I don't know what happened, but sometimes deleting the preferences can help making a program start behaving correctly again. Just in case, keep your old preferences file, to restore it if this doesn't solve this issue.

Paolo

Fantastic pictures, music and sound!

Paolo

Originally Posted by: Dietz

I just tested MIR Pro in MIRx mode, but I can't reproduce the issue you seemingly ran into. The "Bassoon Ensemble" Instrument Profile is guessed correctly

Dietz, I'm very, very sorry. I was looking for the VI PRO Section presets, instead of the proper Woodwinds profiles. I can't understand why I din't even see the Ensemble presets in the Woodwinds list of presets.

Sorry for your time.

Paolo

Thank you everybody for the very informative hints!

Paolo

Dietz, thank you for taking care of it! Can't wait to have the basson ensemble preset!

Bassoons!

Paolo

Hi,

I noticed that there isn't a Bassons Ensemble preset in MIR PRO, when in MIRx mode. There are ensemble presets for all the other woodwinds.

Is this setting missing from my installation, or is it really omitted from the collection? How would you replace it?

Paolo

In other words, it depends on the context. The example with band music should show that if you need a very compact sound, the a3 instruments are better. In classical orchestra, where a more transparent sound is needed, maybe separate solo instruments may work better.

Paolo

Originally Posted by: pianoguy

It's not the only enormous gap in the piano collection, though. It would be great to have a good 1830s Erard, or any of a large number of later wooden-framed or even early steel-framed instruments.

Again, some excellent pianos in that style are in the Realsamples Beurmann collection. They have a Traugott Berndt from 1848, that should be still similar to pianos from the 1830s, and a more recent Erard from 1873. This latter should be very different from VSL's Blüthner 1895, looking like a straight-stringed instrument instead of cross-stringed.

Should VSL continue with restored originals, like with the Blüthner, or go for replicas? As much as fascinating the real things are, I think the Realsample collection has them covered. I would much prefer modern replicas, that can immediately be used in production.

Theatres do the same: keeping older instrument in tune is not easy, and maintaining them is working on a precious museum piece. They usually go for excellent replicas.

Paolo

Hi,

I wonder which position is the correct one, when mixing a concerto for piano and orchestra. Should I choose the Close or Distant microphone/reverb position for the piano?

In the real world, I find a few contrasting information. Sometimes, the piano is very into the orchestra. Some others, it is well detached, with a spot microphone pointing inside it.

Any solution is good if is works, or is there a standard recommended placement?

Paolo

Hi,

After having worked with the Dimension Strings and Dimension Brass, I can now appreciate how good it is having separate instruments making an ensemble.

The Dimension libraries are, however, expressly recorded to make an ensemble. Not so the separate woodwinds, like Flute 1 and 2, or Clarinet 1 and 2.

Is still the use of a3 instrument to be preferred, when writing unisono parts, or with the advancements of VI and MIR using two separate instrments to make an unisono ensemble is now the best practice?

Paolo

Originally Posted by: pianoguy

There is one other option - Realsamples' Early Piano, which is a 1793 Stein.

I didn't want to say the name of the other manufacturer, but here it is :)

https://soundcloud.com/ptram69/mozart-concerto-per-pianoforte-k488-adagio-fortepiano

Paolo

Originally Posted by: William

The fact that people are coming up with what should be the next Dimension Strings shows how it is such an extraordinary library.

May I cite other manufacturers, here? DS and DB are like Lego bricks. You can build what your imagination dictates, anywhere and anytime. A fantastic toy for adult composers!

Paolo

Hey, really epic! And thank you very much for the score! That's incredibly useful to recreate the riffs with solo instruments!

Paolo

Duplicating the Chamber Strings requires a trick consisting in detuning one of the instances by one or two semitones, and placing them in different points on the stage with pan+reverb (or MIR). 2 x Chamber Strings is however ≠ Orchestral Strings. It will not sound as twice the instruments, but thicker than Chamber Strings alone. you will get divisi by using the two groups separately.

I've not said that I don't like Appassioata, but that they are not as versatile as the other libraries. They ha e less articulations, and a sound that is never too neutral.

Paolo

Maybe still a bit too broad as categories. However, Orchestral Strings are the library with more articulations, and they are the right, average size for any type of orchestra. Chamber Strings sound more delicate and smaller. While they are not big enough for romantic orchestra, they may work well for the modern cinema 'neo-romantic' movement. They are also the right size for Mozart and Baroque.

Appassionata is not very versatile, but are good for very emotional music. I wouldn't want them as the only strings library. Dimension Strings are an alternative to Chamber Strings, and would let you create your own ensemble, goin from very intimate to chamber-sized. Doubling them can create a very good full-orchestra sound, but you need some tricks to avoid phasing from doubling. And they need much more CPU.

Be sure to read the list of articulations, because some important ones (like trills and dynamics, or sul pont or con sord) are not in all the libraries.

Paolo

Which is your composing style? Deciding for only one of the libraries may also depend on that.

Paolo

I'll try to give an example of why I think extended techniques are currently missing. In general, we have three types of libraries including extended techniques:

1) solo instruments;

2) chamber-sized instruments;

3) ensemble effects.

The first type can be flexible in creating ensembles, but multiplying the same soloist never produces the same result as having a real ensemble. You feel how artificial it sounds.

The second type doesn't allow for independent voices, making a finer ensemble texture.

The third type (in which I include Syn FX Strings) is dedicated to a holistic effect, that the composer can't control. You use it as an object trouvé, and that's it.

An extension of Dimension Strings including extended techinques would allow something like what is shown in the example, no longer so uncommon even in music derived from 'progressive rock'.

Paolo

Yes, yes, YES! To an Extended Techniques (including sul ponticello) library! We have some chamber strings library including extended techniques from other manufacturers, but Dimension Strings can work in a much more flexible way, with internal variability between the soloists making the ensemble. Even Synchron FX Strings is not as useful as Dimensiin Strings IV would be. I'm personally not looking for an "effects" library, but for, as the common English name says, techniques extending the basic set, that i can use as I want or need in different contexts.

Paolo

Originally Posted by: Paul McGraw

What a delight! This proves yet again that VSL is the only library that can really effectively handle the classical and baroque era music. Your solo violin part is simply fabulous. Perfection!

Paul, thank you very much for listening (and for your kind words)!

Doing this piece helped me very much in understanding how this tool called VSL works. After finding my way, I think I can agree that it’s a stunning match, when coming to various styles and epochs of the classical music.

The main goal of virtual libraries being giving the most accurate idea of how a piece could sound when handled to real performers, I think I could discover some tricks on how to go near to it – thanks to the kind forum members who helped me in refining my humble means.

The next step, with the solo violin in the Adagio, is to use time stretch to dynamically vary the trills' speed. I’ve already adjusted my presets to fit those variations in different cells of the matrix!

Paolo

Originally Posted by: lunar_28664

What is the source for your score? If there are scores availalble in Sibelius or Dorico format, I might one day be tempted to try my hand ppaurely as a "conductor" rather than a composer/conductor.

I used the edition edited by Nowak and published in 1954, that can be found on the Petrucci library. It should be the most "standard" version, despite the various versions of the score.

Originally Posted by: lunar_28664

I wonder indeed whether Dorico, which naturally shortens many notes other than legato as default, would automatically create more drive with VSL SE than the same score in Sibelius?

I wonder if notes are shortened, in Dorico, only for NP. I would myself prefer if for ordinary libraries it preserved the performance information shown in the Play mode. This would really make Dorico a replacement for a DAW.

Paolo

I've been recently working with a beautiful fortepiano from another developer. It is a period object, made just a couple years after Mozart's death by the same manufacturer who made Mozart's preferred piano (Stein).

As beautiful as it is, it is a particular instrument. It's old, and even if perfectly maintained, it sounds as an old insturment, with all its imperfections.

I think VSL's catalogue could fit better a modern replica, as happened with the majestic harpsichord. A perfect instrument, sounding as when the period instruments were new.

Paolo

Originally Posted by: William

One little thing I noticed was you can make at least some of those accented notes shorter.  Often that is a way to accent a note, because the attack is more exposed. […]

Anyway - now you have to do the whole symphony!  Have fun  - I'll see you in a year.    

William, excellent hints, as usual! I'll revise it to increase contrast.

While I may not render the full symphony, I would like to at least make the full Scherzo. It is a concentrate of Bruckner!

Paolo

David, I could listen to both examples. I understand how much Bruckner influenced you, despite a more modern harmony! It's music that can flow contiously between powerful and meditative, with vast areas of light and shadow. Orchestral colour is really a fundamental ingreadient of your music!

I like NotePerformer for how immediately it allows one to make a clear image of the music. Its artificial intelligence has really great musical taste, and can render any style in a very musical way. I have however a couple reservations on it for my personal use: first of all, the more dense the orchestral texture become, the least realistic it is. Great for small ensembles, however.

The second reservation is that it lacks extended techniques. I hope sooner or later an expansion pack will arrive, with more techniques. If one doen't need them, no problem. If there is considerable use of them, NP can't translate the score.

Making a rather realistic rendition of a score with sample libraries is a lot of work, sadly. I guess that more expert musicians can work faster than me, and achieve great results in a limited time. I think it can be done, and this heavy work can be – admittedly – also very fun!

Paolo

Originally Posted by: Paul

Situations like these are not comfortable, and luckily, they don't happen often (but they do appear with every kind of software protection). 

I have to say that I have never had this kind of issues with the online protection implemented by Apple. I might have to log in again from time to time, but it's just a matter of entering my password.

With times, things seem to have gone worse, since I never remember an issue with eMagic's Logic hardware key. I have used it for more years than I have the eLicenser, and i can't remember a single issue.

Please note: I'm not against the hardware key. I am against the incredibly low quality management software. I can no longer believe in problems in my Macs, since there are so many users with problems identical to mine, on different systems. And it si not a rare evenience, since it happens to me each two-three times I run something protected by the eLicenser (be it a VSL software or Dorico).

Maybe it is time to reconsider the provider of your protection solution.

Paolo

William, thank you again for lending me an ear!

I moved Violins II a bit more to the centre (and more in front of the main mics), and slightly increased the volume in MIR. They are still not at the same level of Violins I when these latter play together with the solo violin, due to the notorius sample-library paradox of sections being greatly incresed in size when adding a soloist or a first desk. However, I feel that a bit of difference in volume may be desired, to accentuate the effect of echo that Vivaldi may have demanded to create spatial depth (the storm sounds here, and the echo return there).

As for the odd sound of the accompanying figure in the Adagio, what I tried to do was to make Vivaldi's indication ("mosche e mosconi", that is "flies and bluebottles") sound as realistic as possible. I wanted a buzzing, insect-like sound, to increase the sense of discomfort of the summer heath. I tried to replace it with a more ordinario position, and it should sound like this:

Vivaldi, L'Estate, II Adagio (ordinario) (in MP3)

Otherwise, with my choices and your corrections in the other points, this could be the result:

Vivaldi, L'Estate, II Adagio (in AIFF)
Vivaldi, L'Estate, II Adagio (in MP3)

Vivaldi, L'Estate, III Presto (in AIFF)
Vivaldi, L'Estate, III Presto (in MP3)
 

Paolo