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Rondo giocoso

Fun piece, I enjoyed it very much. So epic!

Samples could use a bit of work, but you're in the right place.

One thing that stuck out to me is how 'perfect' the accordion runs are. You can hear every individual note and so perfectly quantized. I might try more of a mash-your-hand on the keys approach to make it sound less perfect and more like a real player. Or maybe a sample with less attack. Or slide the midi notes around so it starts slower and accelerates faster to the top of the run.
 
The Efimov accordion is hard to tame, because of its lack of tweakability. No way to set the attacks, velocities... Everything must happen within expression (normally CC1 according to Efimov, here CC11). It was not an easy task. But runs on a 'bayan' can be pretty perfect you know, and that is even not so hard. I am an accordion player and aware of the playability.
Thanks for your comment!
Jos
 
Fun piece, I enjoyed it very much. So epic!

One thing that stuck out to me is how 'perfect' the accordion runs are.

Hi Chillbot,
Thanks for your reply again. Your remark about the piece being too perfect is undoubtedly right, but isn't this a rather 'normal' consequence of working with virtual instruments? If going sloppy and untidy is the new standard to make it more realistic, than we could try to have it played with an amateur orchestra. In my opinion the virtual world is the only one to present the optimal performance. And no matter how, it can never be the goal to replace real music by virtual recordings. That's why I don't bother too much about my music being too perfect or not. As long as it displays my intentions clearly in an acceptable quality, I'm more than satisfied. But of course you're fully right en entitled to your opinion.

And a minor word about the term 'epic'. If there is one expression about music that I utterly dislike, it's the epic word. In most cases it only means huge, loud, massive and bombastic. (Derived from American film music.) I'm definitely the last person on earth to call my music epic. I use a small orchestra here (chamber strings, one flute, one oboe, one clarinet, one bassoon, one horn and one bayan). You can hardly call this strength 'epic'. I had a classical education in literature and music and the word epic originally means the content of a Greek heroic poem (about heroes), and later the same for heroic tales in other languages. The present day meaning is way off the original one and is to my taste used far too often in a context in which it doesn't actually fit. But this consideration is totally off topic. A more appropriate choice of word would maybe have served better here.

Cheers,
Jos
 
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My apologies for the misunderstanding. If you knew me you would know that 90% of what I have to say is meant to be taken as humor or sarcasm or irony or some sort of misguided wit that only I think is funny. It is an involuntary fault.

Your piece is the exact opposite of the general bombastic epicness that is posted around here. I meant it as both a compliment and a joke. I sincerely hope you have not been stewing over it long.

Regarding the accordion runs, you seem to be confusing being played 'poorly' with being played 'realistically'. You do not have to make it sound like a sloppy orchestra. Nor do you want it to sound like a computer. I'm sure everyone has a different method, I will often quantize drums and electric bass to 100%, but piano and harp etc to 70%, and the orchestra not at all. Playing it in naturally instead of programming or step-sequencing also helps. Whatever method you choose, it is just an observation that your bayan runs sound more like a bayan robot to me.
 
No hard feelings at all. I appreciate every opinion, as long as it's constructive. And certainly, you meant it as a positive and helpful remark. But as I stated earlier, it was hard enough to get that result with the bayan! I didn't want to fiddle with it any further and yes, there's lots of room for improvement. But for that, I'll wait for a better virtual instrument.

All the best,
Jos
 
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