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  • instrument effect library to complement VSL

    Xander S.X
    Xander S.X

    I love VSL and I strive for using it solely in my compositions, but there's one thing I regularly miss which is orchestral effects. There are dozens of great articulations, but effects there are only a few, and even in the extended libraries I won't find the variety that I'm looking for. I'm talking avantgarde techniques, clusters, slurs and so on.

    My question being: Which VST would - as long as VSL doesn't dig deeper in this field - you recommend to work best with VSL instruments? I'd expect that something rather dry or with extensive reverb controls would do well, but it's of course not only a matter of reverb. Or otherwise put, how do you achieve such orchestral effects?

    Thanks for your input!
  • LAJL
    LAJL

     

    You can "compose" those effects with Solo- and Dimension Instruments. But it is time-intense and difficult.

    It would less be innovative if VSL would just record Ensembles-Effects, because the possibilities are limited.

    It is innovative if we could compose these effects perfectly by ourselfs without limits. I count on VSL-Member Andi's influence, because he seems to like these effects ;)
  • PaoloTP
    PaoloTP

    A library of solo instruments I use together with VSL is Xsample (in the Extended version). While the quality of samples is generally lower than that of VSL, it is good. You will not find the same power or presence, nor the same high-level performers behind the samples, but they sound quite real. Samples are quite dry, so you can mix them rather well with VSL sounds. The user interface (based on Kontakt) is very different, and much more confusing for me.

    That library includes several extended techniques missing from the VSL libraries. At the same time, some of the techniques you cite can be made with VSL. For example, clusters can be created with single instruments. In the philosophy behind VSL, building this type of sounds seems better than having them pre-made.

    The old Siedlaczek (that can be had for very little money from Best Service) have many orchestral effects, but the quality is very far from VSL, and I'm not sure you can mix and match them.

    Paolo
  • Xander S.X
    Xander S.X

    Thanks, I will certainly look into it. However I'd prefer something pre-made, since I use it for inspiration. As far as effects are concerned, I'm the "let's try something new"-kind of composer. Building those effects beforehand would require me to know what I'm after in the first place instead of exploring new possibilities.