Piano musings: "Mercury"

It appears I've been neglecting my blog quite a bit recently.....

I've been up to my ears in work commitments. Alas, retail  is a cruel mistress. But as always - there is plenty of time for music and I finally got around to securing myself a piano simulator. Which is frankly incredible, as the piano is my favourite means of composing! I wanted the best of the best and I researched all possible software before discovering "Mercury" for Kontakt by Waves Factory. It's a HUGE sample factory based on Freddie Mercury's Fazioli piano which he employed at the turn of the 90's before his untimely death. A huge chunk of his work from "Innuendo" and "Made In Heaven" were either composed or performed on this particular piano, which now resides in "Metropolis Studios", London.

I'm frankly blown away by the sound. It is truly remarkable, but due to such a huge amount of sampling it is quite taxing on the CPU so I don't employ all 5 mic positions at once. Nevertheless it sounds phenomenal and I am looking to using it on some of my pieces very soon. For the curious, here's a demo video:

I am Icarus.

Yep, I am an icon for failed ambition, I flew too close to the sun and am now drowning in my over ambition. My computer hard drive refused to meld with the software and has been over the process of week and a half, in the hands of a technician friend of mine. Suffice to say, my technophobia is back with a bang. I spent a couple of coffee fuelled days and nights trying to solve the problem myself, driving my better half practically insane with my bullish "work, you bastard!" attitude.

It appears that there may be no solution to the problem and it has massively hindered my progress on my e.p. with so many possibilities wiped out in one fell swoop. Last night I was still lamenting it, when I said out to myself "I would've saved a fortune if I'd just bought a duduk....."

  Facepalm. So why didn't I? I've already taught myself how to play any other instrument I wanted to. Naturally in varying degrees of success, but the point being that I can play a tune or compose on each of the instruments I've taught myself and I've always enjoyed learning something new.

In primary school in Ireland (known as Junior High in other worldly places) it's generally accepted that you will receive lessons on how to play the tin whistle (penny whistle) or the recorder. Both wind instruments which are relatively easy to learn. I imagine the scale notes are different but the style of play is similar and I may work on a better lung capacity which though improved is nowhere near before when I just started smoking, of which, FYI, I am currently smoke free for over two years now. Have studied some videos and done a bit of research on prices, which seem very reasonable. Watch this space.

TECHNOPHOBIA PT II

So, I've changed my mind again. I AM going the computer software route after all. I have ordered two important pieces of my musical puzzle to make this e.p. as professional sounding as possible, provided my ailing laptop can withstand it! I purchased my first ever MIDI interface master keyboard:

And the software to go with it:

It's getting pretty exciting now! The Quantum Leap "Silk" software is dedicated to the instruments of Persia, India and The Far East. They are actual recordings of the instruments by some of the finest instrumentalists in their field and contains variations on all single notes for maximum effect. Probably the closest I'll come to working with the actual musicians themselves. Her ladyship, The Magpie, will have one hell of a headache. I guess I should lock the music room door! Don't believe me, take a look HERE. After the Persian String Section, which I am crazy about, skip ahead to 5.54 to hear the Armenian Duduk - phenomenal. I covered it in my last blog. This is exactly where I'm at musically right now. Thanks for reading!

Hmmmmm.....

As I've already covered, I was considering using computer aided effects to help my demo. Upon research I was hit by the unmistakable stench of techno rip off. Best sticking to doing the entire thing in my own human signature. This is not admitting my defeat to technophobia. I have done the research. 

TECHNOPHOBIA!

Yep, it's true. I am a technophobe. Don't get me wrong - I know my way around a computer, such as switching it on and transferring files etc. But if I am presented with an interactive program or application, my brain switches off and I become angry or bored and start to drift off.........ooh a piece of string! I put this all down to the spreadsheet torture forced upon me in school. So as regards to a genuine interest in computers, I was a late bloomer!

But as music moves on, I must move on too. I have decided that the only way to make this E.P. perfect, will require the use of computer wizardry. No, not to manipulate the recording (no pro tools, EVER) but to add a little embellishment to my pre recorded material and improve the production quality accordingly. This will be expensive and time consuming due to needing 4 things:

1. A program to do this. To suit my sound I am looking at "East West Quantum Leap Ra". Est 180 Euros
2. A new dedicated laptop - There's alot of info in these programmes. Est 350-400 Euros
3. A Midi Keyboard - 100 Euros.
4. TIME, MONEY AND PATIENCE.

*Sigh*