Distribution of note ranges in libraries like Epic Orchestra 2.0 [newbie]

[rowild]

Hi!

I am new to VSL and to "computer orchestra" in general. Needless to say that I am blown away to have something like the Epic Orchestra in my own apartment! I feel like a dog who drool and slobbers and drivels non-stop! This is stunning beyond any way of measurement! Thank you VSL!

Currently I learn via Youtube videos mainly. Being completely new to this topic, I of course miss out on countless things. E.g. at the moment one question interests me like no other: In VST instruments, where a whole string orchestra is mapped to the MIDI keyboard – how do you (at VSL) decide, which instrument plays in which register, when there are overlapping regions? A simple c-major chord build on C4 could theoretically be played by all string instruments. Is that what I hear a chord, where each c is played by vl1, vl2, va, vc and cb? Same thing for e and g?

This video kind of supports my assumption:

"Every finger of you hand is playing 6 trumpets" the instructor says. That would mean that in that theoretical c-major chord c-e-g from before 18 (!!) trumpets would play. They do sound really, really, really awesome and I enjoy it so much listening to all those sounds – but isn't it also very misleading to what really happens in the real world?

I would love to know how do you at VSL approach this topic and think about it? And if you have any recommendations in terms of "beware of misleading fantastic sounding orchestra" for composers/orchestrators (if at all)? And everything else that is related to that. 😊

Very curious about this! Thanks for any input, advice, direction pointing etc!

[Andreas8420]

Hi wildro,

When working with ensemble patches, the number of voices increases with the number of notes you play simultaneously. That is also true for a single instrument with a polyphonic articulation, e.g. a staccato patch on a flute.

1 note = 1 musician, 2 note = 2 musicians.

The different ranges for an ALL STRINGS patch are distributed over the keyboard in a way, that gives a reasonably homogenous sound regardless of pitch.

Best,
Andreas

[rowild]

Aha - somebody playing with my nickname! Who might that be? 😐 😊

Thank you for your answer! But that does not seem to coincide with what the instructor in the cited video says: "1 Finger === 6 Trumpets". Which would mean "3 Finger === 18 trumpets". (With regards to Epic Orchestra Pro 2.) 

Quite obviously I am misunderstanding something here... but what? 

Are you a composer, andreas8420? If so, what does it mean for you, when you write a score? Do you now work with a particell and simply denote a "strings" section (without a detailed definition of the 5 groups)? Or do you not work with ensemble patches, but with individual instruments?

[Andreas8420]

Hi,

No misunderstanding there - the more notes you play, the more "virtual musicians" you hear. If you use ensemble patches, they work a bit like a synth. Of course, background knowledge about orchestration & instrumentation helps to write orchestra music when working with individual instruments and instrument sections.

Best,
Andreas