The phrase refers to the acquisition of a digital representation of a sweeping, sliding sound effect on the piano, typically captured in Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) format. This representation allows users to recreate the effect within digital audio workstations and other MIDI-compatible software. The action involves locating and transferring a file containing this specific musical gesture to a user’s computer for subsequent manipulation and integration within musical projects. For example, a composer could use such a file to simulate a dramatic flourish in a film score.
The availability of these digital assets provides composers and music producers with a convenient and efficient method for incorporating a distinctive sonic texture without requiring the performance skill to create it from scratch. This facilitates rapid prototyping of musical ideas and allows for precise control over the parameters of the effect, such as speed, pitch range, and dynamics, something that can be difficult to achieve consistently on a physical piano. Historically, sampled sounds were the primary way to represent instrument sounds, but MIDI offers a more flexible and editable solution for specific performance nuances.
