Just marvelous! With in terms of VSL a minimum of articulations so convincing work. You asked if there were things to artificial. I shouldn't call it artificial. But (and really only because you asked it, in fact it is peannuts): in 2:30 the strings are a little weak in tone, or better said: weak in attack. As far as I can hear in real performances there are repeated notes there. But it is very good possible that that is not good possible with SE1. But for the rest I must say, this piece is good PR for VSL!

@Fastel said:

Hi,

I could need some feedback from the Vienna Community.

I made Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain - with SE 1. Its was a hell of a work. So for now I could need some comments. Wich parts still sound to much artificial. Is it nice? Looking forward for any tips.

 

night-on-bald-mountain

It sounds fairly good to me. I'm impressed that you did so well with just the SE. There are a very that are less convincing, primarily tutti sections where there is a lot of doubling going on. I'm not sure what could fix it. But in general I think you are doing great.

One suggestion, most people looking for feedback on tracks post in the "Orchestration - Composition - Instruments" section of this forum. You will probably get more feedback by posting in that forum.

Paul

Hi Fastel,

Absolutely great! With modest means you've reached a high quality piece of music. I assume you did use the VI Pro? With a bit more attack here and there, the piece would win more bite and punch. But you did honour to the SE instruments. Its almost a demo for them!

Max 

Stunningly accurate and beautiful interpretation.... is all I can say! I couldnt believe my ears that this is by a virtual orchestra.

Certainly one of the best demos of the clasical repertore Ive heard here.

VSL folks, you've gotta put this up in your demo site.

Absolutely fantastic job!  I've been on forums where "gear lust" and "virtual library obsession" seems to surpass any actual interest in utilizing the tools that one owns to maximum effect.  You have taken a fairly humble set of libraries in the special editions (albeit high quality and superb to many other collections) and done great justice to this piece of music.

Dave

Hey, I slightly worked on the repetitions. I took 2 fu***** days 😄 but I can't squeeze more out of the verry basic Vienna Libary I think.

The sound of the room and the depths of instrument groups are maybe my biggest problems. What do you think about the version now?

Night o bald Mountain

Thank you all for your nice comments and words 😊

Ufff. Sorry if I pushed you that much. It should stay fun to work on the music (but in fact I recognize that moments of searching and trying to make things better, not always fun 🤔...). I can't compare it directly with the last version of course, it was some days ago that heard that, but I think this is better then the last version, more in the character of the music. Concerning your question about the depth of the instruments, in my ears it sounds well. The brass is backwards, good sounding, powerful, present, sounds really as the brass group, compact, I mean as a whole, with the typical crackle in the sound (is that a good English word here?). The wood is perhaps a little forward, but in all kind of cd's with live players I hear the same, when wood is playing loud. So I don't hear a serious problem. And the strings have definitly their right place in the soundstage. I think when the orchestra as a whole or a group is more backwards, you lose some bite in the tone, and that is here a very strong point.

But perhaps someone else has a different opinion. 

@Another User said:

(is that a good English word here?).

ach deutsch is auch ok 😉

@Another User said:

ach deutsch is auch ok 😉

Your new version remains the the best rendering Ive heard.

I think this is 99% of the way, not 95%,

Truly remarkable how you accuratley you get those string passages. This shows that good ears are more important than the library itself.

Congratulations! 

Add my bravos to all the others who have responded. I'm a composer and conductor, and am wroking on some Mussorgsky works with VSL myself, so I'm listening quite closely to your work. The instrument balances you use are particularly effective and (boy, I know!) difficult to get right. Not only with sampling, but with a real orchestra.

Your comments reveal what it takes: Lots of work and LOTS of time. Those who expect the library (any library) to do the work for them will be disappointed.

I am sure eager to hear more of your work. Keep it up. Bravo!

John Santana, California