I guess next to a crappy orchestra a virtual one is an improvement... at least my instruments will be in tune...? Compared to the finest orchestras, there is absolutely no comparing the two - virtual orchestras, no matter how good they "sound" never feel anything like the real thing. It's like having the most realistic blow-up doll ever, of your wife: may look a lot like her; may fool people in photos or from a distance; but it doesn't feel anything like her. And for the same reasons: it's not living, it doesn't respond, it doesn't articulate in a billion ways on its own... And what's crucial is that while the experience is relative, it's also absolute. I've noticed this time and time and time again with non-musicians, directors, my family, etc.: few of them could recognize the virtual orchestra by sound alone, especially without a comparison. As soon as a live recording of the same piece was placed back to back, there was absolutely no question which was real, and more importantly, no question that the real recording was far more emotionally powerful. They just weren't aware of what they were missing until they heard it. But the virtual recordings had absolutely not affected them as deeply.
I actually went through a thing on a film I did in 2004, where after the film was done, the producers started complaining about the music budget not being worth it. They had heard the entire score in my studio, virtually, before we recorded it - it was there that they "signed off" on the score. Of course, during the 3 or 4 days of recording, they were like kids at Christmas - stars in their eyes, hugging everybody - it's always like that. A year later, looking over the returns, they're doubting the 200k they spent on the music. So I sent a CD to them of their 3 favorite cues from the soundtrack, in virtual form, and from the live recording. I got an email the next day: "Nevermind."
_Mike
I actually went through a thing on a film I did in 2004, where after the film was done, the producers started complaining about the music budget not being worth it. They had heard the entire score in my studio, virtually, before we recorded it - it was there that they "signed off" on the score. Of course, during the 3 or 4 days of recording, they were like kids at Christmas - stars in their eyes, hugging everybody - it's always like that. A year later, looking over the returns, they're doubting the 200k they spent on the music. So I sent a CD to them of their 3 favorite cues from the soundtrack, in virtual form, and from the live recording. I got an email the next day: "Nevermind."
_Mike