Dear VSL Friends - 

Could you estimate the FTE hours required to make Dorico 3.5 maps for key instruments where it matters 'most', i.e., where verisimilitude most requires the ability to carefully trigger from numerous articulations?  

(FTE=Full Time Equivalent).  

Maybe you could organize a distributed, paid effort for this talented community to get paid to contribute high-quality maps?  Crowd-source it, essentially.  Already there is an effort underway (thanks to many talented, generous people) but perhaps some leadership/technical guidance from VSL could make it even better, get it done faster, and save your team from the distraction when you could be making new libraries instead?  

Here's how it would work:  Folks donate (I will personally kick in $1,000 for starters) to a 'goal' (specific goal, such as a specific instrument?  or to a 'general fund'?)  Tasks are put up on 'Upwork' by VSL (say, 'EM's for Synchron Violins, the full instrument) with a 'prize' for completion, and estimated FTE-hours to get it done, based on your experience.  Someone in the community agrees to do it right, vetted by VSL, but paid for by donations.  They are awarded the contract (people could collaborate, too, Upwork supports this).  When they finish, you trigger the milestone and they get paid.  Folks in the community who are good at this could also bid to complete the project for a given amount.  Again, when the maps are made to VSL's/the community's satisfaction, VSL (who controls the Upwork account) triggers the milestone, and the community member gets paid. 

What do you think?  I will put (some of) my money where my mouth is.  Anyone else?

All the best, 

Eric

Hello Eric and Cyril!

Dorico Expression Maps for our SYNCHRON-ized Special Editions are soon to be released.

Cyril, please don't spread false rumours like I don't like Dorico. That's not true and ridiculous.

Best regards,
Andi

Hello Cyril!

Currently there are no plans to create Dorico Expression Maps for our VI libraries in the nearer future.

Best regards,
Andi

Hi Andi, Cyril - 

Thanks for responding. 

Andi:  Am I missing something, or do we already have expression maps for the 'big one', i.e., Synchron Strings?  I'm a hobbyist, so not as familiar with what's out there as some of your customers.  If not, are you planning on making such an expression map?   Or is it perhaps not worth it, i.e., it will be very difficult to automate the full expression of the library even with the expression maps in Dorico, and one is better off working in Cubase?  Or does Dorico have the ability (through controllers, etc. on top of key switches) to access the full palette of VSL, and this is just a matter of not having the resources to create the expression maps?  

My dream (as a hobbyist for 30 years) is to be able to access all of the verisimilitude available in these libraries without having to program extensively, or even, at all - just write the music a la Staffpad and the 'interpretation engine' takes over, with a few controls available for drawing curves, etc.  

My offer to crowd fund the effort stands!  Perhaps I am naively underestimating the scale of the effort...

All the best, 

Eric

Originally Posted by: fanagiga

Am I missing something, or do we already have expression maps for the 'big one', i.e., Synchron Strings?  

Hi Eric,

I think you know this, but to be sure: Paul Walmsley from Steinberg created an expression map for Synchron Strings. Here is a link.

Synchron Strings Expression map

I would kick in $100 (US) to get Expression Maps for Solo Strings.

why on earth would you want to crowdfund something like this when a few people have already created maps and have made them available for free download on the Dorico forum.  Of course the natural answer is that you want the highest quality. The problem is that many of the libraries are so complex that everyone will use them in different ways. I'm perfectly happy with my own sy-ed solo strings maps and if I used anyone else's would certainly have to adjust them to my own tastes. Likewise, I would expect anyone using mine to also make  adjustments to suit their own requirements as this is a complex library which can be configured in many different ways. That's not to say that a library with strong input and quality-checking by VSL wouldn't be valuable -- of course it would.

Having said that, I'm interested what the "official" VSL maps for the rather simpler Synchron-ized SE will be like when they are released, (maybe next Wednesday along with the video). I do hope they support all the latest features in Dorico as that will make it easier to see if I might have missed a trick or two when designing my own. And I'm sure they will be invaluable for those who don't have the time or inclination to go down that road.

Hello,

I don't know if you're looking for VI or Synchron, but for information Dorico Expression Maps for Synchron Solo Strings can be found here:

https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=246&t=191899

Regards,

Gil.

Originally Posted by: fanagiga

Hey EricNJ et al -

I'll re-designate my original $1k for just solo strings too!  There have to be some experts out there that can get this one done?  Conditions:  Veracity/quality to be confirmed by Andi!

Happy composing everyone..., 

Eric

Hi Eric -

Is your offer of $1k for solo strings still on the table?   If yes, I am willing to reach out to Daniel @ Dorico and see if it is OK to post this on the Dorico Forum

I've spent some time looking at this today and it's obvious a lot of work has gone into it. I urge Dorico VIPro users to investigate as the alternatives are not that numerous to the best of my knowledge.