# Hi from Helsinki



## TeroV (Jan 13, 2012)

Hi all,

I just googled today for a virtual instruments forum and found this, and I'm happy I did! Just by looking at the various answers at beginners' posts I have already found some answers to the questions that have boggled my mind recently.

A bit about my background: My name is Tero, I am first and foremost, more or less, a composer with a classical background (I play the piano, have sung in some very good amateur choirs). In the 90's, when I was 15-19 years old, I made my own music using the Cakewalk sequencer and MIDI sound modules and then gradually started to make more and more 'concert music' for classical performers. After college I was admitted to a music academy to study composition (contemporary classical), however I quit that after three years as it did not feel I would like to be a professional and the studies did not provide much inspiration either (too rigid and too avantgarde perhaps for my taste).

Now after seven years of getting another degree, starting to work (IT business, nothing to do with music) and hardly composing anything, I am again looking forward to composing again, this time mainly doing computer music I once abandoned and perhaps trying to get my music into some visual media over time once I've learned the ropes of virtual instruments and sound technology.

Reading the forums, I have tried to figure out what a good starting package might be. I am very much interested in doing some orchestral stuff, possibly in the lines of the music found in popular computer RPG games, being aware that reaching that level does take time since I am a total beginner with sampled virtual instruments. The VSL orchestral libraries look intriguing, and it is not a far-fetched idea to spend some extra bucks for those, but perhaps it would be wise to go with EastWest QLSO Platinum for starters, and use it to introduce myself to this concept? And when I do need VSL, I'd have some money spared and could get exactly the VSL libraries I need.

Beside an orchestral library, based on what I've read, I've thought about starting with Komplete 8 and Stormdrum 2 to complement orchestra with other instruments. I'd love to have a good choir library, perhaps the Requiem & Liberis bundle, but could come back to that later. As for DAW, Cubase 6 would probably be a safe choice. DAW is probably something you don't want to be changing too often with regard to getting a routine.

As for hardware, I currently have Yamaha Clavinova, Windows XP 32-bit, Intel Q6600 Quad, 3,25 GB RAM, M-Audio Audiophile external sound card. It seems I have to replace all of them. The Clavinova is nice but I probably also need a smaller and slimmer keyboard to put on the desk so that I can use it ergonomically with mouse and computer keyboard. As for the computer and the sound card, I have not figured out yet this part but I welcome any suggestions. I'd prefer Windows, and if possible, not M-Audio since I am very disappointed at the usability of their Audiophile soundcard on my Windows XP (sound disappears continuously, the last driver made things even worse). I guess the new computer will need a lot of RAM and most probably an i7 since it has to be able to handle quite a lot of latency since an orchestral texture has many layers simultaneously.

A long rant, but... very happy to be here and looking forward to hearing from you, any help is very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tero


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## Resoded (Jan 13, 2012)

Welcome!

Yeah Komplete 8 or VSL Special Edition are good choices. You can also check out Spitfire Albion, project sam orchestral essentials and east west symphonic orchestra gold/platinum.

Komplete is great though since it gives you Kontakt 5. That'll come in handy when you want to buy new libraries. And I think Komplete gives a wider range of instruments than the other I mentioned.


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