What I'm Up To

[Zoot]

These days, I mainly do backing tracks for my choir. It's fun, but it takes a long time. Most of the stuff I do tends to be "beat heavy" because, by the time you route everything through a PA and stage monitors, the finesse tends to go and the choir need to "hear the beat".

I currently use an iPad with an NI Traktor Audio 2 routed into our 24-channel deck, and am using "One Track" to play the audio as it plays a file and then stops, waiting for the next press of the play button which is ideal in live situations.

This is an example of one of the backing tracks I have done for our upcoming Christmas concerts - it is a backing for the Ukrainian "Carol of the Bells" in the style of Celtic Woman.

https://soundcloud.com/paul_robertshaw/carol-of-the-bells


Celtic Woman Original:

[adam]

have not been able to stream stuff since win 10 update so haven't listened to these but liked your medieval stuff from a few weeks ago

[Chontler]

That sounds fantastic. Great production quality.

[Governmentyard]

Job done there, I'd say. What are you using for the strings? Will we get an update of the recorded performance?

[Zoot]

Job done there, I'd say. What are you using for the strings? Will we get an update of the recorded performance?

The main strings are a combination of Project SAM Symphobia 1 & 2, East West Hollywood Strings, Harmonic Subtones Emotional Cello, and the lead violin is Chris Hein Solo Violin.

As for a finished performance - I'll let you know if the choir learn it in time for our two Christmas concerts - it's hard for vocalists!

[RiK]

The main strings are a combination of Project SAM Symphobia 1 & 2, East West Hollywood Strings, Harmonic Subtones Emotional Cello, and the lead violin is Chris Hein Solo Violin.

Crikey Paul, just how many plug-ins do you own?

Go on, list 'em, I dare you

[Zoot]

Crikey Paul, just how many plug-ins do you own?

Go on, list 'em, I dare you

Errrrr..... give me a month and quite a lot of paper! Some people drink, some people smoke, some people aren't retired - me, I like music-making!

[RiK]

Errrrr..... give me a month and quite a lot of paper!

It's ok, I can wait.

Seriously, I'm interested. Give us the list!

Some people drink, some people smoke, some people aren't retired - me, I like music-making!

Absolutely. A fine way to spend your days too.

[Zoot]

Job done there, I'd say. What are you using for the strings? Will we get an update of the recorded performance?

Well, it's four years down the line, and I never did get a recording of the choir singing "Carol of the Bells" at any of the Xmas concerts that we played it at, although they did learn it, and I was very proud of them as it isn't at all easy.

As we have had a little more time this year, however, I resurrected it as part of various online services that we are doing, and thought that you might like to hear a version with vocals, albeit me only.

[Governmentyard]

Christmas and easter all at once, with this thread resurrection! (Sorry, I don't check in here more than 2-3 times a year anymore!)

Listening to those strings, I don't know what the libraries you use have in terms of dynamic and expression controls but I kept wanting to automate the fades on each note, per the technique in this here video: