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  • May I show you my first demo with Horizon Solo Strings?

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    Waiting to be played for real violin, viola and cello, here is my first simulation with Horizon Solo Strings


    This is the first movement of my first trio for violin, viola and cello

    This is the second movement of my first trio for violin, viola and cello

    I would like to know if this work catch you. I always try to compose to be emotive because I donate all my music proceeds to humanitary causes...

    Ejem...feedback is welcome

    Grundman

  • Lovely theme.

    --Jay

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    Many Thanks. The first movement has been very difficult to simulate because all is made in only one PC: Gigastudio, Nuendo and Wavelab.


    Technical Information follows:

    1st Movement
    =======================
    Time signature with 5/8 and 4/4
    Horizon Vienna Solo Strings
    Violin Vl_pz_2
    Violin Vl_perf-det_p
    Violin Vl_perf-leg_p
    Viola VA_pz_2
    Viola VA_perf-leg_p
    Cello VC_pz_mV-2
    Cello VC_perf-leg_p
    Cello VC_legno-1
    Gigastudio 2.5 with NFX Reverb
    Recorded and mixed with Nuendo 2.2
    Mastered with Wavelab 5.0

    2nd Movement
    =======================
    Time signature with 4/4
    Horizon Vienna Solo Strings
    Violin Vl_perf-leg_p
    Viola VA_perf-leg_p
    Cello VC_perf-leg_p
    Gigastudio 2.5 with NFX Reverb
    Recorded and mixed with Nuendo 2.2
    Mastered with Wavelab 5.0



    Grundman

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    I do not know if there is some cello player here but I have some advice. In the first movement the cello is peforming a 5/8 notes but it start with pizzacato col legno in the first note and follows with pizzicato and later turn to a single note to pizzicato col legno.

    The orchestral simulation allows to do that but does can be made in the real life?

    Thanks in advance

    Grundman

  • Never heard of 'pizzicato col legno': 'plucking with the bow'. Are you sure the sound is not 'col legno battuto': tapping with the bow? In which case, it is not easier nor much harder than arco - pizz - arco.

    In arco, if the bow stroke can be made near the frog, then a pizz can follow quickly after the bowing; to bow after a pizz takes a fraction more time.

    In col legno, the player uses the middle part of the stick, so it takes a fraction more time to get to the string with a finger and then back to an upside down bow grip and the middle of the stick. I'd guess (as a beginner 'cellist and experienced composer) that quarters at mm=80 would be possible but unsteady, but eighths at mm=80 would not be possible.

  • These are nice - an interesting contrast between the violin solo and the col legno and pizz in the 1st one. I only have a minor criticism: maybe that percussive accompaniment could be lighter at first? More delicate to be under the soft violin line. But it sounds very good.

  • I think this sounds very nice.

    I feel the violin needs to be louder compared to the other instruments. VSL sounds excellent.

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    @gugliel said:

    Never heard of 'pizzicato col legno': 'plucking with the bow'. Are you sure the sound is not 'col legno battuto': tapping with the bow? In which case, it is not easier nor much harder than arco - pizz - arco.

    In arco, if the bow stroke can be made near the frog, then a pizz can follow quickly after the bowing; to bow after a pizz takes a fraction more time.

    In col legno, the player uses the middle part of the stick, so it takes a fraction more time to get to the string with a finger and then back to an upside down bow grip and the middle of the stick. I'd guess (as a beginner 'cellist and experienced composer) that quarters at mm=80 would be possible but unsteady, but eighths at mm=80 would not be possible.


    You are right is only col legno but I wrote pizzicato because is in the same giga instrument to make easier to find. Thanks for your advice, I guess I need to make some fixes now. Thanks from the heart.

    Grundman

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    @William said:

    These are nice - an interesting contrast between the violin solo and the col legno and pizz in the 1st one. I only have a minor criticism: maybe that percussive accompaniment could be lighter at first? More delicate to be under the soft violin line. But it sounds very good.


    I will follow your advice. I will post and update when this will be available. Thanks for the advice.

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    @Craig Sharmat said:

    I think this sounds very nice.

    I feel the violin needs to be louder compared to the other instruments. VSL sounds excellent.


    I am agree with you but due I was using the piano mode of the violin I thought that If I louder the violin this will sound a little fake. Do not you think so?

    Why I not use the f mode of the violin? It seems to me that does not offer the same kind of expression note a note.

    I will try and I will let you know. Thanks for the advice

  • Had a chance to listen to the section in question -- re pizz/col legno. You get an interesting rhythmic effect, but I don't think it would be playable. A very similar effect, and one that the 'cellist would probably enjoy better, would be to include non-pitched finger taps on the body of the 'cello in place of the col legno taps. Just notate with an x note head and give instructions to the player.

    The better the player, the more expensive the bow,and the less well appreciated is beating the stick on the string!

  • Great demos! These are the solo strings I wanted to hear.

    I would like to know what effects/reverb/or otheres you put on Second Movement?

  • Grundman, you're right that just cranking up the level of p violin might sound artificial which was why I was suggesting lessening the other instruments. It is almost always o.k. to turn everything else DOWN in relation to a line you want more audible, instead of trying to turn UP the line in relation to everything else. Less is more I suppose.

    As Craig Sharmat noted the VSL does sound good - every time I hear a good use of it on a new piece I am amazed all over again. I personally find it very inspiring to hear new music played well with the very same sounds I have. It gives you a fresh perspective on something you thought you knew.

  • It sounds very italian at times. Do you want that?

    I don't like how the vibrato does not continue across leaps. Perhaps this was not your fault. Are you using legato patches?

    I very much like the pizzicato portion of the composition.

    Evan Evans

  • Nice work! I particularly like the 2nd movement, with it's winding, pacing quality -- hauntingly beautiful.

    Like Evan, i wondered a bit about how the perf-leg is used...(?) It sounds to me as though they are not often "leg"-ing! It may be that a little more phrasing of the line with slurs would bring out more of the legato quality. Strangely, I don't find the non-legato notes in the perf-leg instruments to be great for general use, and I try to avoid using them over too many consecutive non-legato transitions. For the clean, simple beauty of these parts, you might try making use of the progressive vibrato (pV) Violin, particularly in places like the high, sustained B, about 35 seconds into the piece. You might also mix in some senza vib samples in the Viola and Cello -- given the mood of the piece, I think the vibrato in the more ostinato-like parts could be toned down. The uniformity of vibrato on the mV instruments seems to push everybody into the foreground, not so much in terms of "the mix", but with regard to intention -- like everybody's got "solo" written above their part.

    I'm also very much in support of using the perf-leg_gl instruments to get the sound of a distinct "shift". In spite of opinions to the contrary, many of the portamento samples are very subtle, and can really breathe life into the writing -- after all, players do *choose* to shift, at times (while at other times, they have no choice!). Picturing those choices in your head while writing can really help shape the line.

    I'm also curious as to whether you took advantage of the release samples? In some of your writing they could really help -- I'm thinking particularly of the rhythmic unisons, where I seem to be hearing parallel, non-RS, "envelope"-like releases... (I could be way off on this, so ignore me if I'm wrong!). Here, the RS samples will help give a stronger impression of rebowing, particularly if you go in and edit your note endings to throw the sync off a little.

    Regardless, it's great writing. And feel free to fire back if you've already tried most of the above mentioned techniques!

    cheers,

    J.

  • One thing that came to my mind listening to the second movement, is if you are aware of the lack of pauses. The violin has an almost uninteruptet line. It might be an effect you are going for, but it can make the music very massive. A thing that works for me is to sing the lines to feel the right phrasing and leave room once in a while for a breath. You might even find that your music can deliver more emotion if the "musicians" are "breathing" instead of just playing one note after the other like an organ. (Nothing wrong with organ music [[;)]] )
    -Just an idea, -keep up the good work.

    -Lars