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Comments
Berlin. Very nice track, too. I remember it. It needs some changing dynamic range, however.
Articulations in and of themselves aren't the issue on iOS. The main issue is memory as the Kontakt powered desktop versions of the Spitfire and Berlin libraries need a huge amount of RAM to playback smoothly even when streaming from disk. A 16GB M1 could easily handle Spitfire/Berlin sections in isolation but they'd likely choke with a full orchestra. I'm making the huge assumption here that there was a hypothetical host and sample player capable of committing massive chunks of RAM for sample playback. iPadOS is most definitely heading in the right direction with regards to per app RAM capabilities, but I can't see many developers catering to the small segment of high-end device owners anytime soon. If they do, they'll be charging desktop prices much like Staffpad.
The genius of Staffpad is the non-real-time playback streaming, which manages to utilise stingy amounts of RAM whilst offering rich playback capabilities.
Steinberg's Dorico could offer an alternative approach to Staffpad on iPadOS if they bring their ace articulation mapping capabilities over from the desktop version. Dorico on iOS is crippled without it for anything other than the simplest of scores. Offering score playback that doesn't recognise articulation markings is pretty much worthless, and Steinberg know it. With the ability to create custom articulation maps that play back via standard AUv3s, Dorico becomes a whole new proposition. It wouldn't beat Staffpad for traditional orchestral scores but being able to play AUv3s and have them recognise more than note values and dynamics will be a very creative workflow for those that a versed in notation. You'd need to think creatively to make the most of articulation mapping as most AUv3s on iOS don't provide the usual articulation switching mechanisms of desktop samplers so you'll end up using multiple instances of the same plugin to trigger each articulation but this is still a memory friendly way of working.
The reason I mention Dorico is that as long as you're using non sample playback based AUv3s there's no reason why current iOS hardware going back a few generations couldn't handle the same amount of articulations as the typical high-end Staffpad library. The thing that currently stops this from being possible is having the ability to create custom articulation playback templates (as offered in the desktop version of Dorico).
BTW here's that Google Doc that details all the available articulations in Staffpad premium libraries. Very useful as an aide-mémoire.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1usBYJs8MVzwrVtUlc9Xz6RFd81Yc7_bkCPPkix_acCk
I don't really see Dorico and Staffpad as competitive products and happily use both (but I rarely use Dorico on iPad as it's too crippled to be useful as things stand).
These are really good, @McD!
You see the music production world from the POV of a Pro that brings in money to purchase all the best toys. Since many products are being migrated to iPads it's great to have your input. Maybe you'll share some tips on finding ways to use these skills to generate income
and a few war stories.
A couple years ago we had an 'Ask the Artist" series here on the forum.
It started with the Artist providing a brief Bio and then we open up the forum for questions. Do you want to play? Here's are some examples from the archives for people that are on the pro side of the musical spectrum.
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/40807/ask-the-artist-lady-app-titude
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/41017/ask-the-artist-joyceroadstudios
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/41137/ask-the-artist-mlau-laurent-leclere-of-mi-and-lau
Thanks.
I'm basically teaching myself to compose using every computer trick in the book:
cut and paste, MIDI import, re-purposed audio (yet to be mined), auto-transposition and more yet to be discovered.
I also hope someone will take the thread title as a invitation to share something they made.
I'll find some on SoundCloud or the FaceBook group and add them to show what others are doing. Most of the good composers share videos that show the score with the music but soundcloud has more music.
Here's a recent posting from @ScottVanZandt who got me hooked on Staffpad:
Having fun creating with the Berlin Strings... Composing by drawing out ideas and editing the results by ear.
This is a workflow that's akin to "sculpting in clay" using sound. Lots of editing and re-thinking. Sometimes just drawing random sequences but editing to simulate more planning. It will be fun to re-visit this one after I have forgotten it to experience it with some detachment.
One of the reasons I post here on the Audiobus forum is to share music production learnings from outside of the iOS ecosystem. And I find this works best in-situ where the context isn't lost. Some on the AB forum can be a little tribal with regards to iOS as a music production platform so I have to pick my moments where I know the original posters get my intent. Many of the interactions you and have had over the years are very much in this vein.
This was so good. Sounds amazing. Loving the sketches.
Thank you for the listening. I get some touches of Howard Shore's "Lord of the Rings" chord work in this one. I want to look carefully and see what the chords are. StaffPad has some capabilities in chord analysis I think. I'll check the manual and use it on this one.
UPDATE: Staffpad seems to detect chords for piano staff sections but not across a complete string section. Looking at the "Frodo's Doom" sections
(bars 5 and 7) I see that the wrenching emotional tone comes from mixing major and minor in the same chord and hitting the interesting notes in the exposed melody.
At bar 5 it's a C power chord with a Major 7 B up top that resolves to a minor 3rd and 5th. The first time C minor shows up anywhere.
A bar 5 it's an Ab major chord below with a minor 3rd way up top that resolves to a major 7th in the melody. Mixing up major and minor seems to have a special dislocating quality I'd like to use more. I generated these notes
almost randomly but filtered by key signature and adding extra sharps or flats by ear when something sounded amiss.
Adding a major 7th to a minor chord has been a groove mysterioso move for
a long time dating back to "Nature Boy"... "There was a boy...".
Playing a minor 3rd over a major chord is similar to adding a #9.
I just noticed that C minor + M7 and Ab maj #9 differ only in their roots.
Gotta play with this. Here are just the chord from bars 5 and 7 put through some transpositions.
Slowly making my way through this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Lord-Rings-Films-Comprehensive/dp/0739071572/ref=asc_df_0739071572/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312057344057&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3737303359650085271&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051771&hvtargid=pla-468901617783&psc=1
Trying to crack the code on Orchestral Funk. I can't imagine your local symphony pulling this one off at this speed.
Back to the film music vein...
@McD, Procession is that yours? That is really, really wonderful, my compliments, frenq.
Holy cow!
Excellent. What did you use for the squeaky strings here? 😎
I’m a bit confused… did you compose Pet Seminary or embroider on chords from a well known piece?
If it’s the first you have had a musical seachange and I’ll respond more about it… if not, what you did do is still excellent built on Howard Shoreline.
Procession also very good, indeed. We all need something to hang our hat on musically. For me it’s improvisation. For you it has been StaffPad.
Thank you for the energy input.
Spiritual and animal reference... nice.
A bowed CinePerc Waterphone - you could repurpose the audio from this YouTube demo.
I wish Staffpad had more weird instruments. But with audio tracks added I can borrow from anywhere.
Composed. It evolved with lots of editing. There are still notes I'd like to move about. Change pitch is the easiest gesture with the pencil. As you shift the notes it plays the sound so you can touch notes and fix any melodies that are right to your ear. You can also hum and match pitches to input melodies.
Yes. I used the G minor key signature (2 flats) and hand entered F#'s whenever they appeared and that creates the Gm M7 opportunities in the melodies for that minor+major tension that is so modern in musical theory history... modern probably meaning Prokofieff and Stravinsky since the 12 notes are still supreme.
It's a good tool for my lazy habits because it's so interactive... I get lost on the flow of adding notes and hearing the results.
Well, it is truly fantastic that it is your original composition. The melody is superb, IMO. Way beyond anything you have done before. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was cribbed from a Lord Of The Rings chord foundation. Even with that you would have created a beautiful, well crafted melody on top of it. Bravo.
Also, you have finally managed to breathe life into the StaffPad framework. IMO, everything you have done till now, while often good, had a stilted affair with the meter. This sounds very natural, much more like a real orchestra. Do you know if you did anything differently?
I’m proud for you to have created this breakthrough work. Scott Van Zandt, look out!
Btw, laziness can be where it’s at with creativity. After all, it’s so relaxing to be lazy. It makes sense, to me, that good stuff can come out of that. You just found the right tool to fool you into that lazy space. I’m guessing all extraneous thoughts disappear while you’re at it. Time rushes by and you are very focused… in your lazy way.
Once again, simply great. And your musical knowledge, understanding of theory and background experience come to the fore here. I look forward to the next track.
Thanks.
This is a good aspect of Staffpad. You can listen and do spot edits by "sliding" note edits to
dial in a better melody than what you're hearing.
Yes. Making these sketches have taught me to try and avoid having too many active instruments. When you pile on the instruments you get phasing effects and terrible mixes.
So, I set out here to have more of a conversation between parts. Simpler bass line to start and sparse drums that define a rhythm. Then 1 or 2 prominent instruments. I can hear when I added the flute a piccolo that I crossed the line and it sounds less real.
So, like when writing for a specific grouping of talents, you should compose for Staffpad and
edit according to the results. I'm sure real composers get frustrated at this point but for an iPad app it's empowering. The desktop composing tools take it to 11.
Yes. I'm learning and benefitting from the effort. "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"
Huge fan of Scott's work here. He makes Staffpad sing. There's a composer that does staffpad "pastiches" (as he terms them) that set the bar high. He's a master of articulations and dynamics. The "sanding and polishing" of composing.
He also composes modern orchestral works with Staffpad that defy analysis for me:
Laziness also comes from not having a client or a deadline. You're creating for your own entertainment. But getting any response is often so important to light the fuse for more effort. Which reminds me... I need to go look to see if all the work in the Creative thread has comments.
So, do I. I find myself sneaking away in the nighttime to work on a project. Not having interrupts is so important to the process and daytime work is less engrossing. Good headphones help create a "Fortress of Solitude" to get lost in the sounds and the interactive process of editing/composing.
Hammers, mallets, flutes and strings. Jump ahead if you aren't into bug flight... it changes instrumentation about every minute for 6 minutes.
Extra nice at 3:14.
Yes. I generally peak around 3:00. Then light up a cigarette.
Just kidding. No peaks… no smokes. That’s why I create. I need the release.
Thanks for the reaction.
Off topic but can staff pad work with Apple Pencil 1 or does it need the second gen pencil. With staff pad being on sale I bought it. Looking for a used Apple Pencil now
1 is fine.
Yes. All Apple Pencil models are good to go.
Here's an idea for a sketch...
https://forum.audiob.us/uploads/editor/4b/64ootfb9h2l2.png
Yes, you can use Staffpad with Apple Pencil 1 or Apple Pencil 2. However, that doesn't mean you can purchase whichever you want. The Apple Pencil you need is determined by which iPad you're using. Some iPads use Apple Pencil 1 only. Others use Apple Pencil 2 only. See, e.g., : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211029
Yes. The best reason to aim for Pencil 2 is that it charges when attached to the iPad magnetically. I have the Pencil 1 and it often needs a hour of charging before I can get to work. It also uses a little male-to-male lightning adapter and a pencil cover that seem to wander off when ever someone straighten up my clutter. At this point the cover is either thrown out or hidden from me. But I discovered that keeping the m-2-m adapter on the pencil saves the extra steps of seeking for it.
Lately my iPad has been running out of power after a long Staffpad session and keeping pencil and iPad topped off takes planning and attention.
So, a new iPad with more battery support and a Pencil 2 that's ready to go are definitely desired but when I run the configuration I get sticker shock.
Always seeking shortcuts:
I rendered the audio and uploaded to iCloud without any additional editing.
https://forum.audiob.us/uploads/editor/4b/64ootfb9h2l2.png