Use velocity smatter for dynamic variation
Problem: lifeless or static patterns
Applying velocity smatter to MIDI notes introduces subtle dynamic variation, making the performance feel more natural and expressive. This is especially useful in genres like techno and house, where subtle changes in…
Use different velocities for varied sound
Problem: monotonous or lifeless MIDI performance
Using different velocity values on MIDI notes can produce a more dynamic and expressive performance. Higher velocities can make notes sound brighter or more aggressive, while lower velocities can add subtlety and nuance.…
Humanize MIDI with a randomizer tool
Problem: stiff or lifeless MIDI performance
Using a randomizer tool like Alt-R can add subtle variations to MIDI notes, making the performance feel more natural and less robotic. This is especially useful for adding groove and character to repetitive patterns or…
Use velocity to differentiate between high and low notes
Problem: lack of dynamic contrast in melody
Assigning higher velocities to upper notes and lower velocities to lower notes can help create a more dynamic and spatially interesting performance. This technique is used in the video to make the higher notes sound more…
Use a MIDI-capable piano for recording and editing performances
Problem: difficulty in editing live piano performances
A MIDI-capable piano like the Yamaha C2X allows for the recording of MIDI data while playing the instrument. This enables producers to edit performances in a DAW, correct mistakes, and send the corrected MIDI back to the…
Use MIDI to re-record piano parts and remove leakage
Problem: piano leakage in recording
By recording the piano player's performance as MIDI, you can play it back through the piano using the same MIDI data, including pedal movements and dynamics. This allows you to re-record the piano with microphones while…
Use scale highlighting to simplify bass note selection
Problem: bassline is dissonant, hard to select notes
Highlighting the scale in the MIDI editor can help simplify the process of selecting notes for the bassline. This technique ensures that the notes used are in key and avoid dissonance, making the bassline more musical…
Raise selected notes in octave for more variation
Problem: monotonous bassline, lack of variation
By raising specific notes in the bassline by an octave, you add harmonic interest and avoid monotony. This technique introduces subtle melodic movement without disrupting the rhythm. It's especially effective in trance…
Use MIDI to control virtual instruments and create basslines
Problem: difficulty in creating and editing basslines
Using MIDI to control virtual instruments like B Bass allows for precise control over the notes and timing of the bassline. This is especially useful in lo-fi production, where the bass needs to complement the kick and…
Use the settings to customize fader behavior
Problem: fader position resets unexpectedly when banking
The Novation FL KEY MK2 has a setting that determines how the faders behave when you bank between pages. By default, the fader jumps to match the previous position, but this can be changed to 'pick up' mode, where the…
Keep the master fader at zero for better control
Problem: accidental changes to master fader
Some producers prefer to keep the master fader at zero to avoid accidental changes. While the software allows the fader to hover near zero, manually resetting it to zero can help maintain a consistent workflow and…
Use the Novation FL KEY MK2 to control plugin parameters
Problem: lack of tactile control over plugin parameters
The Novation FL KEY MK2 can be configured to control plugin parameters, channel volume, or custom settings. This allows for hands-on control of effects, filters, and other parameters, making it easier to tweak sounds in…
Use the chord map feature for quick chord selection
Problem: time-consuming to input chords manually
The Novation FL KEY MK2 has a chord map feature that automatically maps different chord voicings to the pads. This is especially useful for producers who want to quickly access and play chords without needing to manually…
Use user chord mode to input custom chords
Problem: limited chord options in default mode
The Novation FL KEY MK2 allows users to input custom chords into the pads using the 'user chord mode.' This is useful for producers who want to create unique chord progressions or use specific voicings that are not…
Use the on-screen display to identify chords while performing
Problem: difficulty identifying chords during performance
The Novation FL KEY MK2 displays the chord being played on the screen, which is helpful for producers who are not well-versed in music theory or are collaborating with other musicians. This feature allows for better…
Assign encoders to plugin parameters for real-time control
Problem: lack of tactile control over plugin parameters
The encoders on the Novation FL KEY MK2 can be assigned to control plugin parameters, such as filter resonance or cutoff. This allows for hands-on, tactile control of effects and sound design elements, making it easier…
Start with a 37-key MIDI keyboard if you're new to MIDI
Problem: limited key range on 25-key keyboards
For beginners, it's recommended to start with a 37-key MIDI keyboard instead of a 25-key model. While the 25-key is compact and portable, the 37-key offers more keys for greater flexibility, especially when playing…
Automate pitch bend via Ableton's MIDI clip envelope
Problem: rigid pitch bends, lack of dynamics
Configuring the MIDI clip's pitch bend automation in Ableton allows precise control over the modulation. The creator sets the pitch bend amount to 41% and uses the envelope to shape the modulation over time. This…
Use groove to add swing to MIDI clips
Problem: rigid, lifeless rhythms
Applying Ableton's groove template to MIDI clips introduces rhythmic variation by shifting note timings. For house and techno, a 10-20% swing value on the groove template adds subtle humanization to rigid quantized…
Use extended MIDI sequences to avoid re-triggering in leads
Problem: discontinuous lead playback
Creating longer MIDI sequences prevents unwanted re-triggering of lead sounds, ensuring smooth playback in techno tracks. This is particularly important for sustained leads that require continuous note articulation.
Use a MIDI pattern that plays one beat to simulate kick triggers
Problem: no kick available for sidechain trigger
To simulate kick triggers for sidechain compression, create a MIDI pattern that plays exactly one beat. This can be used as a trick source to send to the LFO Tool, ensuring the sidechain is perfectly timed and aligned…
Use Simpler's slice mode for precise MIDI mapping
Problem: inconsistent drum sample triggering
In Ableton, use Simpler's slice mode to split a drum sample into individual hits. Adjust the sensitivity threshold to capture only the loudest transients, then map the slices to MIDI notes for precise control. This…
Use Melodine to transfer chord notes
Problem: missing original MIDI for chord editing
Sam uses Melodine (a MIDI plugin) to extract and transfer chord notes from audio. This is useful when the original MIDI is unavailable. The technique works best with clear, non-overlapping notes. It's a common solution…
Use Melodine to identify MIDI notes from a synth chord
Problem: inaccurate MIDI note transcription
Melodine's waveform display and note detection allows you to click on individual notes to hear their pitch, making it easy to map them to your MIDI track. This is especially useful for complex chords where manual…
Use Span as an alternative to Melodine for MIDI note detection
Problem: no access to Melodine
Span's spectrum analyzer can identify sine wave tones by showing frequency peaks. This works well for monophonic or simple polyphonic chords, though it's less effective for complex waveforms. The technique involves…
Humanize top bass MIDI with swing and envelope adjustments
Problem: mechanical, lifeless bassline
The speaker manually adjusts MIDI notes to add swing (punchiness on every fourth note) and modifies envelopes for a more natural 'flutteriness'. This creates a human-like groove instead of rigid 16th notes. The process…
Balance swing adjustments to avoid disrupting other elements
Problem: over-processing swing
The speaker expresses caution about increasing swing too much, noting it could negatively impact other parts of the track. This highlights the need for moderation when applying swing to MIDI, as excessive groove can…
Use quantize endpoint to prevent MIDI note overlaps
Problem: overlapping MIDI notes, messy timing
Quantizing MIDI with the 'endpoint' setting cuts the end of notes, ensuring they don't overlap unintentionally. This is especially useful for basslines and melodic lines where precise timing is critical. The technique…
Design call and response MIDI patterns for better interaction
Problem: percussion and melodies failing to gel together
Carefully programming complementary MIDI notes between elements creates a musical dialogue that enhances cohesion. This requires intentional note placement rather than random patterns. The technique is especially…
Use MIDI packs to create dynamic lead and pluck sounds
Problem: static lead and pluck sounds lacking movement
MIDI packs like the AIM Studios acid MIDI pack or Trans Essentials can provide a foundation for creating lead and pluck sounds. Even if the MIDI is labeled for a specific sound, you can assign different presets to it for…
Use the same MIDI for pluck and lead for cohesion
Problem: disconnected melodic elements
Using the same MIDI pattern for both pluck and lead sounds can create a sense of cohesion and unity in the track. This technique is common in trance and melodic-techno to ensure that the melodic elements are aligned and…
Use the arpeggiator (ARP) to transform chords into sequences
Problem: static or boring chord progressions
Apply the arpeggiator to a MIDI clip to turn static chords into rhythmic sequences. Adjust the gate and rate settings to control the speed and density of the arpeggio. This is a quick way to add movement and interest to…
Assign velocity to amp for volume control
Problem: lifeless, static bass dynamics
Map MIDI velocity to the amplitude envelope in Serum to control the volume of bass hits. This allows for dynamic variation in the bassline, where ghost notes can be quieter and accented hits louder. This mimics the…
Use MIDI pitch shifting to transpose assets to the correct key
Instead of editing MIDI notes manually, the speaker uses the pitch MIDI effect to shift the entire asset by one semitone. This is an efficient workflow for aligning sounds to the track's key (A-sharp in this case).
Adjust MIDI note ranges to match the timbre of the asset
The speaker moves MIDI notes an octave higher to better suit the selected sound. This ensures the melody sits appropriately in the frequency spectrum and avoids clashing with other elements.
Use a kick roll with MIDI to build tension before the drop
Problem: lack of build-up energy before the drop
Creating a kick roll using MIDI and adjusting the tempo to 116 BPM adds rhythmic energy and anticipation. This technique is common in trance builds to gradually increase intensity before the drop. The MIDI automation…
Limit low bass MIDI range for textural contrast
Problem: bass layers compete in frequency range
The low bass MIDI notes are limited to a narrower range (E to E flat) compared to the main bass layer. This creates textural contrast between the low and high bass layers, ensuring they serve different roles in the mix.…
Move sound down octaves for better fit
Hold shift and press the down arrow in MIDI editor to transpose notes down by an octave.
Create MIDI clip from selected section
Select a part of your MIDI track, press Command Shift M to create a new MIDI clip for easier editing.
Enable audio monitoring in MIDI clips
Click the headphone icon on a MIDI clip to hear the sounds as you draw notes and patterns.
Lower notes in the bass MIDI
To make the bass sound less high-pitched, highlight all notes and use Command + A to select them. Then hold Shift and press down arrow to lower the pitch.
Mistake: Applying global swing to all MIDI instruments
Problem: Unintended timing shifts in non-drum elements
The Channel Rack's global swing control affects every MIDI channel, including synths and bass lines. This creates unintended rhythmic shifts in non-drum elements, making them feel less precise. Producers often overlook…
Disable swing for specific channels via time control settings
Problem: Unwanted swing on non-drum tracks
Right-click the channel's cog menu in the Channel Rack and set 'Swing' to 0% for any instrument you want to exclude from the global swing. This allows precise control over which elements receive rhythmic variation. The…
Humanize notes with velocity, pitch, and stutter steps
Problem: Lifeless, robotic MIDI performance
Use the Step Sequencer's 'Repeat' and 'Stutter' functions to add micro-variations to note timing and velocity. This creates a more organic feel without relying solely on swing. The technique is especially useful for…
Use MIDI to control sample-based bass for flexibility
Problem: difficulty shaping sample-based bass line
Using MIDI to control a sample-based bass allows for greater flexibility in shaping the rhythm and pitch of the bass line. This is a common technique in trance and melodic techno, where precise control over the bass line…
Vary MIDI note lengths for groove
Problem: monotonous rhythm, lack of groove
Adjusting the length of MIDI notes using sustain and release settings can create a more dynamic and groovy feel in the arrangement. Shortening or lengthening notes slightly adds rhythmic variation, which is crucial for…
Use Ableton's Instrument Rack and MIDI clips to create chord progressions
Problem: static, uninteresting chord progressions
This technique allows for flexible chord design. By mapping MIDI clips to an Instrument Rack, producers can easily experiment with different chord voicings and progressions, which is essential for creating melodic hooks…
Sort MIDI notes by source in the matrix section to organize and clean up the arrangement
Problem: chaotic or unmanageable MIDI arrangement
Sorting MIDI notes by source in the matrix section helps producers visualize and manage complex MIDI arrangements. This workflow step ensures that all MIDI events are logically grouped, reducing clutter and making it…