Comments on: Mission

By: Ion Muniz

Ion Muniz — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:00:08 +0000

When I was cutting my last cd I wanted a “jobinian” piano. I showed the pianist what i wanted, and he said i’d better do it my self. I am no pianist, so i ‘cheated’, I recorded the right hand and then the left hand.
I was feeling i had cheated, until I thought: I wanted a piano soudning like this, that’s what matters, not how i got it.
Same applies to digital orchestra…

By: Sandro Baldini - Italy

Sandro Baldini - Italy — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:30:27 +0000

I think this digital orchestra it’s a great possibility for the home recording and the composers !

I’d like to know some technical informations about the Wii – Midi interface.

2) Do you use the bluethoot to connect the Wii to computer. Isn’t it?

3) Which software do you use to read the Wii signal and convert it in Midi messages?

4) Which parameters can you control by Wii and which by Osculator ? Musical time and beat synchronization? Tracks volume and velocity of the every single track? Others parameters more ?

5) Where we can buy the complete system for Digital ORchestra ?

Thanks.

By: Antonio

Antonio — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:45:13 +0000

Thanks Mr. Smith. I’m very curious and interested in this technology, I’d like to know how all the system works, if it’s not a commercial secret. What’s the software that allow you to connect Wii and OSCulator to the Orchestral library ? How it works? How do you create dinamycs changes, and how you select the orchestral group at any moment? Thanks.

By: Paul Henry Smith

Paul Henry Smith — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:16:45 +0000

My studio setup uses the full, extended version of the Vienna Symphonic Library, plus a few individual samples, Logic Pro + AltiVerb running on a couple of Mac Pro G5s, and OSCulator for Wii-based control of realtime performance.

Live performance adds Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 5 loudspeakers. And then there is the key element of the entire system … the knowledge of the function of each and every sound in the score at the service of creating a unified aesthetic experience.

Without that last element, it’s not possible to make music … even if you’re using the best acoustic instruments ever made.

By: Antonio

Antonio — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:25:24 +0000

A million dollar question : Please, what’s your setup ?
I think this is what most of us want to know.

ANTONIO

By: John O'Mahoney

John O'Mahoney — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:27:34 +0000

Emiel Stopler’s “…Windstreken” was great fun to listen to. He has a natural, fertile mind for unpretentious composition. Technically, the orchestral realization was good but I did find the solo violin disappointingly “reedy” at times.
JOM

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 01:18:48 +0000

i think that orchestra is amazing

By: Werner Mohrlok

Werner Mohrlok — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:17:27 +0000

I agree Kyle. Creating music by virtual instruments is an autonomous art – and who ever tries to edit music by correspondent tools knows how intractable these virtual musicians are.

Having an artistic conception is the assumption, but transforming it into a congruous playback is troublesome.

Therefore I admire the musical creations of Paul. I am sure, all are basing in very hard work.

By: Kyle Beckham

Kyle Beckham — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:19:33 +0000

I completely disagree that sampled instruments are cold and dead or whatever. Anyone who spends enough time with samplers knows that a sample of instrument is not an imitation of an instrument–it is a recording of the instrument itself. If you want a crescendo and the distinct changes in an instrument that comes with it, record one and use it. Want multiphonics on wind instruments? Record them. There already exists prepared piano libraries. Automation and digital effects such as low pass filters can make even classical scores come alive in the digital domain.

And what about CD’s? TECHNICALLY all digital recordings ARE samples, they just take up more time than short one-note or one-phrase samples. But do we complain that CD’s have replaced live musicians? If we complain about “virtual” orchestras, then we have to do something about the CD problem as well.

Finally, composers like myself have the impossible task of paying live performers if we’re even able to find them at all. Where I live, it isn’t possible or practical to find musicians willing to try something new. Come on, when was the last time a computer complained to you about the difficulty of a piece? I had one passage that called for a tremolo played “sul ponticello” that my quartet refused to play because “it doesn’t sound pretty.” I may not be a string player, but I could have easily gotten to some string instruments, played it myself, and had it triggered in time with the computer with no questions asked.

If musicians feel threatened by digital instruments (and they shouldn’t), let them be reminded that the survival of their livelihood ultimately rests in their friendliness towards contemporary composers and their openness to new forms of expression.

My kudos to you, Paul, for providing an invaluable service. Maybe one day I can send some business your way.

By: Christian Fernando Perucchi

Christian Fernando Perucchi — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:10:54 +0000

Mr. Smith, your digital orchestra sounds great, are you using a private librar? perhaps modeling? or are you mixing with any comercial tools?

thanks and cheers from Argentina!

Christian Fernando Perucchi