The m-audio keyboards have aweful touch response. I would go with a CME UF8 (NOT the new UF88 or VX8!) - it's a little old school, but it looks classy and the keys have a heavy but pleasant response if that's your thing (I don't like playing piano patches on heavy keys, but for some reason, they're awesome when playing string sections). While it has a bunch of faders and a display, they look oldschool.

A lot of people swear by the studiologic fatar boards, and while I've never tried one, you could always look there. Get an older one if you don't want all the faders and display.

Above all, however, I'd recommend getting an upright piano with midi. Yamaha makes some lovely ones. You need a usb midi interface with it, but nothing even comes close to the touch response (except for midi'd bosendorfers, but that's sacrilege!). They weigh a *ton*, but if you play piano anyways, it's perfect. That said, they do cost a fair amount.

The tracks sound great as always!


As for Garanti2, I'd recommend varying the dynamics more in the string ostinato that follows the flutes about halfway in until the end. Gets a little machinegun like when it hits the peak. I'd also do the same with the string/brass chords - they should follow a dynamic line; sounds a bit unnatural with all the chords at full volume. You might also want to think about doing a ritardando at the end along with the decrescendo.



I'd put a little more space between the glissando and the bell in the first track in reel5first. In the second track, I'd recommend having the xylophone's line follow a general dynamic curve while still accentuating the first of each pair of notes. Same with the flute - accent the first note a little more. I'd also add more dynamics to the (bass, I think) drum that leads in the percussion at the end.



All in all, I really like the compositions, but the performances could use more dynamic character.

I totally second that idea of VE acting like a hardware audio/midi connection. I'd already be using that kind of setup if not for the cost - $1300-$2000 to move some sounds about three feet? Really?!

YAY! I now love vienna (the company...though the city's pretty cool too :D) more than ever! If I wasn't a student and made six figures a year, I'd so buy the whole orchestra :D


DG -- As far as it not being necessary, well, I doubt that I'm the only one who started off with another sample library. EW's collection made more sense to me at the time as far as bang for the buck was concerned, and I'm still working on buying the vienna libraries. I can't exactly afford to shell out the equivalent of a car (!) on it just yet, and so I'm still using bits and pieces of the other library as I buy the libraries one by one.



Anyways, I totally can't wait! I was originally planning on getting some of those m-audio lightpipe things with MoL, but this is a much cleaner solution. Running everything over a single cable makes things cleaner, and with the latest wireless stuff, you could potentially put your slave PC in another room entirely. Great for those of us whose setup isn't exactly silent :D

Now that FXteleport is pretty much dead, despite the claims of their team (just take a look at the forums - lack of announcements, spam, etc), it'd be great if Vienna Ensemble was opened up to third party VSTs. Maybe it could be included with some sort of [expensive] master FX suite when MIR's released...it'd be a great incentive to buy such a bundle.

Voice your support for this movement by responding to this thread!

Great track, but I agree with what they're saying about the clarinet sounding a bit too much like it's on its own.

What about using an EQ instance for gain after space designer in the effects chain to compensate for the volume? I know it's a cheap trick, but won't it get the job done? :D

Hi, is there a list of places that give live demos available? If not, does anyone know any places that offer them in the san francisco bay / sacramento areas?

Thanks ;)

P.S.: I'm specifically looking for either Opus 1 or the SE set.