Multiple instruments

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Celtic46
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 9:08 am

Multiple instruments

Post by Celtic46 » Mon Sep 23, 2019 10:06 pm

When you put the same, lets say, trumpet on two tracks
they sound like 1 trumpet double the volume/velocity.
Is a small midi delay possible or other trick/effect to make
them sound more individually.

jestermgee
Posts: 4500
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:38 am

Re: Multiple instruments

Post by jestermgee » Mon Sep 23, 2019 11:54 pm

What is your end goal with having 2 trumpets in your mix?

Are they the same trumpet?
Are they different but playing the exact same part?
Are you wanting to create a stereo field or a fuller sound?

If they basically sound the same when played together, just louder, do you really need the second track?

Assuming for unknown reasons you do, you could try and increase the delay of one track to make it a little later than the other. You could then pan one track a bit left and the other a bit right and that will create a bit of a stereo field.

Personally i'd do some work on the actual MIDI tracks of both to slightly adjust the notes to be at different grid positions, Just a few ticks of each note to be a little off the grids so it sounds a little more natural as if you have 2 different players. That would be the best option but the most time consuming.

Celtic46
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 9:08 am

Re: Multiple instruments

Post by Celtic46 » Tue Sep 24, 2019 7:09 pm

Indeed, like 2 players or more. They sound different then one.
I found no MIDI delay-effect what could do the trick.
Manual delaying 6 players sounds like fun.

TLW
Posts: 809
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 2:37 am

Re: Multiple instruments

Post by TLW » Tue Sep 24, 2019 10:11 pm

Another approach to the MIDI is to duplicate the tracks a few times and add varying amounts of groove to them. Putting a sampler/synth on each and eqing and panning each track slightly differently helps as well.

Or convert the track to audio, duplicate it as many times as you like then use Utility or the track delay to add varying tiny amounts of delay both forwards and backwards in time - a very few milliseconds is usually enough.

Or run a little clean chorus or doubling effect on the audio.

If you’re more than one sampled trumpet/whatever then using different ones for different tracks can help as well. Or using slightly different envelope and filter settings on the samplers.
Live 10 Suite, 2020 27" iMac, 3.6 GHz i9, MacOS Catalina, RME UFX, assorted synths, guitars and stuff.

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