The World’s Biggest Piece of System’s Music
To celebrate Piano Day 2020, the Pianobook Community is joining together to attempt to create the world’s biggest piece of system’s music.
Inspired by the music of Steve Reich and taking a lead from Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choirs we want you to create you own unique contribution to a unique Piano Day piece. Check out the video for all the info:
How to take part:
- Download the starter park of audio and other instructions (see below).
- Get sync plops lining up in your DAW (tempo 88 BMP) – remove the last sync plop at bar 88.
- Pick an instrument (or instruments) – head over to the Pianobook library for loads of great options.
- Record your part, ensuring you keep the first sync plop. Only mix down your unique parts, no clicks, no original track. Try to come to a natural fade out at the end of the piece.
- Upload your entry to YouTube with the hashtag #pianobookpianoday2020 – list the instruments you used from Pianobook or any other instrument you used.
The deadline for entries is 20th March 2020 (to give us time to edit it all together).
Download Pack
Download packs contain:
- Song/Sequence
- Audio
- MIDI File
- Chord chart
- Instructions / FAQ (also below)
Download pack for LOGIC USERS: http://bit.ly/38a6UK0
Download pack for CUBASE USERS: http://bit.ly/3cjyQ1i
Download pack for PRO TOOLS USERS: http://bit.ly/32AQZDr
Download pack for ABLETON USERS: http://bit.ly/2vopQHL
Download pack for ALL DAWS: http://bit.ly/38dMq3n
Initial instructional film: https://youtu.be/iWuM7fjP-rs
1st Example of a “perfect” submission: https://youtu.be/wnTLyXdeybY
2nd Example of a “perfect” submission (and how to build your own session file): https://youtu.be/UwTCKT4jF3A
Here’s a quick recap.
Open the pianobookpianoday2020 song file into your DAW, if you don’t have this DAW simply follow these steps.
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• Create New Song / Sequence (48k/24bit)
• Set global tempo to 88
• Import all audio in audio file to bar/measure 1
• Check bar/measure 1 has the sync plop band on beat 1
• Check bar/measure 88 has a plop bang on beat 1 of 88.
• If not adjust tempo until it matches beat 1 (not all DAWs count the same)
• If you want further guidance pull in the midi file as well.
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OK so now you’re ready to record, it can be simple, complex, virtuosic but always remember to have fun! Once you’re happy with your track(s) simply follow these guidelines before bouncing down:
1. Correct bad timing but not all timing.
2. Don’t over EQ or compress, raw materials only!
3. No reverbs (other than natural ones!)
4. Musical FX, like delays are OK
5. Mute your metronome
6. Mute my pulses and chords (I have them already, I just need what you’re doing!).
7. Delete last plop (bar 88) but make sure 1st plop is audio
8. Normalise file.
Then simply synchronise with your picture and upload to youtube with the hashtag #pianobookpianoday2020
And remember the most imaginative submissions will get a gift from me…. a beautiful one!
If you’re representing a school, college or university make sure you’re also being fun and inventive and we’ll be sure to gift the winner 6 thats SIX copies of Albion ONE for your faculty.
FAQ
Q: Is there any way of submitting stuff other than YouTube.
A: Regrettably not, the more ways we introduce the more ways we have to marshal, more marshalling, more mistakes!
Q: Can I only use one track / instrument
A: No, but we’d recommend not making your track too dense, try and separate counterpoint, melody, chords, bass. If you feel it should be stemmed simply run these concurrently on your film (with a sync plop at start for each one)
Q: Can I make a second film, a third….
A: Yes, have fun
Q: Does live stuff have to be recorded in a professional studio
A: You can do it in your toilet for all we care, the more picturesque the location the better!
Q: Can I do this with virtual instruments
A: Yes, and there’s loads of free ones at pianobook.co.uk
Q: Do I have to play for the entire track
A: No provided you’ve used the sync plop come in wherever you’d like and leave whenever you please.
Q: When do I have to do this by
A: By the end of play 20th March 2020
Q: What picture do I put up on YouTube to go with it
A: Well ideally you playing it
Q: Do I have to start my track from the beginning of my film?
A: No, in fact we’d rather you didn’t, maybe a quick hello would be nice, BUT MAKE SURE YOU USE THE FIRST SYNC PLOP SO WE CAN LINE IT UP!!!
Q: But I’m shy?
A: How about your fingers playing the thing?
Q: I have terrible nails?
A: Well your sequence running on screen would do (you can do this using screencast or quicktime or some other form of screen capture software) , or some nice scenery near where you live?
Q: How do I let you know I’ve uploaded it
A: You don’t have to, #pianobookpianoday2020 is the handle you need to insert either in the video description or video title, then we’ll find you!!!
Q: What are the terms of the competition?
A: Well its not really a competition, my aim is to gift at least 6 people who have gone that extra mile copies of a new wonderful thing I can’t talk about, or indeed an entire faculty 6 copies of Albion ONE for entries representing educational establishments and have done something clever and fun.
Q: How do I find out more about pianobook and piano day?
A: Go here
Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing your stuff!
