You can stack sounds for a bigger sound-- using combos of Chamber and Orchestral Strings. I even throw in a solo string here and there for those first chairs sitting "closer to the mic". Copying the exact same part into each instrument is not always the best approach. I always replay the part with doubled instruments for more realism. More work, but better results.

One decision you might want to consider is that for a different type of orchestral sound (size, etc) to augment your strings with another collection. That may 'seem' like an awkward step, considering the magnitude of VSL, but it's not an uncommon pracitce. VSL is known for its detailing, which can often get lost in a large ensemble. I've been sequencing excerpts from R. Strauss' opera "Salome"-- no small orch there by any streatch of the imagination. Results so far are gratifyingly "fat" without any supplimental sounds outside of VSL-VI.

Also, consider that as you mix there are psycho-acoustical impressions that can work to your advantage-- putting the orchestra in a large room and spacing them properly gives the impression of a larger ensemble-- this is not to say that the mix should loaded with tons of reverb-- but if the ear experiences a large space, the brain will register a large ensemble. Keeping low mids full also adds weight and size-- and as some have done, adding a touch of sub bass 8va the lower instruments can enhance a cinema-like aural foundation... It's all very personal.

Thanks. Even though the sounds of Vienna are very, very good, I'm disappointed that the name of the product is "Orchestral", and I would have to use my sampler to drop Miroslav or East West onto the project. So I guess the word is that there are no presets for an entire Violin section, and/or viola section, etc.

If I'm going to use a different track (I use Logic) for each violin, I haven't had success with that as a I try to use more than one Vienna violin. After setting up a Vienna violin on track 1, I open Vienna again on track 2. There I set up another different Vienna violin. But what then happens is that the Vienna violin on track 1 switches to the violin I set up on track 2, so that the're both playing the same violin.

Hi,

of course there are different section sizes available for the string ensembles.

Orchestral Strings give you 14 violins, 10 violas, 8 cellos and 6 doublebasses

Chamber Strings give you 6 violins, 4 violas, 3 cellos and 2 double basses.

Please have a look at the different collections here

Best, Paul

@violinnoel said:

Thanks. Even though the sounds of Vienna are very, very good, I'm disappointed that the name of the product is "Orchestral", and I would have to use my sampler to drop Miroslav or East West onto the project. So I guess the word is that there are no presets for an entire Violin section, and/or viola section, etc.

I don't understand; how can a violin section with 14 violinists not be called orchestral? I think that maybe we are all talking at cross purposes.

DG

I'm not sure that I can disagree with you. But I have to say that I've been trying to get orchestral group sounds out of Vienna by the small manual sent with the CD, the video tutorials, and reading the forum for two weeks. When you say 19 violins, I presume you mean that I record 19 different Vienna violins on 19 different tracks. With Logic, Vienna won't let me do that. It would be nice if Vienna gave a simple tutorial on this matter. I mean really, how much time should one have to spend investigating simple possibilities for a program? This isn't to diss Vienna as a product. The finess they offer with very nice sounds is very good, but I just don't have weeks to figure it out like this. Thanks for your help.

I'm sorry. You said 14 violins. I'm looking at the Plugin right now. Are you describing the "Orchestral Strings - Combi" as being made up of 14 violins. Once again, if you mean that I would record 14 different violins on 14 different tracks, it doesn't work.

Vienna Instruments are incredibly easy to use and get up and running on. Open an instance of Orch Strings I for example and simply load the Performance Universal matrix. With the modwheel you will be able to switch between three different automatically controlled sets of samples from legato to legato-marcato to spiccato. This setup and learning curve will take you about 90 seconds. The strings sound great. I just mixed several VSL instruments in with a real orchestra and you absolutely couldn't tell they were samples.

@violinnoel said:

I'm sorry. You said 14 violins. I'm looking at the Plugin right now. Are you describing the "Orchestral Strings - Combi" as being made up of 14 violins. Once again, if you mean that I would record 14 different violins on 14 different tracks, it doesn't work.

Each sample is 14 violins. You would need a total of 1 midi track to hear 14 violins (no matter the articulation.)

Ok. So just so we're clear here, your sectional preset that sounds like a full section of lets' say the 1st violins is one track of "Perf-Universal". (As I previously said, the articulation process is quite unbelievable fantastic). But the fullest sound in the Vienna Orch 1 or 2 is "Perf-Universal", correct? And you're not suggesting that I record many violins on each track to make up a section.

@Another User said:

(As I previously said, the articulation process is quite unbelievable fantastic). But the fullest sound in the Vienna Orch 1 or 2 is "Perf-Universal", correct? And you're not suggesting that I record many violins on each track to make up a section.

ALL the patches are equally full. If you want the sound of 14 violins holding a whole note you use 1 midi track and press one note. Same for 14 Vlns trilling, or staccato or tremelo or whatever - all on THE SAME midi track to hear 14 players by playing a single note on the keyboard.

My setup is 5 instances: One is 1st Vlns Two is 2nd Vlns, Third is Violas, Fourth is Cellos, Fifth is Basses. I write as I would for a real orchestra and it sounds very full.

You settled for me. Thank you very much. I'll work with it that way. I'm sure it will be great.

You will love it. I watched the video tutorials several times so I had a good basic sense of it before my package arrived. What you will find happening is that you will have a musical need and then begin figuring how to get the result with the interface. For example I needed some quick articulations so I loaded the Perf trills. But I needed them to bite more so I loaded a short staccato in the cell below (crossfade slot.) Made sure the crossfade toggle was on and had the sound I needed. You will also like the Perform section because you can automate release samples on and off or Velocity slider on and off and also balance or automate the volume with crossfade cells (such as I mentioned above.)

There's nothing like VI out there - not even close.