I am right now re-visiting a piece I did with samples several years ago - a symphony - with the new VSL instruments and MIR. I am using the new humanize functions, as well as the new instruments such as Dimension Strings and MIR. Also, I am attempting a complex sound akin to live ensembles with many layered samples each with different humanize settings in both the VE file and within the sequencer file. It seems to be possible now to create far more of this complexity because of the sheer number of samples as well as the controls that exist in the Vienna Ensemble settings.
This seems to be the way to create a natural musical sound more than any other. To create irregulairty, complexity, and layers of sound. the most artificial MIDI performances are always the ones that are too perfect and too simple. So the question is how far can this complex imperfection be pushed. Right now I have humanize general settings at max, but turn down the delay and tuning somewhat. I am very interested in what other people have experimented with in this. Not just using some humanize, but what is the ultimate humanizing? On my sequencer files I have several layers of strings for each different group each with their own humanize differences, and then within those sequencer performances the VE does its own humanizing on top of that. This kind of layering is what is needed to create a truly complex musical sound.