VSL Strings

[William]

 As a result of another thread, I was thinking of why people are enthusiastic about VSL strings.  In my own case it is first of all because the sounds have a great musical quality and beauty and  have made possible the realization of music that would not have been possible otherwise.  People have talked about other libraries here, many of which are certainly good, but it doesn't alter the fact that the combination of Solo, Chamber, Orchestral and Appassionata allows a huge range of expressive timbres. 

But also and just as crucially, the interface developed for Vienna Ensemble has - for me -  made other sample libraries obsolete.  The reason for this is that even the really good ones for Kontakt do not have the overall design for using samples like VE built in.  I was thinking the other day while starting on a new composition that this interface has become much more than a mere efficient utility. It has actually become like a musical instrument in its own right.  This is because of the matrix structure having the articulations constantly present,  along with the notes in the sequencer.  That is a hugely significant difference that you might take for granted, but the effect of it is that you have a kind of “meta-instrument” right before you, constantly there, waiting and ready, just like a huge grand piano or pipe organ  waiting for you to play.  And I am not necessarily referring to live performance either.  Rather, I mean the more detailed aspect of programming huge elaborate pieces that cannot be played live by one person. That is the really significant aspect.  The process of using samples at the highest level of complexity possible actually becomes like performing intuitively even during the programming. You  become practiced in it like playing any other instrument after a while.  You start switching to new articulations almost instantaneously.  I have never experienced this with any other sample library.  Others involve sitting there and thinking about what to do and re-do, then laboriously clicking and selecting, etc. In other words, other libraries involve much more non-musical work of mere computer programming.

This is most noticeable in the strings, since they represent the largest and most expressive ensembles in the orchestra.  One example of this intuitive use is in this piece of mine -

http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=1&DemoId=4510

Also, the string performances that Michael Hula did –

http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=1&DemoId=4866

 and Jay Bacal - 

http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=1&DemoId=5008

[mike connelly]

I really have to wonder why the moderators put up with people who post such ridiculously offensive things instead of banning them.

[ct1961]

@mike connelly said:

I really have to wonder why the moderators put up with people who post such ridiculously offensive things instead of banning them.

Dear Mr Connelly

I am obligated to inform you that we have taken instruction from a Mr W. Kersten (of no fixed temperament).

We take exception to your unbridled attack on William.

Short of the inclusion of a link to one of his own tunes, there is nothing whatsoever offensive in our client's latest post.

We would ask you to withdraw your remarks forthwith. Failure to comply will result in one of the following;

1) The electric chair followed by the guillotine with a damned good horsewhipping as an encore

or

2) Being held captive in the domicile of a M.Guy Bacos and forced to listen to every demo he's ever made (tea and biscuits optional).

There's an easy way and a hard way. We strongly recommend withdrawing your remarks or going for option 1).....

[mike connelly]

Funny stuff.

[William]

I personally would love to be held captive in Guy Bacos domicile and be forced to listen to all his demos.  That would be very pleasant and inspiring.   

ct1961 -

yes, good sir, you are quite correct I am of no fixed temperament.   Just as the semi-animal-object hero of Kafka's story "The Cares of a Family Man" was "of no fixed abode" and resembled "a flat star-shaped spool of thread, and indeed it does seem to have thread wound upon it; to be sure, they are only old, broken-off bits of thread, knotted and tangled together, of the most varied sorts and colors. But it is not only a spool, for a small wooden crossbar sticks out of the middle of the star, and another small rod is joined to that at a right angle. By means of this latter rod on one side and one of the points of the star on the other, the whole thing can stand upiright as if on two legs.  One is tempted to believe that the creature once had some sort of intelligible shape and is now only a broken-down remnant.  Yet this does not seem to be the case: at least there is no sign of it; nowhere is there an unfinished or unbroken surface to suggest anything of the kind; the whole thing looks senseless enough, but in its own way perfectly finished. In any case, closer scrutiny is impossible, since ODRADEK is extraordinarily nimble and can never be laid hold of.

[ct1961]

@Another User said:

I personally would love to be held captive in Guy Bacos domicile and be forced to listen to all his demos.  That would be very pleasant and inspiring.   

 

I quite agree William. It is the sheer quantity, not the quality to which I refer, so if you intend following the progress of the USA in the World Cup, I'd suggest steering clear of Canada for the foreseeable future.

However, if you do encounter Monsieur Bacos, and he invites you to listen to his demos over a cup of tea and some biscuits,  your best course of action might be to grab his garibaldis and get the hell out of there.
You'll then be able to nibble away to your heart's content and watch the football (soccer).