Logic Pro: Advanced Bass Articulations

[@theopacalypse]

I know the face so well from fader pro didn't know you had a channel. So much resources here. This channel is underrated.

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Welcome! Hope the FaderPro content has been helpful. There are new episodes here every Wednesday and a new Short every Saturday. Delighted to have you with us!

[@Giannboy1]

Fascinating! Happy to say ver.10.X.X also has some of this feature! (I'll be upgrading soon) Jono, it's like you're leading us through the "hidden tunnels" of Logic Pro! Thanks! Gianni♥

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Great, so glad the videos are proving helpful, Gianni. Hope all's good with you. Thanks as always.

[@KOZGERFWAD]

Thank you so much JB!

[@jonobuchananmusic]

You’re welcome!

[@chrisrodenmusic]

Brilliant again, Jono! I've been playing with this upright bass for a few days and I'm genuinely impressed by its tone. It marries up particularly well with the UAD LA-2A compressor and with the articulations you can really get a musical part out of it. Really seems like a big step forward for Logic.

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Hi Chris! Hope all’s great with you. Absolutely, I think Studio Bass really is quite good and, as you say, streets ahead of what Logic had before in this area. And Bass+LA-2A is always a beautiful combination. I love the fact that the manual for the hardware version says (I’m not quoting directly but I think this is close…) ‘In Compression mode, Ratio is fixed at approximately 2:1. In Limiter mode, Compression is fixed at approximately infinity:1’. “Approximately infinity:1” always makes me smile!

[@chrisrodenmusic]

@@jonobuchananmusic There or there abouts infinity.

[@KOZGERFWAD]

Hi Jono! I'm back because I really needed a great bass part and remembered you had posted this viddy!! My bass line also needed a slide and I cannot thank you enough for making my life so much easier with your clear, concise instructions! Thank you!!!

[@jonobuchananmusic]

You're welcome! And welcome back!

[@danielnice1695]

Christ on a biscuit, once again the mysteries of the track window unfold before me. Had been looking for articulation in the piano roll. Did not know I had to load it in. What would I do without you, Jono👌🏻

[@jonobuchananmusic]

You're welcome, Daniel!

[@frits-barth]

Thanks for this very instructive video, Jono! This new bass gives us a lot of possibilities which I certainly will be using from now on. Thanks again!

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Great, many thanks BF.

[@garygimmestad4272]

It’s a good thing that we can’t create a fully convincing live player with samples and a battery of articulations. But, it’s also a good thing that we can introduce human elements into sampled instruments if only because it causes us to make decisions which require a deeper understanding of what real musicians do. But also, in certain circumstances, close enough works. I’ve done a fair share of pre-recorded incidental music for small, low-budget theatrical productions using sampled instruments. Just one example: I scored a show with several scenes in Paris for which I created a French cafe trio featuring an accordion. I took an accordion lesson, telling my teacher that I just needed to get a feel for the instrument so that I could maximize the human qualities in my sampled recordings. I worked out my melodies on a borrowed accordion, playing them very badly but establishing accordion phrasing and dynamics. Then I replicated those phrases and articulations on my sampled accordion, playing them on a keyboard. Would live have been better? Without question, of course. Not in the budget. There’s an ad from 50s American TV which ended with, “Only her hairdresser knows for sure.” I was able to make the scenes work. Like your bass line. As always, thanks for your excellent instruction. Cheers.

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Thanks so much for sharing that experience, Gary. I couldn't agree more. Whenever the 'real thing' is available, it will always improve productions immeasurably. But sadly, for all kinds of reasons (usually deadlines and budget), we do have to make do with samples. And if driving those a little harder by learning their nuances carefully helps, great! I completely agree that the added benefit is getting to know the capabilities of that instrument a little better too.

[@bani_daciu]

I hope studio acoustic guitar will be available soon

[@jonobuchananmusic]

That does seem like a likely addition to the Studio Instruments at some stage!

[@leefoster4171]

Wonderful - At one point I thought you were going to go all Mick Karn ( Japan ) on us 😃 . Great Stuff JB

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Thanks Lee. Ha! Next time... ; )

[@peterwaringofficial]

And again, more magic is revealed by Merlin Buchanan. Extraordinary. #mindblown

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Goodness, well I’m not sure I deserve that! But huge thanks Peter. I hope all’s great with you.

[@FlyingBystander]

@5:28 Now there's a clip :)

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Ha!

[@evancaldwell7814]

Remember to hit 👍

[@jonobuchananmusic]

👍😉

[@seijichampollion1757]

yeay

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Thanks!

[@rlegnini]

But how do you play articulations in real time instead of manufacturing a part after the fact with tons of tedious editing?

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Via Key Switches from Note C0 upwards.

[@andrew6889-p5c]

Another great one. Thank you. It’s a pity there isn’t a more “natural” way to apply these articulations. Going note by note with a mouse on the piano roll makes it tough get a feel for how to apply each articulation. Maybe if they could be triggered and recorded using a midi controller (perhaps with the pads) someone could play around until they found something that felt right. Is that possible? As a purely philosophical comment. I don’t like the idea of programming bass to make it “sound real” or “sound human”. It’s sound. It’s real. If it’s monotonous and inexpressive then it sucks. But my opinion is that it’s a mistake to try and make a virtual instrument trick someone into sounding “real”. Anything that makes sound is a real instrument. And faking something never makes for interesting music. But this video is useful, because these articulations can be used to make the bass part more expressive and interesting.

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Hi Andrew. Thanks as always for your thoughtful insight. I haven't explored the way that Apple do Articulation Switching for their own Sampled Instruments as they arrive 'pre-loaded' but I suspect they're Key Switches, which means that if you have a multi-octave controller keyboard, or you want to map those Articulations to a set of pads, you can play them in real time, which will save having to do it in post-production. I broadly agree with you in terms of what you've said about 'authenticity' and 'real-sounding' approaches to Sampled Instruments, though I think there is a difference between working with sounds which are taken from recordings of real instruments (sampled instruments, in other words) and much more evidently electronic sounds. You're right, everything is sound, but in some ways those tools have been created for slightly different purposes in most musical contexts. And in the world of media music where samples are a time-saving and budget-necessary choice, learning how to make them sound 'authentic' is part and parcel of the job. Every composer would tell you they'd far rather turn their Studio Bass and Orchestral arrangements into live recordings but there are many reasons why this isn't always possible. But I certainly agree that Instruments like Studio Bass should be thought of for far more than their ability to 'sound real'.

[@andrew6889-p5c]

@@jonobuchananmusic I agree with all this. Thank you.

[@Waldo_Ilowiecki]

Useful as always. You are our benefactor. You prove that expensive plugins are not necessary for production. ❤️ In fact, I really like plugins. I have over 2 thousand 😂 of them, but I am increasingly inclined to use plugins from Logic and a few dozen from outside.

[@jonobuchananmusic]

Hello! I hope all's good with you. And thanks as always for the kind words. There's no doubt that focusing on one set of plug-ins does force us all to learn their capabilities fully. And if we then apply that knowledge to third-party plug-ins, that's all good too!