“Light In Shadow” (Piano and Banjo (LinnStrument))

[jcub]

”Light In Shadow” was recorded with real acoustic piano followed by a banjo track played live using a LinnStrument as a MIDI controller for Orange Tree Samples Evolution Clawhammer Banjo. The photo was taken in Barcelona, Spain.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/light-in-shadow

[procrastive]

I like this piece a lot. As a banjoist myself I can really appreciate the banjo tone. It doesn't sound that much like clawhammer though, more like Bela Fleck's single string style. (I played bluegrass but I dabbled a bit in clawhammer and have heard world class players in all styles.) The piano was very nice as well.

None of this surprises me. I've never heard a post of yours that wasn't exceptional! Thanks for posting.

[jcub]

I like this piece a lot. As a banjoist myself I can really appreciate the banjo tone. It doesn't sound that much like clawhammer though, more like Bela Fleck's single string style. (I played bluegrass but I dabbled a bit in clawhammer and have heard world class players in all styles.) The piano was very nice as well.

None of this surprises me. I've never heard a post of yours that wasn't exceptional! Thanks for posting.

Thanks so much! Approaching the banjo articulations on the LinnStrument is definitely a challenge and I am not a banjo player. I like the Clawhammer sample library from Orange Tree Samples because it is a mellower sound especially for quieter parts.

[procrastive]

...Approaching the banjo articulations on the LinnStrument is definitely a challenge and I am not a banjo player. I like the Clawhammer sample library from Orange Tree Samples because it is a mellower sound especially for quieter parts.

Banjo tone preferences have been tending toward the mellower side for quite a while now. Bela is a good example of it, but even in the more traditional bluegrass world this is so.

I can kind of imagine the difficulties of using the Linnstrument, versatile as it is, to emulate playing a fretted stringed instrument.

I've never been a keyboard player, although I understand the layout of the notes, and one of the things I find foreign is having to hold down a key to make a note sustain. On all the fretted instruments I've played, it's the reverse - you have to do something to stop the sustain. Even tablature editors work on the keyboard paradigm of notes with defined durations, something you only do on a guitar or banjo if you're playing single note lines.

What articulatiions are offered in the clawhammer library? I've dabbled in creating sfz instruments using samples from my own (physical) instruments, but so far kept it to just the basics with no extra articulations, so I'm curious as to what I could or should try to include.

Again, thanks for sharing all your excellent work!

[wagtunes]

Hey Jeremy, really cool track. How did you mic the piano to get such a clean sound?

[jcub]

Hey Jeremy, really cool track. How did you mic the piano to get such a clean sound?

Thanks. I picked up two Sony C100 microphones on a Black Friday deal. They are set up with one microphone covering the bass part of the piano and one covering the treble side. I use a UAD phase plug in to address any phase cancellation issues.

I was not a believer in these microphones at first, but my brother (the real professional musician/engineer in my family) lent me his to try and I was blown away. They are high resolution microphones. I have a Tascam X8 recorder that is capable of recording at 192 hz. I moved the files into my DAW. I have a relatively recent Mac Mini and it struggles a bit at 192 hz.

I have the microphones “permanently” set up on the piano. When the house is empty I can just turn on the recorder and play.

[jcub]

...Approaching the banjo articulations on the LinnStrument is definitely a challenge and I am not a banjo player. I like the Clawhammer sample library from Orange Tree Samples because it is a mellower sound especially for quieter parts.

Banjo tone preferences have been tending toward the mellower side for quite a while now. Bela is a good example of it, but even in the more traditional bluegrass world this is so.

I can kind of imagine the difficulties of using the Linnstrument, versatile as it is, to emulate playing a fretted stringed instrument.

I've never been a keyboard player, although I understand the layout of the notes, and one of the things I find foreign is having to hold down a key to make a note sustain. On all the fretted instruments I've played, it's the reverse - you have to do something to stop the sustain. Even tablature editors work on the keyboard paradigm of notes with defined durations, something you only do on a guitar or banjo if you're playing single note lines.

What articulatiions are offered in the clawhammer library? I've dabbled in creating sfz instruments using samples from my own (physical) instruments, but so far kept it to just the basics with no extra articulations, so I'm curious as to what I could or should try to include.

Again, thanks for sharing all your excellent work!

The library has a muted articulation and harmonics (I need to check but I think there are a few other variations). I set up the articulations to trigger at different velocity levels. The hardest part for me (as a non-banjo) player is emulating banjo rolls. There is a strumming engine that I have figured out how to use. I do not like to rely on any automated players.

[wagtunes]

Hey Jeremy, really cool track. How did you mic the piano to get such a clean sound?

Thanks. I picked up two Sony C100 microphones on a Black Friday deal. They are set up with one microphone covering the bass part of the piano and one covering the treble side. I use a UAD phase plug in to address any phase cancellation issues.

I was not a believer in these microphones at first, but my brother (the real professional musician/engineer in my family) lent me his to try and I was blown away. They are high resolution microphones. I have a Tascam X8 recorder that is capable of recording at 192 hz. I moved the files into my DAW. I have a relatively recent Mac Mini and it struggles a bit at 192 hz.

I have the microphones “permanently” set up on the piano. When the house is empty I can just turn on the recorder and play.

That is really cool. Well have fun with it. I know I would.

[enroe]

Banjo and piano – a fantastic combination. Initially easy to follow, but then
you occasionally slip into freer playing. At least, that's how it sounds. The
two blend together to create an interesting track. Wonderful!

[jcub]

Thanks very much! Bela Fleck and Chick Corea recorded several duet albums that are amazing and very inspirational.

[aaron aardvark]

jcub,
Thank you for the review! Now your song: interesting both wagtunes and you came out with a song with significant amount of banjo around the same time. Really good piano playing! Did you take piano lessons; if so, for how long? I like the piano playing best, though the banjo adds to the song. Not everyday you hear a piano and banjo song. Parts of the song sound more jazzy than other parts; fine by me. Nice song and recording!

[procrastive]

...I can kind of imagine the difficulties of using the Linnstrument, versatile as it is, to emulate playing a fretted stringed instrument.

I've never been a keyboard player, although I understand the layout of the notes, and one of the things I find foreign is having to hold down a key to make a note sustain. On all the fretted instruments I've played, it's the reverse - you have to do something to stop the sustain. Even tablature editors work on the keyboard paradigm of notes with defined durations, something you only do on a guitar or banjo if you're playing single note lines.

What articulatiions are offered in the clawhammer library? I've dabbled in creating sfz instruments using samples from my own (physical) instruments, but so far kept it to just the basics with no extra articulations, so I'm curious as to what I could or should try to include.

Again, thanks for sharing all your excellent work!

The library has a muted articulation and harmonics (I need to check but I think there are a few other variations). I set up the articulations to trigger at different velocity levels. The hardest part for me (as a non-banjo) player is emulating banjo rolls. There is a strumming engine that I have figured out how to use. I do not like to rely on any automated players.

Thanks for the info on the articulations. I've tried to simulate harmonics in the piano roll by combining a very short loud note an octave below a sustained quieter note, although I've only tried it on a software dobro, not on the banjo sfz.

Emulating a banjo roll on a keyboard controller seems nearly impossible to me because of the need for the roll notes to sustain until they're played again, or a left hand action mutes them (different fingering, chord change... etc). Maybe some kind of sustain button or pedal would help a bit?

[jcub]

jcub,
Thank you for the review! Now your song: interesting both wagtunes and you came out with a song with significant amount of banjo around the same time. Really good piano playing! Did you take piano lessons; if so, for how long? I like the piano playing best, though the banjo adds to the song. Not everyday you hear a piano and banjo song. Parts of the song sound more jazzy than other parts; fine by me. Nice song and recording!

Thanks for the kind words! I was “classically” trained from ages 7-12 before I embarked on my “solo” career . I have jazz and rock players in the family (professional and amateur) who I tried to keep up with. My reading skills definitely need work but I have played actively ever since.

[jcub]

...I can kind of imagine the difficulties of using the Linnstrument, versatile as it is, to emulate playing a fretted stringed instrument.

I've never been a keyboard player, although I understand the layout of the notes, and one of the things I find foreign is having to hold down a key to make a note sustain. On all the fretted instruments I've played, it's the reverse - you have to do something to stop the sustain. Even tablature editors work on the keyboard paradigm of notes with defined durations, something you only do on a guitar or banjo if you're playing single note lines.

What articulatiions are offered in the clawhammer library? I've dabbled in creating sfz instruments using samples from my own (physical) instruments, but so far kept it to just the basics with no extra articulations, so I'm curious as to what I could or should try to include.

Again, thanks for sharing all your excellent work!

The library has a muted articulation and harmonics (I need to check but I think there are a few other variations). I set up the articulations to trigger at different velocity levels. The hardest part for me (as a non-banjo) player is emulating banjo rolls. There is a strumming engine that I have figured out how to use. I do not like to rely on any automated players.

Thanks for the info on the articulations. I've tried to simulate harmonics in the piano roll by combining a very short loud note an octave below a sustained quieter note, although I've only tried it on a software dobro, not on the banjo sfz.

Emulating a banjo roll on a keyboard controller seems nearly impossible to me because of the need for the roll notes to sustain until they're played again, or a left hand action mutes them (different fingering, chord change... etc). Maybe some kind of sustain button or pedal would help a bit?

The Orange Tree and Impact Soundworks libraries all have some kind of automated strumming feature that I have never really learned how to use. I am generally not comfortable with integrated autoplay features (I guess I am a control freak). I have heard demos of these products that sound more authentic than my attempts so maybe I should learn? This is another banjo/piano piece that might work better for single note banjo parts. At some point I am going to just break down, get a banjo and then struggle with the real thing.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/cha ... ds-part-iv

[procrastive]

I like it! Very avant-garde sounding and the banjo sounds quite Fleck-ish. Did I hear the muted articulation in there somewhere, and was that the clawhammer library?

Learning banjo can be quite a rabbit-hole for many, but considering your sky-high talent level, it might be worthwhile if you find the instrument that intriguing. Good banjos can be quite expensive though.