# Starting from Scratch, $20K



## composerken (Jan 17, 2016)

Hello everyone,

I have been preparing to make a career move focusing more on scoring for TV and Film and am looking for some advice in what gear/knowledge I should invest in starting essentially from scratch. My budget is about $20K. 

My current DAW/rig is pretty bare at the moment: Decent monitors (Event 8) in an acoustically treated room, a quad core i7-2600 3.4GHz CPU PC running 64-bit Windows 7 with 16GB RAM and a 500GB SSD, an M-Audio Oxygen-49 Keyboard, Kurzweil PC2X Keyboard, Yamaha upright, RME Babyface. I have an array of standard budget microphones (SM57s, etc.).

For scoring I use Sibelius. I'm a traditional pen/paper composer, and have never really mocked up any of my compositions (I write mostly chamber music) and would love to hear some of my larger pieces realistically represented. My experience with virtual instruments is pretty limited and would love as much advice I as I can get on the subject. 

The only major restriction/requirement is that my work computer must be Mac (for non-music reasons) but am open to setting up some sort of PC/Mac mini farm over LAN. I also want the ability to record a small number of instruments simultaneously with whatever setup I go with.

I also understand that different gear is required for different interests, styles and preferences. In my case I'd like to be able to make professional cinematic mock-ups, as well as recording small acoustic instruments in my home. 

Given my situation, what approach would you take with $20K? Would love to hear what experience and setup works best for some of the more seasoned composers out there. Any links/info you can send will help me very much! Also, if there are any members in LA whose studios I might be able to visit, please message me.

Thank you!


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## Baron Greuner (Jan 17, 2016)

edited


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## Zhao Shen (Jan 17, 2016)

That is certainly a workable budget! 

I'd recommend a monitor upgrade - JBL LSR305s are what I use when I'm in the studio and I treasure them - they're beautiful and have never let me down (Also keep in mind that with your budget, you can go much, much bigger on these, but I can only speak from experience!). I'll let other people get into the PC spec gear talk since I don't have much experience on Mac.



composerken said:


> For scoring I use Sibelius. I'm a traditional pen/paper composer, and have never really mocked up any of my compositions (I write mostly chamber music) and would love to hear some of my larger pieces realistically represented.



Hm. I'm wondering whether it would be beneficial to you to learn working with a "piano roll/grid" layout. I've never used Sibelius, but most programs I've used that excel at notation are not the best for getting that "realistic representation." If you decide that you do want to get some DAW basics down, I'd go with Logic, as I've heard better feedback about Logic as opposed to Cubase on Mac.


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## Adam Lukas (Jan 17, 2016)

take the 20k to the casino and put it all on red! 
then see where things go from there..


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Jan 17, 2016)

Don't spend 20k on sample libraries. It would be a shame.


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## Daryl (Jan 17, 2016)

The only thing I would say is don't go with Logic under any circumstances. Not only is it less advanced when it comes to pen and paper people, but you will lose the future opportunity to jump on the Steinberg notation/Cubase integration and perhaps most importantly, it locks you into using a Mac for ever. I would recommend either Cubase or DP, as you're based in the US.


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## fiestared (Jan 18, 2016)

composerken said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I have been preparing to make a career move focusing more on scoring for TV and Film and am looking for some advice in what gear/knowledge I should invest in starting essentially from scratch. My budget is about $20K.
> 
> ...


Hi,
Because we work with our ears, buy the "BEST" monitors you can, if your choice is good, this is the only component of your set-up you'll never have to change. The prices are high, very high, but don't hesitate, this is the most important piece of your tools. For myself, I have some PSI audio, expensive, but... http://www.psiaudio.com/en/. If I were you I would subscribe to SOS, http://www.soundonsound.com. Reading their articles you'll get all the answers about your questions.
F.red


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## composerken (Jan 18, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the answers so far! A number of people have mentioned monitors as being a priority. I'll make sure to check that one off the list.

The programs I use most often for recording are Ableton Live, ProTools and Cubase. Anyone here have experience scoring with Ableton?



Baron Greuner said:


> Maybe a really good mic if you don't have one already.
> 
> Sample libraries are probably going to be dependent on what you write. Would need to hear some music.



Are there any mics you can recommend, Baron? Here's a link to some of my work. Definitely a broad range of styles and a mix of acoustic and electronic. Limited, though - I would like to really explore working with sample libraries and creating more epic sounding pieces, as well as a setup that could cover most TV work. Do you have any sample library suggestions?




Zhao Shen said:


> That is certainly a workable budget!
> 
> Hm. I'm wondering whether it would be beneficial to you to learn working with a "piano roll/grid" layout. I've never used Sibelius, but most programs I've used that excel at notation are not the best for getting that "realistic representation." If you decide that you do want to get some DAW basics down, I'd go with Logic, as I've heard better feedback about Logic as opposed to Cubase on Mac.



Zhao, the scores I've written with Sibelius have sounded pretty bad; you're right, Sibelius doesn't really cut it for me. One of the large string pieces I wrote sounded so bad that I re-recorded all the string parts using a real cello, viola and violin and just layering the tracks, then using a synth for the contrabass. I'm only lightly familiar with Cubase's Key Editor...is that what you're referring to when you mention piano roll/grid layout? Do most contemporary film/TV composers use a separate program for notating that is not attached to their sequencer? Cubase's isn't terrible, but I only have limited experience with it. Are there others one would recommend?



fiestared said:


> Hi,
> Because we work with our ears, buy the "BEST" monitors you can, if your choice is good, this is the only component of your set-up you'll never have to change. The prices are high, very high, but don't hesitate, this is the most important piece of your tools. For myself, I have some PSI audio, expensive, but... http://www.psiaudio.com/en/. If I were you I would subscribe to SOS, http://www.soundonsound.com. Reading their articles you'll get all the answers about your questions.
> F.red



Thanks for the recommendation, I'd never heard of PSI before. Which models do you own?



Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Don't spend 20k on sample libraries. It would be a shame.



Definitely, Jimmy. Seeing as I'll have to buy some, though, do you have any you'd recommend?


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## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

edited


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## Patrick (Jan 18, 2016)

As far as ableton live goes for a DAW in the vi-realm, you can have a look at Daniel James' youtube channel. Also there is a bunch of sample library walkthroughs on there.
My advise would be to go easy on buying sample libraries and vst plugins when you get started. Don't spend thousands on vi instruments and then get lost in the GBs of options flying around on your hard drives. Start with a reasonable setup, learn the inns and outs of your new tools, explore your preferences and then build from there. Hell, maybe you'll even earn some money writing/producing with your initial purchases.

Good luck!


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## fiestared (Jan 18, 2016)

composerken said:


> Thanks everyone for the answers so far! A number of people have mentioned monitors as being a priority. I'll make sure to check that one off the list.
> 
> The programs I use most often for recording are Ableton Live, ProTools and Cubase. Anyone here have experience scoring with Ableton?
> 
> ...


A21-M, they're perfect for a small/medium room. I love them


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## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

edited


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## Prockamanisc (Jan 18, 2016)

I have to start first with the idea of how to make money last (all of which I've used and have afforded me a studio way beyond my means): 

General Thoughts:
A) Spend some time working at a music retailer. The discounts you receive are insane. 
B) Buy sales (Black Friday is always the best time). Plan your purchases in advance and then just wait it out. Almost everyone has a sale every month. Last year I bought the entire VSL collection for around 60% off because I bought their gift certificates during their sale in March (buy 3 get 1 free, effectively 25% off), then waited until June when they had a buy-2-get-1-free sale (effectively 33% off). Paying for the one sale with the other sale made it within my means. Patience is a virtue.
C) Buy it once, buy it right. I spent a few hundred on a U87 clone. It wasn't quite there, so I did it again a few months later. Still not there. When I was about to buy my 3rd U87 clone, I realized I was buying 3 mics for the same price as the mic that I wanted. I sold the mics and bought a U87 (and haven't bought another clone since).
D) Know that it's not going to stop at $20K, so don't make poor choices based on fitting within your budget. You're better off spending $15K on your Forever-Monitors than buying and re-buying.

Actual Advice:
Get a great all-purpose mic for under $1,000 (do some research on GearSlutz, that will give you a week or more of debates). VSL Special Edition is really great for starter stuff. You can work your way up from there. Adams A7X would be a great purchase for their price. RME is good, and you can always expand on that. I use the Apollo, but there's no reason to switch over quite yet. Plan out what you'll want in terms of plugins and set a price for what you want to spend. The ones I use the most are: FabFilter ProQ, UAD, and SoundToys. Native Instruments and EWQL Complete Composer's Collection offer affordable, wide-ranging collections.


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## Hannes_F (Jan 18, 2016)

What Baron says, except that I understand you played the strings yourself in your demos - then you certainly do not need the Bohemian violin.

Excellent work - keep it coming! 

Sennheiser MKH40 comes to mind - I bought mine for about 600 EUR used, very low noise/high output and always delivers for strings. Next idea would be Schoeps.


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## Baron Greuner (Jan 18, 2016)

edited


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## RiffWraith (Jan 18, 2016)

Dude - if you are preparing to make a career move focusing more on scoring for TV and Film, and have $20k, do this:

Buy whatever sample libs you need (this is such a loaded convo... there are actually several threads on this very forum on "starting out; what to buy" - maybe those threads will help you with what you want and need). Whatever you wind up getting your hands on, put aside $5k. I am not going to tell you how long to wait to do this, b/c it's not for me to say. Maybe 6 mos? Maybe 1 year? Maybe 2? But when you feel you have gotten the sample library/mock-up thing down, you are going to invest that money you have put aside into live recordings of your music. For ex:

http://www.dynamedion.com/

That's def not the only option, but it's one to be considered. You can learn by score reading, you can learn by doing mock-ups of already existing pieces, you can transcribe, you can read books, you can take composition and/or orchestration lessons... all of those things will help. But nothing is going to help you learn and improve like hearing your music played by a live orchestra. Six min w/Dynamedion will run you around $5k; you needn't do 6 min all at once. These are shared sessions, and you can do 1 min the first time around, 2 min the next, and so on.

I would seriously consider putting some of that money on the side, and having an orch play your music. From a learning standpoint, there is nothing like it.

Cheers.


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## Zhao Shen (Jan 18, 2016)

composerken said:


> Zhao, the scores I've written with Sibelius have sounded pretty bad; you're right, Sibelius doesn't really cut it for me. One of the large string pieces I wrote sounded so bad that I re-recorded all the string parts using a real cello, viola and violin and just layering the tracks, then using a synth for the contrabass. I'm only lightly familiar with Cubase's Key Editor...is that what you're referring to when you mention piano roll/grid layout? Do most contemporary film/TV composers use a separate program for notating that is not attached to their sequencer? Cubase's isn't terrible, but I only have limited experience with it. Are there others one would recommend?



Eh, it depends. If you plan on using sample libraries extensively, you will want to invest in something that can make them sound good.


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## LamaRose (Jan 18, 2016)

Ken, that's an outstanding Soundcloud set. +1 regarding Baron's recommendations. If you're a string player, the Bohemian would be great for writing late at night - when you need to keep the noise down. Right now, you would need something like Spitfire's Sacconi Strings for the shorts. I would add LASS - LA Scoring Strings. Great raw sound. Larger sections than chamber, but you'll love the real-time divisi playing, especially for writing. If you don't want to splurge for LASS Full, you could always try the cheaper Sordino Legato library.

I'm a bit confused... are you currently recording your own strings/vocals? Someone else? Either way, find out/keep using the mic(s)/mic preamp/signal being used and go with that because it all sounds great to me.

Honestly, one of the new 4-core iMacs would probably cover most everything you're doing, but 8-cores would give you a safety buffer. Logic X is a great DAW, but it's kinda inefficient with how it utilizes the core distribution; not sure about Cubase or Ableton on a mac. But this could be another nod toward the 8-core option.


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## Hannes_F (Jan 18, 2016)

Speaking as a forum member, not as a moderator:
OK, this is what I would do for samples in your situation:

1. Think about how much big and how much small sound you need. Probably much more small/medium than big.
2. For BIG go to Metropolis Ark and consider BIG as solved.
3. For medium get Orchestral Tools strings, perc and winds and wait for their brass
4. For small get Sable strings, XSample Chamber ensemble
5. For synth get Omnisphere and Zebra
6. Collect a number of small libraries with all sorts of exotic sounds, anything with Metal or Steel in the name (metal trash and non trash things that are banged on or that are bowed), anything that is plucked or hit, from medium to small. You'll probably need a lot of this for rhythm beds and suspense moods.
7. Calculate the number and size of SSD drives you need for that and find out whether you need slaves.

That is what I would do in your shoes.


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## composerken (Jan 19, 2016)

All great recommendations and advice, thank you everyone so far.

I came across an article that I really liked and wanted to know if anyone else could either provide a workflow http://output.com/presenting-your-music-to-film-makers/ (example like this one, by Scott Glasgow), or if anyone can send me some articles/links that go through setups much like this one. I found it to be informative, practical and up-to-date.



Prockamanisc said:


> I have to start first with the idea of how to make money last (all of which I've used and have afforded me a studio way beyond my means):
> 
> General Thoughts:
> A) Spend some time working at a music retailer. The discounts you receive are insane.
> ...



Awesome advice, Prockamanisc. I had been interested in the Apollo 8 for a while, actually. Which model do you have and what sorts of configurations do you most often record?



LamaRose said:


> Ken, that's an outstanding Soundcloud set. +1 regarding Baron's recommendations. If you're a string player, the Bohemian would be great for writing late at night - when you need to keep the noise down. Right now, you would need something like Spitfire's Sacconi Strings for the shorts. I would add LASS - LA Scoring Strings. Great raw sound. Larger sections than chamber, but you'll love the real-time divisi playing, especially for writing. If you don't want to splurge for LASS Full, you could always try the cheaper Sordino Legato library.
> 
> I'm a bit confused... are you currently recording your own strings/vocals? Someone else? Either way, find out/keep using the mic(s)/mic preamp/signal being used and go with that because it all sounds great to me.
> 
> Honestly, one of the new 4-core iMacs would probably cover most everything you're doing, but 8-cores would give you a safety buffer. Logic X is a great DAW, but it's kinda inefficient with how it utilizes the core distribution; not sure about Cubase or Ableton on a mac. But this could be another nod toward the 8-core option.



Thanks, LamaRose! I do currently record my own strings and vocals using a really budget condenser, http://cadaudio.com/products/product-application/c9s (this one from CAD.) I started a boutique classical music service for newborns a couple years ago that I've used this mic for up to this point, and am looking to continue and expand this work as well as TV/Film stuff. Would love to hear some more microphone considerations from yourself or others based on this kind of work as well.



Hannes_F said:


> Speaking as a forum member, not as a moderator:
> OK, this is what I would do for samples in your situation:
> 
> 1. Think about how much big and how much small sound you need. Probably much more small/medium than big.
> ...



Hannes, thanks for the complement earlier and this great list. Could you direct me to any articles discussing setting up slave/master setups? Or maybe you could give me a quick example? I found this article about mini mac farms; while super informative, it doesn't really explain actually setting it up. Also, thank you so much for the mic recommendations. Is there a particular Schoeps that comes to mind when it comes to recording strings? Any other mics?


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## Hannes_F (Jan 19, 2016)

Ken, it looks like your CAD S9 microphone is more or less a copy of the Neumann KM184 which itself is quite good - and similarly constructed microphones tend to sound similar. With microphones from the upper league you can expect much lower noise (11 - 15 dBA vs the 27 dBA that you currently have), more even frequency range, better (more even) pickup from the sides. Since your playing is very good and deserves it I would go for one of the the big dogs, as the mentioned Sennheiser MKH40, Schoeps MK2, Schoeps MK21, Schoeps MK22, Schoeps MK4. The best microphone characteristic (pattern) depends on your room. Many say they love the MK21 for solo string pickup. Best would be if you can try them in your room. (If you can, go for a stereo pair).

If you go for one/a pair of these I promise you spare a lot of money by skipping the medium league mics that have their good sides but are a detour on the long run.

The key to slave/master setup nowadays is the VEPro software (VSL Vienna Ensemble Pro) which allows you to set up a mac/mac or mac/PC or PC/mac farm easily, but this is not my core knowledge and since I am on PC I would like to forward your question to others.


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

Hey @composerken

When I initially read your question, I wasn’t sure if I should reply since I’ve not posted on vi-control before. I figured you (and other readers) might be looking for credibility based on tenure here. But we are all in this together, right? And though my post count will not reflect it, it is my hope that the value in this answer won’t be lessened.

Recently I found myself seeking guidance and answers to the same questions you are asking in your post. Truth be told, I spent so much time researching that I wondered why there wasn’t a resource that breaks this down concisely. So, maybe this thread will serve as both an answer for you and a resource for others seeking similar guidance. So let’s get started.

*
BUDGET*

While I did not start off with a pre-defined budget, I also did not let a budget define the eventual decisions that were made. Overall, I think you will find that the OP’s budget will be very similar to the decisions I made, but I think the advice should be taken for readers of any budget.

Assess all of the hardware you own and make a list. I would put items such as midi controllers, monitors, headphones, and sound interface at the top of the list, then computer equipment below. We will reference this later. Don’t assume you have needs met because you have hardware. You can check the needs off later.
Make a list of current audio software you own. This includes your DAW, sampler programs, and any plugins you may have purchased
If you have a pre-defined budget, write it down at the bottom of this list as well. Glance at your list. This is the only time you are allowed to think of your budget. Now move on. It’s time to think openly and not be hindered by constraints.
Remember: Everything that you own and everything that you will potentially purchase are tools to help you become an expert craftsmen at your trade - but most importantly to bring your unique creative energy into this world for others to witness. Some tools are required (computer, interface, midi controller). Others are “nice to haves.” Some are quirky but completely change the way you work.

(cont'd)


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*COMPUTER*

People find themselves in one of 3 camps.

Mac
PC
A multi computer setup with a primary computer which runs the DAW and “slave computers” that basically keep all of your sample libraries loaded and mapped to your DAW. The latter setup was once mandatory to be able to compose orchestral music with premium sample libraries. Now…not so much. Today the master-slave setup is mostly workflow preference.
As someone who once loved customizing hardware, I can attest that a PC seems like the only decision here. You will hear cheaper prices, better specced, upgradeable, etc. It is a good selling point for shoestring budgets and tweakers. But here is the reality: Once you use a Mac, you will realize that you suddenly have more time on your hands to be productive. There is a reason they are the primary systems used for audio, video, photography, and the arts in general. They just work… and work like they should. If your time or - more importantly your sanity - is valuable to you, consider the “higher cost” of a Mac the best investment you can make. When it is time to use a computer, you spend 100% of your time in front of it. Get it right here and your whole approach to composing changes.

*
COMPUTER INNARDS*

Assume two mandatory requirements here, though some may see these as optional.

1) Make sure you have a SSD for your primary drive. Do not use a Fusion Drive or some hybrid solid-state with a spindle. I recommend at least 512 GB. I’ve tried smaller, but it gets cramped (even for an OS and basic applications). If buying a Mac, this option must be selected at purchase.

2) Get as much RAM as possible. Minimum should be 32GB. If your computer allows for 64GB, then get that. If buying a new Mac, don’t load it up with RAM when you purchase it. Get the minimum through Apple and order the upgrade kit from OWC (macsales.com). This literally can save you thousands of dollars.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*SAMPLE DRIVES*

Your sample libraries will take up a lot of space and they will need a place to live. There are a couple of things to consider here, and a couple of requirements. First, make sure your hard drive solution is comprised of SSD drives and either USB3 or Thunderbolt capable. Most PCs do not ship with Thunderbolt connectors. Thunderbolt technology originated on Mac, but they will become standard on most PCs beginning this year. Thunderbolt is the best option though. While USB3 can theoretically achieve similar performance, real world tests prove otherwise. Both are highly capable. Thunderbolt is the clear winner and it is still early in its technology. If your computer takes PCIe SSDs, get those - but they are pricey.

The options become mysterious and somewhat like voodoo or witchcraft when you begin exploring RAID striping for sample drives. I’ll make it simple though. Here is the bottom line. RAID is not a good idea for sample drives. It seems like it. You will have people tell you that striping increases performance. They are adamant and unwavering in their faith. And, their wisdom is based on a partial truth. The performance increase is true with large files such as movies. However, with small files you want each drive to max out the performance and minimize risk. You can read a lot about RAID - and I recommend it - but here is the ideal solution. Get something like a Thunderbay Mini by OWC. This costs around $350. It provides a thunderbolt enclosure for four 2.5” SATA III hard drives. Buy four SSD drives. There are a lot of options. The Samsung 850 and Sandisk Ultras seem to be the best at the moment. They will cost you around $150 - $250 a piece. With careful shopping, you may find a 512 GB Sandisk Ultra Pro SSD for around $120. Not all SSDs are created equally though. So, in theory, four 512GB SSD drives plus the OWC enclosure will run just under $1000. On a budget? A single 512GB SSD in a USB3 enclosure will be $200-ish.

But, back to the multi-drive scenario (non raided). if you divide your sample libraries across the drives (such as Strings, Winds/Brass, Percussion, Pianos/Choirs), you will keep a healthy bandwidth for each of your drives. It would be a bad idea to try to run a full orchestra on one SSD only. An SSD can still be bottlenecked due to the amount of samples streaming to your DAW. The one exception is if you bought an enterprise server and loaded it up with so much ram, disk streaming was no longer needed. It is an option, but let’s leave that one for those that wouldn’t need to read this guide to begin with.

Parting thought - backup everything, multiple ways. In addition to your sample drives, you will need backup drives. In this case, RAID and spindle-based hard options are okay since the cost is lower and the capacities are greater. Not to be a stickler with OWC, but their Thunderbay RAID 5 is a great solution. Other companies have similar products, albeit pricier.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*DAW*

Alright, now that your hardware is out of the way, it is time to pick your DAW. If you have one you like, stick with it. It is as simple as that. If you want cross-platform (Windows, OSX) capability, your choices are ProTools and Cubase. Best bang-for-the-buck is Logic Pro X, though it is Mac only. Whether you choose ProTools, Cubase, Digital Performer, Sonar, or Logic, know that they are all professional products equally capable of great results. If you are choosing a DAW for the first time, download demos if you can. Of note, most people are creatures of habit and use what they learned on. So you will hear a lot of bias in regards to what is best. With that said, ProTools was not originally a midi-based DAW but is definitely in that category today. It is the industry standard DAW for mixing and mastering. With the release of version 12.4 in December of 2015, ProTools introduced batch commit, freeze, and bounce which, in some ways, brought it on par with the primary selling points of other DAWs to composers, but in other ways, it made ProTools the best proposition for new composers. Again, it is user preference. Of note, ProTools is the only available subscription pricing model. Some like that model. Some hate it. For current owners, $100 a year is a ridiculously good deal. For new users, $29 per month is a little pricier.

If 5.1 mixes are mandatory for you, each DAW can perform this task with the exception of ProTools Native. Instead, it requires ProTools HD… which is a much pricier option and requires a hardware purchase from AVID.

*
AUDIO INTERFACE*

If you are doing this professionally, A/D & D/A converters are the single most important factor to pay attention to these days. However, the difference is not as great as it once was. Apogee is still the audiophile’s preference. It is also my preference. But, most apogee products are Mac-only. The popular PC alternative for desktop interfaces seems to be the Apollo these days. Pay attention to the number of outputs if you are mixing in 5.1 or higher. Both Apollo and Apogee products come with outstanding pre-amps for recording. It’s kind of amazing how brilliant they are. For small home studios, the decision to spend $1k+ per additional preamp outside of the included preamps is now a decision only made for “color” preference of sound rather than sonic fidelity. Of course, if you are building out a large multitrack studio, you will be looking at separate preamp alternatives. This guide takes into consideration a more home-studio approach to orchestral arranging hardware. I recommend the Apogee Quartet as a great starting point on Mac. As a bonus, it comes with Waves Gold plugin package - which I will discuss in the plugin section.

*
STUDIO MONITORS*

Get what sounds the best to your ears. After all, you will be listening to them every day. Money spent here is money well spent. This purchase will last a lifetime, but more importantly will help your mixes sound better. It is true that you can hear things in great monitors that are not present in cheaper monitors. There are a variety of choices here. My personal preference is the Blue Sky System One (which is a little more obscure), but the other usual suspects are Adam and Genelec to name a few.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*HEADPHONES*

This is the single most disregarded category. I disregarded it. I had tried all sorts of headphones and constantly had ear fatigue and was always frustrated with the sound quality. But then, I tried the Sennheiser HD650s. My life changed. I can wear them all day. I can mix on them. In many ways, I prefer to. There are other good recommendations as well (such as the Beyer Dynamic 880s), but the point is that money spent here is well spent *if* you spend it on something like the HD600, HD 650, or Beyer Dynamic 880s. These will cost you north of $300. Anything less than that is a lot of money for a seismic suffering in quality. Just make sure your audio interface has a great headphone amp to make these headphones sound as good as they can. Apogee and Apollo products have this covered. When considering headphones, just know that if you live in an apartment or condo, are married, have a live-in-partner, or have a child, you will find yourself wearing them more often than not. Actually, unless you have a home studio that is soundproofed or live solo in a house disconnected from others, consider a great set of headphones a priority. I neglected this for too long. Take my advice. Spend $300+ now and thank me later.

*
MIDI CONTROLLERS*

I’d recommend a hammer-weighted 88key controller, as well as a smaller 49key or 61 key keyboard. Why? For the most part 88 key controllers do not have a mod wheel or pitch bend. Weighted controllers also do not have the best feeling for certain instruments. Even amazing keyboards like the Native Instruments 88 key Kontrol are lacking pitch bend control. So, for the person putting together a new studio or doing some house cleaning on an exiting one, if you don’t have both controllers, put them on the list. Truthfully, price varies wildly here and the return is marginal at best. If you are a pianist, find one you love and spend money. Otherwise, a cheap fully weighted 88 key keyboard and 49 key synth controller can be had for $500 total (combined). Don’t forget the sustain pedal and a keyboard stand (if needed).

For all other midi controls (such as XY touch pads, faders, and knobs), consider one of 2 options. 

For tactile controls, the Korg Nano series is spectacular. $60 for a fader panel and $60 for an XY pad has you set. Keep in mind this is *not* meant for mixing. This is strictly for controlling midi CC signals, which is essential for composers. 
Have an iPad? Spend $4.99 on Touch OSC and be done with it. You can customize your own sliding faders, knobs, and XY pads for your DAW. It works over Wifi with your DAW. Super easy. Another popular option for iPads is Lemur for $24.99.
*
MICROPHONES*

I’m not going to discuss this in depth here. Depending on the need, have a small diaphragm condenser, a large diaphragm condenser, and an SM57 just because. For the condensers, spend the money once for a great mic. Otherwise, you will find yourself trying cheaper mics over and over again until the combined money you spent exceeds the original price of the nicer mic. It just is what it is. We’ve all been there. There are some shortcuts to be had, but choose wisely and research profusely.

*
(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*SAMPLE LIBRARIES*

Ahhhh! The good stuff. When I began to write this post, my intention was to write about this section as it was the most daunting to me. But, as I started writing, this post took on a wildly different flavor. And while I consider the other parts as necessary, perhaps view all of the other categories up until now as filler and backstory. Certainly there was value there, but this….THIS… is what this post is all about. And, oddly enough, I’m even going to point you to another invaluable reference I found in another thread. So here is the process I would recommend for the sample libraries


There is one post on vi-control that breaks down the most popular sound libraries by category. Read it. Visit every site. Listen to every demo. Your sound will be comprised of what you are hearing, so you better love it. These are the colors that will be placed on your palette for when you begin painting. Here is the link: http://vi-control.net/community/thr...chestral-sample-libraries.49450/#post-3906902
Pick out your favorite sounding libraries. Don’t look at the price. Just the sound. Take note of the developers as well.
When you find products you like (and even the ones you don’t), comb through the member compositions section on this forum. By in large, the songs people are posting are done so when seeking guidance and feedback in mixing, mockups, etc. Many of these posts talk about the sample libraries used. These demos might be even more telling than the professional demo songs because these demos are coming from real people learning how to sharpen their craft. Some demos are showroom quality. But there are many that are not. Flaws in sample libraries are more pronounced in the hands of someone still learning rather than a master at their trade.
Read every post you can here about the libraries. Google “______ Sample Library Review.” You will discover there are only a handful of sites that actively review libraries, so it is also wise to read through their past reviews to gauge their bias.
Watch walkthrough videos on youtube of your favorite libraries. They demonstrate the product even more than a well-mixed demo song can demonstrate.
Inevitably you will run across threads in this forum where many of these sample library developers are discussed or actively post. It doesn’t take long to gauge their individual characters and passions. So many wonderful developers are here. I fully believe that a product begins with the energy placed into creating it. Joyful people produce products I want to use because I know their energy will come through my own work. This is probably overlooked in many people’s purchases, but I believe it may be the single biggest factor I use before I decide if the product is worth considering.
Once you choose a product in each of the categories, buy it. Don’t think about it too much. It doesn’t have to be the popular consensus. Go with what your ear likes. 
Have no regrets. There will be mistakes. You will certainly buy something that isn’t quite what you expected. Consider it part of the barrier to entry. If you are hung up on your budget when selecting your library, this is most certainly the fear driving it. The reality is, at some point you will buy something that doesn’t work out right.
Don’t stray too far from the main developers you see. There is a reason they are successful.
Don’t skimp. At the beginning of this post I said “this will be the last time you look at your budget.” There is a reason. If you spend $200 instead of $300 on something that is “the better deal” or “what I can afford,” then you will never be happy with the product and you will have lost $200 instead of spending $100 more than you budgeted. Remember that a happy artist will make a wondrous work of art. If you are on a limited budget or can’t free your mind enough to grip and rip this concept of a no-budget purchase, I will offer solutions later in this post. Either way, you should still treat the purchase without a budget before taming your desires.
If you can’t quite get what you want, wait. There are many sales. Black Friday and Christmas creates all sorts of opportunities for people. Many products can be discounted as much as 40% or more. But, it is also a gamble to wait until then to see if your product makes the sale list. Some companies are consistent though.
If you can’t wait, get what product will serve your purpose in the moment.
Get a synth or two. You may not think you need it, but you will. Zebra and Omnisphere are often recommended here. I’d also like to add Cinemorphx and EDNA: Earth. They are both amazing.
Now it is time for the sample library categories. If epic stuff is all you want to produce, buy Metropolis Ark and consider this purchase complete. It won’t help you with John Williams style music, but it seems incredible for what it does. Consider it a one-trick-pony. Actually, it is more important to realize that epic music should be treated as a small portion of a composer’s scoring color. But, the trend with up-and-comers seems to be go big and go big all of the time. I find that when big sound is used frequently, it dulls the emotions rather than providing for an “epic” emotion when needed. But if epic is all you want, this is the solution… and the solution is a masterpiece in the sample library world.
Assuming you want something more than just epic style, decide if you need small chamber strings. Some do. Some don’t. If you do, it seems there are only one or two libraries that do this well. BML Sable is one of those and seems to be the most talked about on this forum.
Now that the two unique styles are out of the way, let’s talk strings. To me, there is no king in this category. There are many great libraries from the major developers. Find one what library you like the sound of best and go with it. Learn its intricacies and nuances. It seems this category is a highly-revolving door for most people’s templates when the latest and greatest comes out. Some will tell you to “layer” multiple string libraries to make it sound more realistic. There are some great examples on this site, but to me, layering immediately screams fake.
Speaking of layering, consider that a 60 piece string section is used in a single sample library for a composition. Layering it doesn’t give it a “second voice” since it is a separate midi file. It gives it twice the number of players with different sonic signatures. To me there is nothing more unrealistic than creating a wall of strings via layering instruments. Even adding samples on top of a real orchestral recording takes me out of the moment. However, a well recorded song with one single library for each part is more likely to trick me into the illusion of a real orchestra than through layering. Some may say I march to the beat of a different drummer on this line of thinking, but I digress…
Back to the categories. Woodwinds. I don’t mean this in a negative way to other developers. There are many exceptional woodwind libraries. But, there is one sample library that stands out as a man among children. That is Berlin Woodwinds. It is not cheap, but it is most certainly the consensus numero uno. The core library is phenomenal, but the expansions are worth exploring too. Expansion A adds some additional, uncommon woodwinds (e.g. Contrabasson). Expansion B contains solo versions of the instruments.
Speaking of solo woodwinds, Berlin is great here too, but other libraries can be just as useful here (such as the Claire series by 8dio). Solo instruments each bring a little something different to the table.
On the subject of solo instruments, when revisiting the strings category, there are a number of solid solo contenders. We are in an exciting time for new development. Many people love Emotional Cello - and it is lovely. For violin, the Bohemian Violin is about as close to sonic perfection as possible with a solo violin library. It is missing some articulations, but the developer promises those are on the way. In the next month or two, we should see a “Bohemian” cello, or whatever it may be named from the same developer. Though nothing is perfect here, you will find gems with other creators like Fluffy Audio as well.
(cont'd)


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*SAMPLE LIBRARIES (cont'd)*


Onto brass. It is kind of ironic that the single sound that adds the epic texture to a score is the one library that users have embarked upon an epic quest to find the holy grail library for their templates. Alas, no such holy grail has been found, but there are many great libraries still. It seems that some libraries can sound phenomenal but require a lot of work. Others may be easier to use but lack the realism. I found one I am extremely happy with and do not feel the need to seek out another at all.
Solo brass? Another tough category, but there are some very good libraries here none-the-less. Do some digging around on each instrument to determine what meets your needs. I honestly have no recommendations here.
Percussion. To me, this is also another men among children category - though the gap is closing. Spend money on your first library here. Add others for color at a later point. You will likely always be searching for more percussion sounds, but the irrefutable king-of-the-hill is Spitfire’s Percussion Redux library. There are other libraries available, but I haven’t read one single buyer’s remorse comment on this library.
Choirs. To me, I didn’t think much about this category initially, but it turns out this adds the most beauty and emotion to my compositions. There are so many wonderful libraries here - and they can all be used in combination with each other. Don’t consider one library as the end-all solution. Likely many libraries will be purchased to fill these colors on your palette. Every developer has something unique in this category.
Pianos are a personal choice. Neither library size, nor price matter here. Find what you like and use it. Chances are you will pick up many different pianos. General consensus seems to be that Ivory’s American D, Garritan CFX, and Ravenscoft pianos are crowd favorites. PianoTeq and TruePianos are tiny in size but have so much flexibility as well as passionate and loyal users. There are many others that I have not named as well. For me, I found my favorite piano in Pearl. To each their own. This is a fun category. Treat it like Baskin Robins and enjoy all of the flavors.
Don’t neglect the World category. I figured this might be an “I can make due now until I know I need them” type of category and immediately realized the error of my ways in my first composition with my new libraries. In another thread a user posted about their dream library. One response given was to not forget about the world category and to look at Evolution Series World Percussion and Forest Kingdom II. This post could not have been more spot on. There are additional choices, but these are two incredible products.
Which brings me to a point about Forest Kingdom II. It runs on the Best Service “Engine.” It isn’t AAX compatible for Pro Tools, so if you happen to get any “Engine” products and are using ProTools, make sure to get BlueCat Audio Patchworks to be able to use “Engine” inside of ProTools. It will run you $99, but is the only real option. There are some others, but they are messy. Other than that, everything else seems cross platform compatible.
Now that the topic of “Engine” has come up, I’m sure there may be a few questions rattling around about software for the sample libraries. Sample libraries are either Kontakt based or run in a different sample engine. For example EastWest uses Play Engine. Best Service uses Engine or Kontakt. Gary Garritan uses Aria. UVI is a newer engine that some developers are beginning to use. For the most part, those other engines are included free with the developer’s sample libraries. Even Kontakt has a free version. But, for the sake of starting out, buy Kontakt 5 full to cover your bases since some libraries require it. Consider any good sounds found in the included factory sound library as a pleasant surprise, but otherwise assume Kontakt is merely a vehicle for other products. If you think you may use the products in the Komplete package or Komplete Ultimate, it makes sense to buy those instead of Kontakt 5 alone. It also gives you crossgrade pricing for their new String and Brass Symphony Series libraries.
Speaking of the included factory library in Kontakt, I once saw a post from a user that the biggest surprise composers may discover in products they own is the choir sound in Kontakt factory library is surprisingly good and usable. I definitely concur.
(cont'd)


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*SAMPLE LIBRARIES (cont'd)*


Back to the sample player engines. Some people recommend using only one sample library engine as best practice. I tend to agree, but it isn’t practical to do this in an all-or-nothing approach. Kontakt is certainly the most open and versatile, but you alienate some other incredible libraries if you are close minded to Kontakt only.
Read up on other sample engines. Some have had problems in the past but are resolved. Some have problems today. Some are no longer supported. Nothing is perfect. That is going to occur when technology is involved..
PURGE. This is an overlooked feature on Kontakt that makes it the most efficient sample library engine on the market. With PURGE, a user can dump an entire sample library from RAM so that Kontakt only loads what is needed, when it is needed. This can be the difference in tens of gigabytes of memory being additionally available for large sessions. No other playback engine has this. So consider this one feature as a tidal feature. If you have limited ram, this should be seen as necessary and may dictate the direction of your purchases.
Earlier I mentioned Forest Kingdom II. It was created by a guy name Eduardo Tarilonte. Do yourself a favor and check out his collection of libraries. He has some magic mojo that goes into his products. I don’t know the guy, nor am I affiliated with any company in this arena, but it won’t take much searching of this forum to see the feedback. Pretty astounding. There are other developers here too that deserve just as much praise, but if I do that, this post runs the risk of becoming something it wasn’t intended to be.
Whenever you make your first purchases, just before you check out, add a cheap intriguing product to your shopping cart. Sometimes the most inspirational libraries are the ones that aren’t the big purchase workhorses. The $9 Seahorse library from 8Dio is a prime example. Strange. Senseless. But fun. I bet it makes you play on your keyboard for a while.
If you are overly intimidated in the sample library space, do the following: Assuming your computer is manageable, subscribe to Composers Cloud over at EastWest/SoundsOnline for $29 per month. Subscribe to ProTools for $29 per month. For less than $60 per month, you can take a ridiculous amount of libraries out for more than just a test drive. They are all full products you own while you are a subscriber. It might help you learn more what you are looking for, or maybe you realize that is all you may ever need. This was not the path I took, but I mention it here because it is certainly a solution for somebody.
If you are just wanting to learn and not spend a lot of money upfront, this can be done with all-in-one libraries. Years ago, EWQL Symphonic Orchestra Silver and Garritan’s Personal Orchestra changed the landscape. They put orchestras in young and new composers hands. They could be run entirely on a laptop back when multiple computers were the norm. They weren’t going to trump the nicer quality libraries, but they were good starting points in the sub $300 marketplace. There are now some other options available, though. Many new composers got their starts with these libraries. There was a particular new composer named Dan that began posting his compositions on another forum when he started his journey using only GPO. Beautiful songs and vision can be brought forth from any orchestral library. He did just that. Every song I listened to re-emphasized that point to me. Over a short period of time (very quickly I might add!) his mockups went from rookie to artisan. But, with that said, great quality samples are definitely more inspiring for composition.
Parting thought regarding sample libraries: Make sure you have fast internet and no bandwidth caps. You will likely end up downloading several hundred gigabytes of sample libraries when you decide to make your purchases.
Final thought regarding sample library developers: Pay attention to the goodness in this community. Some developers (new and old alike) deserve your money regardless of whether their libraries are your first choices. Other developers that may seem hardened in their ways also deserve love and respect so that their hearts can be opened up to the reality that any perceived stigmas are artificial and just building an unecessary chip upon their collective shoulder while hindering passion. Every developer is part of the process of bringing the tools you will use tomorrow into existence. So if you can - find a way to help these developers too. Add some of their libraries secondly to your first choices. Use your brain. Buy what inspires you, then support those that are helping this community change the world through music. It always comes back around.
(cont'd)


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*PLUGINS*

Last but not least, when you mix down you will need some effects (such as reverb and compression). Most DAWs provide adequate solutions but there are always third party options. If you are in the audio field, you are no doubt familiar with WAVES plugins. As I mentioned earlier in the audio interface section, the Apogee Quartet comes with the WAVES Gold bundle. This is a great bundle that does pretty much everything you need - and does it better than the packed plugins that came with your DAW. Waves has a variety of packages and bundles. Most go on sale at different points in the year. But, a great value bundle is the Waves Rennaisance Bundle. They sound great. They get the job done. Another vendor, Valhalla DSP is highly regarded on this forum (as well as a few other companies). I mention Valhalla because for $50, you can purchase a beautiful reverb plugin that is as high of quality as any of the other $500+ reverbs. There is not a better value available.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*EXAMPLE SETUP*

So, while I did not expect to hit up all of these areas, it happened anyway. This brings us to the last topic. What would a complete setup look like? I’ve put together an example list. Certainly no brands are being promoted. Any brands listed are based on what I found to be perfect along my path. It’s an example if being purchased today. There are no wrong answers.

Computer: iMac 5k, 4Ghz Quad Core, 512 GB SSD, 64GB OWC ram ($3700)
Sample Library Drives: OWC Thunderbay Mini + Four 512 GB SSD ($349 + $600)
Project Drive: OWC 16TB Thunderbay Raid 5 ($1200)
Backup Drive: Western Digital My Book 12TB ($799)
Miscellaneous cables: Various ($200)
Headphones: HD650 ($350)
Studio Monitors: Blue Sky System One ($2500)
Audio Interface: Apogee Quartet ($1500)
88 Key Controller: Anything from no name generic to NI Kontrol ($299 - $999)
49 Key Controller: Anything from M-Audio to NI Kontrol ($99 - $600)
Keyboard Stand: Your choice here ($100 - $250)
DAW: Your choice here ($199 - $700)
*Epic Library: Metropolis Ark ($564 on sale until Jan 31st, then $777 after)
*Intimate Strings: BML Sable Complete ($1800)
Strings: Symphony Series Strings Ensemble ($500)
Solo Violin: Bohemian Violin ($175)
Solo Cello: VirHarmonic Cello ($175...just a guess as its not out yet)
Brass: Symphony Series Brass Ensemble + Solo ($500)
Winds: BWW + Expansions ($650 - $1500)
Percussion: Spitfire ($549)
Percussion Extras: Rhapsody Percussion ($200)
Piano: Pearl ($79) + TruePianos ($120) + UnaCorda ($149)
World Percussion: Evolution Series World Percussion Bundle with Taikos ($549)
World Winds: Forest Kingdom II ($249)
World Strings: Various ($optional)
Harps: Angelic Harp + Cineharp ($99 + $79)
Choirs: This is purely personal taste for your style ($400 - $1500)
Misc Instruments: Various (budget $500 - $1000)
Synths: EDNA & Cinemorphx ($250 + $600)
Drums: Addictive Drums 2 + sample packs ($170 + expansion packs)
Plugins: Waves Renaisance & Gold ($150 + $800/included with Quartet)
Kontakt: Komplete Bundle ($500)

_*These libraries could best be seen as optional since they are for a specific accent color. But if that is a color you need, definitely don’t hold back._

(cont'd)


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2016)

*SUMMARY*

So, in the end, the hardware bill tallies to around $10k-$12k, depending on studio monitors. Careful scrutiny can bring the cost down to $6k-$7.5k depending. Choose a MacPro, and this number goes up. Choose PCIe hard drives, the price goes up. Remove some of the raid drives, you can save some money. Use an existing setup or build your own solution and you will save some money. This is just an example on building from scratch without first considering a budget. Being a realist, don’t expect similar performance for $3k, though $3k will build you a usable solution.

For the sample libraries, consider $6k the lower end and $10k reaching the top end. You can certainly spend more, and certainly spend less. But, from a completely unbiased viewpoint, and also only making decisions based on wants with no budget, the example listed above is a setup without compromises. On a side note, if you are not in a hurry, you can space out your purchases throughout the year during sales. You might wind up saving 25%-40% from what is listed above if your products qualify for those discounts. But also consider while you are doing that, your hardware is aging from day one missing all of your creative energy able to be invested into it with a complete palette.

From a business mindset, $20k is spot on for the OP’s new journey without limitations. That was his suggested budget, but it gets you everything you need without limits. Could a new composer get going with $500? Sure. Could they spend $30k? Undoubtedly. Both are right and justified. Neither is wrong. If you need a car, you can go buy a $500 clunker. It may make sense. Or, you might go get a $20k Camry to carry you through for the next five years. Will it need maintenance? Yep. Will it need upgrades? Perhaps. But won’t the clunker as well? Of course it will. You may even have to buy a whole new clunker during that time period. But either way, I’d say approach it all without a budget. Put together your list - whatever it is that makes you feel like you have all of the tools you need to bring your passion into the world. No amount of money can define that. Then, take a look at what it costs. If you have some extra, sock it away for the next pre-order sale for unreleased products.

Best wishes to you and many blessings upon your journey. Bringing the creative flow residing within you into the world is why we are here. Its part of the grace & elegance in bringing light onto this planet.

Peace brother.


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## Rex282 (Jan 19, 2016)

uhhh what he said.......sticky..


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## Suganthan (Jan 20, 2016)

composerken said:


> slave/master setups?


Just to add,


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## thov72 (Jan 20, 2016)

ahhh, the joy of starting all over with 20k ..... boys, let your imagination go wild


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## jacobthestupendous (Jan 20, 2016)

Congrats on having a reasonable budget to build something awesome!

Lots of good advice here already. Regarding DAW preference, it truly is up to what you know and want to use. Most of them will do the basics of what you will need for working with samples. There are some differences in how the different ones distribute loads among processor cores and how they cope with absurd track counts (if you're planning to use an absurd number of tracks--easier than you might think--Cubase is probably the train to get on). Ableton Live is an unorthodox choice for sample work, but it's completely usable for this purpose (+1 for the person who recommended that you look up @Daniel James' YouTube channel). I respectfully disagree with people who have said that you're locked in with whichever DAW you start out with; other than some brand names and workflow particulars, the hows, whats, and whys of making mockups is pretty much the same no matter which you use. There's always a learning curve with a new program, but you'll be starting pretty well up the Cubase curve if you already know Logic (Ableton, Reason, etc.) well.

Keep us posted!


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## mc_deli (Jan 20, 2016)

I spent @€20k last year on this same stuff with some variation of course.

I endorse everything that storyteller said - brilliant posts, thank you for taking the time.

Minor notes: Komplete instead of Kontakt full, beware of subscription models, lunchbox with pre amp(s) and reamps highly recommended, make sure your audio interface gives you the I/O you need, monitor controller (so much easier to set up cues, switch speakers, headphones etc. can be cheap - MPatch v2 here 100€), grot box speaker(s) (e.g. Logitech - 1x Avantone active here), iPad as a controller definitely (Logic Remote here and/or Touch OSC), controller with faders also very useful (MPD232 here, plenty of discussions on this)

And go slow... no rush... each of the sample libraries is an instrument in itself... my biggest time waster outside of trad orch is finding sounds... I wish I had less!


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## composerken (Jan 20, 2016)

Wow. The posts on this forum far exceeded my expectations. I really appreciate all the thoughtful responses.



storyteller said:


> Best wishes to you and many blessings upon your journey. Bringing the creative flow residing within you into the world is why we are here. Its part of the grace & elegance in bringing light onto this planet.



storyteller, your response was incredibly insightful. It was, actually, a pleasure to read and exactly the type of breakdown I needed. Details to big-picture, you addressed all of my questions. 

I feel I have a lot to work with here. Should the dialog keep rolling, I'm happy to share my experiences with what I end up doing. Thank you all!


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## Chris Porter (Jan 20, 2016)

I'm blown away by how helpful everyone has been for the OP. I've enjoyed reading all of your responses and I'm sure many others will be able to reference this thread when they are looking to start or continue expanding their setup. Cheers!

+1 for making this thread, and particularly storyteller's reply, a sticky


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## chimuelo (Jan 24, 2016)

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech...o-interface-market-and-updates-its-daw-633522

Hopefully it can be crossplatform.
Excellent audio specs.


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## composerken (May 1, 2016)

Just wanted to update my progress for those interested in this thread.

Initially I had approached this community/forum with advice for gear. But before I started to purchase anything, I realized very quickly that running acoustic response tests in my listening room and treating it was top priority.

I decided to go with the Blue Sky System One as my monitors. Although the system is no longer available, through Craigslist and Ebay I was able to find 5 speakers and a sub for under $3000, which I thought was a pretty good deal. 

I've been putting in the research time to really understand acoustic fundamentals more thoroughly, and I'd encourage anyone in a similar situation to mine to really dig. There are a number of great resources, but one I've found invaluable is Ethan Winer's book "The Audio Expert". Ethan also moderates a forum with the same name that I highly suggest digging into.

For those interested, I have run acoustic tests in my listening room with the System One and it turns out the response is fairly flat overall, with no treatment, which bodes well moving forward. Here are some response graphs for da nerds:







And the waterfall falloff times:






I'm currently in the process of building acoustic panels and a custom diffuser to sit against the rear wall. More tests will follow after I install them and we'll see how things have improved.

As far as gear, so far I've purchased a Mac Pro with all the bells and whistles, and decided on the Apogee Ensemble as my audio interface/converter of choice. I also went ahead and ordered a pair of Schoeps MK4 microphones as well as their MK21 capsule. For those interested, http://www.schoeps.de/en/applications/showroom (this is an awesome resource for hearing the difference between their microphones.)

I'm building the speaker stands and desk myself, and I will be posting more updates in the future.


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## higgs (May 1, 2016)

Good on you! A well treated room is crucial. I spent about two weeks just measuring with REW and making treatments to place and move as the acoustics in the listening position(LP) called for. Then another month or so tweaking to my ears' content. As an aside: the bass trapping on my rear corners are 24"x20"48" stacked to the ceiling - they're monoliths, but it was the only thing that really helped to move the null and knock down the ridiculous mode at 48Hz in the LP.

The only ways I've found to truly have too much bass trapping in a space are:

If the room is dead - don't go killin' the sizzle
If you've made an anechoic chamber - frighten things they are
If you've not left room for yourself, equipment, and airflow
That's pretty much it  . As more bass traps were added, the LF response began to get smoother across the room - it sounded more balanced and even 'louder' in the LP. Subsequent tests didn't reveal any unusual bumps in LF levels, it was just a bit closer to flat, but it's never close enough...

The only acoustic treatment advice/setup that I've been able to apply essentially the same from space to space this: bass trap.

You've got a couple of big dips there around 50-60Hz and then again at 85Hz-ish. Have you moved your monitors a bit here-and-there to see if you can mitigate some of that drama?

Regardless, your head is totally in the right place. If your room doesn't sound good to you (and you don't intend on mixing full time with headphones), then what a bummer. Spend the time and make your listening environment right - you're obviously doing that. I'd even suggest getting some of the dimmable multi-colored LED lights so you can sexy-up the mood and/or have a couple of light palates under which to work so that your eyes don't fatigue as easily.

Good acoustics and good light = happy and productive worker. That's my take at least.


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## Niel (May 3, 2016)

storyteller said:


> Hey @composerken
> 
> When I initially read your question, I wasn’t sure if I should reply since I’ve not posted on vi-control before. I figured you (and other readers) might be looking for credibility based on tenure here. But we are all in this together, right? And though my post count will not reflect it, it is my hope that the value in this answer won’t be lessened.



That is the best starter guide i've ever seen. Thanks a lot.


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*UPDATE*

Today marks 1 year from my first post on VI Control, which happened to be in this very thread. It was a long contribution, spanning over multiple posts, where I shared a lot of advice on how to begin choosing sample libraries and studio gear with a $20k budget.

A lot has transpired over the last year - both with my personal experiences using new (and older) sample libraries, as well as gaining additional perspective for potential first-timers. For a while now I have thought it would be appropriate for me to update my posts in this thread - so that is what I would like to do. While I won’t modify my previous posts, I do want to post additions and amendments to them in the posts to come. I hope this advice will continue helping others.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*SAMPLE LIBRARIES*

Much of what was posted a year ago still holds true. But - I think I did a disservice by not mentioning both VSL and EastWest Hollywood Orchestra. My reasoning at the time was that EWHO is not easy for first-timers to step into using. BUT - and I have to say this - there is not a better value for the money. You can buy Hollywood Diamond for around $500-$600 during sales. This is library that once cost several thousand dollars and many great compositions have been made with it. Can it be a RAM and CPU hog? Yes. And it may not provide an optimized workflow, but for the money, it can provide the sound you desire without having to spend that same amount you spent on the library for only an individual orchestral section with other vendors.
VSL (or Vienna Symphonic Library). This is also a staple for many composers. It is a dry library and sounds incredible when mixed and engineered properly. I left this off the list initially because the barrier of entry is quite high for new composers. It is true there are ways to step into VSL at a reasonable price, but VSL has a certain economic model which means you will be buying the ecosystem for quite a while or looking elsewhere to supplement what you own with VSL. The libraries are also dry, which means there is a tremendous amount of massaging that will occur to make them sound great… or you can buy their plugins that make the instruments sound great for you. Ecosystem - see? Still - without a doubt - a great product and one of the great pioneers in the sample library world.
GAS - otherwise known as Gear Acquisition Syndrome. It is a real thing and many developers prey upon those with open checkbooks. This isn’t meant to dissuade you from buying new and shiny libraries, but rather the point to be made is to learn how to use what you have first. When a tool you have cannot perform for your needs, then seek out what you need.
If you really just want something new and shiny, that’s okay too. Sometimes those purchases are the most inspiring. Kinda like buying a new car. Needed? Maybe not. But fun and uplifting, for sure.
The age of a library does not define its quality. Many “new” libraries are repackages of older recordings, perhaps with new scripting techniques.
The improvements in most sample libraries is mostly building upon new techniques with true-legato recordings, better legato scripting, and improved workflow management. These are very important refinements that can change a library’s complete usability for the better. Don’t underestimate these improvements.
I want to re-emphasize, that any sample library recorded with proper equipment 10 years ago is just as good as those samples recorded today. They do not age, nor deteriorate. They can be “overused” and can become “recognizable” over time, though.
I also did not mention boutique vendors in the first series of posts. You will find many niche sample libraries made almost exclusively by smaller developers. Make sure you explore them all. There are many great finds to be made.
Need a cymbal rolls library? Look no further than Loops De La Creme. 
Need a few baroque instruments (among other VIs)? Check out Soniccouture. 
Unique choirs? Virharmonic and Strezov Sampling are incredible not to mention the other usual suspects. 
In the choir space, I personally think 8dio excels here more than with any other type of instrument they create. You will also find many other great products from them. Check out their epic percussion series.
Komplete Ultimate. This should be an immediate purchase for anyone starting out. Usually the price is too off-putting. If it is, strive to purchase Komplete. If you can stretch, go for Ultimate. While there are many libraries that may not get the same love here on VIC as other vendors receive, there are some gems in there.
Did you take my advice and buy Komplete Ultimate? Now learn the instruments. It can seem daunting due to the sheer volume, but it is extremely rewarding.
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*SYNTHS*

I also did not touch on this too much in my previous posts. If you are gong to pace yourself and learn slowly, buy Omnisphere. There is so much included, that it can be used as a general sample library while you are learning synthesis.
If you are afraid of synths but want the synth-like sound, buy libraries that bend and warp sounds. eDNA Earth is great. Buy the Kinematic expansion pack though. It should be required with the purchase.
Just want to create rhythmic sequences instead of diving into synthesis? Check out Sample Logic libraries as well as 8dio’s hybrid series and instruments from Output and Hybrid Two. I’m a fan of Sample Logic’s Cinemorphyx.
Did you buy Komplete Ultimate yet? If not, you will see why I mentioned it earlier. It includes a number of synths that will leave you with oodles of fun to be had
Serum. Look it up. Really rad
U-he. A fan-favorite among the VIC crowd. If you are going to pick one synth only, it could be argued that Zebra 2 (with the Dark Zebra expansion) is the one to go with.
I personally came to love Synthmaster this past year. It was voted best synth of 2016 by Music Radar to boot. I had not used it before I read that review. Then there was a ridiculous $10 flash sale in celebration of its achievement. Bought it. Love it. It is now my favorite among all of the choices.
Adding Hybrid 3 here, but is discussed in the plugins below
Adding the AIR synths such as Loom, but is discussed in plugin section below.
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*PLUGINS *

Research in this particular area should be a priority for newcomers. Make it priority #2 though. Priority 1 should be assembling your sample library collection and DAW. Priority 2 should focus on how to manipulate the sounds you have already purchased
Waves Gold or the Renaissance package. I cannot recommend those two enough as a baseline for newcomers. Buy them on sale though. You can get Waves Gold for under $180 if you wait it out for sales (versus the $800 sticker price).
Neutron. This should be a required purchase for every musician. It was just released in late 2016 and already has a cult following. It offers a tremendous new approach to tackling your channel strip processing.
Neutron. I’m going to spotlight this plugin once again for its ability to compare multiple tracks and determine where clashing frequencies are occurring. 
Neutron. It gets a third mention, but this time for another reason. Do not trust everything it says. Do not blindly accept its automated choices. Think about it like dating someone you adore and love. You strongly consider everything she has to say and wants. Many times you just agree because she’s usually right. But sometimes you know better. This is Neutron. She’s your better half.
Blackhole/Shimmer - Buy one. Buy both. They will offer new worlds of color to your samples. You might even realize half of the “preprocessed” samples that bloat many new sample libraries use these two FX almost exclusively.
AIR. I think the AIR series of plugins deserves a rightful place on this list. You can catch them on sale for around $75 for every plugin they make. They were once an exclusive set of plugins in ProTools, but have now been let loose. Hybrid 3 is an excellent synth. I should have put it in the synth list above.
Actually, I just did.
But back to the AIR series - you will find another set of excellent synths that inspire as well as a set of FX plugins that everyone should have in their arsenal. Having these no longer locks you into ProTools sessions (if you were ever there to begin with).
I should have added the other AIR synths above too.
Now I did.
Now, back to other plugins. Did you buy Komplete Ultimate yet? If so, you will find RC48 and RC24 to be really incredible Lexicon imitation reverbs made by Softtube. Most people forget the plugins are part of the KU package.
Those who forget tend to buy the Lexicon PCM package. It is a classic and should be welcome in everyone’s collection. But the RC plugins get very close.
There are so many companies to name here, I’m just going to skip over that part and let you do the research. The bullet points here are not intended to be a comprehensive set of must-haves. Rather, these highlights are just to give breadth to your awareness in the plugin space. But do your due dillegence and find some plugins that help craft your sound. They will help define you.
Valhalla.
Okay, so I did mention one company specifically. But you will see why.
Or you could have thought it was just some vague reference to ancient lore. Onward to Odenheim!!
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*LEARNING ABOUT SSDs*

For the most part, if it is an SSD (M2 or whatever variation you choose), it will do the job for streaming samples. There is a lot of talk about IOPS and SSD performance. Depending on how crazy your setup gets, this may be very important, but in the end there are limitations that will likely bubble up before your SSD chokes. Some SSDs last longer than others. This is where the brand becomes important. But overall, look at buying into the concept of an SSD versus getting caught up in the tech-speak on them.
I see questions a lot about flash drives versus SSDs. It makes sense. Usually you have a number of thumb drives laying around. In general though, they are not built to perform like SSDs. Portable? Yes. Better than spindles? In many ways, yep! But just know they are not the same as having SSD performance.
Thumb drive performance specs are not real-world numbers like you would see when an SSD is measured. Know that before reading thumb-drive specs.
Making a rather daunting studio upgrade? Just make a post on VIC. Many of the contributors on VIC are experts with whatever challenge you are facing.
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*BACKUP STRATEGIES*

I did not cover this in the first series of posts, but it is important. Whatever you decide to purchase, if some sort of a UPS power supply and a series of separate backup solutions are not in your plan, you are completely subjecting yourself to unnecessary risk.
RAID configurations (in any variation) for your backup strategy is not an answer for redundancy and security. RAID mitigates risk, but it does not offer a complete solution. As an example, I have a RAID5 drive for one set of backups. This reduces the risk that a failed drive creates an end-of-world scenario (okay…maybe it would just be an end-of-relationship-with-client scenario). Point being, I also backup this RAID5 to other sets of drives in various configurations. One of those WAS a Raid 0 backup so that I could have enough space spanned across a couple of drives to mirror a second copy of the archive. While neither drive in this secondary mirror failed in the RAID 0 configuration on their own, I had an issue with the ENCLOSURE that caused both drives to fail simultaneously. Everything was lost. This can happen regardless of Raid configuration. The enclosure is the weak point. That is what I wanted to point out. Regardless of configuration, multiple enclosures are important for backup strategies. RAID5 is a great solution inside of each enclosure.
Also, especially in the circumstance of RAID arrays, if a large transfer is occurring between drives and a power outage happens, there is a very high chance the drive will become corrupted. Perhaps the whole array will become corrupted and all data lost. A UPS is critical.
When selecting a UPS, make sure it has an auto-shutdown feature with your DAW.
When selecting a UPS, make sure it has a power rating twice what you think you need….because you’ve likely under-calculated your true energy consumption. Also, you’ll need it.
When selecting a UPS, make sure it has a way to elegantly deal with brown outs. While most computers can handle power dimming (still unwise to risk it), most storage units cannot. Just like that - done. The enclosures will be toast in a heartbeat also potentially ending the life of your drives.
UPS. If the points above are not clear enough, make sure a UPS-per-computer (and storage units) strategy is part of your budget for critical workflow components. A lot of people skimp here, but it is one of the most important aspects of a proper setup.
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*EDUCATION*

I like this topic and I didn’t think to include it in my one-year-ago ramblings of posts. So let’s begin.
This past year saw the creation of many great ways to learn orchestration, mixing, etc. Make sure you find some time to learn about different online classes that are offered. VIC is a great resource to see what is available.
Masterclass. Want to learn from Hans Zimmer, Werner Herzog, and Aaron Sorkin? You can do that at Masterclass.com… and it doesn’t break the wallet.
Mike Verta. Search him out. Great stuff.
Mixing? Seek out Dave Pensado and Jake Jackson online ventures
There are many others, but I want to point out something that is becoming more trendy - live streaming. There are a few very active Twitch streamers that walk through creating songs from scratch. @Daniel James is one of those people. I don’t think there is a better way to see how sample libraries perform in the hands of someone trying them out for the first time while also gaining insight into other composer’s workflows. Check out Daniel’s stuff. His company is Hybrid Two which also offers some really cool sample libraries.
I think it must be stated that this forum is full of many professionals as well as those people just starting out. You never really know the identity of the person behind different usernames on VIC. Some people choose to reveal themselves. Some don’t. Some very well known composers are more widely known here than others and their contributions are invaluable. If you are reading this, you know who you are. Shout out to you for your exceeding generosity and contributions to the community. Truly it is an honor to share in dialogue with you - after all, we are a community of One, all chasing the same joy inside. So to everyone posting on this forum, it is always wise to respect everyone. You never really know who you are talking to on VIC and what door you may have just opened or closed.
See the bullet point above. Really.
*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

Finally, I want to take a moment in this last section to discuss *WORKFLOWS and TEMPLATES*

Just to be very forthcoming to new and old readers alike. Due to the sheer volume of variables involved, we all know there is not a one-way-fits-all solution for a composer’s workflow, nor is there a one-way-fits-all solution to building a template. But the questions still persist for newcomers and veterans alike when it comes to improving workflow and building templates.

This creates more than a few potential stumbling blocks for first-timers. And, even if they are not willing to admit it, even the seasoned pro will still face the same bumps, just with more awareness the bumps are coming and agility in navigating around them. So I would like to discuss this last section in two parts.

_So here we go….

*(cont'd)*_


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*PART 1 - "THE COMPOSER'S CHALLENGE"*

I like to call this “The Composer’s Challenge.” Let’s explore every composer’s challenge – especially newcomers – when first stepping into the world of virtual instruments.

*The #1 Question on VI-Control Forum: *
How do I setup and configure my orchestral template?

*The #1 Answer: *
There isn’t a certain way because you have to figure out how to make your personal workflow fit your DAW.

The questioner is now left with no way but trial and error until something works and flows…most likely resulting in an extremely inefficient setup that doesn’t scale very well. Then this dialogue takes place:

_“Should I use track based, or rack based VIs? Maybe I should use articulations per track, or should I use key-switched multis? If I use articulations per track, do I load a Kontakt instrument per track, or one instance with individual midi tracks routed to the VI? And how the heck do I route Kontakt’s outputs where they need to go? Maybe I’ll use VEP so I only have to do this once. How do I route VEP efficiently into my DAW? Ah got it! What now? Ram limitations on one machine? I’ll just freeze and disable tracks. Oh wait!! I can’t freeze tracks using VEP? Now do I need to setup a host of slaves? That seems expensive. Nope. Back to figuring out how to pre-setup and disable tracks in my DAW. Track count maxed out! What now?!”_

*Seem familiar?*

No doubt you’ve had these same questions. Once that gets sorted out in some defeated compromise, then the following dialogue takes place:

_“Cool. Let’s make music. Hmmm, these orchestral sections don’t blend well together. Oh yeah. They were recorded in different halls. So now what if I want to blend an Orchestral Tools library into the same hall as a Spitfire library? Wait, more Kontakt outputs? How the heck do I route Kontakt’s outputs where they need to go so I can mix the microphone positions? Or do I need to mix these in each Kontakt instance? I’m already out of tracks, that might just be the only solution. And what if I want to change the different microphone levels for every instrument in a section? What if I decide it would be better to just use close microphone positions and route them to a virtual hall? Gah. Why have six months gone by and I still have yet to finish my first song? At least the midi is complete…”_

*And it doesn’t stop there…*

_“Ridiculous. 6 months later and now I am about to mix this track. Let’s see… Do I use reverb on each track? What if I need to EQ the reverb? Doesn’t that require an Aux bus? More tracks. Geez. I abandoned ProTools when it choked long ago due to setting up the number of tracks I needed. I thought that was the mixers choice? I guess I’ll bounce down and bring it into ProTools. Now how do I bounce down stems? You mean I’m going to have to manually mute and solo different tracks or buy some other type of scheduling software that i have to configure? Sheesh. More work but it eventually gets done. Onto importing the tracks into ProTools. Wait, some of my plugins won’t work in ProTools? I needed an excuse to buy new plugins. Cool. The wife will understand. Purchased. Loaded up. Now, let’s make this beautiful in surround sound. Wait. You’ve got to be kidding me. I need a ProTools HD rig to do 5.1???? And I just bought all of these plugins. The wife won’t understand an HD rig purchase. Back to…wait, which DAW was I using?”_

*But, eventually a mix comes out. Then rinse and repeat the process.*

This is the story for every newcomer, and even every veteran in the industry. If you are lucky enough to be in the financial space with the likes of Hans Zimmer, you have a team of people solving these problems for you on a constant basis and have the DAW manufacturers catering to your desires. But we aren’t all Hans Zimmers, so we are left with a conundrum. How can I just make music?

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 19, 2017)

*PART 2 - THE SOLUTION*

Okay…so I’ve written a lot. And in the spirit of this one year anniversary of my first post on VI-C corresponding (rather divinely I might add!!!!) with both the opening day of NAMM 2017 as well as the Presidential Inauguration, I want to leave a little mystery, excitement, and intrigue as to what’s to come….

Just know there are some great things to be shared for Part 2. It just might surprise you.

_Stay Tuned!! _


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## LamaRose (Jan 20, 2017)

Lot's of very useful info, especially for those just starting out. 

I'm a poor accountant when it comes to my musical purchases, lol... so I'd be interested in what your breakdown was for the basic pieces of your studio... like workstation/computer costs, sample library/plug-in costs, interfaces/phones/mic(s) etc, acoustic treatments, books/courses, etc, etc. 

Knowing everything that I now know, I don't think I could possibly spend 20K... at least in an as-needed case. But there are so many variables per person and per intended goals to make it hard to pin down. One thing I would definitely suggest to those who do have a stated budget is to hold back at least 25% for those _unexpected_ costs... if for no other reason than to pay those GAS bills!


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## mc_deli (Jan 21, 2017)

Just to bump this, commend @storyteller and generally +1 for all that great info


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## higgs (Jan 21, 2017)

@storyteller ≠ @shortstoryteller... 

Seriously though, kudos for your insight and commitment to sharing gobs of knowledge. You're a good one!


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## storyteller (Jan 23, 2017)

*PART 2 - The Solution
WORKFLOW & TEMPLATES*

For the last year during my time on VIC, I've read a lot about other people's workflows and template design techniques. Most of my curiosity has stemmed from trying to see if everyone else was facing the same challenges I continued to face, or if (somehow, someway) others here have found workarounds to the software limitations that exist. In short, it has been easy to see tha the challenges people face as were outlined in "The Composer's Challenge" is a very real problem and not going away. So I sought solutions.

Realistically, there IS an "ideal" workflow for everyone when it comes to track routing and template building. However, obtaining that workflow hasn't been possible because of software limitations and restrictions. There have been *BEAUTIFUL* individual solutions that some composers have created using a variety of tools and self-programmed applications. But, nothing that is uniform. Nothing that works for everyone. Even developers can't agree on simple things like using a standard CC assignment for orchestral libraries. But I digress...

So rather than talk about the problems (as they are self-evident enough in my previous posts on The Composer's Challenge), I'd like to share with you what I did, and how this problem should be solved. And hopefully, this will help many people in the future.

I tried every single DAW and tried building the "perfect template" within each one many times over.
Just note, that when I say "perfect template," I mean a template that has everything a composer would need in a day's workflow. Everything just a few clicks away.
Does the perfect template have every VI balanced and preloaded? Perhaps. Everything hidden? Perhaps. Or maybe everything is setup in a modular way for quick loading? Perhaps. I didn't have a defintion at first... that would come later. I only had a list of problems that needed solved.
By my personal definition, a "perfect template" came to mean a DAW + workflow design that would not slow me down in making music and would remove any track organization and routing conundrums I may have.
In short, the perfect template would be like driving a car with an automatic transmission rather than using one of those old-timey rail carts... You know the kind that looks like a seesaw that you power with your hands? 
You can't even leave the rails... Yep. Current DAWs are like that.
I tried countless combinations and methods to create this mythical perfect template.
I have continued to give every DAW every possible lifeline each time a new update is released.
Alas, I went back-and-forth to Reaper numerous times since its inception... never once actually making it through a session without breaking down in frustration because the options I needed had to be manually scripted. Could it do everything I wanted? Yeah. Was it ready to go out-of-the-box? Not even close.
So I reassessed. During this time, I just built my sessions on the fly. Maybe I'd use an older session's template and work from there on a new song, but nothing that was really a solution.
Ultimately, I decided that if I was going to settle down permanently in this city of music, become part of this community of composers rather than just a frequent visitor to the town over the years, and live in this neighborhood of DAW houses that weren't up to code for all of the residential composers, then the one I chose to live in would need to be renovated. So that's what I did. I took the one that needed the most love, but had the most potential. And in it, I created the perfect template.

"How so? Would it work for me?" you may be thinking to yourself...

Well, let me tell you a story...

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 23, 2017)

*(cont'd)*

When exploring DAWs I continued going back to Reaper time and time again but was frustrated at it missing basic features. But the more I took the time to see what had been created, by its developer, the more I saw the beauty. Factually, it is the most efficient audio engine that exists among all DAWs. Period. The developer is a whiz. Perhaps he's not the best GUI designer, but he created a way for anyone who takes the time to make their own GUI. Perhaps he hasn't included all of the features in it, but he created a way to do anything and everything you'd want if you take the time to program. All in all, he created the perfect engine and essentially gave you the most basic frame and wheels to drive this engine back home. So I kept exploring...

Eventually I decided to just bite the bullet and develop out everything that is missing in Reaper from the big-boy DAWS. Then I decided to develop out everything required for the ideal orchestral workflow. It took several trials, but eventually I got there. In fact, it took 250 personally programmed scripts to sit on the Reaper engine to make it do everything needed for this workflow. And that sounds complex... but it isn't because...

The hardest things to do is to make something overly complex seem very simple, and an audio engine is pretty much the definition of something that is overly complex. Apple is the perfect example of making complex products easy to use for others and accessible for newcomers too. This design concept is arguably the hardest feat for any person or company to master. But this is actually what I have done over the course of my career... so I applied it here.

In the end, I created my own workflow. Something that took any obstacle out from making music. Even bouncing stems and stem groups could occur at the push of a button... and in a way that wasn't limited to a personal workflow decision. Every decision was made on a global thought-level. And so that is why I am writing this here.

*(cont'd)*


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## storyteller (Jan 23, 2017)

*(cont'd)*

For newcomers, regardless of your career aspirations, always know that some things will require your personal attention and involve your inner-creator in order to achieve your goals. The solution to the problems you experience may not exist...yet. In the case of orchestral templates and ideal workflows...it doesn't... ERRRR... well it didn't.  It does now.

But then the second part is even more important. I’ve always believed that if you create something that makes your life easier and more fulfilled, then that creation is the very thing in which others could benefit from as well. So it becomes more than a duty, but rather a desire to help those that have stepped in the craters before you, and those that may yet climb through them in the days to come. It should be more simple. Why can't they just use the bridge you created?

It is not my intention to turn this post into a commercial post - for I will be posting everything about this in a separate thread in the proper forum shortly. But it IS my intention to inspire you to create that which has never been created. See a problem, seize it. Solve it. And when you do, give it back in a way that makes sense. Don't hold it hostage for your own agenda.

And so it is with the creation I completed for my personal workflow... a solution I've named Orchestral Template for Reaper (OTR) In fact, I like to think that what I created removes the “work” from my workflow, leaving only the FLOW of inspiration to reach the final mix. No more audio routing quesitons. No more template design conundrums. No more limitations.

The trailer is below, but this is not a sales pitch. That is for the commercial thread. This is just a way to show what can become.


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