@muziksculp said:
I think this is a golden opportunity to express what I feel are Some important characteristics, and parameters to be carefully considered when producing 'Epic Violins'
(I figure, better said before they are produced, rather than after).
So, here a little list [8-)]
'Epic Violins' should be:
Warm, Expressive, lush, flexible, beautiful timbre, smooth sustain and release portions for legato, and expressivo articulations, dynamic, soft/mellow sounding when needed , and aggressive sounding when that is called for, nice and accurate bowing attacks captured, flexibility of increasing, or decreasing the "Scratch sound of the bowing action" (i.e. more bow sound or less bow sound) maybe this can be achieve by using the micing proximity effect, to emphasize more or less bow sound, which can be controlled via cross-fading controllers within the Vienna Instrument), many articulations, for fast, and for slow string lines, sufficient velocity layers, Sweet singing timbre (NOT rigid, cold, harsh) Please !
The mic proximity effect/ mic placement and type of mics used, is a big factor, (experimenting here is a key factor) and I would say critical to achieve the right balance between musical and non musical strings when triggered back as samples, and please don't forget the Playability factor. (I am sure this is nothing new to the VSL recording engineers, but "Experimenting" teaches us many new things we did not know, it is a very important task !)
I would strongly stress : Timbre, Timbre, Timbre. Violins are all about great sounding timbre... No great timbre, No great violin sound, simple as that.
There is a fine line between capturing that magical timbre of the violins, or not capturing it. I find great violin timbre is the missing link between real and sampled violins.
A tough instrument to re-produce in sample libraries, I know, but it's all about the challenge, isn't it ?
Please don't rush this project, rushing it, will simply ruin it. Please give it enough time, lots of tender care, and attention to detail. It's Worth every second IMHO.
This is not 'Bonus Material', this is 'Essential Material' that was missing for a long time.
I hope you have lots of fun producing 'Epic Violins' they will serve us all "Epically"
[:D]
An Epic Step up for the Vienna Strings.
Thanks for listening.
Well said.
Frankly Herb - when I first heard of the SC coming out THIS is what I was expecting (and willing to pay for - for the RIGHT thing). I am a little disspointed that is will be many months before something like this is in my arsesonal (and that it is considered 'bonus').
Personnally I say put all other 'extra horn, perc instruments on the back burner and get this done. Without a usuable upper range violin section - there is a huge whole in our mock-ups.
Again - from what you are reading here (for every 'one' person posting probably 20 would like to) - your customer base is begging for this product as well. And from what I read on many posts - willing to pay for it.
Please take the time to do this correctly and like I said - I can do without the latest rare instrument (inclusive of 20,000 samples) just to finally get a string section that I can use without hours and hours of tweaking, mixing, tucking, etc.
Thanks Herb for asking your customer base for advice - We will give you our honest evaluation.
Please believe me when I say I am in no way even close to John Barry's level but here is a cue I did last year using VSL (Director loves John Barry). What I personnally would like to see is the sound I got on the violins at :38 BUT 2-3 octaves higher.
For a later reprise of this theme I had to do this but it just didn't come off (had to use FH/Clarinets.)
Even in this example I wish I didn't have to bury the violins behind the clarinet and boy's choir.
http://www.robelliottmusic.com/mp3s/Religious/Until%20Forever.mp3">http://www.robelliottmusic.com/mp3s/Religious/Until%20Forever.mp3
Rob