# Fine tuning template using TJ's mojo! (choco's challenge)



## Synesthesia (Oct 2, 2007)

EDIT: heres the latest mix!

http://www.webfilehosting.com/096RUTFFGKFO/mojotestmix5.mp3 (mojotestmix5.mp3 - 954.4 Kb)


Firstly, thanks to Thomas for his fantastic writing and kindness to share it! and thanks to choco for inspiring the impossible challenge..

I have sketched the first 30secs from TJ's score to try and fine tune my main template, and I think its going pretty well, but I'm starting to hear things now and I need an outside perspective..

I'd be very grateful if anyone could have a quick listen and give me some criticism!

http://www.speedyshare.com/392875644.html

(Apologies that its not an original composition this time but I thought it might help to cp it to a great mockup)

Thanks in advance!

cheers

Paul o-[][]-o


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## synthetic (Oct 2, 2007)

Wow, nice! Great job, and way to pick up the gauntlet. 

A few minor things I heard:
- Some late notes? around 0:02. I heard some stereo flamming that was distracting. 
- Around 0:07 the trumpets seems to stick out a bit
- at 0:17, the big hit is a bit subdued. You could use some more dynamics here and maybe some bass, it sounds a tad thin. Listen to the big tympani in the TJ version. 

Very nice.


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## Niah (Oct 2, 2007)

I think it sounds good, considering the piece that it is. 

The intro sounds close to me except from 0:11 where it looses some of the balls, also the fast strings at 0:11 - 0:17 are not working for me, too thin and fake-ish.

and yes TJ uses TS1, especially on this piece.

Overall I have to hand it to you, to have the balls to try this.


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## synthetic (Oct 2, 2007)

I want to hear choco's version.


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## choc0thrax (Oct 2, 2007)

I can't even do a version right now. The main thing I use -EWQLSO Gold doesn't work very well on my new computer. I have to reinstall it every 5 days to keep using it.  Maybe I will do Mojo Madness though after I finish mocking up some Murder in the first.


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## PolarBear (Oct 2, 2007)

Actually anyone have a link to TJ's version? Can't seem to find it in my archives 

Thanks!
PolarBear

PS: I second that choco request! Not gonna happen for a few dollars more I guess/know tho!


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## Niah (Oct 2, 2007)

PolarBear @ Wed Oct 03 said:


> Actually anyone have a link to TJ's version? Can't seem to find it in my archives
> 
> Thanks!
> PolarBear
> ...



http://www.virtualinstrumentsmag.com/down/6-7-06/From_Sketch_Score/Mojo_Madness.mp3 (http://www.virtualinstrumentsmag.com/do ... adness.mp3)


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## Synesthesia (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks Niah - yes, the strings and the brass attacks are the weakest part for me, its really difficult getting life out of fast strings (I'm using App for these sections which work the best of what I've got).. hence PP I guess!

I must get TS1, its next on my list. 

Choco - I was using the Altiverb Orchestral Sewer IRs (front sewer and back sewer presets) do you think these are too 'wet'?

Actually - I am going to experiment today switching my AV scoring stage ERs around and see how they differ on the overall sound so thanks for that!

Cheers,

Paul o=<


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## Krakatau (Oct 2, 2007)

Synesthesia @ 3rd October 2007 said:


> Choco - I was using the Altiverb Orchestral Sewer IRs (front sewer and back sewer presets) do you think these are too 'wet'?



If you allow me, i don't really think so, all i would maybe do about the reverb is just tweaking a bit of EQ of the reverb itself ( does Altiverb allow this ?) in the way that it would be clearly distinct from it source signals, that's all...


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## Christian Marcussen (Oct 3, 2007)

:D


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## Mahlon (Oct 3, 2007)

Paul,
This may or may not help at all, but at 13 seconds where the strings and woodwinds have the high jump up and back down, in TJ's I hear a lot more wind instrument -- I think piccollo and high flutes? Anyway, that may make your App strings sound more full if you brought that out.

The overall mockup sounds really good though, and you're right about the TS.

Best,
Mahlon


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## Synesthesia (Oct 3, 2007)

Krakatau - I eq'd the reverbs a little and dropped some low mid, I think this has helped thanks!

Mahlon - thanks for the tip - I have changed the ww balance now and added a little ensemble patch I made out of a solo violin spiccato - seems to have brightened that section up a bit.

Overall, I've changed the balances slightly to brighten the sound, and applied a little mastering to the main output.. seems to sound quite a lot better now, although it still doesn't have the transparency I'm looking for, but I think that is probably down to the actual samples and how they were recorded.. 

I think this is probably as good as I can get it - its a lot better than my first mix!

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions guys, now I just need to use my tweaked template to write something original (ahem!) >8o 

http://www.webfilehosting.com/096RUTFFGKFO/mojotestmix5.mp3 (mojotestmix5.mp3 - 954.4 Kb)


Cheers!

Paul


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## Mahlon (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey, that sounds much better.  

Mahlon


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## Niah (Oct 3, 2007)

Synesthesia @ Wed Oct 03 said:


> Krakatau - I eq'd the reverbs a little and dropped some low mid, I think this has helped thanks!
> 
> Mahlon - thanks for the tip - I have changed the ww balance now and added a little ensemble patch I made out of a solo violin spiccato - seems to have brightened that section up a bit.
> 
> ...




It does sound alot better, and if you get TS1 you will notice a huge difference.


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## handz (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanx for the link!

TJ is a GOD, what else to say, we are still looking for better quality samples etc, but why? This is quality I believe is good for almost everyone. So problem is somwhere else:( 

Is there a chance to see whole article?


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## madbulk (Oct 3, 2007)

handz @ Wed Oct 03 said:


> ...we are still looking for better quality samples etc, but why? This is quality I believe is good for almost everyone. So problem is somwhere else:(



I'm with you, handz. It ain't the tools. Not in this studio anyway. But just guessing from what little I've heard from Thomas around here, he probably wouldn't agree. So, He sets our bar whilst He, I bet, thinks it sounds like crap.


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## PolarBear (Oct 3, 2007)

handz @ Wed Oct 03 said:


> Thanx for the link!
> 
> TJ is a GOD, what else to say, we are still looking for better quality samples etc, but why? This is quality I believe is good for almost everyone. So problem is somwhere else:(
> 
> Is there a chance to see whole article?



Subscribing to VI MAG perhaps?  Well if you do that you could ask Nick maybe to hand that special article to you... Actually, I heard and saw Nick being nice in person. Just try to get his punch line asking him, if he had ever sex with three women at the same time and you're probably set. :D

PolarBear


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## mixolydian (Oct 4, 2007)

Overall I'd say that was impressive.


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## Angel (Oct 5, 2007)

I do not hear the 16ths Tremoloes in Vi1, Vi2 and Va.

A question in general to everyone: Do you often FAKE articulations?
When I try to do that 16ths I get the machinegun-effect. In TJesus' Version they sound smooth.
Do you layer different articulations to achieve such sound?

Or for example: If you do a fairly fast string run with sustained notes and want to add attack to the notes, do you add a stac-Sample to the sòùs   cw€ùs   cwùs   cw‚ùt   cwƒùt   cw„ùu   cw…ùu   cw†ùu   cw‡ùu   cwˆùu   cw‰ùu   cwŠùu   cw‹ùu   cwŒùu   cwùu   cwŽùu   cwùu   cwùu   c


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## Angel (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks Niah!


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## mixolydian (Oct 5, 2007)

Angel @ Fri Oct 05 said:


> TJesus



LOL :mrgreen:



Angel @ Fri Oct 05 said:


> Or for example: If you do a fairly fast string run with sustained notes and want to add attack to the notes, do you add a stac-Sample to the sustained notes?



Attack is o.k. - smoothing runs costs me nerves.


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## Nickie Fønshauge (Oct 5, 2007)

Pardon my ignorance - but who is this divine TJ?


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## Angel (Oct 5, 2007)

Thomas J. Bergersen... our dark Lord of orchestration, composing and mock-uping


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## Nickie Fønshauge (Oct 5, 2007)

Aha. Thank you.


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## Synesthesia (Oct 5, 2007)

Thanks mixolydian!

Angel - thanks - I thought you might have only heard the first mix. The latest mix has the trems coming out better.

Its a combination of three patches, a measured trem, spiccato and 3 violin spiccato on the downbows.

I cant get the nice transparency that Thomas has in his strings but thats I think as much to his samples as to his mixing skills!

While I'm tending to use lots of VI Appassionata strings (I named them! shame I aint getting any royalties) I do find it very very difficult to make them sound like strings recorded in a space to my satisfaction. I'm using Altiverb and a longer verb over the buss.

Cheers,

Paul


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