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  3. The VSL Podcast .. Show 4

  • The VSL Podcast .. Show 4

    H
    H
    Hey all, just got the next show out and it's available for download on iTunes right now. I'm doing pretty well to get one out a week, hope I can keep up this pace. Still always looking for composers who wish to get their compositions played on the show so if you fancy it, let me know nd send me an e-mail.

    It's a great way for everyone to hear what each other is doing, and to get a more universal way of hearing the VSL music. Of course you can post opinions on the pieces, topics, and things discussed on the show here.

    So far I'm not had a huge amount of feedback on the show in general, so it'd be great to know what people think. Are you enjoying it, is it presenting useful info to you, what else would you like to hear. Let me know.
  • J
    J
    It's a biggie! And you certainly had a good variety of music to play as well.

    I was particulary struck by Matt Gate's "Romantic Theme" and the sense of "space" that he achieved: so much better (to my way of thinking) than the current "in your face" approach which (nowadays) is all too apparent.
  • H
    H
    Aye I know what you mean. He's got the depth down to a tee. but he has the tools and the know how to make it work. And when you listen to his stuff there's no greater reason I think, to go out and buy Altiverb [:P]

    It's certainly on my list of things to buy.
  • M
    M
    Thank you. I've been using just two altiverbs one for WW/Strings one for Brass/Perc with good results. I think further stage positioning techniques are beyond subtle and not worth the massive CPU usage to achieve them. Perhaps 3 layers of depth is worth it if you have the fire power but left, right, center placement is just as well done with paning imho.
  • D
    D
    Hey Hetoreyn,

    thanks for playing my two pieces - perhaps more of us "Keen Amateurs" will let you have some stuff - I'm sure there's a lot of hobbyists out there using VSL and hopefully you can find a spot on the show to play their stuff.

    My two arrangements were very very basic and made me realise how much difference it can make getting the sound right in the mix afterwards. Lots to learn there so I shall be listening in on the technical chats you include. Hope you are able to get some of the VSL team to do an interview.
  • H
    H
    I'm going to be badger the VSL guys soon for interviews .. just gotta figure out the technical side of how to record skype calls and all that, but I'm on it.

    There will alwys be space for everyones work. It doesn't have to be perfect and it certainly doesn't have to be professional. I'm happy to play anything that you guys feel is good, or are particularly proud of.

    Anyways, have to go out and do my paper round now .. :Groan:
  • J
    J
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    @hetoreyn said:


    Anyways, have to go out and do my paper round now .. :Groan:


    A composer's life is not a happy one (with apologies to W.S. Gilbert)...

    [8-)]

    P.S. Wot, no "Groan" emoticon?
  • B
    B
    Again a superb show ! You are getting even better as a host, Hetoreyn. [H]
    Very enjoyable and informative indeed. Thanks for the great work.

    Best
    Holger
  • P
    P
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    @hetoreyn said:


    So far I'm not had a huge amount of feedback on the show in general, so it'd be great to know what people think. Are you enjoying it, is it presenting useful info to you, what else would you like to hear. Let me know.


    Yes. I think that's a fair comment. Yeah - very interesting and I think Todd has a very nice speaking voice. [:D] His tracks are good and it seems he's a fan of Herrmann.

    All the tracks were fun to listen to - but as a matter of fact, I liked the very last track best of all. That's a very good effort and a nice sound.
  • D
    D
    I just got an iPod a week ago, and the VSL podcast is one of the first I subscribed to.

    I'm really enjoying them, and they are getting better and better as you seem to becoming more and more comfortable as a broadcaster, and as you get wider and wider input.

    Here are some ideas for content;
    - get Herb and co to do a documentary of a typical recording session (I know, lots of effort and co-ordination)
    - a shoot-off of different reverbs
    - run a composition contest, and use the show to podcast the entries
    - a weekly audio-diary from Herb (you know something like Peter Jackson does for his films) - though I guess this would be anathema to whole way VSL interact with their customers.
    - are their any forum members able and willing to give mini tutorials on orchestration techniques
    - adverts (yeay !)
    -
  • D
    D
    and just a word of encouragement .... I think it will get ever more popular, once a few more people have subscribed, it will get talked about more and more .. if Herb an co. can provide some good quality content it could really snowball ....

    the more popular it gets ... the more people will want to submit good content for it ... and the more popular it will want to listen to it ... etc etc

    hang in there, and keep bugging VSL for some content. [:)]

    great show
  • H
    H
    Hey Drew,

    That's some great ideas there, I'll be sure to plow into them. I've been pluckingup the courage to ask herb for an interview for a while now, and what's stopped me the most is just deciding what to ask him, so your suggestions should go a long way to that.

    And Thanks PaulR for complementing my 'Journey to Ra' piece. It still work in progress but I was stuck for something to end the show on.

    As for other people donating tech tips as audio comments cool, send 'em in. Todd has done some great stuff and shown the way for tech discussions, and certainly there's nothing worng with getting even more technical .. I think the more the better [:D]

    Podcasts are very addictive .. I listen to several .. mainly mac news based .. (the maccast, the macreviewcast, and twit (This week in tech). Though I do that cos I'm out here in Germany where I don't yet understand a whole lot what people in the radio and TV are saying [:P] (I'm learning though).

    Anyways, thanks again. Keep your trousers on cos I'm working on new stuff. Oh yeah .. just to announce .. I'm going on holiday in 2 weeks time .. for 2 weeks so obviously there won't be a show during that time .. but no doubt I'll make it up to you when I get back.
  • J
    J
    Hi Hetoreyn,

    In your discussion about panning, you gave some specific numbers for how you panned your strings in Logic. From this, it sounds like you merely used the channel strip pan contol. If so, two questions...

    1. Did you use the EXS instrument in stereo or mono?

    2. If you were working with a stereo instrument, did you alter the width of the stereo field using the Direction Mixer or some other plugin?

    In the "incorrect" example you played with the strings hard panned left and right, it sounded like there was some stereo information missing from the signal which leads me to believe that perhaps you were merely adjusting the L/R balance of the stereo signal (via the channel strip). Thus "panning" hard left would mean the right channel was almost completely muted.

    However, I was listening to the show on earbuds with my iPod, so i could be mistaken.

    Jason
  • H
    H
    Ah I see what you mean. I was using only the pan control on the strip. And the insturments are in Stereo, with now widening or narrowing, I do use the Dir Mix processor but only on the woodwind and brass tracks.

    I'll try to be more specific in the future with all these little details.

    Ans your right if you hard pan left it cuts out the right channel info, (though frankly I'm not aware of any other kind of panning [:P]). I mean, panning and balance are the same thing .. at least on the control strip. If there's a way to pan hard left or right, and still keep the stereo info .. let me know cos seriously I don't know how to do that.
  • D
    D
    ... and so what exactly are you doing in Germany?
    Whats the quality of life like down there ?
  • J
    J
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    @hetoreyn said:

    I mean, panning and balance are the same thing .. at least on the control strip. If there's a way to pan hard left or right, and still keep the stereo info .. let me know cos seriously I don't know how to do that.


    I don't believe there is any other way to handle stereo panning via the control strip in Logic since there is indeed only the balance control. The only solution would be to use the Dir Mixer, Waves S1, or some other stereo contol plugin.

    It would make for an interesting show segment to get several people's opinions and examples on how they like to handle stereo panning. There may be several opinions and it could be left to the listener to decide which techniques are most convincing.
  • H
    H
    JJP - Good point. In all my studio enginnering time and dealings I've just taken it as red that hard panning crushes stereo info and there's not mch I can do about it .. but as you say it's a good point to wonder if there actually is something you can do .. it never occured to me to use the Dir Mix plugin to pan all the instruments .. I'll try that on my new piece.

    Drew - Well I moved to Germany with my partner cos we both fancied life outside of Britain for abit. And I wanted to write my second album in quiet surroundings .. we live in a nice lake covered area with forests so it's a very nice place to work. shame there's no mountains .. that'd be awesome.

    Quality of living in Germany is pretty damned good, though the Euro isn't doing as well as it used to .. things used to be cheaper [:(]

    Oh well. Anyways.
  • J
    J
    Hi everybody,

    thank you hetoreyn for the great Podcasts.
    i know the piece "Return to Alanda" from http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/v2demos.html played with KHSO Emerald of course. If you're interested in Emerald a comparison might be useful.

    Regards,
    Justus

    PS: I live near Hamburg, BTW
  • H
    H
    heh, Interesting listening to that piece done with a different library. Though I think I prefer the woodwinds from the VSL, however the brass (trumpets) did sound better from the KHSO, but from my personally experience with trumpet stac note is that you really have to get the reverb and depth right with them or they sound bloody awful.

    I usually dub trumpets with Trombones doing the same melody but an octave lower.

    Still thanks for pointing this out. Two very interesting versions of the same song. Though the Voices of the apocalypse add quite a bit to the VSL version .. I so wanna buy them.

    Perhaps the people who heard the VSL piece on the show would like to comment on what they thought between the two versions. I think I like the VSL version overall, in my own opinion.
  • J
    J
    Please listen to the piece "Follow me" on the same site. It's wonderful!

    PS: Yes, the Solo trumpet is lovely as far as I know (I don't have Emerald, just listened to the demos)