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  • Hollywood Sound with VSL?

    T
    T
    Hi Everyone,

    I'm was wondering if some of you would be willing to share some tips from experience on how to closely resemble the Hollywood Orchestra sound using the VSL. For example mixing Techniques, EQ, special reverbs, etc.

    Film producers as well as game audio directors are always looking for that phenomenal sound quality of a real orchestra. For someone like me wanting to break into the gaming industry I would very much like to learn how to achieve the best sound possible without having to hire an expensive live orchestra.

    Here are a few examples of what I have achieved so far. Comments and Critiques are welcome.

    http://www.tdimension.ca/freelancer_m.htm">http://www.tdimension.ca/freelancer_m.htm

    http://www.tdimension.ca/w&g_m.htm

    Regards,
    Tom Graczkowski

    TDimension Studios
    http://www.tdimension.ca

    E. tom@tdimension.ca
    T. (519) 474-7834
    F. (519) 473-6420
  • O
    O
    Sounds pretty good Tom. The only thing I noticed on the 1st video was there was little reverb. It may of just been my taste, but I prefer it to sound like it's in a concert hall at times [:)]. Second one sounded good, too. Very well thought out. Keep up the good work!
  • M
    M
    what reverb is used on the VSL pro edition demos?
  • H
    H
    Hi,

    Just thought I'd mention that if your using Mac OSX and logic I have put together a preset of Concert Hall Reverb that is quite nice. I modelled it closely on Jerry Golsmiths Star Trek: Insurrection and River Wild score sound.

    Check it out at.

    http://www.elvenmusic.com/vslfiles.html

    It's a Preset for Mac OS X's Audio Units AUMatrixReverb. See the posts in the Mixing forum for more details if you have trouble installing.

    Cheers

    Hetoreyn
  • R
    R
    I had never even considered using matrix reverb. I had totally assumed that space designer was the way to go. Having listened to your demos, I shall certainly be playing with the seemingly humble but obviously capable AU effect. Good job!
  • M
    M
    The good news you already have the hollywood sound as far as your harmonic and color choices go. Now you have to start makins some critical descions about what you can and can't do with the synths. For one you can't have brass long note patches playing "phrases" as they are really ment for sustains. legato, short notes, and heavely accented long notes are the best way to go. you can't have the mushy brass attacks. From an orchestration stand point I would add some groove hand drumy percussion, more tinkley stuff like celesta and harp and maybe some more of that great synth sound. Biggest key is the verb though for sure. Really really dry at this point. Also mixing wise some things were to loud like the scraped gong. that would never carry like that. It sounded like we were hearing a sample not scraped gong in the context of the orchestra. Verb will help but so will the right balance and panning.
  • M
    M
    The 2nd cue has similar mix and sample choice issues but has quite a bit more room for improvement in the orchestration as well. Sounds kind of thin basicly - if your going to use orchestra plus jazz band thats what it has to sound like - the only way to achieve that is to use more of the orchestra more of the time. I mean thats the hollywood way anyway. The thing is in hollywood musicans cost 150$ an hour so your going to want to use the !@#!@$ out of them - same thing applies to the synth world.

    Stll both are quite good from a compositional stand point and the 2nd which I saw with the video was pretty good dramaticly as well. (I did notice your hits wern't dead on....)
  • M
    M
    hetoreyn I liked your verb. Reminds me of a lexicon. I bet it would sound great on a live orchestra. It wasn't working with stuff mixed with another verb but that is to be expected. Still has a great sound to it.
  • N
    N
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    @magates said:

    The 2nd cue has similar mix and sample choice issues but has quite a bit more room for improvement in the orchestration as well. Sounds kind of thin basicly - if your going to use orchestra plus jazz band thats what it has to sound like - the only way to achieve that is to use more of the orchestra more of the time. I mean thats the hollywood way anyway. The thing is in hollywood musicans cost 150$ an hour so your going to want to use the !@#!@$ out of them - same thing applies to the synth world.

    Stll both are quite good from a compositional stand point and the 2nd which I saw with the video was pretty good dramaticly as well. (I did notice your hits wern't dead on....)


    I agree- good work! A lot of detail in the 1st. The panning was too extreme but that's because nothing was bedded into the right reverb, I think.

    In the Wallace&Grommit sequence, in the long chase I would have liked a modulation to up the tension. Also, the parts could "go round the orchestra" more, for variety. The dynamics need a lot of work to "wake up" this chase piece, it all sounds rather flat and "MIDI-sequenced"

    The slower sequence towrads the end was nice rhythmically and harmonically good, but I think "softer/warmer"+"lighter" instrumentation -maybe woodwinds instead of brass, some pizzicato in the strings- could be more characterful. A tuba could replace the cello bass, for instance. It's cliched I know, but sometimes the cliches are ther to help us [:)]

    Nigel
  • T
    T
    hello, shall we have a song empty configurated for logic pro 7 ?

    If it is possible, really many thanks [:D]

    Best regards

    thierry
  • H
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    @rawmusic said:

    I had never even considered using matrix reverb. I had totally assumed that space designer was the way to go. Having listened to your demos, I shall certainly be playing with the seemingly humble but obviously capable AU effect. Good job!


    It's a good little effect that AU matrix verb. Though It's not something I'd settle for in a mixdown for a final product, it is great to work with in letting you hear the sort of soun that you would like to have. I work a lot with flutes and I have to say the reverb preset I have really lets it work nicely when I'm composing stuff.

    For finishing a song I'd probably use a little of my AU verb and then space designer as that is a really advanced reverb. I'm only just learning about convolutions an impulse responses ... all new to me!

    Still I'm glad you like the reverb and I hope it helps people out here for composing.

    Hetoreyn
  • P
    P
    For a Hollywood Sound, the reverb is the thing. I suggest you consider getting a pre-owned Lexicon PCM90. I found one on Ebay for $750US. If you're using SX3.1 or GS3, you can route the reverb into either of those programs.