How to Breathe Life into your Midi Parts: Tips for creating a more realistic sound...
In today's world of composing for Films, TV and Video games, being able to craft realistic mockups using orchestral samples is crucial. You might have composed an incredible, emotionally charged piece of music, but if your samples sound flat and lifeless, the quality of your actual music may not be fully appreciated by your listeners.
No matter which sample libraries you're working with, if you're creating orchestral mockups, here are three techniques to help you inject dynamics and breathe life into your compositions, making them truly stand out!
Adjusting Velocities
When working with short articulations like spiccato or pizzicato strings, or for most percussion hits, adjusting the velocities of your Midi notes can significantly add to the realism of your sound.
A note's velocity determines how soft or hard your Virtual Instrument, or sample player, should play that note. Lower velocities usually produce quieter, softer tones, while higher velocities create louder, more intense sounds. Since instrumentalists never play consecutive notes with the exact same force or dynamic, it's essential to add subtle variations to the velocities of your notes. This will bring an extra layer of authenticity to your music:
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Making larger changes to note velocities, in turn creating accents, can alter the rhythm of a selection of notes. Try picking 3 or 4 notes in a measure and increase their velocities significantly. This can create some interesting and sometimes unexpected rhythms.
Using Midi CC's
For articulations with longer held notes, like sustained or legato patches, Midi CCs (continuous controllers or control changes) can be used to add extra musicality and realism to your MIDI performance. These controllers help to shape the musical expression and dynamics, making your samples sound more life-like.
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Modulation
Think of Modulation, Midi CC1, as managing the intensity or tone of a sound. For instance, a softly played Cello produces a gentle, calm tone, but when played loudly, the same note becomes more bold and intense. Most orchestral sample libraries include different dynamic layers for each instrument, and by using Modulation, you allow the sampler to seamlessly crossfade between these layers, altering the tone accordingly.
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Expression
If Modulation controls the tone or intensity of a sound, think of Expression, Midi CC 11 as a volume control—much like how a Violinist would introduce subtle rises and falls in volume to add musicality to a note or phrase. You can achieve the same effect by using the Expression controller, adding those gentle dynamic ramps to your Midi notes:
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Here the Expression (or volume) is rising for a measure, before then coming back down during the next measure.
ā€‹Using multiple Midi CC's
Since tone/intensity and musical dynamics are closely connected, it's best to use both Modulation and Expression together for a more realistic performance.
John Powell once remarked in a masterclass,
"nothing leaves my studio without having at least two MIDI controllers being used in each instrument."
ā€‹Here's a screenshot from one of Lorne Balfe's Cubase Sessions (for the Main Theme from the BBC Series His Dark Materials). Here you can see both Modulation and Expression feature similar data shapes, with a drop generally at the end of each bar:
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Using this approach in your own work can greatly enhance the musicality and expressiveness of your compositions. Aim to use multiple MIDI controllers to add depth and nuance to every instrument in your arrangements.
Want to know more about Modulation and how to breathe life into your music, check out my course 'Cinematic Music Made Easy'.
