Oh come on now -
Do you expect the manufacture of your automobile to teach you how to drive?
Put simply VSL (and as excellent as it is) is just another sampler library. It behaves as I expect it to. I load a sample hit the keys and hear the sounds.
As with any computer based technology the working methodology of individual users (and their hardware/software set-ups) will differ considerably.
Can you imagine the work load of producing tutorial guides for every conceivable set-up and then look at Orchestration and Arranging techniques and methods.
In reality we the members of this forum should provide the tutorials and the tips/pitfalls etc. (and by and large we do).
The VSL Library is better prepared than anything else I have seen. The instruments are correctly within their ranges. The Manuals are clear and concise and really easy to navigate through. People coming from a pure Synthesis background will need to adjust to this. Strings don’t go on forever - flutes don’t expend two octaves beyond their normal range etc.
Basic Guide - (How I work)
WRITE the music (or use something already composed)
[if you are writing to Film/Video you will need to develop a good vocabulary]
DO a basic arrangement and score the key parts
ORCHESTRATE the piece (Go to whatever depth you need to)
FIRE up your Sequencing/Audio package
LOAD up your sampler (Read through the Library Manual to fine tune the selection.)
SELECT the appropriate voice or voices. Its a good idea to review the sample and play it from a keyboard. Open up the sampler edit page and look at how it has been mapped - get a general feel for it as an INSTRUMENT.
NOTE - bear in mind you may have to layer some samples and you may have to adjust things like pitch and velocity - I think this is an area a lot of VSL and general sampler users go wrong. If you are working with the Basic sets you need to think about Velocity and Key Switches. To keep your score pure you may need to overlay a second track with key switches. (This is not specific to VSL - but Herb has covered it)
Try to work in Timbre Sets - One of the things I constantly find with Computer Composers/Arrangers is that they imagine the whole sound and do not break this down fine enough to work to get tone colours correct. This and iterative process - you may need to go around a few times. Its worth doing as it makes the next step so much easier.
MIX down and Master (Nightmare for a lot of people and really a whole different subject)
PRINT and Publish
Perhaps there should be a warning note on the side of the package along the lines of:
USERS are expected to have a sound knowledge of Midi, Sampling, Digital Audio Workstation set-ups & methodology and Mixing & Mastering techniques.
What's next? -'Hey Herb will you provide me with some Tutorials on how to compose'!
- This has been written with the best intentions in mind - apologies in advance to those who think I am wrong about this.
Do you expect the manufacture of your automobile to teach you how to drive?
Put simply VSL (and as excellent as it is) is just another sampler library. It behaves as I expect it to. I load a sample hit the keys and hear the sounds.
As with any computer based technology the working methodology of individual users (and their hardware/software set-ups) will differ considerably.
Can you imagine the work load of producing tutorial guides for every conceivable set-up and then look at Orchestration and Arranging techniques and methods.
In reality we the members of this forum should provide the tutorials and the tips/pitfalls etc. (and by and large we do).
The VSL Library is better prepared than anything else I have seen. The instruments are correctly within their ranges. The Manuals are clear and concise and really easy to navigate through. People coming from a pure Synthesis background will need to adjust to this. Strings don’t go on forever - flutes don’t expend two octaves beyond their normal range etc.
Basic Guide - (How I work)
WRITE the music (or use something already composed)
[if you are writing to Film/Video you will need to develop a good vocabulary]
DO a basic arrangement and score the key parts
ORCHESTRATE the piece (Go to whatever depth you need to)
FIRE up your Sequencing/Audio package
LOAD up your sampler (Read through the Library Manual to fine tune the selection.)
SELECT the appropriate voice or voices. Its a good idea to review the sample and play it from a keyboard. Open up the sampler edit page and look at how it has been mapped - get a general feel for it as an INSTRUMENT.
NOTE - bear in mind you may have to layer some samples and you may have to adjust things like pitch and velocity - I think this is an area a lot of VSL and general sampler users go wrong. If you are working with the Basic sets you need to think about Velocity and Key Switches. To keep your score pure you may need to overlay a second track with key switches. (This is not specific to VSL - but Herb has covered it)
Try to work in Timbre Sets - One of the things I constantly find with Computer Composers/Arrangers is that they imagine the whole sound and do not break this down fine enough to work to get tone colours correct. This and iterative process - you may need to go around a few times. Its worth doing as it makes the next step so much easier.
MIX down and Master (Nightmare for a lot of people and really a whole different subject)
PRINT and Publish
Perhaps there should be a warning note on the side of the package along the lines of:
USERS are expected to have a sound knowledge of Midi, Sampling, Digital Audio Workstation set-ups & methodology and Mixing & Mastering techniques.
What's next? -'Hey Herb will you provide me with some Tutorials on how to compose'!
- This has been written with the best intentions in mind - apologies in advance to those who think I am wrong about this.