Off the Grid # 2

[mevla]

This is another piece done without any BPM ticking behind. Again, smooth and relaxed, piano based, perhaps even intimate. Notes are not exactly falling precisely on the spots. Accent is given to the piano theme, with some synth bass and other synth support.

Another perhaps "pensive" piece, where what was important was to capture the improvisation and not refining it ad vitam aeternam. I also think that I do not have yet the skills required to refine such a spontaneous expression while still keeping its essence.

This said, mixing a solo piano is not easy at all. The pianoteq modeling even has the noises of the hammers and the sustain pedal, which made me smile as this was played on a Novation Launchkey 49 keyboard.

Enjoy. And cheers.

https://soundcloud.com/nominal6/offthegrid-2

[layzer]

is it just me or should piano music never be compressed and loud? ie; @ 00:50 and on.....

[mevla]

Thanks for the comment, much appreciated. I will see about making a mix that has less, if none, and hear the difference.

[BassMasterK]

I really like the feel of this. I think you already nailed the main problem. The bass and piano are not rhythmically synched up a lot of the times and it is distracting. I come from a live music background so I'm not a religious "You must use a click track" person, but the instruments should be together unless they are intentionally not and this didn't sound intentional. I think if that gets cleaned up and the piano sound can get fixed a little this is a really nice piece. Has a nice tv/film short vibe to it.

[Frantz]

The piece is warm and nostalgic.

I wonder if you have a compressor on the master bus that is getting overloaded when the piano and bass are at their loudest.

I agree with BasssMasterK. Going off the grid is good but the instruments are too far out of sync at times. Maybe do another take?

[mevla]

Thanks guys for the comments ! Much appreciated.

I stumbled across a comment Trey Gunn said in a recent documentary about the French band Magma in which he praised the band for not playing 'on the grid' during all those years. It was an eye opener. Since then the challenge set is to respect the initial loose inspiration/improvisation spirit. That piece is clearly not made that way, although somehow I had to get it mixed and 'out there' so I can know it better. And eventually have some feedback about its essence.

It will have to be set against a BPM. The problem is that when it comes to 'building' something, there's currently a definite square approach to it and that has to be put aside in a large measure so that the spontaneity of the initial jest still goes through to the listener after all that work.

Has the playing to be made straight without a BPM ticking, or should the whole piece first be set against it for a rework ? Is there a need for a BPM grid if one wants to aim at a finished product ? I still think it does, although I'm not certain about the arguments. A compressor release does not need to be mathematically set against a BPM, it can be tuned by ear. Same with a delay.

Meanwhile, it's really nice to shut down the metronome and just play and add some tracks without any other consideration. I post such 'unfinished' pieces from time to time. It's very nice to get comments about them when it happens, so thanks again - it means much.

Cheers.

[vurt]

i think the idea has legs, but maybe rather than having the bass and piano go off grid, try the bass hitting the notes on time but with the piano meandering around a little.
that way youll get the relaxed feel but without it just sounding out of time perhaps.

not that ive ever worried about bpm/timing/grids

[Frantz]

I think there are two approaches:

1. Re-record this freeform but make sure the timing of the bass and piano performances coincide more closely.

2. Put the notes "in the grid" but play with the tempo map in your DAW so that the tempo breathes freely.

Like gravity, the grid is always there even if you can't see it.