Re: [Lmms-users] How to create Blue/Jazz notes

[Raindrops F. S. <rai...@gm...>]

After I posted the idea, I realized that there is a huge roadblock: The
Piano Roll Editor does not allow user to stack instruments like BB Editor.
So you cannot replace specific "normal" notes with "blue" notes.

When these instruments are stacked in the Song Editor, you cannot
interweave the individual notes of different instruments (as in BB Editor).

So the solution would be to add a Pitch knob to the Song Editor, which will
allow both pitch-shifting and pitch-bending of specific notes.

While the pitch-shifting will allow us to create blue notes, the
pitch-bending would allow us to play instruments like Sitar and Veena,
which have gamak (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamaka_%28music%29) in all
their notes.

Indeed, many keyboards have the pitch-shifter pedals and/or knobs.
So if they consider it to be a much-needed control, why not have it
accessible in LMMS too?

Regards,
Narayan


On Mon, Dec 8, 2014 at 11:38 AM, Raindrops From Sky <
rai...@gm...> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I want to add a tip for Jazz/Blue music in the forthcoming version of User
> Manual.
>
> This mail is for those of you who understand Blue/Jazz music.
>
> (*Note*: I am not into Western music at all. The following discussion is
> based on what wikipedia describes. So please be patient and explain the
> nuances in detail, so that I can do justice to the subject in the User
> Manual.)
>
> The core issue is, *how to produce Blue notes that are so essential for
> Jazz/Blue*.
>
> The Piano Editor does not allow us to pitch-shift individual notes.
> The Song-Editor track does not have a separate knob for Pitch. Thus we
> cannot automate it for a specific note.
> The pitch control is available at instrument level, which means any
> constant/automated shift will apply to ALL notes produced by the instrument.
>
> So, the moot point is, with these limitations, how to create blue notes in
> LMMS?
>
> Well, one trick that occurs to me is to add another identical instrument
> to the Song Editor, with its pitch lowered by the required amount.
> Let's call this "worried instrument"! :)
>
> Whenever the "main" instrument is supposed to play a worried note, the
> "worried instrument" plays that same note, which *actually* sounds flat.
>
> If the musician needs to shift different worried notes by different
> amount, he will have to add more "worried instruments", each with a
> different pitch shift.
>
> (This trick is similar to what we do to produce the percussion track in BB
> Editor.)
>
> But I am not sure if this trick would produce an acceptable quality of
> blue/jazz music.
> We need input from a practicing musician of Blue/Jazz genre.
> CAN someone confirm?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Regards,
> Narayan
>