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  • Confusion about how to start

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    Hi there,

    I'm actually starting to get into orchestral libraries and I'm quite confused about a few things. Maybe I missed some good instruction videos, so be tolerantly with me. Maybe others have the same questions, too. So, here wo go:

    My main goal is to write / produce in Cubase and also to write in Dorico. I’m on Cubase for over 20 years now (Mac&PC), did a few things in logic, and I'm discovering Dorico right now. What I have on library stuff is NI Symphony essentials, Spitfire BBC Discover, VSL Appassionata Strings I, Solo Strings I, VI Woodwinds, VI Brass, Synchro Percussion I and MIR.

    So far so good. NI Symphony essentials is easy to understand, I have already working Expression Maps for Dorico, Dynamics for long notes on CC1, for shorts on velocity. But I prefer the VSL sound of cours.

    Now I’m looking for a good way to organize my VSL sounds. My questions are:

    1. Should I use the presets coming with the sounds or is it best to make my own ones? 
    2. If I do my own ones, what’s the best way to do dynamics? CC1 on Velocity X-Fades and Vel.XF global off? I can’t do that just for long notes and have still my velocity for my shorts, right?
    3. I like the legato patches, esp. for the strings. Is there a cool way to have them as ‚natural‘ or ‚basic‘ in my expression maps in f.e. Dorico? Is there a way to switch in notation to the polyphonic version? Otherwise it’s not really usable in Dorico, isn’t it?
    4. Would you use the Vienna Instruments player for every instrument or would you combine it in the Vienna ensemble?

    I think this are the most puzzling things for me at this time. Thank you for your thoughts!

    Matze.
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    @Docmaklang said:

    1. Should I use the presets coming with the sounds or is it best to make my own ones? 
    2. If I do my own ones, what’s the best way to do dynamics? CC1 on Velocity X-Fades and Vel.XF global off? I can’t do that just for long notes and have still my velocity for my shorts, right?
    3. I like the legato patches, esp. for the strings. Is there a cool way to have them as ‚natural‘ or ‚basic‘ in my expression maps in f.e. Dorico? Is there a way to switch in notation to the polyphonic version? Otherwise it’s not really usable in Dorico, isn’t it?
    4. Would you use the Vienna Instruments player for every instrument or would you combine it in the Vienna ensemble?

    1) The presets don't alter the sound; they're just pre-fabricated keyswitch and controller arrangements.  If they are intuitive to you, use them!  Otherwise, I would make your own.  Both VI and Synchron Player are quite flexible when it comes to this, so you're in luck there.

    2) I prefer CC1 for velocity x-fade and to keep global x-fade on, only turning it off (via a CC I assign to the toggle in VI Pro) during a staccato-heavy passage.  I've found that for most articulations, velocity x-fade is the most intuitive way of controlling the intensity (and, by extension, volume) of the sound, with expression available to smooth out the rough edges.

    3) I don't use Dorico or Cubase and thus don't know how expression maps work, BUT...if you make a custom preset and make the first articulation/patch it loads up on the legato patch, that will be your default.  You can also set up the matrix to change the legato type (fast vs. slow) etc. based on velocity or playing speed.

    4) Vienna Ensemble is not like Kontakt - it's meant to offload the heavy-lifting of sample processing/mixing to another machine (or make it more efficient on a single machine).  You can create multi-instrument setups in Vienna Instruments, however (with up to 8 outs, I think).  I personally just use one instance of VI for each instrument; it's very cpu light.

    Hope that helps!

    - Sam
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    Hi Sam,

    thanks, that helps a lot. A legato patch as basic sound for my expression maps makes totally sense. I'm not quite sure how to tell dorico what to do if I have f.e. two notes at the same time. In a legato performance patch it will jump to the second note. Do you have any ideas.

     

    Thanks a lot,

    Matze!
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    @Docmaklang said:

    Hi Sam,

    thanks, that helps a lot. A legato patch as basic sound for my expression maps makes totally sense. I'm not quite sure how to tell dorico what to do if I have f.e. two notes at the same time. In a legato performance patch it will jump to the second note. Do you have any ideas.

     

    Thanks a lot,

    Matze!

    Yes, you turn on the polyphonic legato feature in Vienna Instruments.  Unfortunately, I think it's only available in the Pro version (I might be mistaken - worth checking up on!)  I have VI Pro and the feature is on by default, whether I'm using a preset or not.  

    To find the feature, go to the Advanced view in Vienna instruments (upper right hand corner), then - under the slot grid (the white strips that say 1a, 2a, 1b, 2b, etc.), click on the "Advanced" tab.  If you have a legato (or interval performance) patch loaded, then select the Interval Mode dialog box (right under "AB Switch") and switch it to Poly.

    I hope that helps!

    - Sam