Originally Posted by DrDan
Originally Posted by Bass Thumper
This is actually an interesting subject.

Ya, I was also listening to this back in the day... grin Would you like the midi file?


I realize that was the 'machine' playing it, and not meant to be an emulation of the performance.

But

As a flute player, that was terrible. IMO, what's wrong with it?

1) The flute solo isn't and shouldn't be quantized. This sounds robotic
2) There are no dynamics, every not is the same volume
3) The articulation of every note is the same
4) There are no ornaments. grace notes, slurs, etc
5) There is no realistic flute vibrato.

I think if you practiced it on a MIDI keyboard until it's under your fingers, then recorded it in real time with a good physical modeling flute synth patch you could get close enough to a real flute to pull it off.

As a flute player, I do a number of things to get expression out of the solo, including:

1) Changing the tightness/looseness of my embouchure to get more or less air sound
2) Roll the flute a bit in either direction for intonation ornaments
3) Do various things with my oral cavity and throat to change the tone a bit
4) Use vibrato, which on the flute is more volume than pitch change, and not similar to the sine wave LFO on synth patches. It's closer but not like a square wave, and the frequency is seldom constant.

But I play flute, so I listen critically to flute synth patches. I also play sax, guitar, bass, drums, wind synth, and they listened to as critically, too. Plus instruments I don't play.

How does each instrument get their expression? Guitarists bend strings, change the angle and firmness of picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, picking closer to the neck or the bridge, when using fingers for vibrato it's more from the pitch to above the pitch and back, hitting a note a half step flat and bending up to it, and so on.

Sax players change the shape of their oral cavity, adjust their breath support, change the pressure of the lip on the reed, use throat growl, flutter tongue, and so on.

To do a good emulation of an acoustic instrument, first you need to know the limitations and advantages of the instrument. This is defined by the construction. For example, if you use pitch bends on the piano it isn't going to sound like a piano (it might sound good, but it won't sound like a piano).

Once you understand how the instrument gets its expression, it'll help you know what to do to get a MIDI voice sound like the instrument you are trying to emulate.

I hope this helps. It's an acquired skill. When I first started playing synths back in the DX7/TX81z days, I started learning these things. Decades later, I'm a lot better at it now. Each new discovery adds to your knowledge base and will make the music sound better.

Insights and incites by Notes.

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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