The Band and Mixing

Each composition uses only one DirectMusic Band. I find constructing one Band, with all of the instruments assigned to different pchannels, easier than using multiple Bands and switching between them to change instrument sets. The unlimited number of available pchannels makes this practical and avoids confusion over pattern to Band assignments. It also simplifies the mixing process because it is accomplished within one Band.

I maintain a rough mix via the Band while composing, making adjustments as I go. One of the last stages of the production process is to finalize the mix by fine-tuning the Bands' parameters and setting the AudioPath appropriately. This is far from mixing on a hardware console. The process consists of listening through all the Style/patterns and setting the Band's pchannels when needed. This accomplishes what I call the "general" or "relative" mix. Continuous controller curves within pattern parts provide real-time dynamic instrument motion.

AudioPaths and Effects

DirectMusic AudioPaths offer real-time effect processing and routing. Reverb, echo, and compression add a sense of polish to the music of Russian Squares. Real-time reverb (as opposed to reverb mixed with instrument samples) brings all of the instruments into the same sonic space, creating a consistent-sounding mix. In addition, reverb helps smooth transitions from pattern to pattern. This is because the reverb tails from one pattern carry over into the next pattern, blurring the transition point. Echo enhances the feel of the drum and percussion tracks. A delay time equivalent to a dotted eighth note adds syncopation and helps the rhythms feel solid. Compression punches up certain instruments, such as the synthesized bass in Spin Cycle, making them sound more dense.

Each composition calls for different effect settings and therefore uses its own custom AudioPath. The number of mix groups in an AudioPath equals the number of effect settings needed. Using too many mix groups eats up processor power and takes longer to load. AudioPaths in Russian Squares use three or four mix groups. All of the pchannels are assigned to one of those mix groups, depending on the needed processing. One of the mix groups often remains dry (no effects) for instruments, such as bass parts that do not call for processing.

AudioPath settings for Spin Cycle:

• Mix group 1: no effects

• Mix group 2: Waves reverb 1 (mix –17dB, reverb time 780ms)

• Mix group 3: Waves reverb 2 (mix –5.7dB, reverb time 2640ms)

• Mix group 4: Compression/Echo 1 (wet dry mix 28, feedback 12, left delay 510, right delay 525)

Pattern Creation and Groove Level Assignments

We assigned each pattern a single groove level number. Each composition has 35 patterns assigned to groove levels 10 through 45. We assigned a range of groove levels to each level of the game. The groove level ranges overlap from level to level. For example, we assigned a range of 20 to 27 to the third level of the game (which is where a "new game" starts), while we assigned a range of 24 to 32 to game level four. The player does not hear the highest groove level (i.e., 45) until the last rows of game level nine are being completed.

Patterns contained all the note and continuous controller information of the music. We assigned each pattern part a pchannel via the Band editor. We wrote, implemented, and arranged all of the music for Russian Squares within DirectMusic Producer's Pattern editor. Composing outside the realm of DirectMusic Producer was not practical in this case because we created the sounds specifically for the DLS Level 2 format and Microsoft software synthesizer. We did not have a good way to duplicate the sound set in another format. Despite the 60-to 80-millisecond delay of the software synthesizer, I performed some of the parts in real time using a MIDI keyboard that triggered its own piano sound as reference during recording. I composed much of the music via note-by-note entry using the piano roll interface of the Pattern editor. Copying and pasting similar pattern parts saved some time, but it was a slow process.