Geoffkhan’s Midi Tutorial

Adding Emotion to Flute Lines

Hi! This tutorial explains how to add emotion to flute/recorder/whatever by use of pitch bends and expression (controller 11). I’d like to say that many of these techniques in this tutorial I spent quite a lot of time developing myself, and they have been made over years of experience. Hopefully this tutorial will give your music a boost without having to go through extra years like I did.

Let’s begin. First of all, here’s a little recorder line I want to fix up.

In the midi, it’s a recorder, but it could be any lead instrument. I just wanted to use a woodwind instrument that didn’t have any vibrato. I find automatic vibrato annoying because I like to make my own vibrato via pitch bends. You’ll see.

Now I add the pitch bends, like this. Take careful note of how I use the pitch bends for vibrato, grace notes, and slides. Click here for the midi file.

And now I add expression (controller 11). The expression controller is really just a volume control. Click here for the midi file.

Finally, add some background stuff and get this. Also notice my little delay effect with some of the instruments. That’s just a duplicated track that’s quieter and delayed by a quarter note. It works pretty well with midis, and greatly enhances the overall quality.

Anyways, I plan on making more tutorials when I get time.