

2.11 Basic principles of MIDI note quantization 82

2.12 Audio track basics 85

2.12.1 Destructive and nondestructive audio editing 88

2.12.2 Playing it nice with the other tracks 90

2.13 Basic automation 93

2.13.1 Static automation 93

2.13.2 Dynamic mix: real-time automation 95

2.13.3 Editing automation data 96

2.14 Practical applications of automation 99

2.14.1 Volume automation 99

2.14.2 Pan automation 100

2.14.3 Mute automation 101

2.15 Summary and conclusion 101

2.16 Exercises 102

3 Intermediate sequencing techniques 104

3.1 Introduction 104

3.2 Groove quantization and the “humanize” function 104

3.2.1 Quantization filters 105

3.2.2 Swing quantization 109

3.2.3 Groove quantization 111

3.3 Layering of MIDI tracks 113

3.4 Layering of MIDI and audio tracks 115

3.5 Alternative MIDI track editing techniques: the drum editor 116

3.6 Alternative MIDI controllers 119

3.6.1 Guitar/Bass-to-MIDI converters 119

3.6.2 MIDI drums and pads 121

3.6.3 MIDI wind controllers 122

vi Contents

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page vi

3.7 Complex tempo tracks: tempo and meter changes 123

3.7.1 Creative use of tempo changes 126

3.8 Tempo changes and audio tracks 129

3.8.1 Time-stretching audio files 129

3.9 Synchronization 132

3.9.1 Synchronization of nonlinear machines 133

3.9.2 Sequencer setup for MC and MTC synchronization 136

3.10 Safeguard your work: back it up! 138

3.10.1 Backup and archive 139

3.10.2 How to calculate the size of a session 141

3.11 Summary and conclusion 142

3.12 Exercises 144

4 Advanced sequencing techniques 146

4.1 Introduction 146

4.2 Advanced quantization techniques 146

4.2.1 Custom groove creation 147

4.2.2 Editing a “groove” 147

4.2.3 Audio to MIDI “groove” creation 149

4.2.4 Audio quantization 153

4.3 Advanced editing techniques 159

4.3.1 Advanced MIDI editors 159

4.3.2 “Offline” global MIDI data transformers 159

4.3.3 “Real-time” MIDI effects 168

4.4 Overview of audio track effects 172

4.4.1 “Insert” effects 173

4.4.2 “Send” effects 174

4.5 Working with video: importing and exporting QuickTime movies 176

4.6 SMPTE: synchronization of linear to nonlinear machines 180

4.7 MIDI System Exclusive messages: the “MIDI dump” function 184

4.8 Summary and conclusion 188

4.9 Exercises 191

5 Elements of MIDI orchestration 193

5.1 Introduction 193

5.2 The rhythm section 194

5.2.1 The piano 194

5.2.2 The guitar 198

5.2.3 The bass 200

5.2.4 Drums and percussion 201

5.3 The string section: overview 204

5.3.1 Sequencing strings 206

5.3.2 Sonorities and sound libraries 206

5.3.3 Panning and reverb settings 209

5.4 Wind instruments: overview 211

5.4.1 The brass section: the trumpet and the flugelhorn 212

5.4.2 The trombone 213

5.4.3 The French horn 214

Contents vii

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page vii

5.4.4 The tuba 215

5.4.5 Sequencing brass: libraries, pan, and reverb 215

5.5 The woodwinds: overview 216

5.5.1 The saxophones 216

5.5.2 The flutes 218

5.5.3 The clarinets 219

5.5.4 The oboe and the English horn 220

5.5.5 The bassoon and the contrabassoon 221

5.6 The synthesizer: overview 222

5.6.1 Hardware and software synthesizers 223

5.6.2 Synthesis techniques 224

5.6.3 Analog subtractive synthesis 225

5.6.4 Additive synthesis 227

5.6.5 Frequency modulation synthesis 228

5.6.6 Wavetable synthesis 229

5.6.7 Sampling 230

5.6.8 Physical modeling synthesis 231

5.6.9 Granular synthesis 233

5.7 Summary and conclusion 234

5.8 Exercises 239

6 The final mix 241

6.1 Introduction 241

6.2 The mixing stage: overview 242

6.2.1 Track organization and submixes 245

6.2.2 The “rough” mix 247

6.3 Panning 247

6.3.1 Balance 248

6.3.2 Frequency placement 248

6.4 Reverberation and ambience effects 249

6.4.1 Specific reverb settings for DP, CSX, LP, and PT 252

6.4.2 Convolution reverb: Logic Pro’s Space Designer 253

6.5 Equalization 260

6.5.1 Equalizers in DP, CSX, PT, and LP 264

6.6 Dynamic effects: compressor, limiter, expander, and gate 268

6.6.1 Dynamic effects in DP, PT, CSX, and LP 270

6.7 Bounce to disk 275

6.7.1 Audio file formats 280

6.8 Premastering: introduction 283

6.8.1 The premastering process: to normalize or not? 283

6.8.2 Premastering equalization 284

6.8.3 Multiband compression 286

6.8.4 The limiter 288

6.9 Summary and conclusion 292

6.10 Exercises 295

Appendix: List of examples contained on the CD-ROM 296

Index 299

viii Contents

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page viii

Acknowledgments

This book is the result of years of training and passionate sessions spent in front of a com￾puter and a sequencer. I want to thank all the people that in one way or another have had

an impact on my education, musical growth, and musical life over the years. First of all my

dear wife, Irache, a never-ending resource for energy, assistance, and enthusiasm. I gratefully

acknowledge the immense support and help of my family, relatives, and friends. In particular,

I would like to thank my parents, Rosalba and Gianni, and my dear friend Nella. A special

thanks goes to my brother Luca, who is responsible for exposing me, at a very early age, to

MIDI and to the immense power of music, and to my brother Marco, who keeps reminding

me every day through several exceptional collaborations how lucky I am to be able to share

my music with other people.

A very special vote of appreciation goes to my dear friends and mentors from Manhattan

School of Music, Richard De Rosa, Garry Dial, and Richard Sussman. Through their help,

knowledge, and encouragement I have been able to grow not only musically but also

personally.

I would like to thank the technical reviewer, Kurt J. Biederwolf from Berklee College of

Music, for his extremely helpful contribution in fine-tuning some of the technical details of

this book. A special thanks goes to Beth Howard, Emma Baxter, Margaret Denley and

Georgia Kennedy from Elsevier U.K. for the interest they showed in the idea for this book

and for their precious support.

And finally, a big thanks to my friends and colleagues: Terre Roche, Dion and Livia Driver,

Jim Oakar, John Wineglass, Gal Ziv, Lisa Nardi, Victor Girgenti, Mike Richmond, Robert

Rowe, Ron Sadoff, The New England Institute of Art in Boston, Berklee College of Music,

the Institute of Audio Research in New York, The Audio Recording Technology Institute in

Long Island, Francesco Avato, Jonathan Scott and Martin Kiszko in Bristol, U.K., and many

others.

ix

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page ix

This page intentionally left blank

Introduction

This book covers the four main sequencers used in professional production environments—

ProTools, Digital Performer, Cubase SX, and Logic Pro—and how to get the most out of

them, by explaining and revealing advanced techniques such as groove quantizing, sounds

layering, tap tempo, creative meter and tempo changes, advanced use of plug-ins automa￾tion, and synchronization of linear and nonlinear machines, just to mention a few. The sub￾jects are approached from both the technical and the musical points of view in order to

provide the modern composer/producer with tools and inside views on how to treat MIDI

and DAWs as the orchestra and musicians of the 21st century.

The main thing that inspired me to write this book was the incredible potential concealed in

the modern production tools and in the existing software applications available to contempo￾rary composers and producers. Unfortunately, most of the time these tools are used in very

mechanical and nonmusical ways, reducing and limiting not only the potential of the technol￾ogy involved but also (and mainly) the potential of the composers that utilize these incredibly

powerful tools for their productions. In this book I bridge the two “worlds,” trying to bring

the term music technology back to its original connotation: a way to produce music through

the help of technology. I want to stress the “help” factor that technology offers to the music

production process, since this is what technology is, a tool to help expand and improve the

creation process on which the composer relies. Technology applied to music is not the goal of

the production process but can be seen as the thread that guides and joins the inspirational

process with the final product. In this book you will learn sequencing techniques that always

relate to practical aspects of music production, and they are explained as much as possible in

a simple yet thorough way. Thus I will refer often to the MIDI/audio computer workstation as

“the orchestra of the 21st century,” since modern composers find themselves more and

more treating the MIDI and audio setup as the virtual musicians for whom they are writing.

The MIDI standard plus a professional sequencing program represent the modern score

paper, and they provide an extremely flexible medium both for sketching ideas and for full￾scale productions. I don’t see this approach as limiting in terms of flexibility and sonorities; in

fact I believe the opposite. The use of new sounds, techniques, and tools can only expand and

improve the palette of contemporary composers, orchestrators, and producers. The reason

I decided to take on the four main sequencers at the same time is my belief that these days

both professional and beginner musicians need to be able to master and program all of these

sequencers in order to have an edge on the competition. It is not enough anymore to be famil￾iar with only one or two applications. It is crucial to be comfortable with all of them, not only

to expand one’s opportunities, but also to be able to take advantage of specific features that

are available only in certain applications. This approach will help you enhance considerably

xi

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page xi

your palette and tools when it comes to sequencing and music production. Each technique

explained in this book is first presented on a general level and then further developed with

examples and practical applications for each sequencer.

This book was written with four main categories of readers in mind: the professional

acoustic composer, the professional MIDI composer, the college educator along with his/her

students, and the beginner. The professional acoustic composer who has been “afraid” to

approach the digital MIDI and audio workstation or who has been using only basic sequencing

techniques will be able to greatly improve her/his skills and will find a familiar environment,

since references are made with a musical approach to sequencing in mind. Seasoned MIDI

programmers and producers can take great advantage of the multiple environments on

which this book is based. With the help of the provided examples and techniques for each of

the four main sequencers used in the industry, they can quickly learn for all the other appli￾cations the same tools with which they are already familiar on a certain sequencer, giving

them an advantage over their competition. College educators and students can use this

manual not only for introductory to intermediate MIDI and sequencing classes but also for

more advanced MIDI orchestration and production courses. The summary and exercise

sections at the end of each chapter were specially designed for educational applications.

Beginner readers will be amazed at the improvement in their sequencing skills from reading

just a few chapters and using the included exercises to further improve their techniques.

In the first chapter I cover the needs and solutions for a problem-free project studio, in order

to enhance the creative flow involved in a production session. In Chapters 2, 3, and 4

I guide readers through, respectively, basic, intermediate, and advanced sequencing tech￾niques, targeted at improving the overall quality of their productions. These chapters will

help readers to reach a professional level in terms of MIDI orchestration and programming

using the leading and most advanced digital audio sequencers available on the market.

Chapter 5 is dedicated to MIDI orchestration. Here you will learn how to orchestrate for

the MIDI ensemble and how to get the most out of your gear. This chapter covers not only

acoustic instruments but also synthesizers and some of the most common synthesis

techniques available at the moment. Chapter 6 focuses on the final mix and on the

premastering process. Here you will learn mixing techniques that take advantage of the

plug-in technology. How to maximize the use of effects such as reverb, compressor, limiter,

and equalizer, among many others, is crucial to bring your productions to the next level.

At the end of each chapter you will find a comprehensive summary of the concepts and

techniques explained in it and a series of exercises oriented to provide practical applica￾tions and to further develop the notions learned. These two sections are helpful for both

the professional and the student. They provide the former with a quick reference for several

techniques and ideas, while the latter can take advantage of their concise layout to become

further familiar with the concepts just learned.

The book includes examples of arrangements and sequencing techniques on the bundled CD.

They serve the purpose of better demonstrating how to avoid common mistakes as well

as how to fix them. Here you can find loops, templates, and comprehensive audio examples

to use as a starting point for your productions.

Learn the technology in every detail, but always let the creative flow guide your music.

Now let’s begin.

xii Introduction

Prelims.qxd 12/16/04 11:51 AM Page xii

1

1Studio Setup

1.1 Basic studio information

Here we go. You are now ready to take the next step in sequencing techniques in order to

improve the quality of your productions. Remember that the final quality of your music

depends on many variables, including your skills with and knowledge of sequencing tech￾niques, the equipment you use, the software, and the environment (meaning essentially

the studio) in which you work. In fact the studio is one of the most important elements

involved in the creative process of composing your music. I am not talking just in terms of

equipment and machines (which I will discuss in detail in a moment), but also in terms of

comfort and ease of use of the working environment, qualities that are essential if you are

going to spend many hours composing and sequencing your projects. Your studio should

have good illumination, both natural and artificial. If you are going to use electric light as a

main source for illumination, try to avoid lights with dimmer switches, since they are

known for causing interference with studio recording equipment. Acoustic isolation and

acoustic treatment of the room are also important elements that will help avoid external

noises and create well-balanced mixes.

Even though the subject of acoustic isolation and treatment goes beyond the scope of this

manual, here are some basic rules to follow when building your studio. First of all try to

avoid (if possible) perfectly square or rectangular rooms. These are the most problematic

because the parallel walls can create unwanted phasing effects and standing waves. You

will soon realize that, unless you build an environment designed specifically to host a stu￾dio, most rooms are in fact rectangular. Therefore I recommend the use of absorption pan￾els to reduce excessive reverberation caused by reflective and parallel surfaces, such as

flat and smooth walls. Absorption panels (Figure 1.1) help reduce excessive reverberation,

their main function being to stop the reflection of high frequencies. As a rule of thumb, try

to avoid covering your entire studio with absorption panels since this would make your

room a very acoustically dry listening environment, which not only would cause hearing

fatigue but also would mislead your ears during your final mixes.

In order to reduce standing waves, you should use diffusers (Figure 1.2) on the walls and

ceiling of the room. The main purpose of diffusers is to reflect the sound waves at angles

that are different (mostly wider) than the original angle of incidence and thereby to limit

the audio artifacts caused by parallel walls.

Chap-01.qxd 12/14/04 11:38 AM Page 1

The use of bass-traps will help reduce low-frequency standing waves. By placing them in

the top corners of the room you will avoid annoying bass buildup frequencies. In Figure 1.3

you can see a fully acoustically treated studio.

For more detailed information on studio acoustics and studio design I highly recommend

Recording Studio Design, by Philip Newell and published by Focal Press.

2 Creative Sequencing Techniques for Music Production

Figure 1.1 Example of absorption panels (Courtesy of Primacoustic).

Figure 1.2 Example of diffusers (Courtesy of Primacoustic).

Chap-01.qxd 12/14/04 11:38 AM Page 2