I just read this book. At first I was very delighted to find something to read about mixing sampled orchestra. Especially with VSL, where it is not easy to get a nice sound.

In the end of reading I must say, I was a little bit confused again, since there are no diffrent aproaches mentioned, wether you use analogue reverbs and ER generators or Impuls reverb with seperate ER instances. In this setup you only use one instance of reverb tor the master? Without sends to vary the reverb amount from instrument to instrument exept for ER amount. Also, the best convolution reverb available (altiverb) was not even mentioned.

Further more: it has been said here many times, that the best sollution is a combination of IR an analogue reverbs. Nothing about that.

I found your book interesting to read, but a little short  for this rather complex topic of mixing. It seems to miss important information on getting the best sound possible.

I hope the next book will cover more details on the most important and complex topic: Room acoustics and mixing.

Well, the whole book is NOT about mixing. I'm sorry if you misunderstood the book dscription:

This book explains the principles on room acoustics and basic working
techniques for sample-based orchestras. Learn the basics of sound localization
and how to use this knowledge to place any instrument in a virtual room –
independently of the music software used. Benefit from the detailed value
tables of an example orchestra seating (American seating), and create realistic
panning and room depths instantly with your dedicated plug-ins.

It is not about mixining of digital orchestras, but how to use your plug ins for the
right serttings for creating depths etc.

It does not matter, which plug ins you use, as long they offer the required settings
as described in the book. Altiverb is a good plug in, but since it is a matter of
the right setting, it does not matter if it is named in the book or not (but it is actually in the Appendix).

Composing and mixing with orchestral samples is part of Volume 2.

Btw: there is more than only one reverb involved. Did you read the book properly? Maybe you did not
understand the content? :-/

@fritzflotow_27429 said:

[...] the best sollution is a combination of IR an analogue reverbs. [...]

Off topic: What do you mean by "analogue reverb"? I think there's some kind of misunderstanding going on, because I can't remember a single message on these boards suggesting the use of  spring reverb or plates ...?

Maybe there is a misunderstanding of the term "analogue reverb". 

Mike Novy wrote in his beta-version of book (sorry Mike but that was NOT a well-structured, finished, complete work at all) that Impulse Response Plugins would be studio standard today. This is not true. For there are many mixing engineers who don´t use impulse response reverbs but big hardware reverbs from Lexicon, TC or Eventide which are algorithmic reverbs.

Also I suppose that some people who write "analogue" just mean hardware with algorithmic reverb instead of plugins with impulse response reverb.

Yep, that somebody would be me! : )

Sorry for this unthougtful posting. I just wanted to make my point that I don't think the book is more than a good start for a complete beginner with no idea about mixing sampled instruments. I would have expected more detailed insight to that kind of complex topic. Especially, when the book is only about simulating room acoustics.

You should write a book about it, Dietz! ; )

@fritzflotow_27429 said:

[...] simulating room acoustics.

You should write a book about it, Dietz! ; )

Oh boy, no. I came up with the idea for some weird software which takes care for this - I promise it will be my only input to this topic! 😉

@fritz

It seems that you still did not get the intention of the book. That is pretty sad.

It is neither about mixing, nor to recommend any studio standards like Lexicon

or AltiVerb. Technically there is no difference!

The book's only purpose is to explain, what sound localization is and what

you can do, to create your orchestral setup and how to use YOUR plug ins

to achieve the results.

AltiVerb seems also not to convince in a certain way:

http://community.vsl.co.at/forums/p/20775/144241.aspx#144241

Further on it is more interesting to musicians how to get the best results

out of their own (algorithmic) plug ins, which does not use that much

computer ressources than AltiVerb etc.

Since you missunderstood the whole book I will not make any further

comments on it.

Well, I did understand the title. But since it is about music this would mean mixing tracks into a room. Sorry, but I won't take it back, because you say I don't understand: I found the book rather superficial. You pay 24 Euro for not so many pages. Some pictures are 2-3 times on diffrent pages for no reason, but to have some more pages.

I would say nothing against the price, if the content was very good. But since you advertised here for free, it must be allowed to make my point as well. I think it's a good start, but not as I expected an insight on room acoustic that makes everything clear for a composer. Some good hints though.

@fritzflotow_27429 said:

Well, I did understand the title.

But not the content.

It is sad to read that your home made disappointment is reason enough for you, to

tear down the purpose of the book. If you have no application for this, resell it.

You are free.

This book contains all necessary information you need to work efficiently. 

I got lot of e-mails and comments every day on the pragmatical contents of the book,

even from experienced and known readers and composers. They like it, because

it is so easy to use.

It is not blabla. it is view on mathematical backgrounds with some additional examples

and further on how to use that stuff inside your plug ins. And all with a close relation

of theory and practice.

The book explains in detail, how to build your orchestral seating.

That is that what to book promises and delivers.

 But  I guess that what you are exactly looking for is covered first in Volume 2.

@fritzflotow_27429 said:

Well, I did understand the title.

But not the content.

You may say that I have no former education in mixing and the sience of digital audio, but I have a diploma in filmmusic, so i am quite able to understand the content. Don't try to weaken my opinion on the book. It is my opinion and there may be others, who find the book good. Let them make a testimony here. I just felt like to give mine here.

I think you won't make it better by continiously saying that I just didn't understand your book. Believe me, I understood every detail from the first reading.

No, I never said that you are not experienced or have not a former education in mixing.

I never said or thought this!

But the purpose of the book is not that one what you expected personally, though the book

description is clear. That is why I guess that you did not get the content (the philosophy) and

the purpose of that book. It seems that you are the wrong audience or that you had

other expectations of the book when buying it. But this is not the book's fault. The book

keeps it promises without doubt. I was suprised that a lot of people started to send

us mp3 files with the pre and the post for comparation.They like the techniques and

how it is explained: Here only one comment form another forum:

This book arrived at my house today, and it appears to contain a great deal of helpful information. There is a "correct" amount of mathbut the math is then translated into instructions that we can use to tweak our reverbs, EQs, delays, and DAW tracks...double!!

Volume 2 is about "digital" composing and mixing.

And mixing means here "from the beginning of the idea" to the final mix by the use of

several libraries etc.

Maybe "the" book you was looking for?

Mike,

Great Book!  I was totally confused when I read posts discussing three and four

instances of Altiverb, etc..  Your book cleared things up.

Thanks,

John

Thanks John.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I posted this for the German book already, to clean up the purpose of the book a bit more:

The book is not directed at professional or beginning musicians in a special manner.

The book may be interesting to anyone, who:

• is interested in basic room acoustics (musicians view)
• is interested in required (plug in) parameters to put dry sounding instruments (like the VSL ones) into a virtual room (horizontal panning and depth)
• wants to learn calculating (plug in) parameters for own room sizes, room positions of single instruments
• wants to use the pre-calculated (plug in) values of the American seating 

To avoid misapprehension:

• Volume 1 does not cover detailed composing techniques or describes “how to compose”.
• Volume 1 does not cover detailed mixing techniques, except the stuff which is needed for the room positioning of instruments (using EQs, levels, reverb, etc.)

  Composing and Mxing is main part of Volume 2.

Best regards,

Mike

The book samples have been extended a bit,
to get a look on the contents about "putting instruments into a virtual room":

http://www.the-composers-approach.com/v1samples.html

hmmm.... I thought this is a VSL user forum, not a permanent advertisements page...

Hello Rainer,

as long VSL samples are being used it is rather ad for VSL.

Btw: The posts here are permitted by VSL, and the book covers only the VSL lib.

:-))