Badly voiced chord - can you correct it electronically, or do you just do a retake and cut and paste it into the soundwave at the relevant point?
Wrong note in a passage where there is pedalling and the wrong note hangs over into the next bar or two - again, retake or can it be corrected?
Tempo in sample 1 isn't quite the same as the tempo in sample 2 - how do you "Hatto" it
what are good editing packages for manipulating sound samples, taking them apart, putting them together, all that sort of stuff
I notice you say:If you're recording a real piano with real microphones you can't treat it all as sound samples! - and therefore can't take them apart. What you can do is edit (bars 1-5 from Take 1, bar 6 and the first chord of bar 7 from Take 3.... etc. etc.). I hope that's what you meant....
Do you have a nice venue to record in? That's typically the most significant factor in determining sound quality of the finished product. If you want any advice on the recording part, just ask.
A lot of the work will go into controlling nerves, listening critically, and of course taking and retaking that part that just doesn't seem to go right. You will need a lot of patience with yourself when recording.
When recording takes, I find it much easier to edit if the sections overlap. Eg section 1: Bar 1 - 8, section 2: bar 7 - 17, section 3: bar 16 - 24. That said, it is much easier to splice where there is a natural phrase ending. You can find yourself in awkward editing situations later if you don't overlap, such pedaling or notes that do not flow into the next section. You play differently when you prepare yourself for a next section, vs. when you just stop. ...If I make a little blooper sometimes I just go on playing as much as I can. A lot of times much of the other stuff on the take is completely usable, and also has more spontaneity in it.
Over the next year or so I'd like to give serious consideration to trying to make a cd of some of my repertoire. I'm curious to know what are good editing packages for manipulating sound samples, taking them apart, putting them together, all that sort of stuff.
I'm especially interesting in knowing how professionals edit these sort of things:Badly voiced chord - can you correct it electronically, or do you just do a retake and cut and paste it into the soundwave at the relevant point?
I should have access to a cubase-type system via a third party, but I'm not very sure about its technical capabilities, and would appreciate advice.
I'd suggest start learning the program and doing the editing yourself, if you have time. It will sharpen your ears and greatly help to critically look at the smallest details of your performances and suggest the ways for improvement next time.