What is a DAW?

[Dave2002]

It occurs to me that some of the features of some DAWs are very similar to light control systems. This idea has been used by bands, as here - https://youtu.be/trFMXJ63Fco where a band uses a DAW (Motu - Digital Performer) to control a DMX based lighting system via DMXIS.

I'm guessing that some systems are really big.

Can the same idea be used for theatre? Stage lighting. Probably. Is anyone doing that - or is the hardware and software very theatre/stage specific?

[Dave2002]

I found this article in Sound on Sound which gives a very good (for me at least) explanation of the kind of things most DAWs do - https://www.soundonsound.com/techniq...o-editing-daws Of course playing with the things gives some clues, but the article describes many of the features, which could help for anyone who's never used or tried one before.

[Dave2002]

I just found this article about converting audio to Midi - https://macprovideo.com/article/logi...in-logic-pro-x

This works with LPX.

I can record a section on an instrument, then convert it to Midi - so as a test I recorded a piece on a soprano recorder, then converted it to Midi, then tried to map it to various virtual instruments. Depending on the implementation, some won't work - or won't work well. For example, there's probably no point in trying to play on a virtual double bass, as the range of that instrument won't overlap the recorder originally used. However it should work with a flute - so the Spitfire Audio in the Discover package works quite well. This is indeed the case - and sounds quite pleasant.

For this kind of application, there's no special need to use good microphones - the one in a laptop should be good enough if all that's required is to pick up the pitches and timing.

Obviously the Midi can be adjusted - quantised differently, and converted into standard notation and checked for accuracy, and if necessary (almost inevitable in a quick test) edited to get a better result.

In the article it states:

Most DAWs come with a time & pitch editing feature nowadays, and often may include another useful capability—the option to convert an audio recording to MIDI.

Is this true for Reaper - or other DAWs which others use? I can maybe test this later, but if someone has done this already with Reaper or Ableton or any other, it'd save me time.

[MrGongGong]

Audio to midi can be used to make things that work like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UJ2RXIEXa4&t=592s

much more interesting than what it is "designed" to do (a bit like the saxophone )


But what you really want is Melodyne ?

[Dave2002]

Audio to midi can be used to make things that work like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UJ2RXIEXa4&t=592s

much more interesting than what it is "designed" to do (a bit like the saxophone )


But what you really want is Melodyne ?

Just noticed this one. The Jonathan Harvey piece is quite a find. How much of it is "electronics"?