# AAS analog orchestra anyone?



## applegrovebard (Jan 11, 2022)

Listening to the demos it sounds like great fun and that the sound designer Cipryan Bot has done a really fine job coaxing the sounds of an orchestra (with variably close results naturally) out of AAS virtual analog synth. Apart from anything else it will be a great programming lesson to see how the vast range of timbres of an orchestra can be approached with a virtual analog (tho you need to own Ultra Analog for this rather than just the free player). Takes you back to the days of Wendy Carlos and Tomita rising to that same challenge.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 11, 2022)

It is indeed a must-buy set of synth patches. I am amazed by the programming depth of these sounds and have immediately purchased the pack for the “reverse engineering” opportunities (like you say).


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## doctoremmet (Jan 11, 2022)

Tip, in this same realm:









Orchestral Essence (Zebra2 Soundset)


An orchestral palette of sounds for U-He Zebra2 covering emulations of acoustic instruments, including: Brass: French horn, Trombone, Trumpet and Tuba. Strings: Harp, Sections Violins 1 & Violins 2, Violas, and Cellos. Pizzicato strings, Staccato strings, Shorts (many different ones), and some...




algomez.gumroad.com


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## kgdrum (Jan 11, 2022)

doctoremmet said:


> Tip, in this same realm:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



@doctoremmet 
Hi Temme ,I haven’t heard about this Orchestral Essence soundset before you posted in this thread but I’ve had my eye on Zebra Orchestra created by Corin Neff for quite a while,have you compared them?






Corin Neff - The Zebra Orchestra


Buy The Zebra Orchestra here




esgalachoir.wixsite.com


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## Anthony (Jan 11, 2022)

I found it to be disappointing.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 11, 2022)

kgdrum said:


> @doctoremmet
> Hi Temme ,I haven’t heard about this Orchestral Essence soundset before you posted in this thread but I’ve had my eye on Zebra Orchestra created by Corin Neff for quite a while,have you compared them?
> 
> 
> ...


Damn, I may have posted the wrong link, because I intended to point towards the one you mention!


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## doctoremmet (Jan 11, 2022)

Anthony said:


> I found it to be disappointing.


Which one? (Apologies for causing confusion here).


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## kgdrum (Jan 11, 2022)

Anthony said:


> I found it to be disappointing.



What did you find to be disappointing? Orchestral Essence or Zebra Orchestra? 
Thanks


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## Anthony (Jan 11, 2022)

I found AAS Analog Orchestra to be disappointing.

I have at least a dozen of their Sound Packs and like and use all of them, except Analog Orchestra. To my ears the sounds are a bit chessie. They're not realistic enough to be used in place of acoustic instrument VIs, and lack character compared to most synth sounds. YMMV.


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## lychee (Jan 12, 2022)

Anthony said:


> I found AAS Analog Orchestra to be disappointing.
> 
> I have at least a dozen of their Sound Packs and like and use all of them, except Analog Orchestra. To my ears the sounds are a bit chessie. They're not realistic enough to be used in place of acoustic instrument VIs, and lack character compared to most synth sounds. YMMV.


I agree, the most convincing would be the sax sound, but it's still very synthetic (normal for a synth).
But despite that I find the idea interesting and that it should be further developed.

I am a big fan of physical modeling, and I am an advocate of synthetic versus sample when it comes to acoustic instruments.
But physical modeling is not within the reach of everyone, while trying to recreate a real instrument via a synth, it remains accessible and I like this challenge.

There are also synths based on physical modeling like Chromaphone, Imagine ... and there is this kind of method:




Some people have tried to make a hybrid between the sample and the synth like Sampleson and Wallender, and I would like some kind of sampler for everyone on this kind of technology.

But all these solutions have for me an advantage over the sample, it is to be more malleable, but it remains difficult to imitate the sound of a customary instrument.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 12, 2022)

If you come in and expect a virtual analog synth capable of producing “physically modelled” “real” orchestral sounds, you WILL be disappointed for sure. My excitement for this soundset should be interpreted as being impressed by the synthetic qualities of the programming and how the resulting sounds “approach” a certain recognizable sonic orchestral quality. Almost coming from it from a historical perspective, these are among some of the best attempts I have ever heard. Keeping in mind these sounds were all crafted using plain old subtractive synthesis.


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## applegrovebard (Jan 12, 2022)

doctoremmet said:


> If you come in and expect a virtual analog synth capable of producing “physically modelled” “real” orchestral sounds, you WILL be disappointed for sure. My excitement for this soundset should be interpreted as being impressed by the synthetic qualities of the programming and how the resulting sounds “approach” a certain recognizable sonic orchestral quality. Almost coming from it from a historical perspective, these are among some of the best attempts I have ever heard. Keeping in mind these sounds were all crafted using plain old subtractive synthesis.


This is my take too. I trust no-one will buy Analog Orchestra looking for a cheap replacement for their Spitfire etc libraries (or even physically modelled brass and strings). There's something fascinating, educational and musically useful about creating an 'analog' of a natural orchestra using the seemingly limited raw materials of subtractive synthesis. It's its own valid soundworld. A subtractive sax preset may be a rubbish saxophone but a beautiful sound/instrument nonetheless.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 12, 2022)

applegrovebard said:


> This is my take too. I trust no-one will buy Analog Orchestra looking for a cheap replacement for their Spitfire etc libraries (or even physically modelled brass and strings). There's something fascinating, educational and musically useful about creating an 'analog' of a natural orchestra using the seemingly limited raw materials of subtractive synthesis. It's its own valid soundworld. A subtractive sax preset may be a rubbish saxophone but a beautiful sound/instrument nonetheless.


Thank you for expressing my exact thoughts far more eloquently than I ever could! 🙏


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## applegrovebard (Jan 12, 2022)

doctoremmet said:


> Thank you for expressing my exact thoughts far more eloquently than I ever could! 🙏


As I hit post, I was slightly uncomfortably aware that I was pretty much echoing your post point by point! But I couldn't help agreeing in my own, but hardly more eloquent, words.


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## doctoremmet (Jan 12, 2022)

applegrovebard said:


> As I hit post, I was slightly uncomfortably aware that I was pretty much echoing your post point by point! But I couldn't help agreeing in my own, but hardly more eloquent, words.


I posted my reply as a genuine thanks, not to point out the simularities


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## grabauf (Jan 12, 2022)

If anyone is interested in Analog Orchestra, just PM me. I'm willing to let it go for free to someone, who might like it more than I do. It's not my kind of sound


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## grabauf (Jan 12, 2022)

Looks like the pack found a new owner.


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## nolotrippen (Jan 12, 2022)

Anthony said:


> I found AAS Analog Orchestra to be disappointing.
> 
> I have at least a dozen of their Sound Packs and like and use all of them, except Analog Orchestra. To my ears the sounds are a bit chessie. They're not realistic enough to be used in place of acoustic instrument VIs, and lack character compared to most synth sounds. YMMV.


Most of the percussion sounds are useable (the timpani is a joke, just don't call it a timp).


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