@Another User said:

If this is of any help please go through this written tutorial on vsl. Including short movies that show you things. http://www.matsclaesson.com/Kurs/Vienna/1/Lesson%201.htm

Audun,

I can't seem to find the vsl tutorials at this link. Can you help? Thanks.

Chem,

Here is a very good chart showing the placement of instruments in the orchestra. http://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/orchestra/images/orchestra.gif you can pan your instruments accordingly. Panning will help enormously as it seperates the sounds spatially.

Also try layering the Sonic Implant ModWheel espr 1st vlns with the VSL Vi-14 p_mf_f 3 layer (also mod wheel) You can create the part on one and then copy it over exactly to the other. You might have to edit the attacks so they're not identical (just move the attacks by a fraction in either VSL or SI so you don't hear identical stops and starts of samples. Use the mod wheel to create swells and expression - you might have to practise. VSL strings are awesome when used realistically and not played like a keyboard part.

Watch volume levels for harshness. Also try a little EQ if something is too shrill or too bassy but you shouldn't need a lot of EQ with these good libraries. Volume is often the culprit. Listen with headphones once you have a general mix to see if something is way too out in front. Also have at least two different sets of speakers to reference mixes. After a mix, play it on a home or car stereo or even a cheap boom box (or all three.) Also play something similar (like a real orchestra) that's top notch sounding and compare the body of sound next to yours. Do you have the same full bass, clear mids, and brightness in the highs or two much in any categorie?

Don't worry, just have fun learning new principles all the time.

Best,

Dave Connor

@dpcon said:

Chem,

Here is a very good chart showing the placement of instruments in the orchestra. http://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/orchestra/images/orchestra.gif you can pan your instruments accordingly. Panning will help enormously as it seperates the sounds spatially.


Dave Connor

Not that I mean to be argumentative, but I would never have the horns and brass in this setup. Horns always on the left, brass on the right and percussion in the middle along the back [:)]

DG

yeah vsl strings are awesome, i'm trying to make a mockup of the end of "Journey To The line" (the string part) from the The Thin Red Line OST(hans zimmer) , i just made 10 seconds and its superb(VSL strings are especially good in piano layer and strong vibrato espressivo )

@DG said:

Not that I mean to be argumentative, but I would never have the horns and brass in this setup. Horns always on the left, brass on the right and percussion in the middle along the back [:)] DG

Funny I never noticed that! I of course have my horns on the left as well so I never looked to see where they had them. In fact the reason I like this diagram is the front to back illustration but I didn't want to get into that (depth, convolution, early reflections etc) on such a post. DG where exactly are you putting trumpets? Just right of center? I just did a mix of Big Band and Orchestra with them dead center and they fit just great with the other brass. I placed the percussion left and right of them and it seemed to work just fine.

Chem, there is a diagram in the VSL manuals of the orchestra as well which has the Fr. Hrns to the left of center where they typically are found. Also there are tons of threads here in this (Mixing/Postpro) forum on all the basic questions and much more. Save or copy and paste anything of interest for reference.

Dave Connor

@dpcon said:

DG where exactly are you putting trumpets? Just right of center? I just did a mix of Big Band and Orchestra with them dead center and they fit just great with the other brass. I placed the percussion left and right of them and it seemed to work just fine.

Dave Connor

I put trumpets on the right of the bassoons (sort of) and the trombones behind them. However, this is just the setup that I am used to when conducting, so I have seen variations on this theme.

DG

http://annecywebtv.free.fr/Thethinredlinemockup-excerpt.mp3

http://annecywebtv.free.fr/thethinredline-excerpt2.mp3 (i used f layer instead of p layer)

is that the sound you're looking for ?

It's an excerpt of a mockup of a filmscore (the thin red line)
I think it's the best sound i can get from VSL, of course i could have improved the programming (use a 4-layers modwheel to make crescendo from piano to strong vibrato), use the legato, fortepiano samples etc... (i only used one sampled crescendo at the beginning) but i focused only on the sound.
Any suggestions is welcome :p

Nice sound Carter [H]

just a new test with more vibrato :

http://annecywebtv.free.fr/ttrl5.mp3

@Audun Jemtland said:

If this is of any help please go through this written tutorial on vsl. Including short movies that show you things.http://www.matsclaesson.com/Kurs/Vienna/1/Lesson%201.htm">http://www.matsclaesson.com/Kurs/Vienna/1/Lesson%201.htm

Does anyone have an updated link for this? Currently, I'm getting info on Door Mats, Place Mats, Yoga Mats, and Dog Beds!!

The new URL of the tutorial seems to be this one:
http://www.matsc.net/Kurs/Vienna/1/Lesson%201.htm

This is also a FANTASTIC tutorial site for more advanced topics: http://www.beat-kaufmann.com/tipspcmusic/

Thanks Beat!