Source of Orchestral flourishes

[philbrown]

I'm working on an interesting project of setting some self-help seminar spoken word material to music for some best-selling authors. I may end up doing several different projects from this, but this one is going to be mostly electronic. I would call the genre "progressive ambient" or maybe Chill on Steroids. What can I say, how do you describe these things?? Also will probably have a couple of solo piano cuts, possibly with acoustic guitar and/or strings to balance it out.

I have never "scored" anything in my life, so please excuse my amateurish questions, being out of my normal element. I'd like to occasionally throw in some "orchestral flourishes" on this project, but am not trying to emulate an orchestra score. I'm thinking of stuff like timpani rolls, cymbal swells and hits, maybe some good-sounding orchestra stabs. I certainly don't need any large orchestral library (nor would I know how to put it to good use), but does anyone know of a reasonably priced sample library that would work for this? I have a Kurzweil PC2X but it doesn't really have the kind of stuff I'm looking for. As far as samplers, I have Kontakt2 and NN-XT (Reason), but I'd rather have samples I could import right into DP, since these would be used as one-shots, I don't need to play them in the traditional sense but just place Soundbites in DP where I want them.

TIA
Phil

[monkey man]

MOTU's MSI, from what I've heard, should do the trick, is well priced and is compatible with DP.
The only caveat is that you'll probably have to programme your own "flourishes" unless you have MIDI files/clippings ready-made.
My guess though is that MSI should sound plenty real enough.

Also, you may be able to find ready-made snippets at one of these sites:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe ... es&spell=1

So, it's cheap (MSI), or free, Phil.

I assume you have the Orkesta (or whatever they call it) refill for Reason.
I haven't run Reason, but if you're already familiar with it it could be the way to go.

Someone else will probably have better suggestions, but that's a start, methinks.
Well done on landing the job man!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I'm working on an interesting project of setting some self-help seminar spoken word material to music for some best-selling authors. I may end up doing several different projects from this, but this one is going to be mostly electronic. I would call the genre "progressive ambient" or maybe Chill on Steroids. What can I say, how do you describe these things?? Also will probably have a couple of solo piano cuts, possibly with acoustic guitar and/or strings to balance it out.

I have never "scored" anything in my life, so please excuse my amateurish questions, being out of my normal element. I'd like to occasionally throw in some "orchestral flourishes" on this project, but am not trying to emulate an orchestra score. I'm thinking of stuff like timpani rolls, cymbal swells and hits, maybe some good-sounding orchestra stabs. I certainly don't need any large orchestral library (nor would I know how to put it to good use), but does anyone know of a reasonably priced sample library that would work for this? I have a Kurzweil PC2X but it doesn't really have the kind of stuff I'm looking for. As far as samplers, I have Kontakt2 and NN-XT (Reason), but I'd rather have samples I could import right into DP, since these would be used as one-shots, I don't need to play them in the traditional sense but just place Soundbites in DP where I want them.

TIA
Phil

Cool, Phil, good luck.

Having done a lot of radio work for similar kinds of settings, I'd suggest you keep the soundtrack fairly simple and try not to draw attention to it with too much of a change in sound (from piano to orch just to make a brief point, for example, and then going back to just piano).

Maybe just a string pad under the piano that swells up every so often? The listener will get used to the sounds used and won't be jarred by a new sound(s) coming in. Just a thought.

The PC2 should be OK for this. I also like (make that LOVE) the WS and M1 VI's. They're cheap and just as good as the hardware versions were - maybe better). No, DEFINITELY better!)

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=legacy

BTW, thanks for trying to help "that other guy" with his questions. I'm not sure what he is looking for either, but for MIDI I ALWAYS use a Shure 58

[philbrown]

Cool, Phil, good luck.

Having done a lot of radio work for similar kinds of settings, I'd suggest you keep the soundtrack fairly simple and try not to draw attention to it with too much of a change in sound (from piano to orch just to make a brief point, for example, and then going back to just piano).

Maybe just a string pad under the piano that swells up every so often? The listener will get used to the sounds used and won't be jarred by a new sound(s) coming in. Just a thought.

The PC2 should be OK for this. I also like (make that LOVE) the WS and M1 VI's. They're cheap and just as good as the hardware versions were - maybe better). No, DEFINITELY better!)

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=legacy

BTW, thanks for trying to help "that other guy" with his questions. I'm not sure what he is looking for either, but for MIDI I ALWAYS use a Shure 58

Strictly Gold for me! ...I wish! Honestly, though I can't even hazard a guess what the heck he's asking

Thanks for the good advice, guys. As I get into this, I'm quickly realizing what you are saying above MLC - basically 'less is more' on these kinds of things. Any change is potentially jarring. Some pieces really want to go more in a straight line than even change chords for that matter. This could go so far as a "meditation tape" kind of approach if I went that direction with it (hold one note and yawn) but this is a ways up in energy and rhythm from that.
I'll look into all your suggestions as far as VI's. Just after I hit "submit" on this post, I realized I really hadn't turned over every rock I already own so to speak - like MM's suggestion of Orkester (comes with Reason). So I should start there, eh?? [duh] When I last went through those (and it's been awhile) I wasn't looking for this sort of thing so it's time to have another look around the ole hard drives. I was looking for just this kind of advice though, so it's all good. I guess my knee-jerk reaction is to want to buy something new That's OK I'm saving up for Echoboy anyway.

This would actually probably be my release and marketed through them for a cut, but anything with their name on it sells well and is well promoted by them. They called more or less soliciting for some products like this as they have a definite demand and I've done similar projects for them and we do tons of other work for them. Can't post any clips unfortunately (copyrights), but so far so good.
Thanks again
Phil

[philbrown]

I also like (make that LOVE) the WS and M1 VI's. They're cheap and just as good as the hardware versions were - maybe better). No, DEFINITELY better!)

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=legacy

Here's my Korg Legacy Collection


Lovingly restored from P-O-S status, including smashed PC board. It's a joy to play. Everyone who even casually fools around with it loves the arpeggiator.

Those VI's do sound better than the original, as I played with a guy that played an M1 for years and know very well what it sounded like. This sounds like the remastered version. I dug the analog modeled stuff too. All dance-y music but the sounds were really really good IMO. I can hear the Korg bite all up in there. I've got quite a bit of analog around here, including a nice-size modular system yet I still reach for synth VI's for various reasons including convenience, recall-ability and sync-ability. All those ility's. OTOH analog voltages & knobs... aaaaah ....bleeep .....schneeeeeerp.

MM, I'm thinking more about those one-off sample sites and think that's a great idea. Investigate what you have or what you can throw together, roll your own samples when you can and if you still just gotta have that certain timpani swell sample than just... buy it. I'm thankful we can access so much so easily. Still going to look at MSI too although I'm thinking the above idea will work nicely.

cheers
Phil

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I just updated the WS and M1 VI's today./ Broke my M-Audio FW 410 connection, but reinstalling the driver fixed it and all is well. They don't seem to like to run in stand alone in Leopard, but are fine as VIs in DP.

They really do sound better than the hardware versions except no analog inputs in the WS (I had 3 WSAD's so I really miss that). But you cannot beat the convenience of the VI's (as you mentioned) and they are so well done. I didn't think I'd ever use the M1 but it ended up as critical in my last project.

[monkey man]

Phil, thank you for considering my advice.

All the best with the project; if you're half as professional as you come off here, it'll be your employer/s' pleasure, IMHO.