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Classical music dynamics in Ableton Live

onnevan

New Member
Hi everyone!
I struggle trying to do the music more dynamic in Ableton, classical techniques are very complicated to replicate, glissandos and rubato for example or making a composition in "free time", with variable bpm. Also the change ¡n volume, intention, accents and all those kind of things, how can I replicate them and sound less machine-made?
 
I think Ableton Live is a brilliant app but it is named "Live" for a reason. I think it is not really a fine choice for "classical techniques."
 
I would consider buying another DAW. One with some sort of notation or staff view, for starters. If you're doing classical you really need to be able to work with the notes (I'm assuming you read music, since you're doing classical). I personally use Sonar, but an older version (8.5). But you can get the artist version of the latest sonar for 99.00 last I knew. It has a great staff view for working, but it's not to be confused with a true notation system. but it does allow infinite scrolling in both dimensions, which allows you to navigate quickly. Some DAWS only let you see a short section of the score. Also, Sonar has good midi functions, and is an all-around great and loaded DAW.
 
Thanks for the answers
No I'm not writing clasical (and can't read music, so Sybelius or other staff daws are not an option for me) just scrore parts for animations and games I'm making, but I'm very interested in classical dynamics and technique. For example, how would you make a piece first on piano, in free tempo and then add strings, winds and percussion and keep all syncrhonized? I mean compose and play a piece with rubato even if slight, and then add other instruments?
 
Thanks for the answers
No I'm not writing clasical (and can't read music, so Sybelius or other staff daws are not an option for me) just scrore parts for animations and games I'm making, but I'm very interested in classical dynamics and technique. For example, how would you make a piece first on piano, in free tempo and then add strings, winds and percussion and keep all syncrhonized? I mean compose and play a piece with rubato even if slight, and then add other instruments?
My mistake! I can't really give you any good advice, as I work with notes. By the same token, I'm a complete ignoramus when it comes to PRV. But I'm sure there are many here who can help. Good luck!
 
it's difficult in any daw... in logic i would do my piano recording, render it to audio and try to reclock the tempo to this audio file. should be possible in live too (though i don't know if live has a tempo list or curve).
 
@ Saxer: Yes it has. So if I understand you, once I record my piano, celeste or whatever keys, I then have to "draw" my tempo curve acordingly?
 
Maybe my question should change to something like "Need advice on applying classical techniques to DAWs" :)
 
You can turn off quantization and metronome in Ableton as well. When I do rubato in a DAW it never aligns with the tempo track.
 
You should probably get Daniel James to comment on this one. Isn't he still using Ableton?
 
Live is a brilliant piece of software for experimental and dance music but for doing media composition it's a pain in the ass. I tried to get along with it for awhile. Switching to Cubase though was such a relief in so many ways I can't tell you. Daniel James gets on with it somehow but he's not building large templates, using expression maps and such. That's where Live really falls apart. Switch if you can...
 
When I first discovered Ableton Live I felt relieved, at last a DAW that was intuitive and didn't get in the way of creating music and composing. I love that, since I'm an intuitive and experimental kind of person, not a technical one, although you have to be technical at some point when creating music. I'm curious where Live is weaker regarding classical composition, what are your opinions? you have pointed a couple, inLight-Tone. Can you be more specific?
 
Any DAW where I cannot see notes on staves is not for me. I am a composer, not an f-ing DJ. :)
Luckly (or not), technolgy allows us, poor musical analphabets to make fantastic things, such as orchestral music. Having said that, I'd preffer to be able to read and write. ;)
 
I agree that you can make wonderful music without understanding musical notation. But, given that it's simple to learn, and is the international language of music, which people all over the world understand, why deprive yourself of such a powerful tool? It's not like learning calculus. Anyone with an IQ in the normal range could learn to do it in a week. If they really wanted to.
 
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