The Key to Realistic-Sounding Performances: Articulations 

I'm in the 1st categorie. Often I change articulation in phrase (stac to spic, long to cuivré, leg to tenut, etc..) with the Logic articulation maps. I even mix articulations in a chord: One note played long and an other played tremolo. If I realy need a very different mix (EQ, rev, delay, etc) for a special articulation I create a dedicated track for it, but I begin by 1 track per instrument. The pads on my controler keyboard (arturia keylab) are dedicated to keyswithes.

Love the velocity key switching. Thank you Christian.

this was really great to see. Thanks Christian!

Great video Christian, thanks! A good reminder of how handy velocity switching can be. I really like using it to activate portamento on solo violin or cello when writing lead parts.

Very helpful, Christian! Thanks

Thanks Christian!! Informative as always!! Loved the long in the tooth reference too!😎

Thank you for the basics!

very cool. lots of cool ideas regarding articulation switching.

Simply cool the whole i have seen😊

Well I just learnt something new. I wish I knew this before! Can’t wait to try it out!!

thank you for the great helpful tutorial

Great video. I recently started using a Korg Micro Key on top of my Kawai VPC1 main controller, and it really what I've been missing for years. The Micro Key is always transposed down so the lowest note is C-2, and I make all my key switching starts there (thankfully, with the latest Spitfire products, the key switches are already down there, so no need to change anything). There just isn't enough space on an 88 key keyboard to accommodate key switches on big tutti presets, so the small keyboard helps. I've actually been contemplating replacing the small Micro Key with a Roli Seaboard, for double use as a key switching keyboard, and having available a different playing technique. But, I also recently added the Monogram controller, and I like having that closer (adding the Seaboard would push it way to the left). It also strikes me that a person doesn't strictly have to be a key switch person, or a one track/stack per articulation person. You can be a little of both. When I make my templates, I don't feel I need to already have every articulation I might use of an instrument on its own track. I kind of view having one instance of an instrument in my template as a foot-in-the-door. Just a single instance can have all of my important tweaks dialed in and ready to go. Then, if I decide I want an additional articulation from that instrument on a separate track, a quick Command-D in Logic gives me another instance on the next track down (and I can quickly add the articulation name). Still saves me a lot of time, because I don't have to go searching for the instrument, or doing the tweaks, and I don't end up with monstrously unwieldy templates.

Very helpful thank you!

The velocity switching technique is boss! My fav.

Thank you so much for this video! I didnt know what key switches were or how to use them, but I do now!!! 😅

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your score for the last episode of Inside No. 9. Great stuff!

Thanks!

Thanks Christian. I'm new to using virtual instruments this is a topic I've been looking for. I'm still learning MIDI composing/arranging using the Abbey Road series and was hoping there was a way to write parts that wouldn't necessarily require separate tracks for each articulation. Any "nuts & bolts" videos such as this are greatly appreciated.

I love using MIDI channels as articulation switchers on BBCSO as well.

Old dog, new tricks? That's me. Cheers Christian always brilliant.

I'm firmly in the 'All articulations in one instance' camp. One articulation per instance is actually quite a pet peeve of mine. I find that it really disrupts my workflow if I have to switch instance when switching articulation, and it makes visually decyphering what's going on by looking at the screen so much harder also. On top of that writing everything with one instance helps with getting into the mind of the performing musician. (You can read the score like they have to, and interpret the emotion of it's lines visually) But, if memory serves, you don't read sheet music, so I suppose this is much less of a factor for you?

I would have thought that you would have assigned key-switching to a thumb button on your cool magnetic midi controller device, next to your two sliders. That way, you wouldn't have to move your left hand away at all. I LOVE your videos!!!

Great video! What is your midi keyboard Christian?

Love your videos, however what kind of cameras are you using to record your monitor for screen your piano and you. I would love to know that. thank you

Yeah ^^

Could you guys possibly make a video on how to develop a theme throughout a film or tv series. Or an in depth scoring of a scene using more unique or neo classical sounds. Thank you and love the videos really helps a 15 year old composer like myself!!

Thank you for nice explaining. My next question would be, how can I manage the loudness between the Aritculations? The Result of course should be homogeneous. With Albion one string legato ending in a staccato i had no success. I would be glad to make some daadaadap!. Is it possible to do this with albion one or should I buy a real String library? I like the Albion one Legato very much. So i would prefer to use this. And showing how to play it was useful, but showing how to record a string melody with a variaty of Articulations would be great. Thank you!

Great!

Can we do velocity based articulation changes in BBC Orchestra?

Its so easy in ARO .But in Kontakt to do with Velocity Range its bit more work.

A "basics" question from me: Is it preferable to "learn" a midi selection for your mod/expression faders, or to set your preferred faders to CC1/CC11? Love the tip on velocity based articulation. One to play with!

What controller is he using to control velocity and modulation??

Christian, if you’d offer these Abbey Road modules in a rent-to-own model the same as NotePerformer’s (no pausing, just cancel) that would mean the world to us overseas buyers - seeing as exchange ratios makes things hard for us.

midi channel gang

The problem with Spitfire audio software, particularly in BBC Symphony Orchestra, and I bought the pro edition, is that it can’t read a score You have to tweak every single note, which is beyond impractical Until you do this it sounds like garbage Some of us like to, you know, actually write out the score - like John Williams or Mozart or Beethoven for that matter At least Sibelius note performer can read the score and it sounds good