Just checking patches here and for example in Violins I have....

25 Violins Appassionata - 02 Dynamics - 21 VI-20_sfz

Same for the other string sections.  No sffz though.

Detailed, impressive, atmospheric and enjoyable. 

User Area - Instrument Collections - Percussion and Keyboards

Nice piece of musical storytelling.  Brought a smile to my face.  Thank you

Hi Stefan,

I enjoyed it

Only comment from me would be to consider allowing your brass player from about 0.22s onwards some pauses for breath.

Beautiful pieces, and I love the musicality of your performances and the pleasing space you have created for the samples.  What are you using for reverb if I may ask?

Thanks for sharing them.  Lovely

My comment would be: Lovely

@Beat: Yes thanks for those files.  Tremedously useful to have them broken down like that.  I'm still very drawn to the solo strings and chamber strings sounds (also the mix of the two together which sounds very natural and pleasing to me) over Dimension Strings in this case.

Thanks also for your explanation re the HOFA reverb.  The space you have created here sounds magnificent.  Detailed but open and spacious.  Bravo!

Yes thanks for doing this example Beat.  I think I have a very slight preference for the chamber strings and/or chamber strings plus solo strings sound myself, but there isn't a lot in it.

What has drawn you to using the HOFA reverb over others available (say the hybrid or convolution reverbs in the Vienna Suite) if I may ask?

@saxmand : I don't think any other string library I have (VSL or otherwise) could have done what you have done with Dimension Strings here.  Well done indeed.

VSL only recorded a single dynamic for the sustaining articulations of the recorders (although they recorded two different dynamics for the shorts e.g. staccato).

Hence the velocity xfade on sustaining articulations is never crossfading between two different recordings, and hence there is never any 'doubling' audible (because there isn't any).  All the velocity xfade is effectively doing is turning up the volume with no change in timbre.

If you use velocity xfade on the short articulations of the recorders like staccato (not that you'd want to in practice - it is usually more intuitive to use velocity to control dynamics for short articulations) you WILL hear the doubling effect at the point where the two different dynamics recordings are heard at the same time.

In a simple case where there might only be one or two notes I wanted to EQ I think that could work Pyre.  As more notes become involved though, I can imagine trying to keep track of which matrix had which EQ to surpress which harmonic on which particular note would get complicated pretty fast and knowing me I'd find that very confusing.

The other thing I have experimented with is automating EQ in the host to just duck the intrusive sound(s) when it happens leaving the rest of the performance untouched.  This works well too for simple problems.

Thanks for taking the time to think about it and post a solution Pyre.  Appreciated!

In the Vienna Imperial there is a per note equaliser that is really useful.  If there is a noise on a particular note that is intrusive in a certain context, it is possible to use the per note equaliser feature to EQ out that noise without affecting any others or the overall timbre of the piano.

I wonder if you think it would be useful to have this feature in VIPro somehow?  Occasionally one might find a cello note say where a particular harmonic really sings out in a way that can be intrusive in context.  To be able to surgically EQ down that harmonic without affecting the overall timbre of the cellos would be really helpful (to me at least).

Just an idea.....

Not flattery.  Honesty

I find that hard to believe

Please add 'Dietzmix' button to VEPPro which analyses my mix then makes it sound like it would have done had Dietz mixed it.

Please add 'Beat Kaufmann' button to VIPro which analyses my musical phrases and selects the articulations for each note that Beat would have done.

Please write a 'Guy Bacos' plugin for my sequencer for those times when I get writers' block.

Thank you.

It is a lot of fun to listen to aswell.

If it was me, I would try and put this in a drier space with a shorter tail.  A lot of the detail of your writing and orchestration is being lost in a rather muddy spacial blur which is a shame.  Particularly given the velocity at which the chase is happening

Your writing and orchestration are very skilful and imaginative, but the 'space' you have put this piece in isn't reinforcing that on this parituclar occasion for me.  If you could find a way to make this sound more crisp and clear it would allow the brilliance of your writing to shine through.

I am not experienced enough with VSL to give a specific suggestion on what to do beyond that sorry to say.  Keep going though.  You writing is really good.

Greetings!

I really liked it :)

On the mixing side, I would have a think about increasing the dynamic range.  What do I mean by that?  Your quiet passages for harp and flute say are almost equally loud as your tutti passages (where you have fuller orchestrations and your brass enter).  This robs the fuller orchestrations of impact - they don't have the power that they should because relatively speaking they are hardly louder than the (what should be) more quiet and intimate parts.

Have a listen to what happens at 1.28.  You have a full orchestra cadence followed by a solo harp.  The solo harp is almost louder than your full orchestra.

If you can manage the dynamic range of the louder and quieter parts I believe it will give the mockup of your piece more interest, excitement and impact - the interest, excitement and impact it deserves

I can hear why you won a prize for it.  Bravo!

Loved everything about it.

My ears can't be THAT good if I heard some wrong notes that weren't there

I thought the overall timbre of the strings was very bright, bordering on harsh.  I have tried to mockup this piece myself (although using Appassionata Strings and Orchestral Strings) and got a very similar timbre to yours from them.  I tinkered around with it for several weeks on and off using EQ's, FORTI/SERTI and MIR's capabilities and just couldn't get an overall result that I was satisfied with.  I decided I had to put it to one side and come back to it another time.

So I can't really offer any advice other than keep trying, and when you find the solution please post back here and let me know how you did it

Andanta Festivo is one of my favourite pieces.  There is something very moving and spiritual about it.

A belated 'Bravo!' from me.  You have created an overall orchestral timbre and sense of space with VSL that I find very pleasing, on top of a finely judged musical performance which I greatly enjoyed.

Check the cadence at the end of the first phrase (around 20s-26s) against your score.  I think you have some wrong notes in there.  Also check 1.42s. And 2.18s. And 4.41s.

Wow.  Bravo

I may have just come to the same conclusion listening to this too

Bravo Chuck for a beautiful rendition.  I remember wearing out my cassette tape (remember those?) of this soundtrack when the film came out.  It is a beautiful piece and you have delivered a lovely performance of it.

I have just had a chance to play very briefly with the Mir update incorporating the MirX new features and I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderfully elegant and great sounding way you have integrated these new features in to Mir.  It is like having a whole new product to play with for free and is much appreciated.

Now even a mixing klutz like me can sound good! (you can use that quote as an endorsement if you like.....)