Check out the book Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio It's fantastic and is the equivelant of a two semester college course in mixing for $42! It starts with setting up your mixing room and speakers, and why you shouldn't mix with headphones. Then goes onto to cover the use of eq, compression, reverb and other effects. It's all very practical information, that not only teaches you how to use effects, but why you should or shouldn't use them, how to use them to fix problems, and importantly how to mix in a time effective manner. 

I'm considering buying the choir and solo voices VI libraries, because I want to write for actual live singers, but I have a couple of concerns. I've spent several years as a bass in some very good college choirs, and (except for some warm up exercises) we were singing in Italian, German, English, French etc... not just a few sylables. My questions for all of you that have the libraries are:

What is the advantage of having the extra sylables of the extended libraries? 

Since 90% or more of the music I will be writing with them will have lyrics, and be for choir with either no accompianment, or chamber music with a few individual singers, will these llibraries let me at least make decent mock ups? Is this what they were designed for ? And how do other composers use them?

I'm not looking to add Ahhs, Ohhs, AH, U sylabals to a Hollywood style orchestra mix. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not the style that I write. I guess my biggest concern is, I don't want to end up "writing for the samples" as opposed to writing for actual performers who will be singing lyrics. Your opinions on if these libraries would be good for me in the long run and how they would be best used is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Michael

Hi Fabio,

One thing that you need to be aware of is that MIRx is applied Pre-Insert. Just to be clear, the signal flow is: first MIRx reverb is applied to the instrument inside of VI -> THEN any other effects you want to run are applied to the signal .

MIRx is amazing (especially for the price) and so easy to use. Vienna Suite is a great collection of very high quality effects. I  believe you can demo the suite for 30 days, so I would try it out with MIRx and see how you like it. (You could also look at crossgrading to the Syncronized version of your SE libraries)

Michael

Instrument Manuals 

That's really clever! Thanks for sharing that.

There is a 30 day demo you can try for free SY SE Vol 1

You will need a Vienna Key or something similiar to put the demo license on.

Michael

This chart shows what will happen if your Vienna Key stops working, with and without the optional "protection plan"

Vienna Key Faq

Yes they will work together. You maybe able to download a 30 day trial version of VI Pro from it's product page to try it out. It's great!

Michael

Your campuses IT department could configure the VSL/music computers for remote acess. This way you and your student's could log onto and use the computers from home. 

If you don't know how to properly set this up your self, I'd HIGHLY recommend your IT staff configure it for you, so that only you and your students can acess the computer(s). Also, if you don't have anti-virus software on your music computers, then have IT install it because it will have to be connected to the network.

Hope this helps!

Michael

Like many others, I've been waiting for MIRx Synchron Stage for a long time. And sadly, I'm becoming increasing doubtful that VSL will ever release it.

By "garbled" do you mean the audio is distorted or clipping? Or does it sound like something else?

I ask because because this happened after you swaped your drives for SSDs.  

To start with, I'd put your old drives back into your PC and see if the problem goes away.

I write and arrange a lot of pieces for classical guitar ensembles. With the new synchron concert guitar, is it possible to place multiple guitarists on different spots of the synchron stage? Or is it designed to sound like a solo guitarist in a fixed position on stage?

The demos sound beautiful btw!

Thanks,

Michael

If you are just going to store sample libraries on your new SSD drives, you can just copy the data to them, and they will work fine.

"Cloning" is generally used for making an exact copy of a drive with an OS and appications installed on it. For example, if you were going to replace your starttup drive with with an SSD, then cloning it would be the way to go. There is no reason to do this if you are just copying data on to new drves.

Michael

Have your tried the "MIRx Mode" in MIR? That will give you preconfigured reverb, eq, etc... for every instrument.

IMO MIR Pro and Vienna Suite are very powerful tools, but they maybe a bit of overkill for someone that is just getting started and is working only with VSL libraries. I'd recommend you spend some time just with MIRx mode and ignore Vienna Suite for now, to see if you can get the sound you are happy with.

When it comes to buying new sample libaries, I only purchase new ones once I realize I've outgrown the library I'm using. For example, I was using the SE orchestral strings a lot and eventually needed more articulations and samples so that is when I upgraded to the full version. My philosophy of only buying hardware and software once I've outgrown what I currently have, and know exactly what additional features I need and will use, has saved me a considerable amount of money over the years.

Also, if you are thinking about buying more VSL products, check out this months deal on Vienna Vouchers.

All the best,

Michael

That's awesome. What are the specs of your machine?

Michael

Seems to be a different one every month. Sometimes strings, then software, keyboards etc... If you are in the US I'd sign up for Ilio's newsletter because sometimes they will have additional sales as well. (For example a few weeks ago they had the cube for 50% for 10 days!)

In the fall there is usually a very big discount for students and professors. And in December, there is usually a sale on "vouchers." I believe they've been buy 3 get 1 free in the past. I'd recommend picking out the libraries you want then waiting for them to go on sale. If you're patient you can save a lot of money that way.

Michael

Log on to the VSL site, click on "MyVSL", then instructions will be on the left side

Michael

Which VSL string libraries do you want to run on your Windows machine? And what other libraries are you going to be using on it?

Special Edition libraries are the least "system taxing" then, VI string libraries (much more samples and articualtions then Special Edition). Dimension and Syncron libraries require a lot more resources.

Syncron libraries have "baked in" reverb. All of the other libraries are completely dry, so if you are using them you will probably want to use MIRx (if you are only using VSL Special Edition or VI libraries because it can only be used on them) or MIR Pro or Mir Pro 24 if you want to bring in other libraries and audio into your virtual concert hall.

You'll probably want to run Vienna Ensamble Pro on your Windows slave, and I'd highly recommend getting Vienna Instruments Pro as well (unless you are going to use the Syncron libraries in which case you won't need it).

If you tell us more specifics about about the type of string music you will be using this machine for, I'm sure other members who know a lot more about hardware then I do will be able to help you out. For instance if you are writing string quartets with Sole Strings 1 you won't need near the computing horse power you will need if you are using a Dimension Strings library that can have 24 individual instruments playing at once.

Unless you already know that you are going to go with Syncron Strings, an easy way to familiarze yourself with MIR is to buy a single VI instrument such as Solo Violin 2 or Solo Celloe 2 with them you will also get the standard versions of Vienna Instruments and Vienna Ensamble and you will be able to demo Vienna Instruments Pro, MIR Pro, and and Vienna Suit (awesome set of FX) for free, not sure if there is a free demo of Ensamble Pro right now, I'm sure someone from VSL will chime in.

With the current sale it's a good time to buy. Hope this helps and welcome to VSL!

Michael

It works in VE. You can demo it for free.

Michael

I've never heard of or used FL Studio, but if it's like any other DAW, you would just manually add the key switches to a midi track the same way you would add any other notes. Just place the kew switches right before the note to trigger the articulation change.

VIP also has "speed control" that you can setup to automatically switch between a few different articulations based on how fast the incoming notes are played.

You can always go back and manually add key switches, controller changes etc... to your individual tracks, no need to record them in real time.

Many VSL owners will just use a small set of basic articualtions when they are composing a piece. Then once it is done, they'll go back in add all of the various key switches etc... that they want.

Try MIRx, you can demo each hall for 30 days. It's one of the most amazing and easy to use effects I've ever used. MIRx bundle

Michael

That's really brilliant and straight forward! I'd like this feature too.

To quote Craig Feruson:

"1 Does this need to be said?"

"2 Does this need to be said by me?"

"3 Does this need to be said by me right now?"

Being able to ignore posts by a handful of members would free the other 99.9% of us from even having to ask ourselves question #1.

Michael

For those who have missed this thread request to be able to Mute/Hide members in the forums you may want to show your support or +1 it.

Michael