MIDI file rendering with GPO5/Standalone Aria player

[ProfOKiev]

Hi,

I have written a number of orchestral compositions in midi format, specifically midi files that have 12-15 tracks, each track assigned a different static instrument (instruments aren't changed over the duration of the composition). I would like to "render" these compositions using a realistic sound bank to produce a good-sounding .wav file. After looking through the user manual of Aria player, I saw that there was an "Offline render mode" for midi files.

For this reason I am considering buying GPO5 with the Aria player, but since there is very little information about the way midi is "rendered" into a sound file I was hoping some of you might be able to answer my concerns:

- Can GPO5/Aria player handle such midi files, up to 15 tracks with different instruments each?

- I will NOT be using any DAW or other sound editing program. Will the standalone Aria player suit my needs?

- In general, does any of you have first-hand experience with midi to wav rendering with GPO5/Aria?

Thanks a lot,

ProfOKiev

[Derrek]

Aria has 16 instrument slots, any one of which can be assigned to any MIDI channel. You can see in the illustration that the Render Offline option gives you a place to name your MIDI input file and give your output (WAV) file a name.

Although Aria has a mixer to balance tracks against each other (which might be overridden by your file's MIDI settings) and a screen to add ambiance or convolution reverb, Aria gives no ability to automate (change) these during rendering (which you might assume if rendering is off line).

I have never done this myself; I am much more comfortable using a DAW or DAW-like aspects of a notation program to turn MIDI files into WAV files.

Good luck with your project.

[ProfOKiev]

Hi Derrek,

Thank you for the informative answer. I will give it a try and in the worst case I can still learn the DAW-midi-Aria player workflow if needed.

Thanks again!

[SysExJohn]

As already answered, yes the ARIA player with GPO5 will do the job.

Be aware though that, like many similar sample players, ARIA does NOT respond to normal MIDI Program Change and Bank Select messages. The sounds that can be loaded into a 'slot' in the ARIA player can be much more complex having many different 'articulations' included within one sample set. You must load them manually and then save your set up as an 'ensemble' file for use again.

Note too that 'note on velocity' does NOT control note volume in legato instruments. It DOES for piano, harpsichord and other plucked or struck instruments, but MIDI 'expression' controls loudness for woodwinds, brass and sustained strings. Note on velocity controls the 'attack' of the note for legato instruments.

If you wish to get smooth 'phrasing' of notes then the notes need to overlap.

In other words there is a wealth of extra control within GPO that allows for much more realistic rendering of orchestral music.

Regards,
John.

[Claudel]

I jump into this discussion to ask a question on MIDI Composition/Orchestration rendering.

My settings:
I have finale 2014.5 and GPO4/Aria player as well as ProTools v12.5.0, but this later has so far been used only sparsely, so the ARIA player. All the tools working on an old iMac (early 2009). Will need to purchase a new MAC to use Protools in full capacity.

My question:
Does anyone know someone who would provide online lessons (I am living in France) on how to use Finale/GPO/Aria in order to produce tracks such as those shown in the demos (http://www.garritan.com/products/person ... dio-demos/)? If yes, I would like to work with such a teacher and reproduce some of these demos.

My goal:
I am classical guitarist and would like to produce -for my own usage- playback tracks of guitar concerti. Currently I have the finale file of the second mouvement of the concerto in A minor of Salvadore Bacarisse (see on youtube https://youtu.be/aiDBhCE1vCY). And I would like to reproduce to the orchestra as much as possible like to audio on the CD). There are many dynamics and expressions that need to be worked out using GPO/Aria player. I'd like to see how far I can get towards this goal using these tools. If not satisfactory I would then jump into the monster ProTools.

Thanks for answer.
Claude

[SysExJohn]

Being able to produce demonstration files such as these requires a number of learned attributes and many, many hours of patient adjustment of each track, probably both in the MIDI and then the audio domain.

First of all a good knowledge of how the various instruments of the orchestra are played. Yes, of course, they're just struck or plucked or scraped or blown into, but the subtleties of expression are the key. So too are timings of notes, whether played early or late, very few can play exactly as notated and wind players have to breath.

Once one understands the real instrument and the detail of how it's played, one then needs to understand how, using MIDI controllers, one can replicate that technique, as nearly as possible. Finale is capable of creating very acceptable renderings on its own, although perhaps not quite as good as some of the demonstrations.

May I suggest that you can make a start by thoroughly reading, perhaps several times, the sections in the GPO4 manual to do with MIDI controllers. I printed them out and read them away from the computer. Then take a musical phrase for any instrument and make sure you can make it play legato by overlapping the notes. Then use the expression controller to inject some life into it. Experiment with the "note on velocity" on the first and subsequent notes. Change the timing of each note away very slightly from being absolutely correct until it sounds human.
If you can, try playing in the notes.

[Claudel]

Many thanks for your quick reply SysExJohn,

I am just in the process you described in last paragraph.

In parallel I follow composition courses that will be completed by end year. Thus, I have also to read a lot on instrumentation and orchestration that will give me quite some knowledge on the way to compose specifically for some instruments and how to play them.

I know the rendering is quite tedious and will take time, but would be good to work with someone who already has a profound experience in this and would teach it. This would tremendously speed up my learning curve.

Thanks again for your answer

[SysExJohn]

Presumably by now you've discovered that you need to invoke a MIDI controller, either CC#102 or CC#64 if you're using DAW software, in order to get a smooth single instrument legato phrase?