# Compositions on Staffpad.



## OleJoergensen

Feel free to share your Staffpad compositions in this thread....


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## PaulBrimstone

OleJoergensen said:


> Feel free to share your Staffpad compositions in this thread....


You first!


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## OleJoergensen

“Ethereal 2”- Horn and flute Love duet.


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## OleJoergensen

Ha ha  I forgot to press “post reply”...


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## PaulBrimstone

OleJoergensen said:


> “Ethereal 2”- Horn and flute Love duet.



Very nice — and good use of the new Ambient library.


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## Jacob Moss

Lilith - Berlin WW, CineBrass, Cineperc, Voxos, and CineStrings


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## dcoscina

Jacob Moss said:


> Lilith - Berlin WW, CineBrass, Cineperc, Voxos, and Spitfire Symphonic Strings



Nice job Jacob. Sounds really good.


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## dcoscina

This isn't quite finished. I need to flesh out the middle section more....


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## OleJoergensen

Jacob Moss said:


> Lilith - Berlin WW, CineBrass, Cineperc, Voxos, and CineStrings



Nice and dramatic composition, it sounds good!


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## OleJoergensen

dcoscina said:


> This isn't quite finished. I need to flesh out the middle section more....



This is cool David. Great transition to the rhythmic section. Is this straight out of Staffpad? The mix and audio is very good!


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## dcoscina

Yes sir. Straight outta StaffPad.. hmm maybe we should make a shirt that says that? Lol


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## wcreed51

Like a bat out 'a StaffPad


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## PaulBrimstone

dcoscina said:


> Yes sir. Straight outta StaffPad.. hmm maybe we should make a shirt that says that? Lol


@dcoscina Well, you asked...


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## dcoscina

Nice. Where do I buy it? Lol


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## brandowalk

A video walkthrough of my Pangea score. Pangea was written as a tribute to John William’s Jurassic Park Theme.

The StaffPad score is too tall to put on one video screen so I have broken it out into sections. I wrote this piece quickly for a contest, so the score is not as condensed and tidy as I would like. It will, however, give you an idea of what went into the tracks.

Make sure your YouTube settings are at 1080p (HD). Audio starts at 0:11.

Hope you enjoy!

Brandon


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## Rodney Money

brandowalk said:


> A video walkthrough of my Pangea score. Pangea was written as a tribute to John William’s Jurassic Park Theme.
> 
> The StaffPad score is too tall to put on one video screen so I have broken it out into sections. I wrote this piece quickly for a contest, so the score is not as condensed and tidy as I would like. It will, however, give you an idea of what went into the tracks.
> 
> Make sure your YouTube settings are at 1080p (HD). Audio starts at 0:11.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Brandon



I really enjoyed this, my friend! It definitely is a true tribute to Williams style full of hope and optimism. I really enjoyed how the woodwinds would insert their voices providing little connecting runs and added flavor.


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## jadi

Indeed


brandowalk said:


> A video walkthrough of my Pangea score. Pangea was written as a tribute to John William’s Jurassic Park Theme.
> 
> The StaffPad score is too tall to put on one video screen so I have broken it out into sections. I wrote this piece quickly for a contest, so the score is not as condensed and tidy as I would like. It will, however, give you an idea of what went into the tracks.
> 
> Make sure your YouTube settings are at 1080p (HD). Audio starts at 0:11.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Brandon



Indeed well done Brandon! Sounds profi!


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## brandowalk

Rodney Money said:


> I really enjoyed this, my friend! It definitely is a true tribute to Williams style full of hope and optimism. I really enjoyed how the woodwinds would insert their voices providing little connecting runs and added flavor.


Thank you Rodney. JW is quite a genius of orchestration and techniques! In this type of piece with all the big brass, strings, and percussion, it makes sense to use the WW in this way for color. Also probably a lot more fun to play than pads!


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## Rodney Money

brandowalk said:


> Thank you Rodney. JW is quite a genius of orchestration and techniques! In this type of piece with all the big brass, strings, and percussion, it makes sense to use the WW in this way for color. Also probably a lot more fun to play than pads!


Exactly! I am definitely all about single instruments playing lines than just chordal pads. Great job again.


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## OleJoergensen

I used an old slow romantic composition to test legato and sustain with Spitfire symphonc strings, Berlin strings and Berlin strings layered with Berlin 1st chair.


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## Martin S

Thanks a lot for this comparison, Ole. They all sound very good, overall. But the more I listen to the Berlin strings (especially with 1st chairs) I'm simply blown away by how good they sound !! Although I also do like the sound of the Spitfire, it seems to me they have what I guess is generally referred to as 'sucking'/slow attack on the onset of some of the notes, particularly on quarter notes, which the Berlin strings don't have..(edit: just realised that there's a tenuto on some of the notes, which may cause the above effect in Spitfire lib?)

I generally like Spitfire products though and was about to upgrade my old Mac + Logic and purchase their BBCSO Library, when I stumbled over Staffpad by accident. From listening to demos - en masse - I'm now 100% won over to the staffpad side  I simply can't be bothered with the hassle of upgrading the Mac (In order to have gazillions of GB's to run the various libraries), and will now go the iPad Pro + Staffpad route instead. That fits my workflow (and needs) much, much better and is what I've wanted for many years, actually.

Again, thanks a lot for your excellent demos, they have been instrumental (pun intended) in helping make my choice to go with Staffpad

(Ser frem til at høre mange flere demoer fra din hånd, de lyder absolut fremragende og er meget inspirerende!)

Venlig hilsen, Martin Spure


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## OleJoergensen

Martin S said:


> Thanks a lot for this comparison, Ole. They all sound very good, overall. But the more I listen to the Berlin strings (especially with 1st chairs) I'm simply blown away by how good they sound !! Although I also do like the sound of the Spitfire, it seems to me they have what I guess is generally referred to as 'sucking'/slow attack on the onset of some of the notes, particularly on quarter notes, which the Berlin strings don't have..
> 
> I generally like Spitfire products though and was about to upgrade my old Mac + Logic and purchase their BBCSO Library, when I stumbled over Staffpad by accident. From listening to demos - en masse - I'm now 100% won over to the staffpad side  I simply can't be bothered with the hassle of upgrading the Mac (In order to have gazillions of GB's to run the various libraries), and will now go the iPad Pro + Staffpad route instead. That fits my workflow (and needs) much, much better and is what I've wanted for many years, actually.
> 
> Again, thanks a lot for your excellent demos, they have been instrumental (pun intended) in helping make my choice to go with Staffpad
> 
> (Ser frem til at høre mange flere demoer fra din hånd, de lyder absolut fremragende og er meget inspirerende!)
> 
> Venlig hilsen, Martin Spure


You are welcome Martin. 
I also enjoy working with Staffpad. Since feburary I have nearly not used my DAW. I think Staffpad will be better by time. There will come more good libraries. Hopefully the existing ones will be updated. 
If you consider working with orchestral music, be sure to buy the most powerful Ipad with a big screen. Also buy “Paperlike” screen protection. It makes it more easy to work with pencil and Staffpad.
Enjoy 🎵🎶 😊


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## Martin S

OleJoergensen said:


> You are welcome Martin.
> I also enjoy working with Staffpad. Since feburary I have nearly not used my DAW. I think Staffpad will be better by time. There will come more good libraries. Hopefully the existing ones will be updated.
> If you consider working with orchestral music, be sure to buy the most powerful Ipad with a big screen. Also buy “Paperlike” screen protection. It makes it more easy to work with pencil and Staffpad.
> Enjoy 🎵🎶 😊




My thoughts exactly !! Going for the latest iPad Pro and have already bookmarked the "Paperlike" website


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## Rodney Money

Martin S said:


> My thoughts exactly !! Going for the latest iPad Pro and have already bookmarked the "Paperlike" website


I’m getting my iPad Pro next week! It’s already been shipped.


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## dcoscina

Martin S said:


> My thoughts exactly !! Going for the latest iPad Pro and have already bookmarked the "Paperlike" website


Good choice! As I’ve said repeatedly in various forums, I began with buying an Air3 earlier this year. It was nice and handled Staffpad pretty well without the steep investment and it came with a headphone jack. However, once I moved up to the iPad Pro 11” 2020, it was like night and day. The thing is a beast and very powerful. Tho, surprisingly, the 2018 pro apparently does better on benchmarks for CPU but just slightly. The newer one does better in GPU benchmarks however. 

All I know is that it’s more future proof with the USB-c port which allows for peripherals (I’ve hooked up my MOTU M2 audio interface to the pro And worked with Staffpad that way which is delightful). I also bought a$50 USB hub which has several ports so I can charge the iPad while using a
USB keyboard (for cubasis and GB, not Staffpad) or audio interface.


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## Martin S

Thank you, David. Much appreciated. At some point I need to upgrade my 10yr old M-audio Fast Track interface, and have set my mind on the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd gen) - good sound at a good price point, I think...And Focusrite recently confirmed it'll work with the new iPad Pro in a straight USB-c->USB-c connection (and will power it, too) :

https://focusrite.com/en/news/focusrite-sound-now-ipad-pro

If you don't mind me asking; which USB-C hub are you using? And does it also act as power bank, too - or will the hub need to be powered from a mains outlet ?

Kind regards


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## jonathanparham

Something I wrote when I got the Berlin Add ons in May. I'm practicing runs and gestures so there's a lot of them leading to similar motive. I have the Brass exposed in a few sections so I thought it'd be good as @Rodney Money was looking at StaffPad. All in StaffPad No mixing. Berlin Brass, Strings, Stock harp.


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## Rodney Money

jonathanparham said:


> Something I wrote when I got the Berlin Add ons in May. I'm practicing runs and gestures so there's a lot of them leading to similar motive. I have the Brass exposed in a few sections so I thought it'd be good as @Rodney Money was looking at StaffPad. All in StaffPad No mixing. Berlin Brass, Strings, Stock harp.



Thank you so much for sharing. I especially enjoyed the sound of the legato trumpet!


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## jonathanparham

Rodney Money said:


> Thank you so much for sharing. I especially enjoyed the sound of the legato trumpet!


No sweat. I like the Brass quite a bit. Now there are some issues in terms of dynamics and articulations. Different users have expressed this on the FB group. But I'm happy to keep fleshing out ideas with it. Strings are good too. Woodwinds are decent IMO. Love them over the stock stuff.


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## dcoscina

Martin S said:


> Thank you, David. Much appreciated. At some point I need to upgrade my 10yr old M-audio Fast Track interface, and have set my mind on the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd gen) - good sound at a good price point, I think...And Focusrite recently confirmed it'll work with the new iPad Pro in a straight USB-c->USB-c connection (and will power it, too) :
> 
> https://focusrite.com/en/news/focusrite-sound-now-ipad-pro
> 
> If you don't mind me asking; which USB-C hub are you using? And does it also act as power bank, too - or will the hub need to be powered from a mains outlet ?
> 
> Kind regards


Hi I’m using this 
USB C Hub for iPad Pro 2019 2018,XIIVIO 7 in 1 USB Type C to 4K HDMI Adapter with USB 3.0, USB-C PD Charging,SD/TF Card Reader,3.5mm Headphone Jack Compatible with 2019 2018 New iPad Pro 11"/12.9" 

it does not provide built in power and needs to be connected to wall power if you want to power your iPad while the peripherals are plugged in. But I don’t find the power drain too bad using the MOTU M2. I’ve not tried it with the Scarlett solo so I can’t verify if that’s better or the same or worse


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## wcreed51

Hi David,

I'm not used to your waveform avatar, so it takes a minute to recognize you!


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## OleJoergensen

“New Dawn”

Spitfire symphonic strings (celli doubled with Tina Guo solo cello), Berlin Woodwinds, Berlin Brass, Berlin percussion. Staffpad.


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## Gene Pool

OleJoergensen said:


> “New Dawn”



Terrific!

Was this done entirely in SP?


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## OleJoergensen

Gene Pool said:


> Terrific!
> 
> Was this done entirely in SP?


Thank you Gene. 
Except from the picture, al Staffpad 
There are some lack with Spitfire symphonic strings. Reapeating notes, there are to much gap between. But al over, I think they sound very good.


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## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> “New Dawn”
> 
> Spitfire symphonic strings (celli doubled with Tina Guo solo cello), Berlin Woodwinds, Berlin Brass, Berlin percussion. Staffpad.



Love your music Ole as always. There’s a majesty, a nobility to this work that recalls Elgar to me. Quite lovely and beautifully rendered.


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## brandowalk

Rodney Money said:


> Thank you so much for sharing. I especially enjoyed the sound of the legato trumpet!


That trumpet legato @ 0:38 does sound nice! The staccato tonguing at 0:51 sounds less convincing. 

Jonathan - Is there another articulation to try to make a sharper attack in Berlin?


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## brandowalk

jonathanparham said:


> Something I wrote when I got the Berlin Add ons in May. I'm practicing runs and gestures so there's a lot of them leading to similar motive. I have the Brass exposed in a few sections so I thought it'd be good as @Rodney Money was looking at StaffPad. All in StaffPad No mixing. Berlin Brass, Strings, Stock harp.





OleJoergensen said:


> “New Dawn”
> 
> Spitfire symphonic strings (celli doubled with Tina Guo solo cello), Berlin Woodwinds, Berlin Brass, Berlin percussion. Staffpad.



Ole - simply gorgeus! Wow. Beautiful lines and doubling of the strings with some interesting harmonic surprises in the brass. The playback realization is very convincing as well. 

If not extending into a longer piece, adding another chord or extending the last note in the upper violins would make a nice moment. 

More please... 

Brandon


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## brandowalk

OleJoergensen said:


> Thank you Gene.
> Except from the picture, al Staffpad
> There are some lack with Spitfire symphonic strings. Reapeating notes, there are to much gap between. But al over, I think they sound very good.


Maybe the repeating notes didn't play back as you wanted, but it is not noticeable to me and sounds amazing. How do you find the Tina Guo library?


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## jonathanparham

brandowalk said:


> That trumpet legato @ 0:38 does sound nice! The staccato tonguing at 0:51 sounds less convincing.
> 
> Jonathan - Is there another articulation to try to make a sharper attack in Berlin?


Yes I really like the Brass and String by OT a lot. 
Regarding the tonguing, I was trying the marcato articulation and a regular accent for the rhythm. I could try alternating staccato and marcato markings. I have noticed in all the StaffPad addons the samples can vary widely with articulation marking AND dynamic markings.


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## brandowalk

jonathanparham said:


> Yes I really like the Brass and String by OT a lot.
> Regarding the tonguing, I was trying the marcato articulation and a regular accent for the rhythm. I could try alternating staccato and marcato markings. I have noticed in all the StaffPad addons the samples can vary widely with articulation marking AND dynamic markings.


So true. Some even vary within the same library! As a WW player, I disagree with some of the articulations in these wind and brass libraries. Although some of these issues (or interpretations?) are with the original libraries and I don't think a SP issue.


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## OleJoergensen

dcoscina said:


> Love your music Ole as always. There’s a majesty, a nobility to this work that recalls Elgar to me. Quite lovely and beautifully rendered.


Thank you for your kind words and support.
I hope you are well these difficult times 🌞
There is something about the harmonic changes that reminds me of someone, I just wasn’t sure it was Elgar.


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## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> Ole - simply gorgeus! Wow. Beautiful lines and doubling of the strings with some interesting harmonic surprises in the brass. The playback realization is very convincing as well.
> 
> If not extending into a longer piece, adding another chord or extending the last note in the upper violins would make a nice moment.
> 
> More please...
> 
> Brandon


Thank you Brandon.
It could/ should have been a longer piece, Im just a bit restless these days.


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## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> Maybe the repeating notes didn't play back as you wanted, but it is not noticeable to me and sounds amazing. How do you find the Tina Guo library?


It is the woodwinds an brass that covers up the “lack sound”. Bar 20-26 I think it is clear to hear.

I like the Tina Guo library. I have only used it with this piece, yet. With a little panning and volume balancing, it blends very well with Spitfire symphonic Strings cello and gives it some more full cello sound. I wish there was a solo string library with the Tina Guo character. It would be great!

Luca composed a wonderful piece for solo cello(Tina Guo) and orchestra....


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## PaulBrimstone

Great and interesting stuff, @Rodney Money, but did you mean to post in the StaffPad forum? I don't think SP has a coughing library yet


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## Rodney Money

PaulBrimstone said:


> Great and interesting stuff, @Rodney Money, but did you mean to post in the StaffPad forum? I don't think SP has a coughing library yet


Oh crap no! This was meant for another thread, lol.


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## Rodney Money

PaulBrimstone said:


> Great and interesting stuff, @Rodney Money, but did you mean to post in the StaffPad forum? I don't think SP has a coughing library yet


I deleted it. Soon though in maybe a month I will have some Staffpad stuff to share. I just got a new iPad Pro 12.9 inches!


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## PaulBrimstone

Rodney Money said:


> I deleted it. Soon though in maybe a month I will have some Staffpad stuff to share. I just got a new iPad Pro 12.9 inches!


You are going to love it @Rodney Money. A composer's dream set-up. Post your work!


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## Rodney Money

PaulBrimstone said:


> You are going to love it @Rodney Money. A composer's dream set-up. Post your work!


Will do, but 1st I need to finish a couple of pieces for clients that I can only do on Finale right now.


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## jadi

Hello Everybody, I made a composition for orchestra. All done with StaffPad, Berlin Strings and Woodwinds, Stock Brass and Percussion. . Hope you enjoy.


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## jonathanparham

jadi said:


> Hello Everybody, I made a composition for orchestra. All done with StaffPad, Berlin Strings and Woodwinds, Stock Brass and Percussion. Hope you enjoy.


Listening on my laptop speakers, but I could go for some more.


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## ptram

Just to clear an ongoing doubt: does StaffPad include an advanced interpretation engine similar to NotePerfomer?

Paolo


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## jonathanparham

ptram said:


> Just to clear an ongoing doubt: does StaffPad include an advanced interpretation engine similar to NotePerfomer?
> 
> Paolo


Don't own NotePerfomer so maybe others can comment. I am impressed that when I draw hairpins, accents, or pizz; StaffPad does it, no programming or key switching required. But the problem I see, as I said a few posts back, is that StaffPad interprets articulations differently sometimes depending on the dynamic marking of a passage.


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## OleJoergensen

“Ethereal 3”
Solo cello- Tina Guo, Various Berlin orchestra instruments, 1st chair Bass, Intimate grand (piano), Ambiance one.


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## jonathanparham

OleJoergensen said:


> “Ethereal 3”
> Solo cello- Tina Guo, Various Berlin orchestra instruments, 1st chair Bass, Intimate grand (piano), Ambiance one.


Nice. Thanks for the example of using Ambience 1. I got it but haven't incorporated it into anything yet. I think once StaffPad and developers get more libraries along the lines of the Albion or Ark Series; we're going to see/hear more epic music from StaffPad users. It's amazing to have something like Berlin Brass for a fraction of the Desktop cost. When I hear Ambiance 1, I wonder how many developers are going to make things just for StaffPad.


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## ptram

ptram said:


> Just to clear an ongoing doubt: does StaffPad include an advanced interpretation engine similar to NotePerfomer?


Answering to myself: probably not. It's just that you can easily edit automation, so you can get the same realism as with a DAW.

Paolo


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## jonathanparham

ptram said:


> Answering to myself: probably not. It's just that you can easily edit automation, so you can get the same realism as with a DAW.
> 
> Paolo


I believe StaffPad Ltd uses Zen Desk. You could probably check in there. I'm not sure how often the developer frequents our forum. In an interview, David Hearns is one of the folks behind the first version of Cinematic Strings.


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## giwro

This is the first movement of my Organ Concerto, produced with Berlin Samples in StaffPad, synched to a recording of the organ part, which uses the Portland Trinity Rosales sampleset in Hauptwerk5, Samples by SonusParadisi ( http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs... ). I used Hauptwerk's native Convolution reverb to place the organ in a similar space to the orchestra.


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## jadi

giwro said:


> This is the first movement of my Organ Concerto, produced with Berlin Samples in StaffPad, synched to a recording of the organ part, which uses the Portland Trinity Rosales sampleset in Hauptwerk5, Samples by SonusParadisi ( http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs... ). I used Hauptwerk's native Convolution reverb to place the organ in a similar space to the orchestra.



Well done! It is a pitty you can’t use the StaffPad organ because of its limitations. I do hope the StaffPad team can fix them zo you can choose and vary different registers.


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## giwro

jadi said:


> Well done! It is a pity you can’t use the StaffPad organ because of its limitations. I do hope the StaffPad team can fix them so you can choose and vary different registers.


It would be nice, but Hauptwerk sample sets are of so much higher quality, that as an organist I'd probably still use them. (the set used in this recording takes almost 50gb to load, if you load all of the perspectives... I loaded only one, and it was still about 15gb!)

Glad you liked it, and thanks for the feedback!


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## wcreed51

That's an impressive piece. I never thought of an organ concerto; the organ is an orchestra in itself!


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## giwro

wcreed51 said:


> That's an impressive piece. I never thought of an organ concerto; the organ is an orchestra in itself!


There are actually quite a few concerti for organ... as well as a number of symphonies with a significant obbligato organ part.

Glad you liked it!


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## wcreed51

So as an organist, you must chuckle when you hear people complaining about a few ms of latency between their keyboard and DAW


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## giwro

wcreed51 said:


> So as an organist, you must chuckle when you hear people complaining about a few ms of latency between their keyboard and DAW


No kidding. I think the worst I’ve ever experienced was between a quarter and a half second. You get used to it, but it’s almost impossible to play by ear or improvise... if you try to listen, you play slower... and slower... and slower...
<chuckle>


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## Rodney Money

wcreed51 said:


> So as an organist, you must chuckle when you hear people complaining about a few ms of latency between their keyboard and DAW


I laughed way too hard at this.


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## brandowalk

I had fun writing something different than the usual affair for me in StaffPad, exploring some of the sound effect and drums type sounds in CinePerc. The libraries wide variety of instruments was useful in this regard.
The cue has about 45 seconds of dissonant underscore and then the "action" fun begins.

Hope you enjoy!

Brandon Walker
musicbybrandonwalker.com


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## dcoscina

I've been pretty reticent lately. Something interesting I discovered is that while I adore StaffPad (cannot say that enough) I ported over older Sibelius and Dorico compositions that played back via NotePerformer and in some cases, SP couldn't keep up, especially with fast repeating sections. I have attached the same short movement from a brass quintet I'm working on and I actually find NP a bit closer to what a small brass group would sound like.

Sonically SP sounds nicer but Berlin Brass cannot handle the double tonguing passages which is pretty much the entire piece (it's short because either the players would pass out if it were longer, or else key my car/kill me after they performed it).

Oh there is a slight difference between the music in these two pieces. The Dorico/NP version ends on a quartal chord instead of a triad.

I dialed down the reverb all the way on Berlin Brass in SP to try to get a closer, tighter sound, but as you will hear, NP has much more definition of detail. I also had to change the staccato markings in the Dorico version to staccatisimo in SP since it was playing the note values too long for this tempo and pace. Oddly enough, there's also a tuning issue between trps 1 and 2 in BB on SP. You can hear it in the B theme section. 

Again, I'm not dissing StaffPad but rather appreciating the value of Dorico/NP after being away from them for a while. StaffPad is still my primary compositional tool these days but, as I already knew, a full blown notation program (Finale, Sibelius, Dorico) with NotePerformer can provide some extra features and perspective on playback- for now. I know SP is being aggressively developed so I wouldn't be surprised if its ability to handle these kinda of pieces improves markedly in the future.


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## jadi

brandowalk said:


> I had fun writing something different than the usual affair for me in StaffPad, exploring some of the sound effect and drums type sounds in CinePerc. The libraries wide variety of instruments was useful in this regard.
> The cue has about 45 seconds of dissonant underscore and then the "action" fun begins.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Brandon Walker
> musicbybrandonwalker.com



Thanks for shaming Brandon. Fun to listen to, I like your style of music!


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## OleJoergensen

“Love poem”

Im not sure if it is possible for a harp, to change tonality this fast.
Well, it can be played on a piano, just using less arpeggios 🙂 

In Tina Guo solo cello, there is some less cohesive transition between the louder dynamic layers. And as in al Berlin series, the tenuto samples are to quiet. 
But, the solo cello is so beautiful and espressivo- I love it.


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## brandowalk

OleJoergensen said:


> “Love poem”
> 
> Im not sure if it is possible for a harp, to change tonality this fast.
> Well, it can be played on a piano, just using less arpeggios 🙂
> 
> In Tina Guo solo cello, there is some less cohesive transition between the louder dynamic layers. And as in al Berlin series, the tenuto samples are to quiet.
> But, the solo cello is so beautiful and espressivo- I love it.



That is lovely Ole. I'm going to cave and get the solo cello library now.


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## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> That is lovely Ole. I'm going to cave and get the solo cello library now.


Thank you Brandon  
The solo cello is really satisfying to work with.


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## giwro

Wrote this little piece for my wife for our anniversary... I tried to envision what music I'd write to open a Hallmark movie made about our life together [chuckle] and this is what came out. 

StaffPad | Berlin Strings and Steinway | Mastered in SoundForge


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## Dave McD

New to StaffPad and the forum but I got my first short piece done. I like this method and love the sounds that it produces.


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## jonathanparham

giwro said:


> Wrote this little piece for my wife for our anniversary... I tried to envision what music I'd write to open a Hallmark movie made about our life together [chuckle] and this is what came out.
> 
> StaffPad | Berlin Strings and Steinway | Mastered in SoundForge



Nice quiet tone


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## giwro

jonathanparham said:


> Nice quiet





jonathanparham said:


> Nice quiet tone



Thank you!


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## dcoscina

After a couple months this work is finally done.


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## PaulBrimstone

dcoscina said:


> After a couple months this work is finally done.



Very nice! You really found the best in the Guo cello. Do we get to see the score?


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## dcoscina

PaulBrimstone said:


> Very nice! You really found the best in the Guo cello. Do we get to see the score?


Thanks for listening and your comments!

The score is a mess at the moment. There are things I have to do to make SP conform to what I want expressively. I'm planning on porting it over to Dorico and making a proper score that's concert ready... whenever that would be...


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## wcreed51

It's lovely as always David


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## dcoscina

wcreed51 said:


> It's lovely as always David


Thanks for listening Bill. The opening section took literally a few hours. The rest of it took much longer... I stepped away from the work for a few weeks because I didn't have a really clear idea to develop and finish it. Then I finally hunkered down and just plowed through.

I still might expand the cello cadenza but I'm going to step away from it for a little while and work on some other stuff in the meantime. Like my ballet based on Miyamoto Musashi...


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## jonathanparham

dcoscina said:


> After a couple months this work is finally done.



wonderful. I like the way you've balanced out the cello


----------



## dcoscina

jonathanparham said:


> wonderful. I like the way you've balanced out the cello


Thanks for listening Jon


----------



## dcoscina

Revised version. I didn't like the cello solo section before so I re worked it last night. Also, I adjusted the tempo so some of the dramatic moments are sustained a bit better.


----------



## brandowalk

Inspired by Ole's cello piece, I wrote this sad (yet hopeful) piece using the Cinesamples' Tina Guo Acoustic Cello Legato library and Voxos Epic Virtual Choir library in StaffPad. My first time using both libraries and was pleased having some new colors to work with. Hope you enjoy.


----------



## Sean J

This is clearly NOT my own work. I generally avoid mock-ups of others', but...



Spitfire all around, some BB and CB. Mostly CinePerc. I also used Antique Keys as a make-shift substitute for a necessary sound. The mp3 is straight from StaffPad. It's not an exact transcription, just quick-ear'd it while out of town. So it's far from perfect. Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this. I just wanted something to show SP in a familiar film context as I hadn't seen much yet.


----------



## jonathanparham

Completed Orchestration Challenge Five for Scoreclub. Brass fanfare for presentation or ceremony. Composed in StaffPad with Berlin Brass addon and mixed in Pro Tools


----------



## jadi

jonathanparham said:


> Completed Orchestration Challenge Five for Scoreclub. Brass fanfare for presentation or ceremony. Composed in StaffPad with Berlin Brass addon and mixed in Pro Tools


Nice piece is it, or will it be performed?


----------



## jonathanparham

jadi said:


> Nice piece is it, or will it be performed?


Thanks. Well if you're offering the players or commission lol. No, it was just one of the monthly challenges.


----------



## OleJoergensen

My father loved classical music, particular Viennese classicisms and the Waltz.


----------



## OleJoergensen

“Autumn” for Violin and Harp, a romantic composition.
I mixed and precessed the audio in Logic. Berlin harp Staffpad version is a bit dull and I wanted a more clear sound for this piece, so I added E.Q. and used Spaces reverb in Logic. Im sure if I have overdone the E.Q.

- the original Stafppad version:



- Logic version:


----------



## OleJoergensen

A professional Duo like to play one of my compositions, I feel happy and excited .
here is a short extract:


full Staffpad version:


----------



## dcoscina

Just began a new work. Uses tone rows. Just in the beginning stages at the moment


----------



## OleJoergensen

It sounds good, very dramatic.


----------



## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> It sounds good, very dramatic.


Thanks Ole. Just like 2020 has been so far.. I plan to launch into a Shostakovian development section except adhering to the tone row and its permutations that I wrote for this.


----------



## jadi

OleJoergensen said:


> A professional Duo like to play one of my compositions, I feel happy and excited .
> here is a short extract:
> 
> 
> full Staffpad version:




Wonderfull you get live performed!! Very nice 👍🙂


----------



## OleJoergensen

dcoscina said:


> Thanks Ole. Just like 2020 has been so far.. I plan to launch into a Shostakovian development section except adhering to the tone row and its permutations that I wrote for this.


You think about the Corona....?
Will it be a composition meant for concert?


----------



## OleJoergensen

jadi said:


> Wonderfull you get live performed!! Very nice 👍🙂


Thank you Jadi, it is very nice to experience. Duo Sorores will play the Love poem at a church concert in Kiel, in October.


----------



## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> You think about the Corona....?
> Will it be a composition meant for concert?


Ideally all of my finished work in StaffPad are intended for a live performance. I'm planning on not using a huge group for this. I don't think I can get away with just 2 horns however. I need a bit more brass power. Winds and strings will be paired down, but again, that could change if I want doubles (picc, engl horn, b.clar, c. bassoon). In fact, I wrote a c bsn part so I guess I need double winds... oh well. 

The piece is/will be reflecting all of 2020. COVID, political and social dissonance. It's hard not to be affected by all these events since we are largely reconciled to working in isolation... at least I have been since April 1st.


----------



## OleJoergensen

dcoscina said:


> Ideally all of my finished work in StaffPad are intended for a live performance. I'm planning on not using a huge group for this. I don't think I can get away with just 2 horns however. I need a bit more brass power. Winds and strings will be paired down, but again, that could change if I want doubles (picc, engl horn, b.clar, c. bassoon). In fact, I wrote a c bsn part so I guess I need double winds... oh well.
> 
> The piece is/will be reflecting all of 2020. COVID, political and social dissonance. It's hard not to be affected by all these events since we are largely reconciled to working in isolation... at least I have been since April 1st.


It will be interesting  
Dont let go of the contra basson- lovely instrument. 
How do you manage to get your music performed?


----------



## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> It will be interesting
> Dont let go of the contra basson- lovely instrument.
> How do you manage to get your music performed?


ha! I don't!! I've had the KW Symphony say they are going to perform my Musashi Suite for Orchestra the last 5 years and yet it never ends up on their programme....

but I still write with the idea any of these pieces could get performed at some point.


----------



## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> It will be interesting
> Dont let go of the contra basson- lovely instrument.
> How do you manage to get your music performed?


I love it but Berlin either is too loud or too quiet. I might have to switch to CineSamples or Spitfire.


----------



## OleJoergensen




----------



## OleJoergensen

The orchester score is to big so I chose to only show the Strings.
Beside the strings there are woodwinds, solo horn, solo trumpet, harp and celeste. 
Al Berlin instruments.
The original piece is a piano composition.... a different but beautiful mood.


----------



## brandowalk

OleJoergensen said:


> The orchester score is to big so I chose to only show the Strings.
> Beside the strings there are woodwinds, solo horn, solo trumpet, harp and celeste.
> Al Berlin instruments.
> The original piece is a piano composition.... a different but beautiful mood.



Ole. Nicely done and very convincing. What are the second string parts? First chairs?


----------



## brandowalk

I posted the music video version in the original compositions area, but thought I'd share the StaffPad score version here. This is a tribute to the late, great Ennio Morricone produced in StaffPad. (Exception being the piano sounds performed using Piano in Blue).

It was realized as part of the Professional Composers Forum September contest. The topic was "Nostalgic Music" in the style on Morricone. If you are looking to exercise some writing/orchestrating chops on a monthly basis, you might check it out. This month's theme is "majestic music". Time to put some brass to work! Maybe an excuse to get Berlin brass??  Anyways, the link is here if you are interested. https://forum.professionalcomposers.com It would be great to see some new writers there.


----------



## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> Ole. Nicely done and very convincing. What are the second string parts? First chairs?


Thank you Brandon. Yes it is 1st chair, the cello is also doubled with Tina Guo..


----------



## OleJoergensen




----------



## brandowalk

OleJoergensen said:


>



Ole - Beautiful as always. Is this your orchestration of the piano prelude?


----------



## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> Ole - Beautiful as always. Is this your orchestration of the piano prelude?


Thank you Brandon. Yes, it is homemade


----------



## gh0stwrit3r

My latest work! Most of them Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples libraries. Did the mixing and mastering in my beloved DAW Logic Pro.


----------



## brandowalk

gh0stwrit3r said:


> My latest work! Most of them Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples libraries. Did the mixing and mastering in my beloved DAW Logic Pro.



Congrats David. Your story and music are delightful. 
The solo flute sound worked quite well. Which library?
What was the interesting sounding tonal percussion around the same point?


----------



## batonruse

gh0stwrit3r said:


> My latest work! Most of them Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples libraries. Did the mixing and mastering in my beloved DAW Logic Pro.



Great composition and video David. Congrats and thanks for sharing. Best wishes.


----------



## gh0stwrit3r

brandowalk said:


> Congrats David. Your story and music are delightful.
> The solo flute sound worked quite well. Which library?
> What was the interesting sounding tonal percussion around the same point?


The flute is from Spitfire Audio Symphonic Woodwinds.
The tonal percussion ... I guess you mean the part where the fairies start do their magical spells (around 03:00)? That is an anvil and a gankogui. Both from Spitfire Audio Percussion.


----------



## gh0stwrit3r

brandowalk said:


> Congrats David. Your story and music are delightful.
> The solo flute sound worked quite well. Which library?
> What was the interesting sounding tonal percussion around the same point?


I printed the score out of StaffPad, so you all can have a look at it if you're interested -> https://bit.ly/2W6O6Y (https://bit.ly/2W6O6Yu)


----------



## OleJoergensen

gh0stwrit3r said:


> My latest work! Most of them Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples libraries. Did the mixing and mastering in my beloved DAW Logic Pro.



Lovely story and music! Thank you for sharing .


----------



## cmillar

You guys have all convinced me.... StaffPad in the New Year as a gift to myself!

Some excellent music here. I'm an 'old-school' pencil and paper trained composer/arranger, and I've dabbled with iOS Notion over the last few years. But, I've notated all my projects in Sibelius and now Dorico. StaffPad looks wonderful for sketching for sure, but you're all doing some big projects with it.

Am currently looking at some large score paper in front of me. That's the only thing I'd miss...being able to turn over score pages by hand and being able to review music very quickly or jump ahead to sketch in some ideas at point 'B' in the future.

How do you all find working with scores with over 10 instruments? Fast page scrolling in StaffPad?

Would a used Surface Pro 4 work nicely?

But, StaffPad is looking like a dream coming true for many. Amazing times.


----------



## OleJoergensen

Just a little something....


----------



## OleJoergensen

Merry Christmas everyone.


----------



## dcoscina

OleJoergensen said:


> Merry Christmas everyone.



Lovely work Ole. Very evocative and some of the modulations and phrasing reminds me of John Williams which is a compliment btw.


----------



## gh0stwrit3r

OleJoergensen said:


> Merry Christmas everyone.



Lovely Ole!


----------



## OleJoergensen

dcoscina said:


> Lovely work Ole. Very evocative and some of the modulations and phrasing reminds me of John Williams which is a compliment btw.


Thank you for listing and commenting David, I hope al is well in the Spirit of Christmas 🌞


----------



## OleJoergensen

gh0stwrit3r said:


> Lovely Ole!


Thank you sir


----------



## MadLad

A trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, based on a rather famous renaissance theme. The piano is from the default library, the strings are Berlin strings. Unfortunately it's very hard for me to get the balance between piano and strings right. The three movements are actually over 7 years old but with the new library it sounds so much closer to what I actually imagined the piece to sound like.

Youtube Playlist:
Belle qui tiens ma vie for Trio


----------



## Michael Antrum

gh0stwrit3r said:


> My latest work! Most of them Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples libraries. Did the mixing and mastering in my beloved DAW Logic Pro.




Just wanted to say I was absolutely captivated by this. I forgot about 'listening' to the music, and just let it tell the story.


----------



## OleJoergensen

I made a revised version of “Ethereal 4- Silence”. Its a bit longer.


----------



## jonathanparham

OleJoergensen said:


> I made a revised version of “Ethereal 4- Silence”. Its a bit longer.



nice combination and good use of the Ambient 2 library


----------



## OleJoergensen

Berlin series. Strings layered with 1st chair, celli doubled with Tina Guo, Basses layered with Spitfire basses.


----------



## MadLad

After almost a year, I was finally able to write something new. A short piece, not very original but at least it's something to get me out of writer's block.

It was done with Orchestra Tools and CinePerc. I'm still trying to figure out the balance and good mixing but the libraries at least sound already awesome out of the box (and my best discovery was that Berlin Strings has non vibrato samples which really help when you want to write a strings melody with very distinct articulation).


----------



## NightSkyMusic




----------



## OleJoergensen

NightSkyMusic said:


>



Beautiful composition, well balanced and good audio.
Is it al done in Staffpad?


----------



## jonathanparham

MadLad said:


> After almost a year, I was finally able to write something new. A short piece, not very original but at least it's something to get me out of writer's block.
> 
> It was done with Orchestra Tools and CinePerc. I'm still trying to figure out the balance and good mixing but the libraries at least sound already awesome out of the box (and my best discovery was that Berlin Strings has non vibrato samples which really help when you want to write a strings melody with very distinct articulation).



I like the break 1:30 and it's the resolution at 1:46


----------



## NightSkyMusic

OleJoergensen said:


> Beautiful composition, well balanced and good audio.
> Is it al done in Staffpad?


Thank you ! Yes, I mixed it in the cubasis3 app. (Cine Strings Berlin Strings, Cine brass, Cine Voxos and Ambience ONE.)


----------



## OleJoergensen

NightSkyMusic said:


> Thank you ! Yes, I mixed it in the cubasis3 app. (Cine Strings Berlin Strings, Cine brass, Cine Voxos and Ambience ONE.)


Did you layer Berlin and Cinestrings or used em on different parts?


----------



## CT

OleJoergensen said:


> I made a revised version of “Ethereal 4- Silence”. Its a bit longer.



Is this purely the output from StaffPad itself?


----------



## OleJoergensen

Y


Mike T said:


> Is this purely the output from StaffPad itself?


Yes it is...


----------



## CT

OleJoergensen said:


> Y
> 
> Yes it is...


That's very impressive. I think I should give StaffPad more serious consideration.


----------



## Jett Hitt

Mike T said:


> That's very impressive. I think I should give StaffPad more serious consideration.


If you're a "notes" guy, there's nothing like it. Despite all of the DAW libraries I own (way too many), I can't make them sound as good as StaffPad.


----------



## CT

I'm a "notes guy" who is cripplingly picky about realistic sound. So while some of the demos here make me think StaffPad has more potential in this regard than other notation software, I'm not sure I'd be willing to write off a properly crafted DAW performance just yet.

I was initially very intrigued by this, but cooled off once I realized my expectations were a bit beyond what was actually happening. I'll just have to give it a try.


----------



## ed buller

Jett Hitt said:


> If you're a "notes" guy, there's nothing like it. Despite all of the DAW libraries I own (way too many), I can't make them sound as good as StaffPad.


really ?...that does surprise me. I own both and have a fortune invested on my drives from sample libraries and as much as I love staffpad I can get a lot closer on Cubase


best

ed


----------



## ed buller

Mike T said:


> I was initially very intrigued by this, but cooled off once I realized my expectations were a bit beyond what was actually happening. I'll just have to give it a try.


It's really a wonderful tool. But yes i'd have to agree the control in a DAW is superior 

best

ed


----------



## brandowalk

Control is one thing, but writing the best musical parts that you can is even more important in my view. 

I am just finishing up a re-orchestration of a piece I produced a few years ago straight into a DAW. It was a good piece, and I liked the audio output from the DAW. In StaffPad, I am redoing the string lines and counterpoint, preparing parts for performance. These new updated parts I could have never have imagined playing straight into a DAW. The piece is much more musical now, and the output sounds better than what I produced in the DAW. 

For me, it is much easier to write (and re-write) the individual parts from a musician's view when using StaffPad, vs playing directly into the DAW. I think this is part of what makes things seem more musical.

Once you have the music written, there is still quite a bit you can do, exporting from StaffPad to a DAW for further processing and refining levels if you want that extra 10-20% of quality. 

I suppose you could achieve the same with pencil/paper, then entering into your DAW if that is your preferred workflow. StaffPad isn't for everyone, but it has been tremendous for me.

Brandon
musicbybrandonwalker.com


----------



## CT

Yeah the question for me is will it be a smoother, more successful process to write in StaffPad than it is to write by hand and perform via a DAW. 

Can you export the MIDI of what's done in StaffPad?


----------



## MadLad

Yes, you can export midi, xml and even stems which is the most awesome part. You basically export every instrument individually in high quality .wav files and can then edit them in any DAW of your choosing.
That means you can export the midi if you want to use your own libraries or export the stems if you want to work with the addon libraries from staffpad.


----------



## brandowalk

Mike T said:


> Yeah the question for me is will it be a smoother, more successful process to write in StaffPad than it is to write by hand and perform via a DAW.
> 
> Can you export the MIDI of what's done in StaffPad?


I enjoy writing on paper but don't have the patience for it. The nice thing about writing out in SP is the instant auditioning of what you are writing. I can also quickly approximate what I hear in my head and then refine the notes or rhythms. Copying, pasting, and quick transposing is something not possible on paper.


----------



## Jett Hitt

ed buller said:


> It's really a wonderful tool. But yes i'd have to agree the control in a DAW is superior
> 
> best
> 
> ed


There is no doubt that, in the right hands, a DAW mockup with great libraries will sound superior to StaffPad, but who has time for that crap? If you're looking at the DAW mockup as a final product, sure go ahead and invest the hours and hours and hours in a mockup. But I am writing for a live orchestra. I need something credible. I don't need a replacement for the live musicians. So the question for me is do I want to spend my time as a programmer or as a composer?


----------



## ed buller

Jett Hitt said:


> There is no doubt that, in the right hands, a DAW mockup with great libraries will sound superior to StaffPad, but who has time for that crap? If you're looking at the DAW mockup as a final product, sure go ahead and invest the hours and hours and hours in a mockup. But I am writing for a live orchestra. I need something credible. I don't need a replacement for the live musicians. So the question for me is do I want to spend my time as a programmer or as a composer?


yes that makes total sense. for that purpose it's perfect

best

e


----------



## CT

Jett Hitt said:


> but who has time for that crap?


Well, the people who don't have ready access to a live orchestra have to make the time for it.


----------



## Jett Hitt

Mike T said:


> Well, the people who don't have ready access to a live orchestra have to make the time for it.


Everyone has this problem, but for me, the end goal is a live performance. I don't think of mockups as final products. I also have seldom heard a mockup that I thought sounded on par with a live performance. Personally, I think most StaffPad mockups sound as good as most DAW mockups that I hear. In fact, most of them sound better because I am not having to listen to the meager programming skills of the composer.


----------



## CT

I don't think of a mock-up as a final product either, in principle, and I'm not interested in a mock-up being "on par" with a live performance as this is folly. I am however interested in it having enough of a degree of production value to not distract from the listening experience itself. I will see how well StaffPad can achieve this, and with what level of ease compared to other approaches.


----------



## NightSkyMusic

OleJoergensen said:


> Did you layer Berlin and Cinestrings or used em on different parts?


Yes, I layered two instruments !


----------



## NightSkyMusic




----------



## jonathanparham

Dwarven Theme Draft

This is the first draft of something I'm working on for an indie client and he's given me permission to share on the forum for feedback. All libraries are StaffPad: Cinesamples + SF Chamber Strings which I was finally able to get at the sale. Audio is Raw Output on StaffPad.

Brief: A wizard is returning an enchanted sword to an Dwarven Princess. 
Reference Tracks: The Hobbits Misty Mountain, Phil Rey Axe of Honor, Phil Rey Masters of Stone.

Comments and Criticism welcome


----------



## MadLad

Just finished revising the last movement of my Piano Quartet. It's a theme with variations and fugue and the melody is the famous Final Fantasy Theme by Nobuo Uematsu.

I used Berlin First Chair Solo Strings, Berlin Woodwinds and CinePiano. And this time, I think I got the balance right. Berlin Solo Strings actually work really well in chamber music setting


----------



## OleJoergensen

Suite- "Romantic orchestral fantasy"- part 1


----------



## NightSkyMusic

It was done with CinePiano. (Staffpad)🌙


----------



## Elephant

ed buller said:


> really ?...that does surprise me. I own both and have a fortune invested on my drives from sample libraries and as much as I love staffpad I can get a lot closer on Cubase
> 
> 
> best
> 
> ed


It seems many of us are not at the level with sample library based productions that they would sound better than SP. At the risk of hijacking the thread a bit, lets say I have a SP file, and want to redo it properly in a DAW, what is the secret for getting that quality result, and if it is beyond my skills/inclination, what is the going rate to pay (per bar/staff/whatever) to hire a DAW gunslinger to get it done ? (Answers requested from any gunslingers here .....  ) Thanks !


----------



## MadLad

So, I had 20 bucks left when I bought antique keys and thought: why don't I buy ambience one, which I didn't really know anything about. Let me tell you, it was the best 20 bucks I spent in a longt time. That library is awesome. You can write so many ethereal or moody stuff with it and the waveshapes let you basically write 8-Bit NES style music if you choose to.

You can also hear the 1960 Celesta (with much reverb) from Antique Keys in my piece which sounds really awesome in the ambience one environment. I'm so glad I started purchasing the staffpad add-on libraries. I haven't been this creative and productive in years.


----------



## MadLad

Happy International Women's Day!


----------



## dcoscina

Jett Hitt said:


> Everyone has this problem, but for me, the end goal is a live performance. I don't think of mockups as final products. I also have seldom heard a mockup that I thought sounded on par with a live performance. Personally, I think most StaffPad mockups sound as good as most DAW mockups that I hear. In fact, most of them sound better because I am not having to listen to the meager programming skills of the composer.


I find that StaffPad's legato treatment is very very good, especially in the strings. No sucking sound or artifacts that plague DAW composing. But that's just me....


----------



## jaketanner

brandowalk said:


> The nice thing about writing out in SP is the instant auditioning of what you are writing.


I had a question about this...when you are inputting notes, does it have the option to play it as you write it, or do you need to render the measure first?


----------



## dcoscina

jaketanner said:


> I had a question about this...when you are inputting notes, does it have the option to play it as you write it, or do you need to render the measure first?


You have to render first. So you won't hear instant pitch or note feedback when you draw/write a note in. But I've been able to create some pretty complex harmonies by just dragging notes around afterwards if my transcription from my inner ear to the Apple Pencil is a bit off. Pretty easy workflow.


----------



## jaketanner

dcoscina said:


> You have to render first. So you won't hear instant pitch or note feedback when you draw/write a note in. But I've been able to create some pretty complex harmonies by just dragging notes around afterwards if my transcription from my inner ear to the Apple Pencil is a bit off. Pretty easy workflow.


Cool, thanks. That's what I intend to do...maybe just get the rhythm down then move the notes. Thank you....waiting for the new iPad Pro to drop before getting this.


----------



## Dewdman42

I'm probably also going to get the iPad also, followed by staffpad and Metagrid.


----------



## dcoscina

jaketanner said:


> Cool, thanks. That's what I intend to do...maybe just get the rhythm down then move the notes. Thank you....waiting for the new iPad Pro to drop before getting this.


I actually find this methodology works rather well, and quickly. If I write in the phrase and it's not quite what I hear in my head, adjusting is a snap.

Just be patient with StaffPad. It's amazing but it's still in its infancy in many ways. Once you embrace what it does do, the sky is the limit musically. I see too many people who fight it and it's not the way to success.


----------



## Gabriel2013

Just to let you know dcoscina, I reed all of your posts in the Staffpad sub-forum and based on your opinions I decided 6 months ago to go for it.

Don't regret for a second.
Sometimes is a pain when it decided not to recognize a particular symbol but I have never composed so fast in past as I am doing now (except when I was composing in paper and pencil )


g


----------



## dcoscina

Gabriel2013 said:


> Just to let you know dcoscina, I reed all of your posts in the Staffpad sub-forum and based on your opinions I decided 6 months ago to go for it.
> 
> Don't regret for a second.
> Sometimes is a pain when it decided not to recognize a particular symbol but I have never composed so fast in past as I am doing now (except when I was composing in paper and pencil )
> 
> 
> g


Thanks! That’s nice to know! I’m glad it’s worked out for you . I dreamt about an app like this for decades and I’m glad it’s more or less arrived. DWH is actively working on improving it and I think it will be even better. As it stands, I no longer need to be in my studio to compose orchestral music and get pretty fine feedback sonically


----------



## dcoscina

I originally wrote this in Dorico with Noteperformer but transferred it to StaffPad and Berlin expansions. I wanted to see if the winds could keep up with the tuplet runs.


----------



## jonathanparham

dcoscina said:


> I originally wrote this in Dorico with Noteperformer but transferred it to StaffPad and Berlin expansions. I wanted to see if the winds could keep up with the tuplet runs.



I like the motive you pass between the sections


----------



## dcoscina

Short little string thing... playing with bitonal chords...


----------



## MadLad

Thanks to the discount I now own both solo string libraries in Staffpad and this is what I wrote with them:


----------



## brandowalk

Happy Mother's Day to any mom's on this forum!


----------



## Dave Connor

Do iPad users agree that 500 gb is enough storage for all things staff pad or larger?


----------



## Michael Antrum

I bought a 256gb gen 4 and its more than enough - but if you are looking at a new M1 iPad, I'd now go for 512gb as Staffpad handling audio will mean bigger files.....


----------



## Dave Connor

Michael Antrum said:


> I bought a 256gb gen 4 and its more than enough - but if you are looking at a new M1 iPad, I'd now go for 512gb as Staffpad handling audio will mean bigger files.....


Good point. I had just settled on 512 but thought I would ask. I wonder if with intensive use you could end up needing more. It would seem you would probably be okay on a project basis since you could offload large audio files and then have room for the next project. Want to make sure I have a certain amount of headroom. Thanks.


----------



## Dave Connor

Btw, are people simply laying the Ipad flat or using a particular stand or...?

Apologies, this is the wrong thread for these questions isn’t it?


----------



## Michael Antrum

Dave Connor said:


> Btw, are people simply laying the Ipad flat or using a particular stand or...?
> 
> Apologies, this is the wrong thread for these questions isn’t it?


I use a gel keyboard rest like this one to prop it up.....






Also, I bought one of those Akai LPK 25 mini Bluetooth keyboards, and run a piano app in the background so I can double check my work....


----------



## jaketanner

Michael Antrum said:


> I bought a 256gb gen 4 and its more than enough - but if you are looking at a new M1 iPad, I'd now go for 512gb as Staffpad handling audio will mean bigger files.....


Although with TB support why would you do anything internal? Can’t it be done off an external drive now? I ordered the 256 version.


----------



## Michael Antrum

I'm nowhere near filling my 256gb, but as a pianist, I can see using audio transcription (when it comes) for a fair bit of improvisation work.

I travel a great deal, so if I can avoid dragging around external drives I will. Plus I think apps like Cubasis are going to become much more powerful with the new CPU. However, I'll be sticking with my 2020 4th gen for the duration.......


----------



## brandowalk

Dave Connor said:


> Btw, are people simply laying the Ipad flat or using a particular stand or...?
> 
> Apologies, this is the wrong thread for these questions isn’t it?


I go flat if on a desk or table. On my legs, if I'm outside on a lawn chair. That's the beauty of this thing!


----------



## Michael Antrum

brandowalk said:


> I go flat if on a desk or table......


So the rumours are true then ?


----------



## brandowalk

lol. setup! This thread should probably get back to StaffPad compositions. Please someone post some music!


----------



## mopsiflopsi

This is my first post to Staffpad compositions thread. And I'm very new to music composition in general. I wanted to post a small section from something I'm working on, to get a sense of whether I'm on the right track. This is taking me a long time due to lack of experience, and I've listened to it so many times in different forms that I'm losing perspective.

It would help me a lot if you could give it a quick listen and tell me what kind of mood/imagery it evokes (if anything). And please do tell me my mistakes in composition, balance, dynamics, etc.

Made with: Berlin Strings & Brass, CineWinds & CinePerc


----------



## brandowalk

Sounding good. I really like the opening/repeating riff with the trumpets. To me, it evokes a scene of a team of soldiers gearing up before some action. 

My main comment would be to look at the main theme instruments 0:07-0:20. The sound starts to get a little static. Perhaps start with trombones, then layer a4 horns (and strings?) for the second phrase? (or vice versa)

It's a minor thing, but the first two low notes sound a little too polite for what action is about to go down. Perhaps go bigger with that with the low strings (add bass clarinet or contrabassoon?). Hope to hear more!

If you are happy with what you are writing, you are on the right track!


----------



## mopsiflopsi

brandowalk said:


> If you are happy with what you are writing, you are on the right track!


Thanks a lot for the feedback, I’ll try your suggestions. I have an easier time writing when I just go with whatever comes to mind, but this one is actually meant for a game I’m working on. So it has to match the overall theme/mood/subject matter. Gearing up for some action is definitely what I wanted to convey in this section so that’s very encouraging to hear.


----------



## MadLad

After I got CineStrings, I composed a little fantasy waltz, mixed and mastered it in Reaper and uploaded it on Bandcamp. Enjoy!


----------



## MadLad

I wrote a bigger piece for my portfolio this time. It's medieval fantasy/JRPG themed music because it's apparently in high demand. I used Orchestra Tools, CineSamples and Antique keys for the celesta. I might put this on bandcamp but not before editing it in Reaper. I need better control over the compressor and a better reverb and as you can hear (or not hear) the trombone has some serious balancing issues. Well and some other instruments need balancing via volume automation in Reaper, too. Anyway, enjoy.


----------



## mopsiflopsi

After my big splurge on StaffPad sales, I took the OT Steinway d for a test drive. I feel like length is my greatest challenge right now and this is a very short piece but I’m open to all feedback if you notice any other issues.


----------



## MadLad

So, I couldn't resist and bought Spitfire Chamber Strings because I liked the more intimate, baroque sound. It's not as great as Berlin Strings but if you use it for the right setting, it can work great. That's why I wrote a baroque style copy to test it out:


----------



## MadLad

While I still do think the normal Spitfire strings aren't that great, I'm having much fun with the Chamber strings (and the Berlin Symphonic Harps). They even led me to leave my comfort zone a bit when composing new stuff. Just listen to these smooth cello portatos! Man, I love Staffpad.


----------



## Karmand

I did not know this thread existed. I just bought Staffpad Friday. I could not put it down. I transcribed an old piece of music posted it on the 'sale' thread: 




__





StaffPad - good investment for newbie?


I think using just the stock sounds for now is the right approach, as now we have had the first summer sale, there will be others. I decided to get the Berlin Series but paying for it did make feel a bit sick as it was a lot of money that is tied to iOS. The reason I have done that is I love the...




vi-control.net




I love this tool.


----------



## dcoscina

Karmand said:


> I did not know this thread existed. I just bought Staffpad Friday. I could not put it down. I transcribed an old piece of music posted it on the 'sale' thread:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> StaffPad - good investment for newbie?
> 
> 
> I think using just the stock sounds for now is the right approach, as now we have had the first summer sale, there will be others. I decided to get the Berlin Series but paying for it did make feel a bit sick as it was a lot of money that is tied to iOS. The reason I have done that is I love the...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> vi-control.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love this tool.


it's a studio wherever you go.


----------



## SoundsOfIvey

I've been lurking around this thread for a while, listening to folks' wonderful compositions. So I guess it's about time I threw mine into the pile.

This uses only Berlin Strings, and is meant to be a sort of quiet, reflective piece. Kick back, look at the stars, and enjoy the music.


----------



## OleJoergensen

SoundsOfIvey said:


> I've been lurking around this thread for a while, listening to folks' wonderful compositions. So I guess it's about time I threw mine into the pile.
> 
> This uses only Berlin Strings, and is meant to be a sort of quiet, reflective piece. Kick back, look at the stars, and enjoy the music.



Beautiful and soothing. I like the dynamics is “only”pp-mp, a nice quite atmosphere.
Thank you for sharing.


----------



## MadLad

I had 5 bucks left so I bought the accordeon library and composed this short little SNES era town theme you could hear in many (J)RPGs of that time. The rest is berlin strings, berlin symphonic harps and berlin percussion.


----------



## dcoscina

Great to hear all these compositions using Staffpad!


----------



## MadLad

It's just so much fun to work with staffpad. And the awesome playback functionality gives you instant feedback of how good it sounds. I never would have imagined writing music for harps and accordeons but since it all works so great in staffpad I'm just having fun with it.


----------



## dcoscina

MadLad said:


> It's just so much fun to work with staffpad. And the awesome playback functionality gives you instant feedback of how good it sounds. I never would have imagined writing music for harps and accordeons but since it all works so great in staffpad I'm just having fun with it.


It’s such an immediate process. You write notes down and hear them played back in pretty convincing fashion with those add on libraries.


----------



## mopsiflopsi

A couple weeks ago, after getting weary of drip feed of wisdom from YouTube videos and free tutorials, I took a leap into ScoreClub. Really enjoying it so far and I'd highly recommend it. Here's a short little two voice piece I wrote while studying counterpoint.


----------



## cddeat03

Here is an old brass thing I tried out after getting the Berlin Brass and Cineperc libraries in Staffpad. Its kind of a janky little piece, but it worked well as a test for the brass sounds.


----------



## dcoscina

Started on this last year and plan to expand on it this year.


----------



## Al Soloviev

My first acquaintance with Staffpad. Stock piano is quite nice, though dynamic is low and unpredictable. Better than Berlin Piano version full of noises and artifacts, I guess .


----------



## brandowalk

I recently posted my score video for "Cinematic Suite". Three movements of adventure! 

0:00 Pangea (Jurassic Park Tribute) 
4:02 Majestic (Celebrating the Magnificant Great West) 
6:00 Quest (Medieval Adventure & Journey)

I hope you enjoy listening!

Brandon
musicbybrandonwalker.com


----------



## Uncle Peter

An old composition of mine which I've notated in Staffpad


----------



## mopsiflopsi

Practicing writing something with an oriental feel. I may have overdone the percussion in the second part, but open to all feedback if you notice other problems.


----------



## DennyB

This is my first composition with staffpad and I would love some feedback if you have a second . Overall I think it turned out pretty well; honestly I think I would count this as a personal best from a film/epic music perspective, although it's still in the kiddie pool relative to others on this forum. Still, it made me pretty happy to see it come together. Thanks!


----------



## brandowalk

DennyB said:


> This is my first composition with staffpad and I would love some feedback if you have a second . Overall I think it turned out pretty well; honestly I think I would count this as a personal best from a film/epic music perspective, although it's still in the kiddie pool relative to others on this forum. Still, it made me pretty happy to see it come together. Thanks!


Denny - very nice! What you have written feels sensible and flows smoothly. It is a bit short, but that is OK. I see pieces like this as exercises to something larger. I like your choices of sounds/patches. My main comment is.. after the nice calm intro and pretty cello line, GO BIG! Don't hold back with the energy in the second half of this one-minute journey. Life is short. 

Requested Feedback:
- 0:20 wind chimes enter at a good volume but get louder after the bar for some reason and is a little distracting
- 0:32 suggest more of a buildup (i.e. crescendoing timpani 8th notes, string 16th note scale run-up(s)
- 0:36 Nice horn unison line and sound. The backing orchestra should probably go bigger to support with Perc hits (piatti), more driving strings, WW flourishes and/or ostinatos. 
- 0:53 Nice addition of the choir. Build even more energy, possibly with more rhythmic complexities in the different strings parts and more percussion (snare?)
- 1:05 a bigger cresc. into the end 
- Ending Go to 11, particularly with the percussion (snares, bass drum, piatti) 

This detail with the extra instruments and colors is what takes time but will give it that much more interest and energy. 

These are my thoughts if I was writing this and perhaps not the vision you have. Either way, I hope my feedback helps. Glad to see you enjoying StaffPad.

Brandon
MusicByBrandonWalker.com


----------



## mybadmemory

DennyB said:


> This is my first composition with staffpad and I would love some feedback if you have a second . Overall I think it turned out pretty well; honestly I think I would count this as a personal best from a film/epic music perspective, although it's still in the kiddie pool relative to others on this forum. Still, it made me pretty happy to see it come together. Thanks!


Beautiful! I love the first half with the piano and cello! Just as Brandon I think the second half could go much bolder with a stronger buildup, more intense strings and brass, woodwind flourishes and percussion! And if possible, make it longer. You have such a strong theme going there that it really deserves a few rounds of starting soft, building up, going strong, calming down, and then totally exploding again in the end. Great stuff Denny!


----------



## DennyB

Thank you @mybadmemory and @brandowalk!! I am very grateful for the support and nice words, but also for the specific feedback to make it better. I will go back and see if I can stretch it out and add some depth to it. Thanks for taking the time to listen to it!

Denny


----------



## DennyB

brandowalk said:


> GO BIG! Don't hold back with the energy in the second half of this one-minute journey. Life is short.


Haha, love this. Thank you!


----------



## DennyB

mybadmemory said:


> You have such a strong theme going there that it really deserves a few rounds of starting soft, building up, going strong, calming down, and then totally exploding again in the end.


I love this idea, just need to think about how to do it. Would some kind of bridge/B section serve to bring in some fresh air so it doesn’t sound like I am just oscillating back and forth between small and large variations of the same thing?

Edit: in partial answer to my own question, I was listening to Brandon’s chart above and could see how various transitions, restatements, partial cadences etc help keep you in that thematic space without just being 8 bars big, 8 bars small, over and over. Now my work is cut out for me…


----------



## dcoscina

I've been away from StaffPad for a little while. Just messing around with it today... came up with a theme of sorts...


----------



## DennyB

dcoscina said:


> I've been away from StaffPad for a little while. Just messing around with it today... came up with a theme of sorts...



Can you talk about the structure? What path is the music following? Thanks!


----------



## dcoscina

DennyB said:


> Can you talk about the structure? What path is the music following? Thanks!


It's a fugue actually. Statement and answer. I just wanted to do the statement then answer. 3 part fugue at this time but it's hard to hear the third part in the bass/tuba/contrabassoon


----------



## rosscoVilla

This is the first piece I've ever really 'composed', other than a small amount of messing around in DAWs that never really came to completion. I had a vision of this being a dramatic media piece, with some arbitrary motifs that could be used in related pieces throughout (thus the lack of title). Took me over a year to return to it and fix it up (mixing, cleaning up the score, etc) to finally share with someone, this seems like as good of a place as any to share. 
Any feedback is welcome and encouraged (especially about the composition itself, but also any mixing/leveling issues that maybe I don't have an ear for yet).


----------



## mopsiflopsi

rosscoVilla said:


> Any feedback is welcome and encouraged (especially about the composition itself, but also any mixing/leveling issues that maybe I don't have an ear for yet).


Congrats on finishing your piece! Being a beginner myself, I can appreciate that alone is a big deal by itself! In terms of composition, my feedback would be that I found it a little hard to follow what is meant to be the foreground and what is meant to be the middle and background elements. It feels, to my ears, like there is a lot of stuff competing for attention, elements coming and going frequently, which makes it hard to follow the main melody and structure. Might be better to just settle into an accompaniment pattern for a while, reduce the amount of change happening, so the listener can focus on the melody before you move on to some other variation? That's just my two cents.


----------



## rosscoVilla

mopsiflopsi said:


> Congrats on finishing your piece! Being a beginner myself, I can appreciate that alone is a big deal by itself! In terms of composition, my feedback would be that I found it a little hard to follow what is meant to be the foreground and what is meant to be the middle and background elements. It feels, to my ears, like there is a lot of stuff competing for attention, elements coming and going frequently, which makes it hard to follow the main melody and structure. Might be better to just settle into an accompaniment pattern for a while, reduce the amount of change happening, so the listener can focus on the melody before you move on to some other variation? That's just my two cents.


Thank you for the feedback! In retrospect, I think I wanted a lot of ideas in a central theme that I could extract to use in variations, but admittedly there has to be some editing and focus if I want to write with clarity, especially with as tall of a score as this one. I'll keep this in mind for future work! Perhaps dialing back towards smaller arrangements with fewer instruments would benefit me for the time being.


----------



## OleJoergensen

Merry Christmas everyone 🎄🌟🎺🎵🎶


----------



## brandowalk

OleJoergensen said:


> Merry Christmas everyone 🎄🌟🎺🎵🎶



Ole - this is simply beautiful. Merry Christmas.


----------



## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> Ole - this is simply beautiful. Merry Christmas.


Thank you Brandon.
I enjoyed your fast and cheerful composition!


----------



## Dave Connor

OleJoergensen said:


> Merry Christmas everyone 🎄🌟🎺🎵🎶



Very nice. I’m curious, after you wrote it, how much time did you spend tweaking it (dynamics etc.,) to get it to sound to your satisfaction?

Also, was writing it (input recognition etc.,) basically the same as using a pencil? The same ease and flow of pencil and paper?


----------



## OleJoergensen

Dave Connor said:


> Very nice. I’m curious, after you wrote it, how much time did you spend tweaking it (dynamics etc.,) to get it to sound to your satisfaction?
> 
> Also, was writing it (input recognition etc.,) basically the same as using a pencil? The same ease and flow of pencil and paper?


My handwritting is quite poor both on paper and Staffpad so copy and past is my good friend. 
I did use some time adjust the expression lane and for percussion also volume. Berlin perc has only few dynamic layers, so using the volume lane helps. Also I find the written mf a bit to loud, so I adjust the expression lane for al mf. 
I did also use some time in Logic with plugins but have made a Staffpad/Logic template, so I have something to start up with quickly. This Christmas fantasy I tried to master to fit -14 LUFS(new for me), It toke some time. Actually I dont like this -14 LUFS, it sounds to loud for me.

For the composition I started with a piano sketch's, first piano and then notated in Staffpad. The instrumentation didnt take that long, I copied parts from the piano sketch. 

Piano sketch (did pratice some time on it).


----------



## Dave Connor

OleJoergensen said:


> My handwritting is quite poor both on paper and Staffpad so copy and past is my good friend.
> I did use some time adjust the expression lane and for percussion also volume. Berlin perc has only few dynamic layers, so using the volume lane helps. Also I find the written mf a bit to loud, so I adjust the expression lane for al mf.
> I did also use some time in Logic with plugins but have made a Staffpad/Logic template, so I have something to start up with quickly. This Christmas fantasy I tried to master to fit -14 LUFS(new for me), It toke some time. Actually I dont like this -14 LUFS, it sounds to loud for me.
> 
> For the composition I started with a piano sketch's, first piano and then notated in Staffpad. The instrumentation didnt take that long, I copied parts from the piano sketch.
> 
> Piano sketch (did pratice some time on it).



Thank you for such a thorough reply!


----------



## Adam Takacs

Fantastic piece Ole! I love both the piano and orchestral version. Thank you for sharing!


----------



## OleJoergensen

Adam Takacs said:


> Fantastic piece Ole! I love both the piano and orchestral version. Thank you for sharing!


Thank you Adam.


----------



## jadi

OleJoergensen said:


> My handwritting is quite poor both on paper and Staffpad so copy and past is my good friend.
> I did use some time adjust the expression lane and for percussion also volume. Berlin perc has only few dynamic layers, so using the volume lane helps. Also I find the written mf a bit to loud, so I adjust the expression lane for al mf.
> I did also use some time in Logic with plugins but have made a Staffpad/Logic template, so I have something to start up with quickly. This Christmas fantasy I tried to master to fit -14 LUFS(new for me), It toke some time. Actually I dont like this -14 LUFS, it sounds to loud for me.
> 
> For the composition I started with a piano sketch's, first piano and then notated in Staffpad. The instrumentation didnt take that long, I copied parts from the piano sketch.
> 
> Piano sketch (did pratice some time on it).



Verry nice done Ole


----------



## OleJoergensen

jadi said:


> Verry nice done Ole


Thank you Jadi.


----------



## MadLad

OleJoergensen said:


> My handwritting is quite poor both on paper and Staffpad so copy and past is my good friend.
> I did use some time adjust the expression lane and for percussion also volume. Berlin perc has only few dynamic layers, so using the volume lane helps. Also I find the written mf a bit to loud, so I adjust the expression lane for al mf.


I really like the piece. But one question: Does it actually make a difference if you adjust the expression lane for one dynamic layer? What I specifically mean: Are there multiple layers of mf if you adjust the expression lane by hand? With volume automation, I get it but does it also work with expression?

EDIT: I know it depends on the library. The pianos don't have enough dynamic layers for that but does it really make a difference with berlin strings? I sometimes have the problem that having everything in the same dynamic layer, the instrument that's supposed to stand out just doesn't. But when I make it louder, let's say from mp to mf it's too loud.


----------



## OleJoergensen

MadLad said:


> I really like the piece. But one question: Does it actually make a difference if you adjust the expression lane for one dynamic layer? What I specifically mean: Are there multiple layers of mf if you adjust the expression lane by hand? With volume automation, I get it but does it also work with expression?
> 
> EDIT: I know it depends on the library. The pianos don't have enough dynamic layers for that but does it really make a difference with berlin strings? I sometimes have the problem that having everything in the same dynamic layer, the instrument that's supposed to stand out just doesn't. But when I make it louder, let's say from mp to mf it's too loud.


Thank you MadLad.

Its mostly for Berlin strings I use the expression land. A written mf place the expression lane in the middle of the system, I lower the lane a little down, it does not sound like mp but something between mp-mf. 
I often adjust the expression lane for cres and dim aswell.


----------



## MadLad

Thank you, I will try it out. If it actually helps the mix by placing melodies more in the foreground with this method, then I will start adjusting the expression lane manually more often.


----------



## brandowalk

More StaffPad for the holidays! Merry Christmas


----------



## mopsiflopsi

Here's a little piece of mine, which is not Christmas oriented at all (unless Santa was going berserk or something). Just wanted to play around with some contrasting textures.

Happy holidays everyone!


----------



## mopsiflopsi

And a last minute Christmas piece!


----------



## DennyB

Grabbed the Spitfire chamber strings and started goofing around with them. I like the sound a lot.


----------



## Kalli

DennyB said:


> Grabbed the Spitfire chamber strings and started goofing around with them. I like the sound a lot.


Lovely piece, Denny! Yeah, SCS shares the top spot with Berlin Strings in my opinion. Different uses of course, but they complement each other well.


----------



## DennyB

Kalli said:


> Lovely piece, Denny! Yeah, SCS shares the top spot with Berlin Strings in my opinion. Different uses of course, but they complement each other well.


Thanks! Yeah, once I got Berlin I didn’t really bother with the other string libraries, but this is pretty nice.


----------



## DennyB

Inspired by the discussion with @Kalli, I recorded the same piece with Berlin, Berlin First Chairs, the SP stock orchestra, and Spitfire Chamber Strings (the recording with no modifications in the name).

All I changed were dynamics and articulations; I didn't play any controller games* or change the notes or anything else that would make it hard to hand it to a real orchestra.

Overall, I thought they all sounded pretty good. They certainly have their differences, but they all transferred pretty well. My big takeaways were that the first chairs are more useful than I had thought, the stock orchestra sounds halfway between a full orchestra and a chamber orchestra (which is probably a good thing for a stock orchestra sound), Berlin was not as agile as the chamber orchestra (not surprising but the tiniest but disappointing), and (here's my asterix from above) Berlin cellos need some volume balancing; mf was way too loud and mp disappeared completely, so I set it to mf and dropped the track down 4 dB.

Anyway, hope it's helpful. Or at least fun. 

P.S. This was written as a chamber piece, so it is arguably unfair to the two large orchestra libraries. Berlin is outstanding; I haven't even booted up my main DAW in months since I got staffpad. I used this piece for comparison because it is small enough that I could do this in an hour while nursing a sore throat.


----------



## Ivan M.

DennyB said:


> Inspired by the discussion with @Kalli, I recorded the same piece with Berlin, Berlin First Chairs, the SP stock orchestra, and Spitfire Chamber Strings (the recording with no modifications in the name).
> 
> All I changed were dynamics and articulations; I didn't play any controller games* or change the notes or anything else that would make it hard to hand it to a real orchestra.
> 
> Overall, I thought they all sounded pretty good. They certainly have their differences, but they all transferred pretty well. My big takeaways were that the first chairs are more useful than I had thought, the stock orchestra sounds halfway between a full orchestra and a chamber orchestra (which is probably a good thing for a stock orchestra sound), Berlin was not as agile as the chamber orchestra (not surprising but the tiniest but disappointing), and (here's my asterix from above) Berlin cellos need some volume balancing; mf was way too loud and mp disappeared completely, so I set it to mf and dropped the track down 4 dB.
> 
> Anyway, hope it's helpful. Or at least fun.


Sounds wonderful. But the filenames are truncated, can you tell me which libraries are the first and the last file above?


----------



## DennyB

Ivan M. said:


> But the filenames are truncated


Oops, thanks! Updated the names in the original post.


----------



## sundrowned

DennyB said:


> I haven't even booted up my main DAW in months since I got staffpad.


Classic staffpad owner phrase. 

Lovely stuff!


----------



## MadLad

DennyB said:


> and (here's my asterix from above) Berlin cellos need some volume balancing; mf was way too loud and mp disappeared completely, so I set it to mf and dropped the track down 4 dB.


The whole Berlin library has that problem, unfortunately. There is no organic transition between mp and mf in the Berlin library. General advice is to use dynamic compression but if you ever want to mix and master it in a DAW you don't want an overly compressed track to start with. 

While I love the sound of Berlin strings much more, I often tend to use Spitfire chamber strings or even CineStrings because they have better dynamic transitions and mix in better with everything else.


----------



## DJiLAND

There seems to be a large volume difference that cannot be adjusted between Staccato and Sustain of the Berlin Woodwinds oboe.
It is difficult to use staccato and Sustain conversion due to too large dynamic differences in the same dynamic.
In particular, the problem stands out in low dynamics. (p, mp, etc)
There is no such problem with the stock library.
The Berlin Library needs more carefully adjusted updates.
It could be used well if there is a well-balanced update between instruments and articulations like the Berlin Orchestra Berklee, but now I'm honestly disappointed.


----------



## dcoscina

DJiLAND said:


> There seems to be a large volume difference that cannot be adjusted between Staccato and Sustain of the Berlin Woodwinds oboe.
> It is difficult to use staccato and Sustain conversion due to too large dynamic differences in the same dynamic.
> In particular, the problem stands out in low dynamics. (p, mp, etc)
> There is no such problem with the stock library.
> The Berlin Library needs more carefully adjusted updates.
> It could be used well if there is a well-balanced update between instruments and articulations like the Berlin Orchestra Berklee, but now I'm honestly disappointed.


I don’t recall such disparity with the Berlin series in earlier versions of Staffpad. I’m sure they are working on instrument updates to accommodate the major changes in v1.5


----------



## jadi

DJiLAND said:


> There seems to be a large volume difference that cannot be adjusted between Staccato and Sustain of the Berlin Woodwinds oboe.
> It is difficult to use staccato and Sustain conversion due to too large dynamic differences in the same dynamic.
> In particular, the problem stands out in low dynamics. (p, mp, etc)
> There is no such problem with the stock library.
> The Berlin Library needs more carefully adjusted updates.
> It could be used well if there is a well-balanced update between instruments and articulations like the Berlin Orchestra Berklee, but now I'm honestly disappointed.


fully agree


----------



## mopsiflopsi

I've been experimenting with exotic scales lately.

Here's a short piece in octatonic scale (mostly).


And another in hexatonic.




Need to practice more with each, but so far I've found the octatonic scale more enjoyable to write for.


----------



## DennyB

These are great! The melodies and supporting harmonies, particularly on the hexatonic piece, flow easily enough that it doesn’t sound like it is sitting on a strict structure. I like it; I think you’ve inspired me to go and write some more with these scales.


----------



## mopsiflopsi

DennyB said:


> These are great! The melodies and supporting harmonies, particularly on the hexatonic piece, flow easily enough that it doesn’t sound like it is sitting on a strict structure. I like it; I think you’ve inspired me to go and write some more with these scales.


Very happy to hear that! Especially since writing in hexatonic did feel a little too constraining. In contrast, with octatonic I felt like the sound was constantly pulling me in different directions.


----------



## PaulieDC

DennyB said:


> Grabbed the Spitfire chamber strings and started goofing around with them. I like the sound a lot.


wow. I needed this shot in the arm. I have an M1 iPad Pro in front of me w/StaffPad and I'm watching a hockey game. 

Excellent work!!


----------



## PaulieDC

DennyB said:


> Inspired by the discussion with @Kalli, I recorded the same piece with Berlin, Berlin First Chairs, the SP stock orchestra, and Spitfire Chamber Strings (the recording with no modifications in the name).
> 
> All I changed were dynamics and articulations; I didn't play any controller games* or change the notes or anything else that would make it hard to hand it to a real orchestra.
> 
> Overall, I thought they all sounded pretty good. They certainly have their differences, but they all transferred pretty well. My big takeaways were that the first chairs are more useful than I had thought, the stock orchestra sounds halfway between a full orchestra and a chamber orchestra (which is probably a good thing for a stock orchestra sound), Berlin was not as agile as the chamber orchestra (not surprising but the tiniest but disappointing), and (here's my asterix from above) Berlin cellos need some volume balancing; mf was way too loud and mp disappeared completely, so I set it to mf and dropped the track down 4 dB.
> 
> Anyway, hope it's helpful. Or at least fun.
> 
> P.S. This was written as a chamber piece, so it is arguably unfair to the two large orchestra libraries. Berlin is outstanding; I haven't even booted up my main DAW in months since I got staffpad. I used this piece for comparison because it is small enough that I could do this in an hour while nursing a sore throat.


Not fair because SCS smoked 'em!


----------



## PaulieDC

dcoscina said:


> I don’t recall such disparity with the Berlin series in earlier versions of Staffpad. I’m sure they are working on instrument updates to accommodate the major changes in v1.5


I thought it was me. I'm starting out as a noob on this so I did a simple version of Ode To Joy, V1 carrying the melody and V2/Va/Ce/CB driving along with root notes, all mostly quarter notes. The stock library just sounds more balanced to me than Berlin Strings, out of the box with no other tweaks. And BS has HEAVY vibrato that's a little much. Stock library to me sounds better (very disappointing). Listening to @DennyB 's versions, SCS sounds the best to me by a mile. 

Just my $.02, I'm not seasoned at this. Not even sort of...


----------



## dcoscina

PaulieDC said:


> I thought it was me. I'm starting out as a noob on this so I did a simple version of Ode To Joy, V1 carrying the melody and V2/Va/Ce/CB driving along with root notes, all mostly quarter notes. The stock library just sounds more balanced to me than Berlin Strings, out of the box with no other tweaks. And BS has HEAVY vibrato that's a little much. Stock library to me sounds better (very disappointing). Listening to @DennyB 's versions, SCS sounds the best to me by a mile.
> 
> Just my $.02, I'm not seasoned at this. Not even sort of...


Berlin used to be excellent. I’m not sure what version is where the instruments started not sounding as balanced but violas are practically inaudible no matter the dynamic. Using automation at the top level (ffff) and they still can’t be heard above the violins at piano. :(


----------



## PaulieDC

dcoscina said:


> Berlin used to be excellent. I’m not sure what version is where the instruments started not sounding as balanced but violas are practically inaudible no matter the dynamic. Using automation at the top level (ffff) and they still can’t be heard above the violins at piano. :(


Ugh. And it‘s not like we‘re paying $11.99 for these add-on libraries.


----------



## jadi

During the Corona pandemie, I wrote two pieces of music for wind instruments. Hereby a midi impression of the first piece. All StaffPad and Berlin Woodwind and Brass, the recording is also completely made in StaffPad.


----------



## ZenBYD

I am constantly stunned at what people are able to do in Staffpad... next level stuff -- I wish I had even just 1/8th the talent. great work @jadi


----------



## David Rieuwerts

Jacob Moss said:


> Lilith - Berlin WW, CineBrass, Cineperc, Voxos, and CineStrings






Jacob Moss said:


> Lilith - Berlin WW, CineBrass, Cineperc, Voxos, and CineStrings



Awesome! Lovely composition and great sounds.


----------



## David Rieuwerts

jadi said:


> During the Corona pandemie, I wrote two pieces of music for wind instruments. Hereby a midi impression of the first piece. All StaffPad and Berlin Woodwind and Brass, the recording is also completely made in StaffPad.





jadi said:


> During the Corona pandemie, I wrote two pieces of music for wind instruments. Hereby a midi impression of the first piece. All StaffPad and Berlin Woodwind and Brass, the recording is also completely made in StaffPad.



Great work Jadi. Very interesting and somewhat different musically which is nice to hear. Who are your influences?


----------



## jadi

David Rieuwerts said:


> Great work Jadi. Very interesting and somewhat different musically which is nice to hear. Who are your influences?


Thank you very much! Influences, I always was quite divers with music styles. When I put music on it is mostly classicaal, but also listen en hear a lot of pop en rock.


----------



## DennyB

PaulieDC said:


> wow. I needed this shot in the arm. I have an M1 iPad Pro in front of me w/StaffPad and I'm watching a hockey game.
> 
> Excellent work!!


Thanks! And yeah, the magic of staffpad is that the opportunities for writing are everywhere. I am totally in love with it, although I wish I could load up strezov… . (I have voxos for so, but it’s not the same).


----------



## PaulieDC

DennyB said:


> Thanks! And yeah, the magic of staffpad is that the opportunities for writing are everywhere. I am totally in love with it, although I wish I could load up strezov… . (I have voxos for so, but it’s not the same).


The magic is the person generating the music and inputting it, lol.


----------



## ZenBYD

I agree with @PaulieDC - Staffpad lives in some crazy land of its own where you have to be talented to even use it. The app is without a doubt some kind of sorcery magic but it needs a wizard to conjure it up. you can't cheat... you can't keyboard smash or mouse hack your way into a piece of music with this app. it's not a hammer and chisel, its a paintbrush... and it needs an artist to get the best out of it.

huge props to everyone in this thread. its inspiring.

btw I got pretty interested in the history of Staffpad and came across 

so this guy is frickin slick. good looking dude just strolls out and casually drops gags with the CEO of Microsoft... then slams out one of the most beautiful modern classical pieces I've heard. I'm amused, then charmed... then amazed... then crying by the end of it. its in a class of its own. 

thanks for the music!


----------



## dcoscina

Damn you StaffPad! I was all set and happy with Dorico 4 (still am) but since I was away from my computer last night but had an idea for the middle section of my Fanfare for Brass quintet, I decided to sketch it out using the Berlin Brass expansion... arghhh so lovely!! LOL


----------



## RogiervG

dcoscina said:


> Damn you StaffPad! I was all set and happy with Dorico 4 (still am) but since I was away from my computer last night but had an idea for the middle section of my Fanfare for Brass quintet, I decided to sketch it out using the Berlin Brass expansion... arghhh so lovely!! LOL



wow.. this is amazing (composition, even if not completed) and scary (how real it sounds)


----------



## DennyB

dcoscina said:


> I decided to sketch it out using the Berlin Brass expansion... arghhh so lovely!! LOL


Beautiful piece! Love it! And yes, that is the magic (of the tool). .

What was your inspiration for the piece? It grows nicely without feeling boxed in by a fixed chord progression, yet it always feels like it just went to the right harmonic place.


----------



## OMWaves

While we are on the subject of brass quintet, here's my piece; I composed it a few weeks back, before the holidays. It's one way to celebrate the holiday season. It's titled Season of Red, Green, and Snow. I use CineBrass library. Hope you enjoy it.


----------



## RogiervG

OMWaves said:


> While we are on the subject of brass quintet, here's my piece; I composed it a few weeks back, before the holidays. It's one way to celebrate the holiday season. It's titled Season of Red, Green, and Snow. I use CineBrass library. Hope you enjoy it.


Just a side Tip: work with dynamics and playing techniques. It listens like there is one play technique (trying to do others: e.g. longs doing shorts, instead of a short doing short) with barely no flowing dynamics per instrument (e.g. sudden dynamic jumps, instead of flowing into it).


----------



## dcoscina

DennyB said:


> Beautiful piece! Love it! And yes, that is the magic (of the tool). .
> 
> What was your inspiration for the piece? It grows nicely without feeling boxed in by a fixed chord progression, yet it always feels like it just went to the right harmonic place.


Hmm, to be honest, I didn't have an image or emotion in mind. This is a concert piece for a group in Chicago. I wanted a melodic, lyrical contrasting section to the first and recap section which are spirited (it's a fanfare)- I've heard repertoire where there is a slower, reflective section so I followed suit. I actually came up with this theme group in the shower. I whistled it into my iphone (afterward) and then fleshed it out in StaffPad..


----------



## DennyB

dcoscina said:


> I whistled it into my iphone (afterward) and then fleshed it out in StaffPad..


Love it. I suspect a great deal of art has been created while doing something else.


----------



## OMWaves

RogiervG said:


> Just a side Tip: work with dynamics and playing techniques. It listens like there is one play technique (trying to do others: e.g. longs doing shorts, instead of a short doing short) with barely no flowing dynamics per instrument (e.g. sudden dynamic jumps, instead of flowing into it).


Thank you, RogiervG, for the kind tips and suggestions.


----------



## skt

A short piece. 
Staffpad(Cine orchestra, Berlin Strings)


----------



## JoeWatkin

Always wondered if I made the wrong call writing in MIDI roll rather than notation, does anyone have any experience with both who could comment on which method gives you more efficiency & creativity? Staffpad looks so intuitive and fun to use...


----------



## ssnowe

JoeWatkin said:


> Always wondered if I made the wrong call writing in MIDI roll rather than notation, does anyone have any experience with both who could comment on which method gives you more efficiency & creativity? Staffpad looks so intuitive and fun to use...


Have worked with DAW based piano rolls forever, didn't think much about it. Hugh templates, dealing with the articulation mess, looking at multiple tracks and midi cc messages in the piano roll and trying to figure out what was what, etc.

Then started messing around with Staffpad, found I really enjoyed the simplification, I could easily look at a score with all of the dynamics and notes and see almost immediately what was going on. Was really surprised how 15GB of Staffpad libraries gave my multiple terabytes of DAW vsts a serious run for the money. That, and in my opinion Staffpad sounds seriously good, almost magic for being able to run on a sheet of glass that is the iPad.

Found I like working with scores so much I invested in Dorico (wanted more capability than Staffpad was able to provide). No real plans to go back to DAW based piano roll notation


----------



## JoeWatkin

ssnowe said:


> Have worked with DAW based piano rolls forever, didn't think much about it. Hugh templates, dealing with the articulation mess, looking at multiple tracks and midi cc messages in the piano roll and trying to figure out what was what, etc.
> 
> Then started messing around with Staffpad, found I really enjoyed the simplification, I could easily look at a score with all of the dynamics and notes and see almost immediately what was going on. Was really surprised how 15GB of Staffpad libraries gave my multiple terabytes of DAW vsts a serious run for the money. That, and in my opinion Staffpad sounds seriously good, almost magic for being able to run on a sheet of glass that is the iPad.
> 
> Found I like working with scores so much I invested in Dorico (wanted more capability than Staffpad was able to provide). No real plans to go back to DAW based piano roll notation


Hadn't considered Dorico, just looked at the price for full version... ouch!

Totally relate to your point on how simple writing in notation is vs MIDI, I'm thinking it might be worth the short term pain to start writing notation. Ultimately it's all about workflow - with the added bonus of being better able to communicate with musicians in a live setting... (they don't read midi for some reason!?)


----------



## David Rieuwerts

skt said:


> A short piece.
> Staffpad(Cine orchestra, Berlin Strings)



Marvellous theme, beautifully scored! Thank you I enjoyed listening to this very much.


----------



## RogiervG

JoeWatkin said:


> Hadn't considered Dorico, just looked at the price for full version... ouch!
> 
> Totally relate to your point on how simple writing in notation is vs MIDI, I'm thinking it might be worth the short term pain to start writing notation. Ultimately it's all about workflow - with the added bonus of being better able to communicate with musicians in a live setting... (they don't read midi for some reason!?)



totally offtopic (this thread is about composition done with Staffpad):
Pricewise (feature wise) it's conform market pricing (big industry standard players).
Sibelius (599USD to 899USD), finale (600USD), they are all around the same pricepoint for perpetual licenses. Sure there are cheaper (even free) options (not judging quality!).. but to a lesser degree industry strandard.

Note: staffpad is not for engraving e.g. , while the top players are, besides other things (dorico/finale/sibelius)


----------



## Jett Hitt

JoeWatkin said:


> Always wondered if I made the wrong call writing in MIDI roll rather than notation, does anyone have any experience with both who could comment on which method gives you more efficiency & creativity? Staffpad looks so intuitive and fun to use...


Take an orchestral page. Just one page with full orchestra. Fill up that page with notes for all the instruments. Use a famous example if you like, say an active page from a Mahler symphony. Now reproduce the same in a piano roll. Print out your piano roll and your orchestral page. Your piano roll print out will cover an entire wall. You can hold the orchestral page in your hand. All that information contained on that one piece of paper.

Music notation has been developing for 1000 years--quite literally, (Guido of Arezzo ca. 1013 AD). The piano roll, on the other hand, was resurrected from the defunct player piano rolls of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and that in turn was developed from the music box of the 1840s. It is a fledgling idea compared to notation. That is not to say that it couldn't at some point develop into something more remarkable, but it has about 900 years to go.


----------



## DennyB

ssnowe said:


> Found I like working with scores so much I invested in Dorico (wanted more capability than Staffpad was able to provide). No real plans to go back to DAW based piano roll notation


I’ve been trying to see if I want to do this. How was the transition from staffpad?


----------



## ssnowe

DennyB said:


> I’ve been trying to see if I want to do this. How was the transition from staffpad?


Dorico has way more options and capability than Staffpad and I'm still learning all of the Dorico key commands, etc. To be honest it is a bit more involved in terms of its complexity but it really looks like there will be more of a long term payout. That and I can hook in my midi keyboard and input notes which can't happen with Staffpad.

I jump between Staffpad and Dorico all of the time using xml export/import (not perfect but works for me). The only annoying thing I found is Staffpad on the iPad wants the xml file extension to end in .xml and I think Dorico saves with a .mxl extension (easy enough to change).

In terms of cost check out Dorico Elements as you can always upgrade from there (biggest limitation is number of instruments/players but I think they upped the number to twelve in Dorico 4).


----------



## curtisschweitzer

ssnowe said:


> Have worked with DAW based piano rolls forever, didn't think much about it. Hugh templates, dealing with the articulation mess, looking at multiple tracks and midi cc messages in the piano roll and trying to figure out what was what, etc.
> 
> Then started messing around with Staffpad, found I really enjoyed the simplification, I could easily look at a score with all of the dynamics and notes and see almost immediately what was going on. Was really surprised how 15GB of Staffpad libraries gave my multiple terabytes of DAW vsts a serious run for the money. That, and in my opinion Staffpad sounds seriously good, almost magic for being able to run on a sheet of glass that is the iPad.
> 
> Found I like working with scores so much I invested in Dorico (wanted more capability than Staffpad was able to provide). No real plans to go back to DAW based piano roll notation


I'm always reminded of the beauty of a written score when I step away from my giant DAW template and just write inside of StaffPad. So much information conveyed with such elegance and grace on a written score-- a stark contrast with the visual cacaphony of a big midi mockup, which even in the best DAW ends up being the confusing mess you're talking about here. I've always known it to be true, and I remember being so frustrated when I first went from engraving compositions to working in a DAW, but not wanting to give up the intoxicating feeling of more true-to-life sample-based rendering.

So nice that staffpad exists to bridge that gap between more lifelike sample-based midi rendering and the time tested genius of the written score.


----------



## gussunkri

Hi!

For the first time I tested a screen capture of one of my StaffPad compositions.
This one started out as an exercise to write something in the octatonic scale (though I cheated for a few bars where I couldn't resist an augmented chord). I am going for a Goldsmith Star Trek TMP vibe, specifically the cue "The Cloud". I tried to conjure a feeling of mystery and foreboding. I know, I know... I am no Goldsmith (not even close!). Still, this made me write slightly outside my comfort zone.

It starts of really slow and a bit underscore-like. Perhaps I shouldn't have let the beginning be so sparse and unmelodic.


----------



## brandowalk

gussunkri said:


> Hi!
> 
> For the first time I tested a screen capture of one of my StaffPad compositions.
> This one started out as an exercise to write something in the octatonic scale (though I cheated for a few bars where I couldn't resist an augmented chord). I am going for a Goldsmith Star Trek TMP vibe, specifically the cue "The Cloud". I tried to conjure a feeling of mystery and foreboding. I know, I know... I am no Goldsmith (not even close!). Still, this made me write slightly outside my comfort zone.
> 
> It starts of really slow and a bit underscore-like. Perhaps I shouldn't have let the beginning be so sparse and unmelodic.



There are some really nice things going on here and I like the mood. 

I liked the sparseness in the beginning and how you build. There are some texture things you could do to add more interest and keep sparse. I.e. one thing you could alternate or bounce around the minor third WW figure across different instruments to provide subtle different textures. Just a thought.


----------



## gussunkri

brandowalk said:


> There are some really nice things going on here and I like the mood.
> 
> I liked the sparseness in the beginning and how you build. There are some texture things you could do to add more interest and keep sparse. I.e. one thing you could alternate or bounce around the minor third WW figure across different instruments to provide subtle different textures. Just a thought.


Interesting idea! Do you mean that the minor third gets passed around within a single phrase, or do you mean that the whole repeated phrase is played on one instrument, but when the phrase returns it is played on a different instrument? When I first made the phrase I had Goldsmith’s use of the Echoplex on electric flute in mind. 

I love StaffPad but occasionally I have to fight the sounds. With the Berlin Woodwinds I find the oboes to be so much louder than flutes and clarinets at the same dynamic. (Maybe this is realistic, but it sounds to me that they don’t treat mf the same as the flute players.)


----------



## brandowalk

gussunkri said:


> Interesting idea! Do you mean that the minor third gets passed around within a single phrase, or do you mean that the whole repeated phrase is played on one instrument, but when the phrase returns it is played on a different instrument? When I first made the phrase I had Goldsmith’s use of the Echoplex on electric flute in mind.
> 
> I love StaffPad but occasionally I have to fight the sounds. With the Berlin Woodwinds I find the oboes to be so much louder than flutes and clarinets at the same dynamic. (Maybe this is realistic, but it sounds to me that they don’t treat mf the same as the flute players.)


Echoplex would be awesome! You could have fun simulating with different instruments. Many possibilities: you could start with one approach for the phrase, then vary as time goes on to keep some interest. For example, you could bounce every bar or every two beats, or every beat, between two different instruments, or four, or 2+2, etc. Or, maybe all of this would be too distracting for what you are trying to convey and better to keep it simple or static. You have to weigh all of these things and be objective about your vision for the track.

The sky is the limit... or your imagination, depending on how you develop that soundscape. I'm not too fond of things being too static or predictable. Think of your players. As a musician, who wants to play the same repeated line over and over again? Mentally, I would check out and start thinking about lunch or something. I would play the written part, but I probably wouldn't be as engaged as if it were varied and dynamic. It takes more time to write (especially for strings), but this added, sometimes subtle detail is worth it IMO. 

I find the Berlin library the hardest to manage with dynamics. For levels, suggest leveling track volumes out to 0 and then adjust from there. I believe Berlin defaults to 0, but other libraries are all over for starting volumes. The Spitfire bass clarinet here sounds great, BTW.

Since you are channeling GS's tunnel vibe, what about something for the *Blaster Beam*? It sounds a bit like a very low clavinet note, drenched in a plate reverb, so it shouldn't be too hard to emulate.


----------



## gussunkri

brandowalk said:


> I'm not too fond of things being too static or predictable. Think of your players. As a musician, who wants to play the same repeated line over and over again? Mentally, I would check out and start thinking about lunch or something. I would play the written part, but I probably wouldn't be as engaged as if it were varied and dynamic. It takes more time to write (especially for strings), but this added, sometimes subtle detail is worth it IMO.
> 
> I find the Berlin library the hardest to manage with dynamics. For levels, suggest leveling track volumes out to 0 and then adjust from there. I believe Berlin defaults to 0, but other libraries are all over for starting volumes. The Spitfire bass clarinet here sounds great, BTW.
> 
> Since you are channeling GS's tunnel vibe, what about something for the *Blaster Beam*? It sounds a bit like a very low clavinet note, drenched in a plate reverb, so it shouldn't be too hard to emulate.


Thank you for excellent advice! In particular, your advice to think of the players is well taken. I haven't really had that perspective. Maybe because no real musicians will ever play my music (except for rock musicians, but they don't count), but I think, as you allude to, that the music might well benefit from having that perspective even though no real players will play it. I suspect that having such a perspective in mind will make one write better lines and avoid too blocky chord writing and (unnecessary) repetition.


I love the blaster beam! I've been trying to figure out how to get something similar and I've been experimenting with a slide on an eight string guitar and on a bass, but it doesn't quite get there. Yes, a very low clarinet note might come closer.


----------



## mopsiflopsi

Watching the new LotR trailer stirred up memories of playing D&D and listening to moody fantasy music, so tried my hand at writing one myself. It's meant to be a loopable background mood-setter for exploring a dark forest or dungeons or something along those lines.


----------



## Juan Ramos

Composition for string quartet and synthesizer. Performed by Moog Synth: Animoog and Berlin Strings First Chairs for Orchestal Tools Staffpad. Written and played from Staffpad taking advantage of the new update that allows the use of audio tracks.


----------



## Stormin

Juan Ramos said:


> Composition for string quartet and synthesizer. Performed by Moog Synth: Animoog and Berlin Strings First Chairs for Orchestal Tools Staffpad. Written and played from Staffpad taking advantage of the new update that allows the use of audio tracks.



What a beautiful piece, thank you for sharing! These staff pad videos are so nice for learners like myself as the format is very well suited to trying to analyze a piece. Easy to scrub forward and back, pause, repeat, etc. Thanks for contributing to my learning and enjoyment!


----------



## Juan Ramos

Stormin said:


> What a beautiful piece, thank you for sharing! These staff pad videos are so nice for learners like myself as the format is very well suited to trying to analyze a piece. Easy to scrub forward and back, pause, repeat, etc. Thanks for contributing to my learning and enjoyment!


Thank you for your words. I'm glad you like it and that it's useful for you.


----------



## dcoscina

Did you loop the Moog part and import only a certain number of bars?


----------



## Juan Ramos

dcoscina said:


> Did you loop the Moog part and import only a certain number of bars?


Hi, the moog part is not a loop, it's a full track.


----------



## brandowalk

Juan Ramos said:


> Composition for string quartet and synthesizer. Performed by Moog Synth: Animoog and Berlin Strings First Chairs for Orchestal Tools Staffpad. Written and played from Staffpad taking advantage of the new update that allows the use of audio tracks.



You have created an interesting enjoyable soundscape. Cool! The video animations are fun too. Congrats!


----------



## brandowalk

I recently completed my oboe quartet piece (oboe, violin, viola, cello). Or at least one movement of it, I may write another. I wrote the melody, progressions, and structure at the piano and then orchestrated in StaffPad. The final score output was done in Finale. 

It was good to get back to writing at the piano again as I was finding writing straight into StaffPad was making my writing too segmented! 

I hope you enjoy listening to it!


----------



## Juan Ramos

brandowalk said:


> You have created an interesting enjoyable soundscape. Cool! The video animations are fun too. Congrats!


Thank you very much


----------



## ZenBYD

Juan Ramos said:


> Composition for string quartet and synthesizer. Performed by Moog Synth: Animoog and Berlin Strings First Chairs for Orchestal Tools Staffpad. Written and played from Staffpad taking advantage of the new update that allows the use of audio tracks.



this is so beautiful.

at risk of sounding like a broken record... the talent on display in this thread is off the charts. my favourite thread on vi-c by far.


----------



## Jett Hitt

brandowalk said:


> I recently completed my oboe quartet piece (oboe, violin, viola, cello). Or at least one movement of it, I may write another. I wrote the melody, progressions, and structure at the piano and then orchestrated in StaffPad. The final score output was done in Finale.
> 
> It was good to get back to writing at the piano again as I was finding writing straight into StaffPad was making my writing too segmented!
> 
> I hope you enjoy listening to it!



Nice writing Brandon!


----------



## brandowalk

Thank you kindly, Jett.


----------



## Juan Ramos

ZenBYD said:


> this is so beautiful.
> 
> at risk of sounding like a broken record... the talent on display in this thread is off the charts. my favourite thread on vi-c by far.


Thank you zenBYD


----------



## dcoscina

This is basically finished. A little balancing here and there... possibly a few tempo tweaks but it's done largely


----------



## Insert.Coin

dcoscina said:


> This is basically finished. A little balancing here and there... possibly a few tempo tweaks but it's done largely



Beautiful, well written and moody. 0:21 is one of the few spots where it's like ahhh yeah, it's a library. Out of curiousity what libaries did you use for strings/brass/woodwinds? They blend very well, particularly at the lower dynamics.


----------



## dcoscina

Insert.Coin said:


> Beautiful, well written and moody. 0:21 is one of the few spots where it's like ahhh yeah, it's a library. Out of curiousity what libaries did you use for strings/brass/woodwinds? They blend very well, particularly at the lower dynamics.


It’s all Berlin series expansions for staffpad. Orchestral tools rocks


----------



## Insert.Coin

dcoscina said:


> It’s all Berlin series expansions for staffpad. Orchestral tools rocks


Great, thanks. Couple more for you if you don't mind:

So then staying under the MF dynamic for the strings, or have you mixed this separately? Are you making use of of the built in compressor as well? 

Just curious because there's that huge jump of dynamics at MF that's tricky to navigate.


----------



## dcoscina

Insert.Coin said:


> Great, thanks. Couple more for you if you don't mind:
> 
> So then staying under the MF dynamic for the strings, or have you mixed this separately? Are you making use of of the built in compressor as well?
> 
> Just curious because there's that huge jump of dynamics at MF that's tricky to navigate.


Yeah I’ve found that. I usually have to get into the automation to manually smooth things out


----------



## DennyB

dcoscina said:


> This is basically finished. A little balancing here and there... possibly a few tempo tweaks but it's done largely



Beautiful. So emotional.


----------



## DennyB

Hi all, wrote this during all my airport time to and from Hawaii. Would love to hear your thoughts. Man I love staffpad. At one point I was literally standing in line waiting for the ticket counter to open up and I was able to keep writing with just an iPad and some AirPods. Can't do that with a daw... 😁


----------



## dcoscina

DennyB said:


> Beautiful. So emotional.


Thanks for listening Denny!


----------



## dcoscina

DennyB said:


> Hi all, wrote this during all my airport time to and from Hawaii. Would love to hear your thoughts. Man I love staffpad. At one point I was literally standing in line waiting for the ticket counter to open up and I was able to keep writing with just an iPad and some AirPods. Can't do that with a daw... 😁


Great job! I like how it develops. Have you considered changing that piano part to harp or maybe even vibes or celesta and move it up the octave? There is a section where it’s a little buried. Just my 2 cents. It’s a lovely piece! Enjoyed it very much!


----------



## DennyB

dcoscina said:


> Great job! I like how it develops. Have you considered changing that piano part to harp or maybe even vibes or celesta and move it up the octave? There is a section where it’s a little buried. Just my 2 cents. It’s a lovely piece! Enjoyed it very much!


Thank you! Yeah, I have a bunch of these sketches and I want to take them to the next level, but I’m not sure how yet, so I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I will try mixing that part around.


----------



## dcoscina

DennyB said:


> Thank you! Yeah, I have a bunch of these sketches and I want to take them to the next level, but I’m not sure how yet, so I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I will try mixing that part around.


It's possible to keep the piano but double it up the 8ve so it cuts through a bit? Just a suggestion. It might end up too busy...


----------



## mopsiflopsi

Finally figured out how to record my iPad screen, in time for this piece. Any feedback, comments welcome.


----------



## SamRussell

These were all composed and played back on StaffPad: 


Enjoy!


----------



## gh0stwrit3r

Many people ask me how I make my music. When I tell them that I write it note after note on digital paper, they are baffled. We're living in amazing times with endless possibilities. Awesome, ain't it!

Call it tender. Romantic. Cinematic. This is my last work: One Last Dance. In the video clip you can follow along with the written score in StaffPad in the background. All sounds are out of StaffPad, except the piano. I added my favourite piano lib in Logic when I did the mixing and mastering of the track.

I hope you enjoy it!


----------



## Jotto

My first SP attempt


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## brandowalk

Jotto said:


> My first SP attempt



sounds amazing! great deep low-end strings and low brass. nicely done. What libraries did you use?


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## Jotto

brandowalk said:


> sounds amazing! great deep low-end strings and low brass. nicely done. What libraries did you use?


Thank you! This is OT strings, brass and ww. CS perc. Voxos choire. And a little scoring synth bass in the end.


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## Dave McD

Inspired by the score of the mini-series "1883".


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## barrychab

Here are some things written in staffpad. The Harp piece was written in staffpad and sounds great using Berlin Harps, but this particular version is UVI Harp played in Ableton. Everything else is straight outta Staffpad, mostly BFCs & CineWinds


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## Juan Ramos

The addition of audio in staffpad is allowing me to develop compositions that were previously difficult for me to do. This is an example: composition for Medusa synthesizer and String Quartet. The bookstore used is: Berlin First chairs. Medusa is in FM mode. First I have made the sequences in Medusa and then I have made the composition around it in Staffpad. I hope you find this use of Staffpad interesting.


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## Jotto

A little waltz i wrote


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## brandowalk

I recently completed another chamber work, this one for clarinet and string trio in four movements. The fourth movement (starts @ 4:32) took some extra effort to get the form right, but I think is my favorite of the bunch. Hope you enjoy listening. 

Libraries are Berlin First Chairs and The Spitfire clarinet. 

Brandon
musicbybrandonwalker.com


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## Juan Ramos

Sampled guitar and string quartet…
I sampled the electric guitar part from an old vocal song of mine. A small part of an old sad song that I have now "recycled" for an upbeat spring song. In staffpad I have "painted" with a string quartet ( berlin strings first chair) around the sampled guitar track.
I have also painted (literally XD) on the score. I find the aesthetics of Staffpad very attractive and inspiring. I hope you find this little work interesting.


----------



## Montisquirrel

Juan Ramos said:


> Sampled guitar and string quartet…
> I sampled the electric guitar part from an old vocal song of mine. A small part of an old sad song that I have now "recycled" for an upbeat spring song. In staffpad I have "painted" with a string quartet ( berlin strings first chair) around the sampled guitar track.
> I have also painted (literally XD) on the score. I find the aesthetics of Staffpad very attractive and inspiring. I hope you find this little work interesting.



This is a beautiful composition and the video is amazing. I love it. The idea is great and very well implemented.


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## Juan Ramos

Montisquirrel said:


> This is a beautiful composition and the video is amazing. I love it. The idea is great and very well implemented.


Thank you very much


----------



## jadi

Juan Ramos said:


> Sampled guitar and string quartet…
> I sampled the electric guitar part from an old vocal song of mine. A small part of an old sad song that I have now "recycled" for an upbeat spring song. In staffpad I have "painted" with a string quartet ( berlin strings first chair) around the sampled guitar track.
> I have also painted (literally XD) on the score. I find the aesthetics of Staffpad very attractive and inspiring. I hope you find this little work interesting.



Nice score and very creative and entertaining videowork. Chapeau!


----------



## Juan Ramos

jadi said:


> Nice score and very creative and entertaining videowork. Chapeau!


Thank you jadi!


----------



## Jotto




----------



## prasad_v

Sharing a Staffpad playback score video for a recent composition of mine, featuring libraries from OT, Spitfire, Cinesamples, and Scoring synths. Please let me know what you think!


----------



## Jorgakis

Here's a quick blend test of staffpad berlin strings with my regular desktop instruments. I think the strings sound better than anything that I own on my desktop pc. Though it's not really efficient writing on staffpad and pc for one project. I also had some weird timing issues, so excuse the roughness, but I think you get the idea. Nevertheless, still blown away by berlin strings staffpad edition...


----------



## curtisschweitzer

Been writing a lot in StaffPad recently-- actually going to use the output from some Berlin samples for an upcoming game score as frankly it is a much faster workflow for me. In the meantime been putting out some pieces on YouTube practicing how to get good results from SP:



(This is MusicXML from StaffPad put into Dorico so that I can do a quick and dirty score condense for the video-- audio is all from Berlin/StaffPad)


----------



## Jacob Fanto

Here's something quick I did the other day, really enjoying the sounds of the Berlin Staffpad series. Unfortunate pop in the audio in the last bar though that I couldn't seem to find a fix for...


----------



## brandowalk

Jacob Fanto said:


> Here's something quick I did the other day, really enjoying the sounds of the Berlin Staffpad series. Unfortunate pop in the audio in the last bar though that I couldn't seem to find a fix for...



Nicely done! 

For pops, if not already, check your expression curves to make sure nothing weird is going on there. I find these get messed up pretty easily and need attention.

Also, I use Izotope de-click in my daw and that fixes pops pretty quick.


----------



## curtisschweitzer

brandowalk said:


> Nicely done!
> 
> For pops, if not already, check your expression curves to make sure nothing weird is going on there. I find these get messed up pretty easily and need attention.
> 
> Also, I use Izotope de-click in my daw and that fixes pops pretty quick.


I've also had to de-click a few tracks with Berlin. Not always clear what causes it, overall sound is so good I can live with it, but good to know about if you don't have an easy way of cleaning it up, especially if you're using it in a production environment. Fortunately their stem export makes it pretty easy to have a lot of control over the final product.


----------



## rsg22

curtisschweitzer said:


> I've also had to de-click a few tracks with Berlin. Not always clear what causes it, overall sound is so good I can live with it, but good to know about if you don't have an easy way of cleaning it up, especially if you're using it in a production environment. Fortunately their stem export makes it pretty easy to have a lot of control over the final product.


Yeah I had to de-click a string quartet with Berlin first chairs. First time I did it all in Logic. Next time I was able to de-click mostly in Staffpad by moving automation points around by tiny incremental amounts. Seems to me I was getting clicks if an automation point landed a certain way in relation to a note event and moving it a hair forward or back would take care of it. Either way it's a pain.


----------



## RogiervG

DennyB said:


> Inspired by the discussion with @Kalli, I recorded the same piece with Berlin, Berlin First Chairs, the SP stock orchestra, and Spitfire Chamber Strings (the recording with no modifications in the name).
> 
> All I changed were dynamics and articulations; I didn't play any controller games* or change the notes or anything else that would make it hard to hand it to a real orchestra.
> 
> Overall, I thought they all sounded pretty good. They certainly have their differences, but they all transferred pretty well. My big takeaways were that the first chairs are more useful than I had thought, the stock orchestra sounds halfway between a full orchestra and a chamber orchestra (which is probably a good thing for a stock orchestra sound), Berlin was not as agile as the chamber orchestra (not surprising but the tiniest but disappointing), and (here's my asterix from above) Berlin cellos need some volume balancing; mf was way too loud and mp disappeared completely, so I set it to mf and dropped the track down 4 dB.
> 
> Anyway, hope it's helpful. Or at least fun.
> 
> P.S. This was written as a chamber piece, so it is arguably unfair to the two large orchestra libraries. Berlin is outstanding; I haven't even booted up my main DAW in months since I got staffpad. I used this piece for comparison because it is small enough that I could do this in an hour while nursing a sore throat.


for this piece the spitfire chamber strings version sounds better than the others.


----------



## Uncle Peter

curtisschweitzer said:


> Been writing a lot in StaffPad recently-- actually going to use the output from some Berlin samples for an upcoming game score as frankly it is a much faster workflow for me. In the meantime been putting out some pieces on YouTube practicing how to get good results from SP:
> 
> 
> 
> (This is MusicXML from StaffPad put into Dorico so that I can do a quick and dirty score condense for the video-- audio is all from Berlin/StaffPad)



Keep the violin playing (something) when the woodwinds come in - it sounded jarring to me to just drop it as it set the tone for the opening


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## brandowalk

I recently completed the score for a chamber orchestra work and tribute to Ukraine, titled "Incandescence".

Music was composed in StaffPad and mixed in ProTools.
Libraries primarily used were Spitfire Chamber Strings and Berlin. I switch between all three orchestra sets as needed, however, particularly for WWs.

I utilized the "senza vibrato" text trigger in much of this piece for strings, brass, and winds to give a colder sound. This gave me some new colors for me to explore with!

Comments and feedback are appreciated. I hope you enjoy listening.


----------



## rsg22

brandowalk said:


> I recently completed the score for a chamber orchestra work and tribute to Ukraine, titled "Incandescence".
> 
> Music was composed in StaffPad and mixed in ProTools.
> Libraries primarily used were Spitfire Chamber Strings and Berlin. I switch between all three orchestra sets as needed, however, particularly for WWs.
> 
> I utilized the "senza vibrato" text trigger in much of this piece for strings, brass, and winds to give a colder sound. This gave me some new colors for me to explore with!


Wow, beautiful moods and textures you've achieved here. Very well balanced too - whatever you're doing in PT is working.

And thanks for the tip about "senza vibrato" - does this work for all the 3rd party orch section libraries?


----------



## brandowalk

rsg22 said:


> Wow, beautiful moods and textures you've achieved here. Very well balanced too - whatever you're doing in PT is working.
> 
> And thanks for the tip about "senza vibrato" - does this work for all the 3rd party orch section libraries?


Thank you!

I don’t know if the “senza vibrato” text trigger is in all of the three orchestra libraries. It worked for Spitfire strings and the Berlin libraries. At least. For reference, I found an old post with an attachment that included triggers for the various libraries. I’ll try to find and repost.


----------



## rsg22

brandowalk said:


> For reference, I found an old post with an attachment that included triggers for the various libraries. I’ll try to find and repost.


I found a few articulation references I previously downloaded - thanks for the reminder of their existence


----------



## Jotto

A little something i wrote om SP.


----------



## OleJoergensen

brandowalk said:


> I recently completed the score for a chamber orchestra work and tribute to Ukraine, titled "Incandescence".
> 
> Music was composed in StaffPad and mixed in ProTools.
> Libraries primarily used were Spitfire Chamber Strings and Berlin. I switch between all three orchestra sets as needed, however, particularly for WWs.
> 
> I utilized the "senza vibrato" text trigger in much of this piece for strings, brass, and winds to give a colder sound. This gave me some new colors for me to explore with!
> 
> Comments and feedback are appreciated. I hope you enjoy listening.



Amazing Brandon. Colorful and expressive composition. The mix is clear, full and crisp (wonder how you did that…).
Thank you for sharing.


----------



## waterman121

brandowalk said:


> For reference, I found an old post with an attachment that included triggers for the various libraries. I’ll try to find and repost.


Please share if you find them! Gorgeous piece.


----------



## DavidRubenstein

brandowalk said:


> I recently completed the score for a chamber orchestra work and tribute to Ukraine, titled "Incandescence".
> 
> Music was composed in StaffPad and mixed in ProTools.
> Libraries primarily used were Spitfire Chamber Strings and Berlin. I switch between all three orchestra sets as needed, however, particularly for WWs.
> 
> I utilized the "senza vibrato" text trigger in much of this piece for strings, brass, and winds to give a colder sound. This gave me some new colors for me to explore with!
> 
> Comments and feedback are appreciated. I hope you enjoy listening.



What a gorgeous piece! 
Just curious--what did you do in ProTools? EQ? Reverb? Something else?


----------



## brandowalk

waterman121 said:


> Please share if you find them! Gorgeous piece.


Thank you, @waterman121 
I believe there are different spreadsheets or lists out there of available StaffPad text triggers. I don't know who originally posted the attached or where the "master" or latest version is. If someone knows more, please reply.


----------



## brandowalk

DavidRubenstein said:


> What a gorgeous piece!
> Just curious--what did you do in ProTools? EQ? Reverb? Something else?


@DavidRubenstein, thank you! 

In PT, my usual approach is:
- bus instrument groupings for easier control (EQ, reverb sends, tape/preamp plugin)
- use two reverbs for each instrument group (my fav is the UAD 480L). One shorter ambiance (to place them in "the room"), as well as a longer tail reverb to make it sound like a concert hall. I adjust the pre-delay for each instr. group (ie. 0, 20, 40 ms) to subtly account for different stage locations
- on the master bus I use another tape plug-in, 1-3 dB of compression, add a bit of 12kHz/16kHz for "air", possibly some low end, widen the stereo image, brick wall limiter
- I do a level passes on instrument groupings, instruments, ambiance/reverbs, and then the entire mix (not always in that order). Riding these last two groupings allow for some extra ensemble dynamics! 
- check overall loudness levels and tweak any spots causing volume issues (ie. low end on perc or bass)

The output straight out of StaffPad is pretty amazing by itself. These extra mixing steps in a DAW I believe help to get that 20% more! Hope this helps. 

Brandon Walker
musicbybrandonwalker.com


----------



## Jotto

brandowalk said:


> I recently completed the score for a chamber orchestra work and tribute to Ukraine, titled "Incandescence".
> 
> Music was composed in StaffPad and mixed in ProTools.
> Libraries primarily used were Spitfire Chamber Strings and Berlin. I switch between all three orchestra sets as needed, however, particularly for WWs.
> 
> I utilized the "senza vibrato" text trigger in much of this piece for strings, brass, and winds to give a colder sound. This gave me some new colors for me to explore with!
> 
> Comments and feedback are appreciated. I hope you enjoy listening.



Not my cup of tea, but very well done. Great mix


----------



## Juan Ramos

I have composed a theme for flute trio and medusa synthesizer.

The flutes belong to the library of Orchestral tools adapted to staffpad, each flute has been recorded by a different interpreter which gives more realism to the combination of sounds.

The sequence performed by the synthesizer is in "Ping Pong" mode, the flutes flutter around it...

The song belongs to a project that I have recently started on youtube in which I try to combine electronic instruments and classical music made through the Staffpad platform. I hope you find it interesting.


----------



## DennyB

After watching the fireworks on the fourth, I tried my best (such as it is) to channel my inner John Williams. Diverged from JW, but as a piece it came out ok, I think.


----------



## rogercv

Hi! 
Have any of you tried/bought the Berlin Strings lately? I just bought it yesterday, and today I realised that staccati seem to be recorded at a very different volume level than the legato or detaché samples. They sound like an accent, in fact, due to this very noticeable difference. It is very annoying because this makes this library unusable, sadly. 
I've been searching about it and it seems that it happens (or happened) too with the oboe library from the Berlin series, but I have found no cases of this problem with the Strings.
Has any of you experienced this issue?
Thanks, people.


----------



## jadi

rogercv said:


> Hi!
> Have any of you tried/bought the Berlin Strings lately? I just bought it yesterday, and today I realised that staccati seem to be recorded at a very different volume level than the legato or detaché samples. They sound like an accent, in fact, due to this very noticeable difference. It is very annoying because this makes this library unusable, sadly.
> I've been searching about it and it seems that it happens (or happened) too with the oboe library from the Berlin series, but I have found no cases of this problem with the Strings.
> Has any of you experienced this issue?
> Thanks, people.


I have the same. The problem is different for different levels of dynamic. I’ve adressed several issues to StaffPad and I suggest you do too. So someday this will be fixed. It‘s verry disturbing indeed


----------



## rogercv

jadi said:


> I have the same. The problem is different for different levels of dynamic. I’ve adressed several issues to StaffPad and I suggest you do too. So someday this will be fixed. It‘s verry disturbing indeed


I did send a message both to StaffPad and Orchestral Tools. What did they tell you about the problem?


----------



## Jett Hitt

I am sorry to say that this is an ongoing problem with StaffPad and articulations, and it just never seems to get fixed. In many of the libraries, staccato is obnoxious. I don't know why they won't fix it, but this has been a problem since I started using it 2.5 years ago.


----------



## rogercv

Jett Hitt said:


> I am sorry to say that this is an ongoing problem with StaffPad and articulations, and it just never seems to get fixed. In many of the libraries, staccato is obnoxious. I don't know why they won't fix it, but this has been a problem since I started using it 2.5 years ago.


It seems ridiculous that such an important and obvious problem is not fixed, doesn’t it? How can anybody expect to work properly with this anomaly?


----------



## dcoscina

Berlin series used to be more even. Since the major update last year, it appears that they haven’t updated the third party libraries accordingly.


----------



## Jett Hitt

rogercv said:


> It seems ridiculous that such an important and obvious problem is not fixed, doesn’t it? How can anybody expect to work properly with this anomaly?


I wish I had a good answer for this, but I don't. There are mindboggling problems that just never get addressed. The problem with StaffPad seems to be that its algorithm is a big compromise to accommodate a host of libraries. When a problem in one library is addressed, a problem in another is created. The only solution that I have found is to switch between libraries when needed.


----------



## rogercv

I honestly was expecting that this library worked better and that the amount of articulations was wider. No actual bartók pizz or glissando either. I guess it is just another toy. A very expensive one, though.


----------



## rsg22

rogercv said:


> I honestly was expecting that this library worked better and that the amount of articulations was wider. No actual bartók pizz or glissando either. I guess it is just another toy. A very expensive one, though.


The Spitfire Chamber Strings library for Staffpad has many more articulations, but it's obviously a chamber-sized string section with a different sound.


----------



## dcoscina

rogercv said:


> I honestly was expecting that this library worked better and that the amount of articulations was wider. No actual bartók pizz or glissando either. I guess it is just another toy. A very expensive one, though.


Bartok pizz only works on the built in string library that comes with StaffPad. That's what I got from David William Hearn when the last update dropped and had the snap pizz offering. It fails to trigger samples in CineStrings, Berlin Strings, nor Spitfire Symphonic or Chamber strings. :(


----------



## rsg22

dcoscina said:


> Bartok pizz only works on the built in string library that comes with StaffPad. That's what I got from David William Hearn when the last update dropped and had the snap pizz offering. It fails to trigger samples in CineStrings, Berlin Strings, nor Spitfire Symphonic or Chamber strings. :(


Bartok pizz works for me on ScS by using x note heads, not sure about other methods of triggering it


----------



## rogercv

rsg22 said:


> Bartok pizz works for me on ScS by using x note heads, not sure about other methods of triggering it


Using both x-notehead and pizz articulation, it productes a stronger pizz. But it is by no means a Bartok pizz.


----------



## rsg22

rogercv said:


> Using both x-notehead and pizz articulation, it productes a stronger pizz. But it is by no means a Bartok pizz.


Using the ScS library, I get a totally different pizz sound when using pizz vs
x note heads - the latter sure sounds like bartok pizz to me. I'll post an example from my iPad later.


----------



## Jett Hitt

There are limitations of Berlin Strings in StaffPad, but for basic lyrical writing, I can’t make any of my many string libraries in my DAW sound better—and that includes Berlin Strings both Sine and Kontakt versions.


----------



## rogercv

Jett Hitt said:


> There are limitations of Berlin Strings in StaffPad, but for basic lyrical writing, I can’t make any of my many string libraries in my DAW sound better—and that includes Berlin Strings both Sine and Kontakt versions.


After further testing, the problem does not happen all the time. It is mainly noticeable when the staccato is the last note of a slur, which is a very usual combination of articulations indeed. Besides this, the quality of the lyrical phrasing is very good, I agree. I prefer the Kontakt version because of the blurred fast legato and the variety of articulations. It is another price, though


----------



## Jett Hitt

rogercv said:


> After further testing, the problem does not happen all the time. It is mainly noticeable when the staccato is the last note of a slur, which is a very usual combination of articulations indeed. Besides this, the quality of the lyrical phrasing is very good, I agree. I prefer the Kontakt version because of the blurred fast legato and the variety of articulations. It is another price, though


I never use slurs with strings in StaffPad. I can’t tell that it has any positive effect. Since legato is the main articulation, adding a slur seems redundant.


----------



## rsg22

rsg22 said:


> Using the ScS library, I get a totally different pizz sound when using pizz vs
> x note heads - the latter sure sounds like bartok pizz to me. I'll post an example from my iPad later.




@dcoscina @rogercv


----------



## rogercv

rsg22 said:


> @dcoscina @rogercv



Yes! This is it. Thanks for the example. I’ll be heading for this library in the next sale


----------



## Montisquirrel

rogercv said:


> Yes! This is it. Thanks for the example. I’ll be heading for this library in the next sale


Isn't there a sale right now in this very moment?


----------



## rogercv

Montisquirrel said:


> Isn't there a sale right now in this very moment?


That’s why I bought the Berlin strings…


----------



## ansthenia

How is the balance currently between the Berlin series for StaffPad? I heard it was pretty much perfect when the expansion first released, as part of the huge 2020 update, but later updates actually made it worse and created more playback issues. I read things like Violas being way too quiet, some percussion being inaudible below mf, staccato being way too loud compared to sustain at the same dynamic etc...

Do these issues still persist? I was extremely interested in buying an iPad pro just for StaffPad to be able to get a very high quality playback while avoid fiddling around in a DAW. But if I'm just going to be fiddling around just as much sorting out inconsistencies with the StaffPad playback I don't see the point.


----------



## Jett Hitt

ansthenia said:


> How is the balance currently between the Berlin series for StaffPad? I heard it was pretty much perfect when the expansion first released, as part of the huge 2020 update, but later updates actually made it worse and created more playback issues. I read things like Violas being way too quiet, some percussion being inaudible below mf, staccato being way too loud compared to sustain at the same dynamic etc...
> 
> Do these issues still persist? I was extremely interested in buying an iPad pro just for StaffPad to be able to get a very high quality playback while avoid fiddling around in a DAW. But if I'm just going to be fiddling around just as much sorting out inconsistencies with the StaffPad playback I don't see the point.


These are all issues still, and they can very easily be worked around. StaffPad will do exactly what you want if you give it a chance. I use it almost every day.


----------



## ansthenia

Jett Hitt said:


> These are all issues still, and they can very easily be worked around. StaffPad will do exactly what you want if you give it a chance. I use it almost every day.


Ok thanks, I won't dismiss it if the workarounds are simple and quick.

I just have one last question. It would be possible to buy a cheap iPad with low specs, and still be able to load up Staffpad + Berlin expansions and export the stems no problem, is this correct? It wouldn't be able to handle smooth playback at all, but just to immediately export without bothering to play it back in Staffpad this wouldn't matter would it?

Would just be a nice way for me to demo the results before spending loads of money on a recent iPad pro.


----------



## waterman121

ansthenia said:


> I just have one last question. It would be possible to buy a cheap iPad with low specs, and still be able to load up Staffpad + Berlin expansions and export the stems no problem, is this correct? It wouldn't be able to handle smooth playback at all, but just to immediately export without bothering to play it back in Staffpad this wouldn't matter would it?
> 
> Would just be a nice way for me to demo the results before spending loads of money on a recent iPad pro.


Technically, that is possible.

However to me, this sounds like it might create more problems than it solves. Once you export the stems, (I'm guessing in WAV files, since you want the Berlin sounds) the pitches, expression, and articulations are all baked in. If there are any mistakes or any sounds that don't seem right, you'd have to go back into Staffpad, edit, and re-export. Being able to smoothly play back inside Staffpad might allow you to better check that what you're exporting is exactly what you want, IMHO.


----------



## Jett Hitt

ansthenia said:


> Ok thanks, I won't dismiss it it the workarounds are simple and quick.
> 
> I just have one last question. It would be possible to buy a cheap iPad with low specs, and still be able to load up Staffpad + Berlin expansions and export the stems no problem, is this correct? It wouldn't be able to handle smooth playback at all, but just to immediately export without bothering to play it back in Staffpad this wouldn't matter would it?
> 
> Would just be a nice way for me to demo the results before spending loads of money on a recent iPad pro.


I don't really know the answer to this. RAM is obviously a limitation for loading instruments, but I do not know if that is the only limitation. I have a 2020 iPad Pro, and once a work gets to be over 10 minutes, playback begins to falter and iPad response gets jittery. This might be exacerbated with a lesser machine. I think that I would be shooting for at least the new iPad Air.


----------



## waterman121

Here's something quick I worked on using Berlin Strings, CinePerc, Solo CineStrings Violin, and VOXOS. The track I started with was 2 bars of a piano melody and I scored the rest around that. The goal was to start small and see how big I could get it in under a minute.


----------



## brandowalk

StaffPad is a fantastic tool for trying different orchestration approaches. Lately, I’ve been working to make compositions sound larger, even when using a smaller ensemble. 

“Third Act” example here has instrumentation of 1111.1110.tmp+1.pno.hrp.strings. The biggest challenge I found was utilizing and balancing just the three brass players. I like the smaller wind section as I never know what to do with oboe 2! 

How has Staffpad influenced or developed your writing?


----------



## mopsiflopsi

brandowalk said:


> I never know what to do with oboe 2!


Double the honk?

Seriously though, this is an amazing piece. Just when I think I might be getting somewhere with my abilities, I hear something like this to remind me I have a long way to go.


----------



## mopsiflopsi

Posted this in the general members' compositions thread but thought I might plunk it here too for some feedback. 



Tried to go for a space opera kind of feel. There are parts I'm not happy with (screwed up the build up in some places, some instruments seem to have a delay, etc), but I'd be happy to hear any feedback.


----------



## brandowalk

Awesome track. Some brilliant colors, major/minor polychordal things going on, and soaring melodies. It is enjoyable to listen to. 

My only feedback to add another dimension would be to look at adding movement of inner lines. This might be voice leading within a section. Or it could be added subtle textures while things are humming along with your established melodies or during more sustained parts. And of course more oboe 2 honk!


----------



## mopsiflopsi

brandowalk said:


> Awesome track. Some brilliant colors, major/minor polychordal things going on, and soaring melodies. It is enjoyable to listen to.
> 
> My only feedback to add another dimension would be to look at adding movement of inner lines. This might be voice leading within a section. Or it could be added subtle textures while things are humming along with your established melodies or during more sustained parts. And of course more oboe 2 honk!


Thank you so much. You're right, it could use more movement in places. To be honest I came very close to not finishing this piece as it took me a very long time and by the end of it I was just dying to be done with it. I don't have the stamina yet to perfect every little detail with such dense orchestration, but hopefully it'll get easier over time.


----------



## Juan Ramos

I've taken advantage of the staffpad "scroll" again to decorate it with background images (inspired this time by Toulouse Lautrec's posters). The composition is a short three-part counterpoint in which I have used the Berlin First Chairs library from Orchestral Tools.
I hope you find it interesting.


----------



## nibor

brandowalk said:


> StaffPad is a fantastic tool for trying different orchestration approaches. Lately, I’ve been working to make compositions sound larger, even when using a smaller ensemble.
> 
> “Third Act” example here has instrumentation of 1111.1110.tmp+1.pno.hrp.strings. The biggest challenge I found was utilizing and balancing just the three brass players. I like the smaller wind section as I never know what to do with oboe 2!
> 
> How has Staffpad influenced or developed your writing?



Incredible! The composer and StaffPad!


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## nibor

mopsiflopsi said:


> Posted this in the general members' compositions thread but thought I might plunk it here too for some feedback.
> 
> 
> 
> Tried to go for a space opera kind of feel. There are parts I'm not happy with (screwed up the build up in some places, some instruments seem to have a delay, etc), but I'd be happy to hear any feedback.



At this point of my development all I can say is... yowsa!


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## bdr

what are peoples methods of sketching? I'd love 2 staves each of WW/Brs/Stg ensembles. I don't love just having piano stances to sketch with. Maybe I should rewatch DWH's video. I really have not seen any others that show making a sketch/short score in StaffPad then expanding it.


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## mopsiflopsi

bdr said:


> what are peoples methods of sketching? I'd love 2 staves each of WW/Brs/Stg ensembles. I don't love just having piano stances to sketch with. Maybe I should rewatch DWH's video. I really have not seen any others that show making a sketch/short score in StaffPad then expanding it.


I usually nail down the melody and harmony on piano staves, but it’s all block chords at that stage. I might take some notes about what kind of sound or feel I want for a section but after that I go one section at a time deciding on the main sound, accompaniment patterns, doublings, etc. I leave percussion and decorative elements for the last.


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## weeeeve

So I posted this in the competitions forum, but I figured some might be curious about the tools used, so...
This is a composition I wrote for the Ryan Leach October 2022 competition. It was done on my standard iPad (5th generation) (2 gig RAM, 32 gig HD), iPad pencil 1, using the default staffpad sounds. It's my first time using staffpad. Definitely a learning curve, but I'm getting the hang of it. Just using the default sounds, the app feels snappy, with no hesitations or stuttering. I'm still trying to decide if I should upgrade any of the sounds (the Berlin Brass is tempting). I think for now, at my rookie orchestrating level, I will hold off. 



Thanks for listening!
Steven


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## brandowalk

Happy Halloween! I just finished this 2022 arrangement of a 1991 composition. StaffPad is so cool that there are no limits to instruments for orchestrating. I probably overdid it here, but I was having fun.

I added two libraries for this one: Antique Keys (for harpsichord) and the Union Chapel Organ. I'm pretty pleased with both so far. Antique Keys is the largest sized library of the bunch I was surprised. The organ gives many colors to add to the orchestra.

I hope you enjoy listening. Please forgive the antiquated animations from 1994 🤪


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## Vebjörn

Meanwhile, I can't even get Staffpad to recognize a quarter note rest.


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## wcreed51

Vebjörn said:


> Meanwhile, I can't even get Staffpad to recognize a quarter note rest.


Make it like a Z


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## Gingerbread

Vebjörn said:


> Meanwhile, I can't even get Staffpad to recognize a quarter note rest.


Draw a capital 'S'. That works consistently.


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## jonnybutter

Is it just me or has Staffpad hand recognition gotten noticeably better? I booted it last night for the first time in a long one and starting writing music, and had a better time than before. Hmmmm.


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## Jacob Moss

brandowalk said:


> Happy Halloween! I just finished this 2022 arrangement of a 1991 composition. StaffPad is so cool that there are no limits to instruments for orchestrating. I probably overdid it here, but I was having fun.
> 
> I added two libraries for this one: Antique Keys (for harpsichord) and the Union Chapel Organ. I'm pretty pleased with both so far. Antique Keys is the largest sized library of the bunch I was surprised. The organ gives many colors to add to the orchestra.
> 
> I hope you enjoy listening. Please forgive the antiquated animations from 1994 🤪



Would love to see a video playback of the score!


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## Gingerbread

brandowalk said:


> Happy Halloween!  I just finished this 2022 arrangement of a 1991 composition. StaffPad is so cool that there are no limits to instruments for orchestrating. I probably overdid it here, but I was having fun.
> 
> I added two libraries for this one: Antique Keys (for harpsichord) and the Union Chapel Organ. I'm pretty pleased with both so far. Antique Keys is the largest sized library of the bunch I was surprised. The organ gives many colors to add to the orchestra.
> 
> I hope you enjoy listening. Please forgive the antiquated animations from 1994 🤪



Oh my gosh this is so fantastic! Really shows how wonderful Staffpad is, especially in the hands of someone who understands good composition and orchestration. I love it, you really captured the fun quirky side of Halloween.

Can I ask what were the main libraries you used?

(And I second the request for a score playback video, if possible!)


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## brandowalk

Gingerbread said:


> Oh my gosh this is so fantastic! Really shows how wonderful Staffpad is, especially in the hands of someone who understands good composition and orchestration. I love it, you really captured the fun quirky side of Halloween.
> 
> Can I ask what were the main libraries you used?
> 
> (And I second the request for a score playback video, if possible!)





Jacob Moss said:


> Would love to see a video playback of the score!


@Jacob Moss - The score is so tall it wouldn't show easily in a video. I didn't hold back on this one, especially with the percussion & effects. I might one day do a video in a few passes, one for each orchestra section. That said, I'm heavy in the middle of Finale score/parts from a StaffPad piece I did this summer. Finale parts take me forever as they have to be perfect for real musicians. 

@Gingerbread - I appreciate the kind words.

Libraries:
Woodwinds - Spitfire
Brass - Horns and Trumpets, mostly Berlin. Low brass, mostly Spitfire. I got to use the Contrabass tuba for the first time! The Cinebrass 12-horn patch was helpful for big melodic stuff.
Timpani - Spitfire
Percussion - Cineperc (sound effects & perc) & Spitfire (snare, marimba, tubular bells, celesta)
Choir - Voxos
Elec Gtr - stock (I think)
Piano - Berlin
Harpsichord - Antique Keys
Organ - Union Chapel
Strings - I orchestrated using Spitfire Chamber Strings. But for mixing in ProTools, I layered with Cinestrings and Spitfire Symphonic Strings. I think in the mix I favored Cine for its cinematic sound and used the other two to give more depth/size.


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## OleJoergensen




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## SoundsOfIvey

I really love the string voicing in this piece. What a pleasant listen, thanks for posting Ole!


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## OleJoergensen

SoundsOfIvey said:


> I really love the string voicing in this piece. What a pleasant listen, thanks for posting Ole!


Thank you, Im happy to hear


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## DennyB

A couple of pieces I finally put up on sound cloud. One was from last Fourth of July when I was trying to get my John Williams on, and the other was when I was studying the legends of the fall score and tried to channel my inner James Horner. But I tripped over my inner John Barry. 

Merry Christmas!









Pathos Americana


Listen to Pathos Americana by Denny Bromley #np on #SoundCloud




on.soundcloud.com













Fourth of July 2022


Listen to Fourth of July 2022 by Denny Bromley #np on #SoundCloud




on.soundcloud.com


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## skt

We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Arranged(Only Staffpad) and played Irish flute.(Doug Tipple Flute)

Staffpad
Cine WoodWind
Cine Strings
Cine Brass
Cine Percussion
Berlin Percussion
Amb. One


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