Humanization Pro/con ?

[uncle808us]

Personal Thoughts on Humanization of midi tracks.

Can of worms?  Probably.

A bit of back ground on myself. 

I played in my own and others bands thru out my teen years into my 30’s.

I finally can afford Logic.  I am retired.  I'm back into making music. 

During this time I was also learning theory composition, arranging, and songwriting.

The Songwriting being my favorite.

Now I have time to play.

I have logic and other music apps for my Macbook and my iPod.

I score all my music, I do not do Classical but Rock. 

I started sequencing using a Roland MC 101 and a TR909. I wrote everything on Paper then programmed it into the TR 909 and the MC101 synced with Midi.

While doing this I was playing in bands.

No on to how I feel about humanization. 

Neither the TR909 or MC101 had humanization.

Logic does. I am not a fan. 

When I score something that is the way I would like it played.

If I wanted it played off the notes, etc. I'd play it myself.

I think the people hollering about humanization should go ahead with it if that’s what they want.

But don’t bitch about the “midi sound†of other peoples work.

After years of dealing with “Human Players†I'm Thankful for my machines.

Who are at the ready to work don’t show up on cocaine, heroin, various pills and liquors. 

Actually do show up and are not late, do not have to “Play it their way.†

And are capable of playing what I have written.

So as for humanization no thank you. Tried it don’t like it.

If you like it that’s fine with me I won’t complain about you using it.

[uncle808us]

it was a statement. Thanks

[symphonious7]

I'm reluctant to say this, but I will anyway. I've given this same advice to another member recently. It concerns your chosen member photo. Honestly, if you expect folks to take your opinions, music and topics seriously, you should really consider a member photo and profile setup which conveys that desire.

Frankly, yours' does not!

Obviously, the choice is yours, but it would be negligent of me not to at least point it out.

Tom

I had a killer avatar but it wasn't sized right

[uncle808us]

Thanks Tom. I guess you know what's right for everyone.

[MikeRobinson]

Same thread, same creepy avatar icon, exactly the same text, popped up a few days ago on http://www.macjams.com/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=23;showtopic=273121.

[Just1L]

I'm not sure I understand the question. In humanization are you just using a fancy term for having real people play the instruments, or are you talking about doing your "midi" thing and then using a humanization plug-in?

[MikeRobinson]

Lots of things have been written about how to "humanize" a MIDI part ... and I, personally, do not feel that simple randomization of parameters is enough to do it (although it might be a start, if you are in a hurry).  Instead, it needs to consist of things that real-people actually do when they are performing a part on real instruments.  For instance:

• People naturally vary the volume with which they play a part.  (MIDI actually provides two controller channels relating to this, one intended for "expression" and the other for "overall volume.")  For example, when an instrumentalist "comes in," (s)he will naturally dig-in a little bit.  When passing-off to another upcoming solo, (s)he will ease up a bit.
• The chorus of a song is often a few beats-per-minute faster than the verses.
• People also get expressive with dynamics – the "whammy bar" of an electric guitar being the best example of this, but also with guitar fingering techniques (bending the string, hammer-on and pull-off, and so on).
• Within a phrase, certain notes are naturally emphasized more than others.  These notes are often found "on the beat," sometimes where a melody line shifts from turning-up to turning-down or vice versa, and so on.
• Not all notes are exactly a note's length, and they don't all start exactly on the beat.
• During a performance, people naturally vary things a little bit.  Even if you've copy-and-pasted or looped a region several times in a row ... make a copy of that, stick it into the sequence at some more-or-less random position, and do something a little different with just that one.  What "different" is, as with a real performer, is up to you.  (If you're not familiar with the instrument, surf web-sites that talk about techniques that musicians use.)

And to get these things, you simply play with the available DAW features – like "MIDI Draw" in Logic/GB – and with slight fiddling with a few notes on te piano-roll display.  You don't have to fiddle with all of them, either, to get a more realistic effect:  this is a spice.  

 

Just play the part, looping through a small bit of your song, and imagine that you were playing it.  Now, loosen-up a little, imagine that you really had the "chops" to do yourself what you're hearing, do a little "air guitar" like you're used to doing while sitting in your seat in the audience at a concert or stuck-in-traffic in your car  ... observe what you're doing ... then go put some of that "feeling" into the part, a little bit at a time.  (It doesn't take much.)

 

And, then, don't forget that sometimes "very mechanical, sequenced sound" might be exactly what you do want in a part!  I grew up listening to "80's music" when all this stuff was brand-new (and I couldn't afford a bit of it ...), so I actually like the sound of an intricate, well-programmed part that is absolutely locked to the beat.  The "no human could play this" sound is nevertheless very familiar to my ear, and it can work extremely well in contrast to other parts which are "humanized" or "human."

 

Finally ... Even when you are doing something 100% with MIDI and DAWs ... you are "the Performer!"  Yes, the computer might be executing your performance for you, in ways that you physically don't have the "chops" to do by-hand, but nevertheless, this is your Performance.  Therefore, "let 'er rip!"   Perform the part!  "You're on!!"

[uncle808us]

Same thread, same creepy avatar icon, exactly the same text, popped up a few days ago on http://www.macjams.com/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=23;showtopic=273121.

So what?