# Hello from a Swede in Vienna



## andersmaah (Jun 8, 2006)

Hi,
I've been reading posts here frequently for a while. Since I'm not a composer (well, I've actually composed some simple songs for guitar and voice that ended up on an album for human rights), I haven't thought about introducing myself, but then I changed my mind and thought I might as well do that since it has become a kind of forum culture here, and a culture that I like. 

I come from Sweden but live in Vienna at the moment (Vienna in Austria, that is). I run my own small commercial agency business that so far doesn't have anything to do with music (although recently an acquintance who's a classical music sound engineer and I came up with a business idea that we are still evaluating).

So what's the connection to composition? My wife is a last-year piano student at the Wien Conservatory. Both she and I practice Falun Gong (a Chinese spiritual practice/qigong of the Buddha school), and since the persecution of Falun Gong in China was launched by the Chinese communist regime in 1999, many practitioners around the world have been involved trying to bring awareness of the human rights crimes and stop the killing, torture, and persecution.

Since my wife is a musician (plays reasonably good violin, too), she's tried to volonteer with her music skills in this effort. But she's not good with computers and audio production, and that's where I try to lend a hand. So on and off I've been trying to learn as much as I can about MIDI, sequencing, software samplers, mixing etc. (and VI is a great resource) to be able to help her in her creative endeavors. However, because of her study and a pregnancy (now a ten month sweet -- and very active -- little girl that likes to hammer on the piano), we actually haven't produced much to talk about yet, but I hope we will soon.

My great grand father was a fiddle player in Sweden, and my father was quite skilled on the clarinet when he was younger, so I guess I have some music in the blood to some extent (at least my wife says so), but I haven't pursued any skills. However, I've sung in a choir, picked some on the guitar, and have a Native American flute laying around here that I hope to find some use for together with sample-based arrangements.

I guess that's all for now (it usually gets long whenever I write). I would also take the opportunity to thank the people here who share their knowledge with others. It is of great help.

All the best to you,
Anders
ps. hej alla svenskar som är här! ds.


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## Thonex (Jun 8, 2006)

Welcome to our little Shangrilah andersmaah.  

Cheers,

T


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## Frederick Russ (Jun 8, 2006)

Welcome to VI Anders! Enjoy the forum  I'm sure a lot of folks here would be happy to help out where possible. Since you're in Vienna perhaps you could arrange to personally visit the VSL facilities there. They're tops with programming and midi as well - one could learn a lot.


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## Herman Witkam (Jun 8, 2006)

Welcome onboard Anders,

I myself have used a Native American flute in an orchestral setting before. It works great.


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## Peter Emanuel Roos (Jun 8, 2006)

Hello Anders!

Welcome to VI, a great place to be.

We kind of lost contact since winter 2005, due to my divorce problems. I have been away from my music stuff and forums for quite a while, but I am now settled well and even have a new relation with a Francaise who lives in Holland. We are going to live together next september (and finally again a personal room for my music stuff, yippee!).

How are you doing with your Asian projects?

Best regards and enjoy this forum!


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## andersmaah (Jun 8, 2006)

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Hi Peter,
Nice to hear from you again. I read on the forum (whether it was this one I do not remember) about what you where going through (man, you are really public with your life :smile: ) and so I thought it was best to lay low.

Regarding the project, I didn´t do anything with it at that time, but lately I have been talking to a friend who is a skilled sound engineer and studio owner here in Vienna about launching an online recording service for composers for media (who mostly use samples), consisting of solo instruments, vocals, choirs and ethnic instruments.

Then, the idea got expanded to also include quality production music (library music) with the special notch that every piece should include at least one real instrument or voice. The website would then be marketed to production houses around the world.

Lately, I came up with a third additional idea: my wife is working part-time as acompanist for singers, and I heard that many of them do not own accompany CDs to practice at home. Then I thought that the website could also include such accompany music for singers (grand piano for songs and mock-ups of orchestras for opera etc.) and instrumentalists, in different speeds. I know there are a few guys doing it already on the Internet, but they only offer piano, no orchestras from what I´ve seen. I´ve also heard there are accompany CDs to buy in normal music stores with real orchestras, but haven´t done any research into that yet. So I don´t know yet if that´s a good idea yet.

Actually, I sent out a simply survey to some composers. I am still waiting for a few responses, and then we will make some conclusions from that (together with other research), and see if we will drop the idea or go forward. So far the responses have been quite mixed.

Hi Herman,
Great to hear that it can work with orchestra. Native American flutes to me really have a special sound that can touch the heart and encourage introspection and quest for meaning. I really like it with piano also, for example Carlos Nakai´s and Peter Kater´s "Migration" (it has some cello in it too). Very calm, soothing and introspective.

Hi Frederick,
Regarding VSL, I haven´t been to their famous studio, but I have visited their office and had some contact with their press contact (I wrote two freelance articles, one on how virtual orchestras have changed the music industry, and one layman introduction to samples with Opus1 as an example.). Also, a couple of weeks ago, I went with a friend to listen to the Vienna Instruments at their live demo and the playability and expression level positively surprised me. 

As a funny thing, I know one percussionist that recorded some for VSL, and he told me that the microphones were so sensitive that they had to do re-takes even if his stomach made a small sound. (Or maybe it´s like that in any recording studio?)


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## Blackster (Jun 8, 2006)

Hello Anders,

welcome to the forum! I´m also still kind of a newbie here but nevertheless I just want to say hello 

Greeting,

Blackster


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## Toxeen (Jun 8, 2006)

Hi Anders,

Welcome aboard, made and thanks for your little insight.
Guys, he's got some really nice ideas in mind you all may profit by.

Hopefully some of them will make it to reality. Keep in touch about further results on your m. research, Anders.

Enjoy your stay. It's a great place !


Cheers!
Boris


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## ComposerDude (Jun 8, 2006)

Welcome, Anders!


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## MCS (Jun 17, 2006)

Hi Andersmaah!

Nice to have you here!

How do you like Austria? 


Best,
Michael


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## andersmaah (Jun 17, 2006)

Thanks Michael,
I like Austria a lot with all the great nature, especially the Alps of course, but also the Voralpen. I am such a person that likes wild nature more than cities, but Vienna really has some nice buildings that stands as testimonies of its past glory. Coming from Sweden, with lakes and rivers everywhere, I miss water in this city, though.

The general culture here, talking about Vienna only now, seems to a funny mix between Italian, German and East European mentality.

Anders


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## MCS (Jun 19, 2006)

Yes, the viennese people have a special mentality :mrgreen: 

But if you want to see some beautiful lakes in Austria you have to visit two lakes in Upper Austria called the "Attersee" and "Mondsee". It´s very cool there!

Michael.


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## Remy (Jul 9, 2006)

andersmaah @ Thu Jun 08 said:


> ps. hej alla svenskar som är här! ds.



Hej på dig Anders. :smile:


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