# How to write with ensemble patches rather than individual sections



## Akarin

Hey all. In this video, I will show you how you can quickly write a cue by using the ensemble patches that can be found in some sample libraries.


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## SMAustinTexas

Really great video! Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement.

Question - do you have any other uses for tagging your MIDI notes with voices in Cubase besides visually keeping track? Just curious.


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## Ashermusic

As soon as you said "other inferior DAWs" you proved to me you are not worth listening further to.


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## Akarin

Ashermusic said:


> As soon as you said "other inferior DAWs" you proved to me you are not worth listening further to.



As soon as you wrote a comment to say that you were offended by a recurring joke that I make in my videos, you proved to me that you have way too much time on your hands. 

I'm a bit jealous. I could do with more time.


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## Ashermusic

Akarin said:


> As soon as you wrote a comment to say that you were offended by a recurring joke that I make in my videos, you proved to me that you have way too much time on your hands.
> 
> I'm a bit jealous. I could do with more time.



I have not seen your previous videos and your tone of voice doesn’t make it obvious that it’s a joke, so maybe you should not make that assumption?


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## nolotrippen

Boys! Boys! Can't we all just get along?

:emoji_angel:


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## Sunny Schramm

I like the "suck"-part 😂

And btw - his whole voice and talking is full of dark and dry humor. How can you miss that?


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## Akarin

Ashermusic said:


> I have not seen your previous videos and your tone of voice doesn’t make it obvious that it’s a joke, so maybe you should not make that assumption?



As soon as you tried to use your usual condescending tone to try to educate me, you proved to me that your account was not hacked and that it's really you typing. 

Don't ever change. Please.


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## Akarin

Sunny Schramm said:


> I like the "suck"-part 😂
> 
> And btw - his whole voice and talking is full of dark and dry humor. How can you miss that?



Heheheh... It's Jay. Just let him be. He's quite amusing around here.


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## Ashermusic

I don’t know, but the sardonic nature of it didn’t come across to me. Now that I know it’s just a dumb joke I will watch the rest if it with all the time I have on my hands while writing a new Logic Pro book, writing articles for online magazines, doing private consultations over Skype (next one in an hour from now) And performing my songs.


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## Rory

The reference to "inferior DAWs" was obviously an irreverent joke the first time that I heard it and it's obvious this time. Works particularly well with the omniscient computer voice narrator  Your sense of humour is a positive feature of your channel. Don't lose it just because some old codger doesn't have one.

Interesting video by the way. I'm subscribed.


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## Akarin

Ashermusic said:


> I don’t know, but the sardonic nature of it didn’t come across to me. Now that I know it’s just a dumb joke I will watch the rest if it with all the time I have on my hands while writing a new Logic Pro book, writing articles for online magazines, doing private consultations over Skype (next one in an hour from now) And performing my songs.



Oooooh... you so strong! Love me long time? 

I give up. You are way too cool for me. 



Rory said:


> The reference to "inferior DAWs" was obviously an irreverent joke the first time that I heard it and it's obvious this time. Works particularly well with the omniscient computer voice narrator  Your sense of humour is a positive feature of your channel. Don't lose it just because some old codgers don't have one.
> 
> Interesting video by the way. I'm subscribed.



Thanks man. Appreciated. Not all hope is lost. I was just about to delete my YouTube channel 😘


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## Ashermusic

OK, I watched the rest. It's well done, so kudos, Nicholas, but in the end I think it still reveals the weaknesses of composing with the ensemble patches. It helps that the harmonic language is so simple and that there is not real contrapuntal development.

But horses for courses.


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## nolotrippen

I blame Bob


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## wst3

I've watched several of your videos, and I always seem to find something to learn. And I love the "assistants", I find them to be quite funny as well. BUT, I do see Jay's point. Fortunately for me the first video I watched (don't remember which) was so over the top that it was obvious that the gags were just that, gags.

OK, to this specific video - first, I think Cubase handles splitting a piano track and assigning voices nicely, none of my "inferior" programs are quite as elegant.

Second, you addressed one of the challenges I find is the transitions - I have tried overlapping notes, but apparently I've not done it well, so back to the drawing board!

Ultimately I will use individual sections or players when I can, but I own several ensemble type libraries, and some of them sound so gorgeous that it seems silly to use them only as a layer to add "glue" (although they can work well in that role!)

Lastly, I need to remember that I am not producing music for other composers - a lesson I've learned in several settings (think lugging guitar amplifiers and pedals by the ton vs a modeler when no one cares about the difference except the one or two guitarists in the audience, and if I am playing so poorly that they have time to analyze my tone I need to practice more, not buy more gear!) (That said in a studio setting I do use multiple guitar amplifiers with microphones, and lots of pedals for the majority of my projects. I don't know if it sounds better, or even different, to anyone but me, but it makes me smile, so there is that!)

My two cents...

(and now I need to stop watching videos, and surfing forums, and do something productive!)


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## Akarin

nolotrippen said:


> I blame Bob



Yeah. Bob is shit at this whole contrapuntal thingy. 



wst3 said:


> I've watched several of your videos, and I always seem to find something to learn. And I love the "assistants", I find them to be quite funny as well. BUT, I do see Jay's point. Fortunately for me the first video I watched (don't remember which) was so over the top that it was obvious that the gags were just that, gags.
> 
> OK, to this specific video - first, I think Cubase handles splitting a piano track and assigning voices nicely, none of my "inferior" programs are quite as elegant.
> 
> Second, you addressed one of the challenges I find is the transitions - I have tried overlapping notes, but apparently I've not done it well, so back to the drawing board!
> 
> Ultimately I will use individual sections or players when I can, but I own several ensemble type libraries, and some of them sound so gorgeous that it seems silly to use them only as a layer to add "glue" (although they can work well in that role!)
> 
> Lastly, I need to remember that I am not producing music for other composers - a lesson I've learned in several settings (think lugging guitar amplifiers and pedals by the ton vs a modeler when no one cares about the difference except the one or two guitarists in the audience, and if I am playing so poorly that they have time to analyze my tone I need to practice more, not buy more gear!) (That said in a studio setting I do use multiple guitar amplifiers with microphones, and lots of pedals for the majority of my projects. I don't know if it sounds better, or even different, to anyone but me, but it makes me smile, so there is that!)
> 
> My two cents...
> 
> (and now I need to stop watching videos, and surfing forums, and do something productive!)



I will also use individual sections most of the time... but the tone delivered by this particular patch, ensemble CS Blend, I can't reproduce no matter the amount of layering and EQing I apply to my neverending collection of string libraries. And I really wanted this tone. And an excuse to use it. Unfortunately, the harmonic language was too simple. So I'll just give up music and go raise larks somewhere remote.


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## wst3

Akarin said:


> I will also use individual sections most of the time... but the tone delivered by this particular patch, ensemble CS Blend, I can't reproduce no matter the amount of layering and EQing I apply to my neverending collection of string libraries. And I really wanted this tone. And an excuse to use it.



I'm in the same boat, there are a bunch of patches in all the Symphobia libraries that just sound so gorgeous that I continue to try to use them. And like you I have yet to find a way to duplicate the sound - pretty sure it can't actually be done!



Akarin said:


> Unfortunately, the harmonic language was too simple. So I'll just give up music and go raise larks somewhere remote.


Hmmm... larks! Never thought of that, I was going to raise a crop of dental floss<G>!


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## Akarin

wst3 said:


> I'm in the same boat, there are a bunch of patches in all the Symphobia libraries that just sound so gorgeous that I continue to try to use them. And like you I have yet to find a way to duplicate the sound - pretty sure it can't actually be done!
> 
> 
> Hmmm... larks! Never thought of that, I was going to raise a crop of dental floss<G>!



Dude... a lark farm! Imagine all the possibilities! Not having to care if the legato sucks or not. Free at last!


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## Akarin

SMAustinTexas said:


> Question - do you have any other uses for tagging your MIDI notes with voices in Cubase besides visually keeping track? Just curious.



Forgot to answer. Got sidetracked. Yes, there are other use to setting the voices. For example, when you use the score editor and want to explode this on multiple tracks.


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## Saxer

DAW wars a religious. It's that kind of suck.

Nice video, man!


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## Akarin

Saxer said:


> DAW wars a religious. It's that kind of suck.
> 
> Nice video, man!



Hahaha. Yeah. You can laugh about anything but not with everyone.


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## nolotrippen

The sad thing about this whole "debate" is that it's not even a debate. The winner is soooo obvious. Take that Bob, you mechanical marvel you.


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## Ashermusic

Akarin said:


> Yeah. Bob is shit at this whole contrapuntal thingy.
> 
> 
> 
> I will also use individual sections most of the time... but the tone delivered by this particular patch, ensemble CS Blend, I can't reproduce no matter the amount of layering and EQing I apply to my neverending collection of string libraries. And I really wanted this tone. And an excuse to use it. Unfortunately, the harmonic language was too simple. So I'll just give up music and go raise larks somewhere remote.



Man, you really want me to fight with you, don’t you? I did not say TOO simple. I said simple, and it is, to anyone who has studied music created after the 17th century. And I did not say there should be more counterpoint, I said there was little.

Both of those statements were not opinions, nor were they knocks. They were factually accurate statements. And I said you did a good job.

i know, you are joking, just like Trump always is.


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## Denkii

I grew tired of reading through the arguement.
Did we already declare a winner?
Who has the bigger e-dick?

:emoji_popcorn:


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## Uiroo

Denkii said:


> I grew tired of reading through the arguement.
> Did we already declare a winner?
> Who has the bigger e-dick?
> 
> :emoji_popcorn:


Obviously you won, since you managed to signal in public how having arguments in a forum is just benath you by ridiculing those who do.
You were just above it at no danger to get sucked into the mudslingin of internet conversation, demonstrated by your use of a popcorn emoji.


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## muziksculp

@Akarin ,

I need to hire a few cool assistants like yours. Thanks for the interesting, and helpful videos.


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## Akarin

nolotrippen said:


> The sad thing about this whole "debate" is that it's not even a debate. The winner is soooo obvious. Take that Bob, you mechanical marvel you.



Hahahaha. Yeah... DP :-p It's THE DAW.



Ashermusic said:


> i know, you are joking, just like Trump always is.



This is the 2020 version of the Godwin point.



Denkii said:


> I grew tired of reading through the arguement.
> Did we already declare a winner?
> Who has the bigger e-dick?
> :emoji_popcorn:



I think that you just did! Congratulations! Have some exposure as a reward!



muziksculp said:


> @Akarin ,
> 
> I need to hire a few cool assistants like yours. Thanks for the interesting, and helpful videos.



Thanks man! Appreciated  If you wonder about my assistants, here they are in all their glory:


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## Denkii

Why is everyone so salty?
Man...2020 needs to end.


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## Akarin

Denkii said:


> I grew tired of reading through the arguement.
> Did we already declare a winner?
> Who has the bigger e-dick?
> :emoji_popcorn:



...and then...



Denkii said:


> Why is everyone so salty?
> Man...2020 needs to end.



I dont know? You can most likely tell us!


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## renochew

This is indeed very useful, I am one of those who are struggling with using ensemble patches. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it. Keep them coming


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## Akarin

renochew said:


> This is indeed very useful, I am one of those who are struggling with using ensemble patches. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it. Keep them coming



To be honest, I didn't start using ensemble patches for things other than sketching until recently. It always eluded me how one can write for them and have them sound convincing enough when there's no legato transitions.

So, I've conducted a small test: I wrote something using CSS, individual sections, because CSS legato rules. And I've done the same with the CSS ensemble patch. I've sent the two version to a bunch of non musicians (including a film director). Only a handful could pick the difference and even then, they used words like "subtle". Considering the deadlines imposed by production music at times, knowing that this is a possible shortcut is a nice thing to know.

As I mention in the video, we write for the general public, not for other composers


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## pawelmorytko

Well put, I used ensembles all the time, especially for long sustain chords and short articulations like Spiccato and pizzicato. There are some notes where the range of some instruments sound a bit weird, like a low G on CSS ensemble has a very nasal violin sound. But if you're playing a big chord spread out through the whole range of the strings, it honestly sounds great.

Obviously if you're writing more detailed and moving string parts for each instrument then you'd have a much better and easier time using individual sections with legato. But for simple chords and short notes ensembles are great. Like I said I use them all the time, and if my clients are satisfied, then why should I worry that it's not "the right way". It's a massive time saver and gets me instant, great sounding results.

I'll even have ensembles for legato as well, say I'm writing a melody in the high range for strings (this is where CSS is king for me) - I'll have an ensemble patch with Violins and Violas enables, and Bass and Cellos disabled. Then duplicate the instrument and transpose +/- 12, then play a melody in the higher range, and the other patch will play the same an octave higher/lower, giving me a very rich and full sounding lead string melody.


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## Jimmy Hellfire

It's not that other DAWs are inferior ... it's just that you're should be using Cubase because it's the best, and you're a tool and will go to Hell if you don't.

Also, this guy doesn't talk in his videos, it's one of those robotic ennunciators. Which is the official technical term, I'm pretty sure.


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## Akarin

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Also, this guy doesn't talk in his videos, it's one of those robotic ennunciators. Which is the official technical term, I'm pretty sure.



I like to call them my friends. My only ones. I made them to keep me company during those long night sessions.


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## Mornats

Thanks Akarin (and Bob), I found this video really helpful, as was your ostinato one. It was also a nice demo of some of the cool things Cubase can do with midi. It prompted me to grab Tack's Reaticulate (finally) which I'm loving so far.


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## Ashermusic

Akarin said:


> To be honest, I didn't start using ensemble patches for things other than sketching until recently. It always eluded me how one can write for them and have them sound convincing enough when there's no legato transitions.
> 
> So, I've conducted a small test: I wrote something using CSS, individual sections, because CSS legato rules. And I've done the same with the CSS ensemble patch. I've sent the two version to a bunch of non musicians (including a film director). Only a handful could pick the difference and even then, they used words like "subtle". Considering the deadlines imposed by production music at times, knowing that this is a possible shortcut is a nice thing to know.
> 
> As I mention in the video, we write for the general public, not for other composers



Dont we also write for ourselves, to meet our own standards? Otherwise, it’s a race to the bottom.

That said, when tight deadlines loom, I don’t disagree. I once sent a producer a couple of cues that he needed “ no hurry, yesterday is fine“ that I did entirely with the Omnisphere Hollywood String Ensemble patch doubled with a sampled string ensemble patch and he was delighted.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Akarin said:


> I will also use individual sections most of the time... but the tone delivered by this particular patch, ensemble CS Blend, I can't reproduce no matter the amount of layering and EQing I apply to my neverending collection of string libraries. And I really wanted this tone. And an excuse to use it.


It is obvious why, the resulting acoustics of the instruments in a hall interacting with each other to produce that final sound isn't achievable when layering the same individual sections in a DAW. However, there is some research into this matter thus maybe in a few years we will see scripts or plugins which allow correcting this issue.

On a side note, I do write contrapuntal music (fugue like voice leading) and when I was orchestrating one of Bach's 5-part fugues, I found the ensemble patches to work better in some instances in contrast to the individual sections combined. If I do use the individual sections, I like to glue them with some vintage tape or heat at the end to introduce some of the "lost" harmonics that would've existed otherwise in a live session.

Cheers


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## Ashermusic

Rasoul Morteza said:


> It is obvious why, the resulting acoustics of the instruments in a hall interacting with each other to produce that final sound isn't achievable when layering the same individual sections in a DAW. However, there is some research into this matter thus maybe in a few years we will see scripts or plugins which allow correcting this issue.
> 
> On a side note, I do write contrapuntal music (fugue like voice leading) and when I was orchestrating one of Bach's 5-part fugues, I found the ensemble patches to work better in some instances in contrast to the individual sections combined. If I do use the individual sections, I like to glue them with some vintage tape or heat at the end to introduce some of the "lost" harmonics that would've existed otherwise in a live session.
> 
> Cheers




Interesting Rasoul! That would be, I think, a major step forward. 

Can we hear a contrapuntal, example with each, if you have time? I am perfectly willing to rethink my assumptions.


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## Akarin

Rasoul Morteza said:


> If I do use the individual sections, I like to glue them with some vintage tape or heat at the end to introduce some of the "lost" harmonics that would've existed otherwise in a live session.



Yep! I wrote a few cues using the same SSS ensemble patch as in the example and layered it with SCS individual sections. A tad of compression, a small cut at around 500 Hz, and Magnetite at the end to warm everything.


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## Ashermusic

Akarin said:


> Yep! I wrote a few cues using the same SSS ensemble patch as in the example and layered it with SCS individual sections. A tad of compression, a small cut at around 500 Hz, and Magnetite at the end to warm everything.



Cool, maybe I am learning something here then.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Ashermusic said:


> Interesting Rasoul! That would be, I think, a major step forward.
> 
> Can we hear a contrapuntal, example with each, if you have time? I am perfectly willing to rethink my assumptions.


Sorry I didn't express myself clearly. Generally speaking I would never solely use Ens patches in a piece with more than 2 independent voices, because the result starts sounding like HZ Strings on steroids with a substantial loss of clarity. The issue is with the lack of a proper divisi function however. Using individual sections on the other hand produces a more distinguishable sound, but quite fake as the sections are not interacting with eachother and our brain can only fill so many of the gaps in between.

I generally layer Ens patches with the individual sections together depending on the voice leading to "smooth" things out. I also do know that there are some libraries with built-in divisi splitters but the scripts need a lot of work to sound natural. 

When talking about contrapuntal music, I'm talking about something like this (beautiful music this is):

Music where eachline needs to completely breath out by proper divisi. Very challenging to mockup.

Unfortunately I don't have any side-by-side comparisons readily available at hand, but when dealing with larger sized orchestral sections I tend to consider works of Leopold Stokowski as reference. I'll upload the fugue I programmed later today and would like you to guess if I used Ens patches or individual sections  Even though the mockup is in an acceptable state, but you will hear the lack of true clarity due to lack of divisi functions even when using individual sections.

Cheers


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## robgb

Akarin said:


> Unfortunately, the harmonic language was too simple. So I'll just give up music and go raise larks somewhere remote.


LOL. I love when other composers complain about simplicity. It suggests to me that they haven't reached the point where it becomes clear that simple is usually better.


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## robgb

nolotrippen said:


> The sad thing about this whole "debate" is that it's not even a debate. The winner is soooo obvious. Take that Bob, you mechanical marvel you.


DP is the one major DAW I've never used. If I had, maybe I would never have decided on Reaper.


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## Akarin

robgb said:


> DP is the one major DAW I've never used. If I had, maybe I would never have decided on Reaper.



I sometimes feel like trying it, mostly after watching one of the earlier Guy Michelmore videos. I've also seen a demo from Michael Patti at NAMM this year where he was using it. ...and then I remember that there is no articulation switching feature and the envy passes.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Ashermusic said:


> Interesting Rasoul! That would be, I think, a major step forward.
> 
> Can we hear a contrapuntal, example with each, if you have time? I am perfectly willing to rethink my assumptions.


So here's the fugue I was talking about, if I recall correctly I used individual sections but doubled them with Ens patches to give it more weight. No singular approach was fitting so I had to go with a compromise between the two.

As you will hear, sounds quite far from what a real orchestra will or can do, not because the strings are playing unrealistically, but because the resulting timbre is artificial. That's why I prefer Ens patches whenever possible.

Track (BWV 849 - Fugue): 

You can read this for more info: http://pub.dega-akustik.de/ISMA2019/data/articles/000090.pdf

Cheers


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## Akarin

Rasoul Morteza said:


> So here's the fugue I was talking about, if I recall correctly I used individual sections but doubled them with Ens patches to give it more weight. No singular approach was fitting so I had to go with a compromise between the two.
> 
> As you will hear, sounds quite far from what a real orchestra will or can do, not because the strings are playing unrealistically, but because the resulting timbre is artificial. That's why I prefer Ens patches whenever possible.
> 
> Track (BWV 849 - Fugue):
> 
> You can read this for more info: http://pub.dega-akustik.de/ISMA2019/data/articles/000090.pdf
> 
> Cheers




I'll just say this: it's fucking impressive. My mind is blown.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Akarin said:


> I'll just say this: it's fucking impressive. My mind is blown.


Thank you Nicolas, although that comes as a surprise since there are so many elements that need improvement in this programming, which would be more apparent if you listen to a piano version of the fugue (Schiff, Sokolov or Gulda are all wonderful renditions) as a reference point. I wish string libraries had a better time with fast non-short note passages.


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## Akarin

Rasoul Morteza said:


> Thank you Nicolas, although that comes as a surprise since there are so many elements that need improvement in this programming, which would be more apparent if you listen to a piano version of the fugue (Schiff, Sokolov or Gulda are all wonderful renditions) as a reference point. I wish string libraries had a better time with fast non-short note passages.



Maybe it needs improvement. Everything can be improved. It doesn't change the fact that it's up there with the best mockups I've ever heard.


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## Ashermusic

Rasoul Morteza said:


> So here's the fugue I was talking about, if I recall correctly I used individual sections but doubled them with Ens patches to give it more weight. No singular approach was fitting so I had to go with a compromise between the two.
> 
> As you will hear, sounds quite far from what a real orchestra will or can do, not because the strings are playing unrealistically, but because the resulting timbre is artificial. That's why I prefer Ens patches whenever possible.
> 
> Track (BWV 849 - Fugue):
> 
> You can read this for more info: http://pub.dega-akustik.de/ISMA2019/data/articles/000090.pdf
> 
> Cheers





I do hear a little "sawing" but still, really, really good.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Ashermusic said:


> I do hear a little "sawing" but still, really, really good.


Thank you, and yes you're correct about that. Time and my patience for programming ran out at some point haha
If you do check that paper let me know what you think.

Cheers


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## Ashermusic

Rasoul Morteza said:


> Thank you, and yes you're correct about that. Time and my patience for programming ran out at some point haha
> If you do check that paper let me know what you think.
> 
> Cheers



Interesting , but as you may know, I am not really that interested in how close to real music composed with samples are, as long as it doesn't sound so fake it bothers me. If I like what I hear, I like what I hear.


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## Rasoul Morteza

Ashermusic said:


> Interesting , but as you may know, I am not really that interested in how close to real music composed with samples are, as long as it doesn't sound so fake it bothers me. If I like what I hear, I like what I hear.


That's a good mindset indeed.


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## lopomagi

Rory said:


> The reference to "inferior DAWs" was obviously an irreverent joke the first time that I heard it and it's obvious this time. Works particularly well with the omniscient computer voice narrator  Your sense of humour is a positive feature of your 192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1 jpg to pdf channel. Don't lose it just because some old codger doesn't have one.
> 
> Interesting video by the way. I'm subscribed.


As soon as you wrote a comment to say that you were offended by a recurring joke that I make in my videos, you proved to me that you have way too much time on your hands.


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## Jay Panikkar

Ashermusic said:


> As soon as you said "other inferior DAWs" you proved to me you are not worth listening further to.



Asher is the kind of guy who buys a porno for the story.

And then leaves a 1 star review because the story sucked.



Rasoul Morteza said:


> So here's the fugue I was talking about, if I recall correctly I used individual sections but doubled them with Ens patches to give it more weight. No singular approach was fitting so I had to go with a compromise between the two.



Combining ensemble patches for the big sound with solo instrument patches or live solo instruments for added expressiveness seems to be an efficient way of getting decent results.

@lopomagi Seems like you had a stroke halfway through your comment. Are you okay, my dude?


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## Akarin

Jay Panikkar said:


> Asher is the kind of guy who buys a porno for the story.
> 
> And then leaves a 1 star review because the story sucked.



This made me laugh. A lot. Thank you for this.


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## Ashermusic

Actually, Asher is the kind of guy who doesn’t watch porno movies because they degrade women and are boring compared to watching a good movie like “Bull Durham” that actually has good sex scenes.


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## doctoremmet

Ashermusic said:


> Actually, Asher is the kind of guy who doesn’t watch porno movies because they degrade women and are boring compared to watching a good movie like “Bull Durham” that actually has good sex scenes.


What happened to actually having sex. What’s up with you guys all depending on filmed material? .... just kidding of course, wouldn’t want to start a NEW war, because as an Ableton guy my army has already taken massive hits in the DAW wars...


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## GtrString

Nice show. Yeah, this is how I would do it as well. I saw a video once by Paul Whitfield who showed the same workflow, and I have done it ever since.

This way of working is also very similar to how a rock band would work, doing individual bass, keys, guitar and vocals.

Far apart and close.

Would love to see something about different arrangement strategies (for various styles like classical, epic trailers, underscores, cinematic cues).

And maybe without the robot voice


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## Mornats

I've started using the technique in the video to good effect in a new track so thanks for the video  It also prompted me to (as I mentioned above) grab Reaticulate but also Scaler 2 which I was demoing and was on the fence about but have found is immensely helpful.


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## Jay Panikkar

Ashermusic said:


> Actually, Asher is the kind of guy who doesn’t watch porno movies because they degrade women and are boring compared to watching a good movie like “Bull Durham” that actually has good sex scenes.


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## Michel Simons

Now I am wondering whether porn movies also have bloopers as bonus materials.


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## Saxer

Michel Simons said:


> Now I am wondering whether porn movies also have bloopers as bonus materials.


Erectors Cut


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## GtrString

Saxer said:


> Erectors Cut



Thats bad ass!


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## Denkii

Ashermusic said:


> Actually, Asher is the kind of guy who doesn’t watch porno movies because they degrade women and are boring compared to watching a good movie like “Bull Durham” that actually has good sex scenes.


My wife would disagree. Depends on the porno. I blame your dealer.


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## robgb

Ashermusic said:


> Actually, Asher is the kind of guy who doesn’t watch porno movies because they degrade women


What about men? Men are reduced to only one thing: an anonymous large, erect penis.


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## Ashermusic

robgb said:


> What about men? Men are reduced to only one thing: an anonymous large, erect penis.




True, but men are generally less often treated solely as objects in society than women.


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## robgb

Ashermusic said:


> True, but men are generally less often treated solely as objects in society than women.


Apparently you've never been to romance writers' convention...


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## VSriHarsha

Akarin said:


> Hey all. In this video, I will show you how you can quickly write a cue by using the ensemble patches that can be found in some sample libraries.



I think I saw this video but didn't know until now it's from the forum. Btw, which way do you prefer?


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## Henu

I came to learn something from a discussion about using ensemble patches and found this car accident instead.

FORUM Y U DISAPPOINT


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## Mornats

It's a shame because I thought it was a great video and this thread turned into a trolling contest that hadn't really shone a good light on any of the participants.


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## Ashermusic

Henu said:


> I came to learn something from a discussion about using ensemble patches and found this car accident instead.
> 
> FORUM Y U DISAPPOINT




Just having a bit of fun, there is still lots of good info in the thread.


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## Mornats

Anyone remember the video from the start of this thread? The one about writing in ensemble patches? Ok  I've mentioned a couple of times that I found in really helpful and seeing some of the features in Cubase it prompted me to grab Reaticulate and Scaler 2 to mimic the expression maps and chord track in my (inferior) DAW - Reaper (tongue is firmly in cheek here, let's keep on track folks!)

I think I said I'd share the track I was working on that was helped a lot by Scaler 2 and Niko's videos so sorry all, here it is 



So to talk about Scaler 2 a mo, for this track I grabbed one of the chord presets, a trance one I think as I liked the chord sequence. So this helped me choose the key (Eb minor) and the initial 4 chord progression. The Scaler 2 engine let me play around with different chord combinations so that I could build the progression. I usually don't move around chords much as my music theory is still a bit sucky. I'm learning, but it's at that stage still. So I found this useful to a) find more movement in my chord progression, b) experiment a lot without my fumbling of chords on the keyboard get in the way. I built up the entire chord progression before I put any instruments into it. I just used the default soft piano sound in Sclaer 2 for this. So that was a new way of working for me and I think it benefited the track a lot.

Next, I wanted the strings section to play the chord progression but block chords and strings sounds awful. So the chord voicing part of Scaler 2 helped with this too. I still moved things around a bit like Nico did in his video.

I also, and rather lazily, used one of the melodic patterns for the piano part. The piano at the start is me playing (you can tell as it's rather simple). The piano bit around 3/4 of the way in (just before the finale) is the Scaler 2 one.

The whole track was built from that chord progression. I had no other ideas in mind when I started it so I say that Scaler 2, bundled with the advice in Nico's video were the inspiration for this. It was a pain to mix but I suck at that so that's probably why. Interestingly, the best thing I did for the mix, after I had tried loads of tweaks, was to strip off all processing, fix the volumes then just focus on fixing the remaining problems and doing nothing else. Fingers off those knobs 

All in all, a great learning exercise.


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## Harry

Great video Nico. And I enjoyed checking out your others too. Extraordinary to read the negativity (although not surprising given its source).


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