# Maurice Ravel for "Lever Du Jour"



## Bernard Asselin (Jan 24, 2005)

Hello guys! 

Recently I acquired a new powerful computer for my Platinum. Now I play on two systems. For the first exercise I made a Midi mockup of this beautiful part of the ?Daphnis et Chlo??. I?m open for advices!

Enjoy!

Lever Du Jour


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## IvanP (Jan 24, 2005)

Bernard, Bravo!

Very hard piece you chose, and it's very well performed 

The background is amazing, the harmony in the woodwinds and the doubling with instruments are very smooth. And the expression is great, I see you conducting orchestras very soon 
Are you using surround mics for those instruments, or is it all mixdown and your custom canvas?

The only thing, If I may say, that I did not like, was the flute, at the beggining and some time later, plus some of the strings, that sounded a bit fake to me, for example at 3.40, it made me come back a bit to the world of samples, but it's just my personal opinion 

Congratulation on your titanic work!

Iv


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## lux (Jan 24, 2005)

He Bernard,

welcome back!! You did a huge work and it sounds very nice, some passages are impressive.
The dynamic is great, its one of your marks in midi mockups.

if I can tell you, I'd try to review some of the flute solo phrases, the upfront ones (thrills expecially).
Also some strings sound a bit abrupt in releases sometimes. Mostly minor things.

I know its difficult to use ewqlso in a classical fashion, so your work is more appreciable also for this reason.

Happy to listen something new from you...it worths the listen, absolutely!

Ciao
Luca


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## Bernard Asselin (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks Yvan! 

The difficulty on some instruments in QLSO is that they are not able to simulate the legato articulation. That?s true for all woodwinds and strings programmes. Also, two notes of the first violin section at 3:40 are in the upper range of the programme. That sounded fake because I used the pitch bend for explode that range. 

Lux,

I?ll review later your advice. Today I?m so tire to listen that piece one more time! 

Also that?s good to see you again!

Folmann,

QLSO is not perfect and I?d prefer to have VSL?s sound to make that mockup. I stay with it because VSL is a hug investment. I play music for fun and that?s the most important. 
The harp glissando is made step by step in the Cubase editor. If you respect the ?pentatonic? scale, the sound will be great in any case.


Thanks for your kind comments.


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## synergy543 (Jan 24, 2005)

Bernard Asselin said:


> Hello guys!
> 
> Recently I acquired a new powerful computer for my Platinum. Now I play on two systems. For the first exercise I made a Midi mockup of this beautiful part of the ?Daphnis et Chlo??. I?m open for advices!
> 
> ...



A mockup exercise? Oh my gawd!

Bernard, that is awesome! I'd call that a bonafide "realization" as it stands on its own as your interpretation.

This is also the first time I've heard an impressionist orchestration done with EWQLSO.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of how you worked on this with Platinum? How did you mix the three sections? Did you work directly from a minature score? Did you do a reduction as a study guide? I'd love to hear more about this.

Gregory D. Moore


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## dcoscina (Jan 24, 2005)

Sounds good. I'm very very familiar with this piece so it's hard to be completely fooled but you've done an amazing job at approximating this famous Ravel piece.


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## José Herring (Jan 24, 2005)

*Dahpnes and Cloe mock-up*

One of the best mock-ups I've heard. I've played the piece before with the Juilliard Orchestra so I know it well.

The only complaint that I have is that it sounds better than the real thing in some respects. The tripelt 32nd not passages I don't think were meant to be that clean. And I've never even hear a recording or performance where those notes change at the same time as the base line in the opening of piece 2. It's kind of a wash of woodwind sound.

But other than that. I was really moved as I would have been by a live performance. 

I was wondering if you used any expression pedal to realize the swells in the string parts or if it was just exp 18 vln.?

Cheers,

Jose


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## handz (Jan 25, 2005)

This is very good Bernard!!! It sounds really live and expressive. 
Must listen it at home instead at work with headphones....


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## christianobermaier (Jan 25, 2005)

Amazing. Very well performed. It must have taken a while to play all those 32nd triplets. Sort of like making confetti with an office puncher 

Christian

http://www.artofthegroove.com/logic/mp3/Christian_Obermaier_demo.mp3 (show reel) http://uk.geocities.com/christianobermaier/home.htm (home page) http://uk.geocities.com/christianobermaier/Studio.htm (studio pics) http://uk.geocities.com/christianobermaier/Gearlist.htm (gear list)


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## Sicmu (Jan 25, 2005)

Hi Bernard,
sounds very realistic and it was not easy to make a rendition of such a complicated piece.
You must now make use of your mastery for your own works !


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## Craig Sharmat (Jan 25, 2005)

Very nice. The ensemble stuff sounds excellent. there are problems of course when individual sections or instruments stick out (not your fault). As stated VSL would have handled that stuff better.


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## Bernard Asselin (Jan 25, 2005)

I?m happy of your reactions. 

Jose has mentioned an important thing on the triplet 32nd woodwinds passages. I?ll see if it?s possible to humanize those passages. VSL seems to be a best tool to recreate easily this style of articulation. 

Gregory,
The process is very simple: I translated the score directly in the sequencer, instrument by instrument, helped by a keyboard controller and the patience. The knowledge is less important than a good ear but necessary. Making a mockup is great to learning how composers orchestrated their works and to find out inspiration for yours. 

Thanks for your fine comments everybody! Now I?m ready to create my own works! :wink:


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## synergy543 (Jan 25, 2005)

Bernard Asselin said:


> IGregory,
> The process is very simple: I translated the score directly in the sequencer, instrument by instrument, helped by a keyboard controller and the patience. The knowledge is less important than a good ear but necessary. Making a mockup is great to learning how composers orchestrated their works and to find out inspiration for yours.
> 
> Thanks for your fine comments! Now I?m ready to create my own works! :wink:


Hi Bernard,

I'm suprised you don't create a guidetrack for such a large work. I would think it hard to keep perspective on the overall picture without a sketch as a guide. Sort of a "substitute" for a conductor. Although I guess you had a clear picture of what you were after from the start. You certainly did a fine job.

I look forward to hearing your own work too.

Gregory D. Moore


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## Bernard Asselin (Jan 25, 2005)

Don?t be anger for my mist language Gregory, but the symphonic score is the musical notation. The work was done by Ravel himself. I don?t know if a reduction would be more useful... but now it?s too late! :lol:

Benny


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## Dr.Quest (Jan 25, 2005)

Beautiful realization! Superb job.
J


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## rJames (Jan 25, 2005)

*Hi, Bernard*

Christian B had just told me that you posted a piece here. I asked him why anyone would want to mock up someone else's music.

After listening, I have no more questions. That piece of music is freaking gorgeous. And as usual you have played it extremely well.

WOW. Maybe the QLegato will help EWQLSO coming soon. I hope so. Its just magic to hear a legato run in VSL.

Big question; what kinds of things have you learned from the mockup? Did you just go for the mockup or did you analyse step by step?

Did you learn more about orchestration or writing do you think?

Great piece. Good to hear from you.


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## Bernard Asselin (Jan 25, 2005)

> Big question; what kinds of things have you learned from the mockup? Did you just go for the mockup or did you analyse step by step?
> 
> Did you learn more about orchestration or writing do you think?



Hi rJames! 

I still learn about Ravel orchestration but my first preoccupation was how working the Platinum with my two computers (my Christmas gift). I remembered one of most powerful works of the last century marking me forever. It?s a good exercise to control samples and theoretic stuff.

I?m also curious to hear QLegato. Do you already ordered the pro upgrade?


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## rJames (Jan 25, 2005)

Yes, I have the update coming, I guess, in March. Looking forward and hoping that the string runs will have a smooth feeling. Those VSL runs just sound so smooth. Nick Phoenix said again at the NAMM show that its not the same as VSL recorded legato but he feels very confidant that it will be a great addition.

I have heard the QLegato in the Rare Instruments demo but its hard to tell what it will be like for all the instruments of the orchestra.

The choirs are really nice. heard them at the show.

I see that you are enjoying your EWQL Platinum.

We are all looking forward to your next musical post. More, more.


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## Frederick Russ (Jan 25, 2005)

Benny this is a lot of work! Good job - keep them coming, and I'm especially looking forward to hearing your own newest compositions on your new music rig.


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