Saturday, March 12, 2011

Step By Step


I've decided on a new work flow.
Although it sounds like an overly complex way of making music it means that I will get maximum enjoyment out of the various bits of music tech that I own. So here goes, my new approach.
1. I'll use iPhone apps including my newly purchased Octavian to choose a key and a mode for the new track.
2. Writing in key I'll use Chordbot to structure my chord sequence and email out the resulting MIDI file.
3. Import the file into Beaterator on the PS3 and build a complete track and export another MIDI file.
4. Import that file into the QY100 and assign Yamaha XG voices and export an XG MIDI file.
5. Import the XG file into the RM1x and assign different voices and play with parameters to get a finished track.
6. Record this track onto my Tascam 4 track and add other live instruments via processing with the QY100 or the Pod XT Live.
7. Mix to digital from the Tascam to the Zoom H4 and import the wav file into my DAW for mastering.
So that's it. I'm going to post each stage and any MIDI files I create on this blog so that you can build a track in parallel if you want to. This is going to be the anatomy of a track and you're welcome to join in.
I hope you will.

8 comments:

drOffset said...
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drOffset said...
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drOffset said...

Great idea, I'm looking forward to watching the process. I have beaterator too but haven't played with it yet.

MikiStrange said...

Hi drOffset
The PSP version is incredibly powerful as a mini DAW. Unfortunately the iPhone cash in was a terrible piece of software. The only reason I'm taking MIDI out of Beaterator is that the final sound quality isn't great. It'll sound much better when it's transferred to the Yamaha's.

Anonymous said...

excellent, i like this but i'm shocked at the number of processes! my workflow is ios simplesongwriter to get a feel for chord progs, tinkered a bit in prochords, firmed up in chordbot and then either straight to laptop daw or same via music studio or nanostudio. i got beaterator but found access times for sounds on the disc were annoying so havent touched it since. what im REALLY waiting for is a 7inch windows tablet with decent processing power to have my flstudio running. used to have it running on an oqo e2 but screen real-estate just a little too small. want something that'll fit into pocket!

MikiStrange said...

I'm waiting for FL Studio 10 which can't be too far away now. It's what I usually write my tracks in.
Thing is that I have a bit of hardware that needs some love so I decided on this method.
I agree that the load times for sample preview in Beaterator are slow but it's doubtable whether you'd get the exact sound you want which is why I'm aiming for 'as near as' because the voices will be properly assigned at the RM1x stage.
Maybe you should give Beaterator another go and maybe even import the MIDI file into Nanostudio for further tweaking.
Might be a worthwhile project.

Anonymous said...

yep fls is my choice too, just wish i could have it on something that'd fit in my pocket! used to have and love the qy100, was great on the train (even if a little geeky). i'll give beaterator another go, i never truly explored it fully so worth another shot, never thought about the midi export and import into other things, good shout! wish indamixx still had their samsumg q1 loaded monster for sale, they've got fantastic looking new tablet coming out but its 10inch so no good for me again, sigh!

MikiStrange said...

As far as I can tell you can export single patterns and full tracks from Beaterator. They'd drop into FLS no problem. I think it might be worth you getting to know Beaterator again and hanging in there for Sony's new touch screen PSP which will be with us by the end of the year. You can then download Beaterator from PSN and because there's no disk there shouldn't be any lag with sample previewing. I can't wait!