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  4. Best practice: articulations or dynamics first?

  • Best practice: articulations or dynamics first?

    Fabio BiolcatiF
    Fabio BiolcatiF

    Hi All.

    When moulding your works into a DAW, what did you start adjusting first?
    Articulations or dynamics/expression?

    VI Special Edition 1-3, Reaper, MuseScore 3, Notion 3 (collecting dust), vst flotsam and jetsam
  • M
    M

    For me the starting point is Articulations AND velocity (velocity can have a big impact on the sound, depending the instrument).
  • mh-7635M
    mh-7635M

    I'll play a line in on piano if it's fast, or on a patch that covers the general feel of the articulation. Then it's articulation key switching, (via the iPad remote) then dynamics (mod wheel), then any extras like release, attacks, crossfades etc. (again via the iPad remote) .

    Of course, it's all worked out on manuscript first, including articulation and dynamics which takes the guess work away.

    www.mikehewer.com
  • T
    T

    Articulations, because they have different volume levels.
  • PaoloTP
    PaoloTP

    If I'm working with velocity-controlled articulations, dynamics are entered with the notes. If I used velocity xfade, I tend to first add the notes, then the dynamics curves. But I would like to be so confident, to be able to enter curves while recording notes, to make composition faster.

    Paolo
  • Beat KaufmannB
    Beat KaufmannB

    Articulations...

    1. Because as mentioned as well above: The value for the velocity depends on the articulation 

    2. It seems that we choose the articulation also in reality first independent of playing too loud or quiet...

    best

    Beat

    - Tips & Tricks while using Samples of VSL.. see at: https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/vitutorials/ - Tutorial "Mixing an Orchestra": https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/mixing-an-orchestra/
  • W
    W

    Beat Kaufman is right as usual, the articulation must be done first.  I would say a practical approach is to set all dynamics to a medium value, whether note-on velocity or crossfaded, and place articulations in then adjust dynamics.  However one will notice that different articulations will crop up as replacements - for example, a detache instead of staccato, or an Fp instead of sforzando -  as the process is refined.  Sometimes even a sustain turns out better than a portato or dynamic - it all depends on the music at the moment of the line.