Chris Rutkowski, Composer/Pianist

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Step 4: To add virtual instrument tracks to the pure audio in movements 2 and 3.

The Challenges:
Importing another Standard MIDI File from the score in Finale brings along with it the midi tempo commands from the Finale playback, thus nullifying all the hard work done in the beat mapping.

This was a setback. I decided that it was quicker just to enter the tuba part note-by-note in the sequencer in Logic than to try and import the complete part from Finale. Otherwise, I’d have to spend a lot of time editing the Finale part to make sure no extraneous data gets into the Logic file. I’ve found this to be a common procedure when using tech-doing things the long way is often the most efficient and beneficial. E. g. in this case, by re-entering parts after having written them a year earlier, I relearn them and can more effectively lead the next rehearsal. (Bach did a similar thing when he would copy out scores by Telemann or Vivaldi-by doing so he could learn the music in the most comprehensive manner.) The tuba part is very active and rhythmic, and has to be nailed in order to keep the groove, so this accomplishes many goals at once, and thus the long way is actually the shortest.

Another challenge: I created a beat map correspondence for the first part I imported, the trombone, but the tuba plays in large areas where the tbn doesn’t. So a beat map has to be created for those areas. But because creating a beat map actually creates small areas of different tempos, the bars that follow are altered and have to be redone. I had to redo the beat map for about a week. I think I have a work around though: make sure that there are instrumental parts in the sequencer for every bar that you’re going to add them to the pure audio before you beat map. After that, other instrumental parts can be added on top without having to beat map them, and you only have to do it once.

At this point, I have the low brass virtual instruments added to the audio in the third movement, and percussion and low brass/woodwinds in the second, and am quite happy with the result. In the pure audio, the drums were a bit too present, and the bass (i.e., the low brass) weren’t properly balanced. Now, with the active bass parts restored, the groove is much stronger, and the piece considerably more exciting.

Here’s a before and after of b. 94-114 of the second movement.

First the pure audio with no added virtual instruments.
Now the same excerpt with added percussion and low brass/woodwinds. Very dramatic difference, and one that creates a much more effective climax for the movement.

Here’s a link to a nearly complete comp of the audio enhanced by virtual tuba and trombones. Pay attention to the bottom. A further challenge: the bass drum is too boomy. I’m trying to ameliorate this with EQ, but as the audio was mixed down to stereo, I can’t isolate the drums and EQ them individually. More later…