Here is the Chopin Prelude in C minor (Op 28 no. 20) on the Bl Digital Model One. Included is the tempi map of this sequence (done on Apple's Logic 8). The tempi changes on ever quarter note of this sequence. The tempo map was inspired by Alain Planes recording of Chopins Preludes Op 28 (Harmonia Mundi).

Here is the recording in mp3 form.

Here is a movie where you can see the tempo changes (in Apple's Logic 8) and hear the piano performance.

This is a closeup view perspective

Here is a screenshot of the tempo map in Logic - here you can see the overall tempi changes.

Comparison of the Recorded Resonance of two Stradivarius Violins

The Sandor Vegh and Itzhak Pearlman violins recordings are very different sounding even thought both violins were made by Stradivarius. The Pearlman sound is a brighter performance recorded in a much larger space than Vegh's recording. The spectrums of the violins have many similar resonance peaks however Vegh's violin has a much stronger resonance just a few cents above middle C (C4) and D (D4). These strong resonance peaks give the performance a much deeper sound. I personally think this sound suits the contemplative nature of his performance. Pearlman's recording has a brilliance that to me suits the virtuosity of his performance. Both violins have the same resonance's just above C4 and D4 the difference is in the relative strength of these components.

Computer Musicians and Audio Engineers take note : it is easy to see why electronic simulation of the violin is so difficult. (surprising is it !!) The resonant peaks are much less than a semitone in width with 20-30 decibel peaks. This is a graphic illustration that reveals one of the desirable properties of the violin, vibrato and its tone. An electronic simulation would require a very large bank of high order bandpass filters, and note that this is only in the range of G3 - C6 there are still another 4 octaves of ever more peaks an valleys. The placement and depth of the resonance peaks and valleys also determine the evenness of the tone as a musician plays up and down the scale - the width of each resonance valley cannot be too wide and the graphs of the spectrum reveals this. Both violins and there respective recordings have this quality. Looking at the complexity of music instruments always reminds me to remember that we in the 21 century do not have a strangle hold on technology!! 

An Analysis of Swing Characteristics of 16 well known Jazz Drummers

Although we may not agree on what is swing, we know it when we hear it. The following analysis deals with swing as the rhythmic placement of the offbeat. The common assumption is that at a medium tempo, up to 200 beats per minute, most drummers will play the offbeat as the third note of a triplet. At a slower tempo, it will move closer to the next beat, more like a 16th. As the tempo increases, the offbeat will gradually approach a straight eight.

It has been difficult to the explain why a traditional jazz ride felt so different in the hands of the following drummers:

• Art Blakey
  
• Art Taylor
  
• Bernard Purdie
  
• Buddy Rich
  
• Donald Bailey
  
• Ed Thigpen
  
• Max Roach
  
• Mickey Roker
  
• Philly Jo-Jones
  
• Jack Dejohnette
  
• Elvin Jones
  
• Steve Gadd
  
• Roy Haynes
  
• William Kennedy
  
• Tony Williams
  
• Dave Weckel
  

In the November 2005 issue of Sound On Sound and in the accompanying SOS DVD002 disc there is an article by Ernest Cholakis called "Sample Velocity".

This article explores whether software samplers accurately map MIDI velocity. Is Kontakt better or worse than GigaSampler or EXS24? This guide reveals the dynamic truth. It includes over 20 audio examples, and explores one of the less documented aspects of using software samplers triggered by MIDI.

Excerpt from the article "Sample Velocity"

Introduction:
When attempting to create a realistic MIDI performance using drum samples, I discovered huge discrepancies between the MIDI performance and the actual original acoustic performance the MIDI file was based on. To get to the bottom of this, I decided to graph the dynamic range of real-world instruments versus the dynamic range of samplers. This allowed me to visualise the nature of the transfer function (the relationship between the output and input signal). I was quite surprised by how varied the results actually were.