How I Did It
Spinning (ft. Kara Square)by Quarkstar
Uses samples from:
Tools I Used
Ableton
Strings 1: Orchestral Ensemble Essentials
Strings 2: Essential Instrument Collection
Three Pianos: Essential Instrument Collection
Process
I started with a synth line, but it lacked drive. Changing to Piano gave the drive that I wanted.
I wrote a basic piano line on two tracks. I processed the vocals, getting the levels the same and reducing the volume of some words, then placed the vocals and started deconstructing the piano parts, moving them around so they matched the vocals and got the moods and feelings I wanted in each part.
Lots of work rearranging the tune, moving parts from piano to piano, leaving gaps for another piano to play notes, removing duplicate sounds, changing chords,introducing themes that would develop later, etc.
Its made up from over 50 little tunes, all stitched together.
Once I was happy with the vocals and three pianos I started adding the Double Bass, going back into the pianos and matching the bass and Pianos.
Added the Viola and matched that to the rest of the tune.
Added the pizzicato strings and background strings.
Then I adjusted all the levels relative to each other, allowing the piano to swell and fall against each other.
Finally did the equalisation and removing sub-60Hz noises. There are a surprising amount of sub 60Hz noises in the Orchestra.
The Pianos are a little annoying as you can clearly hear the piano mechanism.
Final equalisation and mixing.
27JAN13
After comments on ccmixter that the vocals were inaudible, I realised thet the piano and vocal frequencies were clashing. I created a filter that mirrored Kara's voice frequencies, applied it to one of the Pianos and automated it. The filter is flat when Kara isn't singing and is automated to notch out the Piano frequencies when she is. Seems to work and hope it is more audible.
Other Notes
I was working on a much longer tune when Ableton started crashing every half hour (driver fault). So I was looking for a shorter tune to create while it was being sorted.
This started as a bass line I had lying around. When I heard Kara's spoken word, I wanted to fit something to it, something that would reflect the speed commerce runs at, the non-stop nature of our society. Then contrast that with Kara's dessire for something better.
The bass fitted and I continued working on it.
I really wasn't certain about putting this on ccmixter but a friend persuaded me that it worked.
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