Moonsong

[UNDERWATER BASKETWEAVING]

Alright, here's the deal. I'm new here. I can play songs on the piano. I play them well. However, I don't have a microphone that's worth its weight in pennies. Therefore, I give you this:

It's a big-time WIP. Quality is, as of this moment, crap. My question is this: Is this song of decent enough composition to warrant me actually going out and getting a real microphone (instead of, say, suspending a Rock Band mic from a lampshade, or using the microphone inherent in my crappy laptop)?

Oh and yeah, there are a few mistakes in the playing, sorry about that. At the time of upload, I was too busy to fix it. It's no excuse, but think of this as a beta. With bugs. And very fuzzy sound.

I look forward to comments and criticisms, thank you!

(Nota Bene: the song is from Cavestory, and has the same title as the name of this thread)

[UNDERWATER BASKETWEAVING]

No one has any comments. Great. Awesome.

[jabond23]

Ok, a couple of quick things. First, you might wanna wait longer than 38 minutes before posting a comment like that. Second, you MIGHT wanna let people know what this song is even from. Not everyone knows what Moonsong is and i don't feel much like google-ing it either to find out.

Anyways, aside from that, you seem to be a decent piano player. One suggestion is to get a decent midi keyboard. They only run about $100 for a decent sounding one. I know, i've got an M-audio keyboard. You can also get a decent mic for recording your piano if your recording off an actual piano. The arrangement i guess is ok, but again, i don't know the source so i can't really comment on that yet. Let's get that figured that first.

[Rozovian]

Well if you want a cool piano recording, you kind'a need two mics, a noise-free audio interface/soundcard, a good piano and a good room to play in. You can do it with one mic and a good reverb (and possibly some stereo delay), but the rest still applies.

As already suggested, you'd probably do better to get a midi keyboard (one with weighted keys, as well a pedal (probably sold separately)) and record it as midi and output it with a good piano plugin instead. I think that's cheaper and easier to get good results with. I'm sure someone on this site could render your midi if you can't afford a good piano plugin.

While you're at it, see if you can find some patience too.

Arrangement is imo interpretive enough for the site. Not as sure about performance, but let's just blame that on its wipness, and its sound quality and eq (lack thereof), shall we? There's more in the source that you could use tho, it currently felt like I was waiting for the really cool parts of the source, but they never came. Not sure your chord-based parts count as source, you're probably under Liontamer's 50% guideline if they don't count.

Also, everyone OUGHT TO know Cave Story's music, jabond. Especially after DrumUltimA's take on this same source.

[UNDERWATER BASKETWEAVING]

I am gonna point out that I DID say it was from cavestory. At the bottom of the post.

That two-mic thing sounds pretty good. Maybe if I had another Rock Band Mic...

As for the midi keyboard... I don't like the sound of Midi keyboards. Then again, the one I have is from about 2000. Maybe they're better nowadays. Even so, I don't have the computer to keyboard connector. Do they come with keyboards?

[Dhsu]

The repetitive left hand is going to be a big minus on the panel. I'd suggest varying it up a lot more before submitting.

I wouldn't recommend doing a live recording. Your piano needs tuning, which alone will probably cost close to $100. It also makes a weird rattling noise, which recording equipment will not fix. If you don't have the funds for a MIDI controller, you could collaborate with another pianist on the forums with proper equipment.

Welcome to OCR, and good luck with your arrangement!

[OverCoat]

The rattling actually sounds like a tambourine... you can just say it is your friend on percussion

[Rozovian]

There are some pretty convincing piano stuff done nowadays. You could mean anything when you say "the sound" of midi keyboards", but if you're talking about the notes themselves, you're thinking of whatever samples the keyboard has itself, not what you could connect it to. When just recording the midi data, the keyboard doesn't really have a sound (some stiff like velocity curve differ from keyboard to keyboard, and weighted keys will give you a more piano-like feel when you play), it's all in the sounds you give it. The plugins, whether these be your soundcard's gm samples, some soundfont from the net somewhere, or Alicia's Keys or whatever.

TL;DR? You're wrong.

Midi keyboards come with usb cables nowadays, you just plug into into the computer. Mine cost me about 120€ / $140. A oldskool midi->usb cable for use with older keyboards doesn't cost much either.

Remember that you'll probably want a keyboard with _weighted keys_ if you're a piano person more than you're a keyboards person (pianos have weighted keys, organs do not, midi keyboards... some do, some don't). A pedal might also be a good idea.

[UNDERWATER BASKETWEAVING]

Thanks, all!

The midi keyboard sounds like a pretty neat idea, now. I might want to switch out my old one with a good one, eh?

The buzzing noise is a metal thing used to hold note pages in place that was lying on my piano. I realized this after I recorded, but I'm lazy.

The left hand: Yeah, I need to vary it up. You're right. This is an old video; over the past few months, I've been working on new Left hands. Thanks for the heads-up!

And yeah, the piano hasn't been tuned in a year

Thanks, all!

[Gario]

Yeah, my ears are hurting from the tuning of the piano, but that's more because that reminds me all too much of what my piano sounds like, atm. The arrangement is close enough to the source, IMHO, but Rozo's right in that you could expand on the rest of the source a bit.

It feels like there's too much pedal going on in the music, there. Try to lighten it up a little, 'cause the bottom end bleeds into the rest of the music quite a bit. Perhaps double the releases that you're doing.

Other than what people have already said, I like it. Much love to Cave Story

[Rozovian]

The midi keyboard sounds like a pretty neat idea, now. I might want to switch out my old one with a good one, eh?

All that matters is that you can record the midi data with it, and that you're comfortable playing it. The rest is software, and can be added/changed later.

[UNDERWATER BASKETWEAVING]

You guys sure are helpful!

Hey, check out my thread in Original works if you want some non-recorded stuff.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!