One other thing - I think that what disturbs me is that people like this newspaper writer and those writing letters of agreement with him do not understand is that there is something else that can be done with samples besides faking a missing orchestra. Even though they were right in that context. All these issues have become very complex today, and someone using samples risks getting lumped together with things that have no bearing upon what that person is trying to do.
For example a little thing I did today for muted trombones legato, which I wondered "will that work?" because it was rather odd, and then I tried it with VI and the performance was exactly right. How could it not be with these players we have thanks to VSL at our beck and call 24 hours a day? This piece is for a live theater production, which explains my paranoia. And I sure as hell am not taking any curtain calls! But the music is appropriate for the production and it actually does not matter whether a live orchestra is sitting there very bored (as in my past experience as a horn player), or samples are doing it. Though I agree that the problem in that other production was the disjunct between technicians and live perfomers.
Not to mention the distinction between pure recording and live performance. There are people who insist live performance is always better.
It is not! Because first of all, there are live performances that are terrible, but even with great ones, they are only performances. A recording is forever. I simply have a different outlook I guess, as someone who is interested in trying to create things that last through all the ages of mankind (but admittedly in my case will probably be forgotten BEFORE I die, let alone after). And this sort of creation, which after all every poet, painter and sculptor is also going for, can be done so perfectly with samples, as opposed to the flighty, disturbing transience of live performing, that I naturally gravitate to them like a duck to water. Or a nerd to a new release of Windows. Or whatever simile you wish to apply.
For example a little thing I did today for muted trombones legato, which I wondered "will that work?" because it was rather odd, and then I tried it with VI and the performance was exactly right. How could it not be with these players we have thanks to VSL at our beck and call 24 hours a day? This piece is for a live theater production, which explains my paranoia. And I sure as hell am not taking any curtain calls! But the music is appropriate for the production and it actually does not matter whether a live orchestra is sitting there very bored (as in my past experience as a horn player), or samples are doing it. Though I agree that the problem in that other production was the disjunct between technicians and live perfomers.
Not to mention the distinction between pure recording and live performance. There are people who insist live performance is always better.
It is not! Because first of all, there are live performances that are terrible, but even with great ones, they are only performances. A recording is forever. I simply have a different outlook I guess, as someone who is interested in trying to create things that last through all the ages of mankind (but admittedly in my case will probably be forgotten BEFORE I die, let alone after). And this sort of creation, which after all every poet, painter and sculptor is also going for, can be done so perfectly with samples, as opposed to the flighty, disturbing transience of live performing, that I naturally gravitate to them like a duck to water. Or a nerd to a new release of Windows. Or whatever simile you wish to apply.