I was wondering if Herb and the other composers on this site had any thoughts about this topic that has bugged me many times ---
I've been an orchestral player, and noticed that music is almost always considered from the performer's rather than composer's standpoint, and this applies very much to sampling. In other words, a lot of classical musicians disapprove of it because it "puts them out of work" or is "artificial." But first of all, with the naturalness of something like the VSL, the latter is no longer so true. And if you look at it from the composer's standpoint, it is the best thing that has happened in a long time. It truly allows one person to command many sounds. After all that has been a desire throughout all the history of music. Obviously it was the original impetus for the development of the pipe organ, or centuries later, the analog synthesizer.
But my point is, besides the fact that composers' perspectives are usually ignored, performers don't seem to realize they are getting new opportunities with sampling in doing the recordings first of all, and secondly being able to do solo/soli work in conjunction with sampled sound, etc. (Not to mention the possibilty of playing samples themselves.)
I'm also wondering what the classical musicians who did these samples think of it. They are obviously some of the best performers. Is it just a gig to them? Do they shake their heads in dismay after leaving a recording session, or are they excited about it? Did some of them want copies of the library?
I suppose the way I am looking at it now is that I am actually doing a recording of a real orchestra playing music, but instead of it being a live one done all at once (for better or for worse) it is ONE NOTE (OR ARTICULATION) AT A TIME. And this allows far greater control as a composer/conductor than one would have even with a relatively good live orchestra. The composition process is still the same, sketching musical ideas, writing an orchestration on paper, but then two new phases come in - the performance of the basic notes on keyboard and a third with the adjustment of MIDI parameters which are almost uncannily like a conductor making adjustments to balance or tempo. Essentially, the composing, performing and conducting jobs all become possible for one person to do.
I spent two years doing a recording of one symphony (in an admittedly very difficult way, without enough equipment), and sometimes I've thought perhaps I shouldn't even be working with the technology, and instead concentrating on just musical ideas. But that is utterly impossible because if there's a sampler in the room I can't keep my hands off it!
I've been an orchestral player, and noticed that music is almost always considered from the performer's rather than composer's standpoint, and this applies very much to sampling. In other words, a lot of classical musicians disapprove of it because it "puts them out of work" or is "artificial." But first of all, with the naturalness of something like the VSL, the latter is no longer so true. And if you look at it from the composer's standpoint, it is the best thing that has happened in a long time. It truly allows one person to command many sounds. After all that has been a desire throughout all the history of music. Obviously it was the original impetus for the development of the pipe organ, or centuries later, the analog synthesizer.
But my point is, besides the fact that composers' perspectives are usually ignored, performers don't seem to realize they are getting new opportunities with sampling in doing the recordings first of all, and secondly being able to do solo/soli work in conjunction with sampled sound, etc. (Not to mention the possibilty of playing samples themselves.)
I'm also wondering what the classical musicians who did these samples think of it. They are obviously some of the best performers. Is it just a gig to them? Do they shake their heads in dismay after leaving a recording session, or are they excited about it? Did some of them want copies of the library?
I suppose the way I am looking at it now is that I am actually doing a recording of a real orchestra playing music, but instead of it being a live one done all at once (for better or for worse) it is ONE NOTE (OR ARTICULATION) AT A TIME. And this allows far greater control as a composer/conductor than one would have even with a relatively good live orchestra. The composition process is still the same, sketching musical ideas, writing an orchestration on paper, but then two new phases come in - the performance of the basic notes on keyboard and a third with the adjustment of MIDI parameters which are almost uncannily like a conductor making adjustments to balance or tempo. Essentially, the composing, performing and conducting jobs all become possible for one person to do.
I spent two years doing a recording of one symphony (in an admittedly very difficult way, without enough equipment), and sometimes I've thought perhaps I shouldn't even be working with the technology, and instead concentrating on just musical ideas. But that is utterly impossible because if there's a sampler in the room I can't keep my hands off it!
