Not AI generated :) What do you use Cantabile for?

Cantabile
1

I’ve been doing a lot of ruminating lately, and seeing the AI post a few minutes ago sparked something I’ve been thinking about lately.

Note: Is there a way to put a poll together in this forum? If so I’ll modify the post to make it easier
**Note 2: I said poll, not pole, so no hijacking the thread to discuss 24db vs 12 db poles :slight_smile: **
While some of us use Cantabile in non-band situations, it seems like most of us end up in one of the following situations:
1. Cover Band
End up playing lots of parts - often things like strings and horns. Sounds have to be good, but “good enough” is the crowd expectations. I have to balance the time it takes to program and learn them. Usually a lot of songs to learn and a lot of parts to sift through.
Everything from Uptown Funk to Freebird.

2. Tribute Band
Very specific. Crowd expects signature sounds to be pretty “spot on.” Songs were originally recorded back in the day (e.g., older bands) and no one expects you to haul your CS80 and CP70b to gigs.
Keyboard players still have to deal with non-keyboard parts (except for horns in horn-specific bands, where we still may need to comp extra parts like bari, french horn, etc.).

3. Original Band
Crowd usually doesn’t have any expectation for specific parts (unless you’re very successful, and then you may have roadies and support to help, and you may be more in the “Tribute Band” category then).

I usually try to get close, but I only have two hands.

4. Worship, Jam night, garage, etc.
Mostly re-arrangements of songs, with a few exceptions. I’ve heard some
Crowd expectation is all about the words and the singers, and with limited rehearsals
Usually get “oohs and ahhs” from other musicians when we bring in good/great/cool sounds.
I’ve also seen some bands treat it like a tribute, but those are few and far between.

5. Other
Solo, backing tracks, etc. that don’t fit specifcially into the above.

OK, the reason I’m asking…

I’m focusing on putting together a large number of songs as a sub, and that requires a significant amount of programming, which I’m doing in Cantabile.

Are there members of the community who would like to share in some of that info/knowledge?
a. I’d be happy to share what I have
b. I’m happy to collaborate
c. I’m thinking about a YouTube channel where I talk about how this is put together (in part because of a business I’m starting producing podcasts, and in part because I’m tired of explaining what I do to other people 1:1 :)).
d. I’m OCD/ADD, and when I start to research this stuff I go down a rabbit-hole (which I enjoy) and take a lot of time (which is counter to making money, plus the wife gets annoyed).

Thoughts?

1 Like
2

I ate AI in any field, so there is no AI in any of my hobbies

that said, I use Cantabile and my DAW to jam on a base made quickly by Toontrack’s plugins or by a guitar plugin and Broomstick Bass

But I am starting to think I have to experiment more with instruments and progressions, because doing déjà vu solos is boring

On the other hand, I am unavailable to go in other platforms, because my spare time is too little and attending different sites is a waste of time (and data)

3

I play in a worship band as my sole activity beyond playing in my home studio (which is just the spare bedroom with a keyboard, piano and laptop in it!). I had been away from playing for nearly 30 years because of RSI and was at a conference as a PA guy, when the keyboard player said all that was needed were a few pad sounds to fill the overall sound out. “I could do that” I thought and bought an MX61. The choir voice was pretty pathetic, and suddenly I was into VSTs and embraced the kamagotchi “gotta get them all” attitude! Then I needed Cantabile!

Because it is a new set list every time I play I still do a lot of programming every week, but have got virtually all the songs we use so mostly I am assembling set lists, but even so the demands keep changing, so I will spend a fair amount of time tweeking the songs I am going to use.

And although a worship keyboard player is only supposed to need 3 or 4 pad sounds, I quickly found that this was a very limiting approach. Also given the stunning accuracy of VST sound libraries, most church worship teams haven’t come across anything more than standard pad sounds, which is why Youtube videos do seem to sound similar to each other.

So I will use pad sounds as I love them, but I also have a load of orchestral libraries, along with accoustic and electric guitar libraries, plus a great bass guitar vst, needed since our bassist moved on and we have no one to replace him. s such I can find myself playing just keyboard sounds, or lead lines, but not just synth leads, but guitar, flute, oboe or violin as the need arises, as well as all the bass lines as well. I even have a vst of the Royal Albert Hall organ, which gets a few raise eyebrows because I play in a little village church full of old people! So hitting them with that, or a full orchestra, or a massed choir is interesting!

I have used the media player a few times for guitar and oboe riffs, and have recorded drums and guitar tracks on my DAW and play them through media player as well. I also use a sparing number of racks, and although I can use Cantabile for all sort of tech stuff such as lighting and video, I tend not to, limiting myself to bamboozling the congregation audibly!

I hope this helps.