film scoring for low-budget film

[cristiangscheidel]

Hi guys.

on January I will start write a score for a low-budget film. Of course I will not be able to use a real orchestra, but I have in mind to try to use VSL samples. 

actually I don't have any orchestral library from VSL (I write in the traditional way) but the director ask me a mock-ups of the cues. 

I have told to the director that if the producer hasn't a budget for scoring with a real orchestra, maybe there's a way to have in the score the real sound of an orchestra using vsl.  I have let him listen some demo sample on the site and he was really impressed. But ....he doesn't give me a budget to purchase the symphonic cube but at least   2000 euro (extra my personal fee).

for you.... is that possible have a good result scoring with strings from download special edition and woodwinds and brass from "download instruments"???

it will take me too much time for programming?

I've seen the articulation of instruments and I think it's enough for a film score.

let me know what you think about and maybe some alternatives...

thank in advance

[MassMover]

My advice: The Strings from the SE are ok for a simulation, but too limited for e realistic imitation of a live orchestra. You rather should go with the Appassionata Strings I Full library (or bundle, if you also need muted strings). If you need the full orchestra, I advise you to then get the brass and woodwinds from the SE and SE+ Download Collection, but only the Standard lib. The extended lib. would give you some nice extra articulations, but they are still not sufficient to emulate a convincing solo passage. So, the basic articulations of the Std. libs will do for basic orchestral situations like woodwind chords, simple countermelodies, some brass attacks. If you need one wind instrument featured more prominently, you still have some €s left from your 2k budget to purchase this single instrument as a download instrument.

[cristiangscheidel]

Hi MassMover.

Yes I wish buy all the single download instruments (not all...just what I need...maybe 12) and the standard download library + standard plus library) . I see that appassionata string in special edition are really limited.  So i need just orchestral string...hoping they will work well for me.

But I'm a little suspicious about time..... time I need for programming. Maybe it will take me more time programming then writing....and I have no much time.

[jasensmith]

It also depends on how you and/or the director want to approach the scoring of the film in general.  Unfortunately for SE brass and woodwinds, you're going to be limited to block chords and short motival passages which may not sit well with the director, or you, for that matter.

However, If you buy the full DVD SE bundle for $1,920 (less in Euros I'm sure) you could get away with some very realistic sounding melodic strings.  The reason being, you'll have solo strings, chamber strings, orchestral strings and, I think, two articulations of Appasionato strings.  If you layer those strings properly you can acheive a large and relatively realistic string sound, even with the SE.  Of course, it's also going to depend on what reverb plugs you're using and your skills as a MIDIstrator/programmer.  If you can only afford one of the SE DVD collections get the SE Extended because it has most of the major articulations.  Layoring your strings also takes some practice and skill to get right.

As far as your question about programming, the nice thing about the SE is the fact that you only have a limited number of articulations to work with anyway so you just program the articulations as keyswitches.  I would advise you to keep all of your keyswitches the same, or as close as possible, for every instrument so that you don't have to constantly switch back and forth trying to figure out which keyswitch is which articulation.  You only have to memorize it once then it's the same for every instrument.  Makes things go much more rapido[;)]  

I would say that you have quite a challange in front of you.  Good luck. 

  

[matde]

@cristiangscheidel said:

But I'm a little suspicious about time..... time I need for programming. Maybe it will take me more time programming then writing....and I have no much time.

This is definitely so! Especially when you have never worked with a library before. It takes a certain time to get familiar with the sounds and the "engine", not to mention the different effects you'll need and placing the instruments in your virtual room. Therefore you can achieve a result that comes really close to a "real" orchestra, or even better...depending on what orchestra you planned to hire. ;-)) 

[cristiangscheidel]

I'm not new on Midi programming and I have good instrument in my pro tools   ( all waves plug ins). But of vsl I've just overdrive and solo string horizon. But I've watched and try vienna instrument and I know where to go....

I 'm going to buy some single download instruments ( I've seen that they have much more articulations) and vsl special edition+ plus ( string) download.  Hope this will be enough. I'm now studying the "complete guide to midi orchestration", it' a good book full of some tip and tricks.

so with my 2000 euro I can write something good...I hope. If the work will go well, maybe, I'll buy symphonic cube, but at the moment I can't pretend 6000 euro. The producer will cut my head!

if you have other suggestion please

at the moment thank you to you all

[hetoreyn]

Well with such limitations I think you should simply opt to save yourself hassle and do a score with some interesting pad sounds for the most part and just a few Virtual Instruments. Perhaps feature one instrument in particular as your solo piece .. such as Piano .. or flute .. something that is easier to play and program.

I find that although my VSL instruments allow me a great sound .. in order to write midi that sounds good takes a long time because there's lots of fiddly controllers that need programming as well as the midi itself. So whenever I know time is tight I just use more synth instruments because then you don't have to try and get away with fooling people .. you just use them as is.

I'm doing a feature length film right now and it's taking forever because I'm trying to make the orchestra sound big and real and all that .. fortunately I have loads of time so I can do this .. but if time was tight I'd be using less instruments. Afterall it's the emotional content that matters .. not what you used.

[cristiangscheidel]

Hi hetoreyn

Yes I think just like you. I can try to let program my music by someone who have the symphonic cube, and pay for that. I don't know how much a professionist will ask me , maybe 4000 $? I don't know.

So if the director wants a full orchestra he has to pay or he doesn't ask me a full orchestra with a few money and no time!

I will search in the forum who can do this midi orchestration , and how much.

thanks and let me know if you know someone

[skyy38]

 I know I'm replying to an old thread, but perhaps, you have another project coming up?

Providing that you didn't purchase VSL , I would have directed you to this link first, just to see how you liked it:

http://www.motifator.com/index.php/musicplayer/listen/brahms_concerto

If you had said "nay" then forget it and good luck!

However, if your interest had been piqued somewhat, I would have had you go here next:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/synthesizers/mo/mo8/?mode=model

The neat thing is that the MO 6 would have been about $1000 US but you would have a neat little package that probably could've worked in your Pro Tools Rig!

One note about the demo link-it was programmed on an instrument that is now ten years old. The MO 6 would have sounded even better because it has more waveform memory than the original Motif.