It doesnt really have much to do with keyboard ability . It just sounds so much better playing a chord that is split into sections and when you have 5 cues to deliver a day you dont always have time to fiddle with editing . Its as simple as being able to press a bit harder with your left hand for example to emphasize or bring out a cello harmony within a chord or hold a chord with your left hand and play a 1st violin melody with your right but be able to have control over its volume and expression seperately as you play . Having said that my favoutite way of inputting strings is by ewi controller anyway which is monophonic but means you are inputting 2 ccs at once without having to use a mod wheel and without having to then edit the cc info because you get so much more of the expression and feel you want performing the part. The trouble with being lucky enough to use live strings is that the samples never come close so I should just accept that and stop wasting time trying to find the holy grail and get sampled strings to sound real . I actually think developpers should stop releasing string libraries now . We have enough of the dam things already . Its like a tax on the composer $1000 a year each time a new one comes out ( and thats just strings, and like busses they all come at once ) and more importantly if they do get any closer then how are the musicians going to survive . With TV and film budgets reducing all the time, eventually we are not going to put any of the money into the score by hiring real players so there will be no work for them . So keep making your demos and strings in particular sound fake so producers realize its worth giving the composer more money to spend on musicians. Sorry for digressing.
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That is funny. I don't mean to criticize your way of working, I am just used to writing and "writing" instead of playing MIDI is a natural extension of it.
It is not true that live players are always better though. VSL samples are now better sounding when used properly than live ensembles until you get to a great orchestra's level - such as a major symphony orchestra or a top level studio orchestra. As I have said many times here and nobody believes, the norm in orchestral playing is NOT what you are used to hearing on film soundtracks and CDs and TV. People (I don't mean you, just a lot of people) have gotten used to an abnormally high level of virtuosic playing as a result of the mass distribution of music, and they assume that is what happens normally when musicians get together to form an orchestra. It doesn't. The norm is all the other orchestras - vastly more in number - that play slightly out of tune, insert wrong notes here and there, execute hasty or poorly phrased expressions, etc. And I am NOT talkng about extremely low level student orchestras, I am talking about orchestras you would have a hard time getting to play your music that represent sizeable communities. Those middle tier orchestras comprise most of all orchestral playing. Composers - before VSL - had to use them and have their music represented poorly. But with VSL, it is now possible to do something beautiful in performance quality just as soon as it is composed!
I also find it difficult not to digress...
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(...) and As I have said many times here and nobody believes, the norm in orchestral playing is NOT what you are used to hearing on film soundtracks and CDs and TV. People (I don't mean you, just a lot of people) have gotten used to an abnormally high level of virtuosic playing as a result of the mass distribution of music, and they assume that is what happens normally when musicians get together to form an orchestra. It doesn't.
Yes, it doesn't. Every regular concertgoer knows this. I live in a city with (at least) 5 symphony orchestras, ranging from first to, let's say, lower upper class at worst. And nevertheless, this still holds true.
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Oh great,
Looks like I missed the window for saxer's patch template. [:@] Anyone willing to PM it to me (preferrably with basses)? [:'(]
Thx!
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I also missed the template would someone be willing to email it to me as well?
i would realy appreciate it ;)
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Hello there!
I'm terrible with all of this, but I missed the first and second window for the download for the template. I didn't realize I would need it, but I'm working on a larger project and would love to be able to have access to such a great template. I hope you can help!!
Best,
Jeff Strong
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Hi Saxer,
I've listened to your pieces on several systems for the past two weeks and I'm nothing less than seriously impressed (about the way how you handle the virtual orchestration part and also the "real" orchestration per se).
Is there still a chance that you could send me the template? Unfortunately I missed the download windows.
Great work and definitely the best reason why to buy DS!
Best,
Hans-Peter