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  • Bach Fuga I D-moll für Dimension Strings

    Did I get the german grammar correct?

    Anyway, I've been trying to figure out how to properly use the Dimension Strings library I purchased 6 months ago and finally had some time to do a comme ci comme ça arrangement and mockup for strings.

    From the experts, I'd love to hear some feedback.  I tried to integrate the full range of articulations available in the library, and some (modified) scales in the APP sequencer.

    The verb is MIR Pro 24 in the Gosser Saal room.  There's no EQ, but I used the Fabfilter compressor and limiter on the mix bus.  I'm a shit mixer, so I didn't really dive into all that.  But what I woud like is to be able to utilize the library so that very little (if any) FX are needed.

    • Dimension Strings (full library)
    • MIR Pro 24 (Gosser Saal room)
    • Logic (very minor volume automation)
    • Fabfilter Compressor (mix bus)
    • Fabfilter Limiter (mix bus)

    Thanks for listening!

    EDIT: upload on this website wasn't working... so here is a Dropbox link

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/y6pombv1tqnb3j5/Bach-D-moll%20Fuga-arr.Limbaugh.wav?dl=0


  • Wow, your arrangement is really good.  I am a huge fan of arrangements of the Bach organ masterworks for orchestra- I have all the old LPs of Ormandy, Stokowski, et. al. and love them - I think these masterpieces are wonderfully expanded and performed by the orchestral arrangements.    Yours sounds great, and all I can suggest is maybe more humanizing in the parts, to make the individual players sound more distinct, maybe slight EQ down on the top of the range of the violins, and also maybe more overall rich hall reverb - perhaps in MIR using the Miracle addition - because this is such a majestic piece.  But anyway that is a great arrangement and performance!


  • Hi Stephen,

    I can't but agree with William. You did a great job and the personal creative twist (very well done!) makes it even more interesting. As to the sound, there is room for improvement, but the general idea is clear and that is the main thing. I don't know whether Bach would have liked it, but I certainly do!

    Thanks for sharing,

    Max


  • The purists have in the past objected to arrangements of Bach's organ works.  But great orchestrators and conductors - Stokowski being the most famous - have always loved to try to use the power of the orchestra to render these works, mainly because they seem to expand beyond the power of the organ.  Of course if you hear a great organist he will convince you otherwise, but the tremendous range and expression, combined with mind-boggling contrapuntal complexity of Bach always makes people want to use an orchestra.  The Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra performances - including some in the early "quadrophonic" sound - were incredible arrangments.  There is one particular LP that used two full orchestras in extremely imaginative orchestrations, and was spectacular.   And then Stokowski's famous ultra-espressivo arrangements and conducting are unique.  Though not an organ work, his arrangement of the Chaconne from the Partita in D for violin is some kind of high-water mark in espressivo string playing to me.  So anyway I am a big fan of trying to orchestrate Bach - whether the purists like it or not!   


  • Thank you William and Max for the kind words.

    As far as the humanize settings, I took an approach where the Dly settings were relatively low (below 20) and the Tun settings hovered around 64.  I had the Hmz slider in the 20s with the first player, and made it progressivly higher with each desk behind them, but not going more than 80.

    On some articulation cells, such as a harmonic or a sFFz, I alter the humanize little wave-looking thingy to make it fall in tune a little slower and have a larger crest/trough.

    Perhaps this approach is a little blockey or overly methodical?  Is it wise to automate the Hmz slider for faster passages or ones in high registers?

    It also seems like the quickest way to make your virtual orchestra sounds like it kinda sucks is to increase the Dly settings too much.  But then, I'm also playing in every part almost: E.x., Violin 1, Player 1-4 on 4 separate tracks, then P5-8 on one track.

    Thanks again for indulging all of this!


  • Wow, this is awesome. I love the arrangement, and the sound is magnificient. And it sounds SO REALISTIC. Listening definitely makes me A) want to hear more of your work and B) want to buy Dimension Strings!


  • PaulP Paul moved this topic from Orchestration & Composition on