# I Need composers to help me with my thesis !



## ZosterX (May 8, 2020)

Hi all !

I'll present myself quickly, my name is Alexis, 24o, composer for short films, films, video games ads..

I have a thesis to write for my graduation with the theme of orchestral instruments in DAW: what possibilities does the DAW tool offer in orchestra?

I would make comparisons with the acoustic orchestra then, but the goal is to really show that the DAW tool, especially in orchestra, can bring huge possibilities of creations and thus offers lots of openings to new instrument textures.

Also, I therefore address to the professional composers, I would have a few questions to ask you, and I will be very grateful if you could have the time to answer it ! 

*1 / What does the DAW tool provide you in comparison of recording an orchestral instrument directly in the studio?*

_*2 / From a more creative point of view, what does the DAW tool brings you in terms of composition? Do you only use samples to traditionally mix or are you trying to create new textures and thus get your own sound banks? 

3 / How do you work in front of a new composition on your computer? How will you proceed to simulate the orchestral instruments (their playing, expression, etc.)*_

*4 / In short, can you bring me your opinion concerning the possibilities offered by the DAW tool in orchestra and tell me the differences you would have with an acoustic instrument ?*



Thank you in advance for the attention you can give me for my subject, it would help me a lot!


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## Mike Greene (May 8, 2020)

ZosterX originally wrote "MAO" instead of DAW, which led to natural questions which were totally fine (and some were pretty funny), but for the OP's benefit, since he's trying to do some research here, I'm deleting them since they derail his thread, which may make it harder for him to get responses to his questions. I hope people won't take the deletions personally.


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## Brasart (May 8, 2020)

Are you french Alexis? "MAO" means "Musique Assistée par Ordinateur", it's not universally used.

If so, for other posters, "MAO" means literally "music made with a computer", so you can pretty much replace "MAO" by "DAW"

EDIT: Ah, you beat me to it Mike!


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## ZosterX (May 8, 2020)

Yeah sorry for that mistake ! I hope it's clear now !


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## ZosterX (May 14, 2020)

So anyone ?


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## ZosterX (May 14, 2020)

Stephen Limbaugh said:


> Happy to reply in detail to this inquiry. Though, it is almost 3:00AM here. Will reply in detail tomorrow.



Thanks a lot buddy !


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## ZosterX (May 27, 2020)

Stephen Limbaugh said:


> ZosterX,
> 
> The first step is to familiarize yourself with a DAW. A "DAW," for our purposes here, is either Logic X or Cubase. You will need to buy one of these programs, download it, and install it on your computer.
> 
> ...




Hi and thanks a lot for your kind respond! I really appreciate that you took time to answer me.

However, this is not what I was asking for. I already know hows DAW works with the orchestra banks. I first really wanted some opinions of pro composers on how they personally proceed to create their own sound, the way of their work etc. We all have differents ways of working and I wanted to know what kind of stuff would you do to, for example, create your own sound of violon (what tool of mixing etc) ? And of course some other similar stuff, I don't know if i'm quite clear ?

Thanks a lot anyway


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## ZosterX (May 27, 2020)

Maybe If I ask it like this : What does DAW can provides you in terms of sound creation (in orchestra) and how will you do it ? 

If you use always the same bank for example Spitfire/EastWest, you will always have the same type of sound, do you see what I mean ? How can you make your sound more unique ? This is where my thesis will go


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## ZosterX (May 29, 2020)

So anyone ?


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## ZosterX (Jun 28, 2020)

I'll come back here to get some opinions, I would love to hear you how you work with your DAW when it comes to create some orchestra pieces


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## Nekrokefali (Jul 7, 2020)

The DAW has the advantage of experimentation and creation of a decent score/composition in your bedroom with a laptop, where the real orchestra costs a lot of money, and you can't experiment in the studio.
With an average cost of $100 K per day for a full orchestra session, with only 5 minutes of usable music per day on the average film project, what you wrote is what you get, providing that the orchestra conductor gets it, otherwise you get a resemblance of your score but with a completely different feel. 
Now as far as creativity goes, the DAW will also inspire you, because you have the opportunity to play around with different sounds, and often at least in my compositions, the sounds are the driving force.
Layering sounds gives you the orchestral weight instantly. Also most virtual instruments can play beyond the range of the actual instrument.
Basically you're only limited by your imagination, and of course libraries, which cost a lot, but with a comparison of a real orchestra, they're cheap.


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## starpainter (Jul 7, 2020)

Well, 2 different things really, in my view.

A DAW is a tool. It is something that enables you to record, play, edit, delete, add fx, balance the sound.
A DAW can be a composer tool, if you use it to write music, digitally.
A library has sounds already recorded in a specific room, studio, with specific mics and there will always be postproduction on those sounds as well. EW for instance, has a lot of panning going on in their samples.

Now, if you want to change that sound, most high end libraries will offer the use of different mics, mic positions, ... which you then can alter to your personal likings. But, you are limited, out of the box, with the basics that you get from it. Changing your 'sound' usually means, get a different library (if you are not in the position to record real orchestras).

Actually, disregard the above, it really is like recording a guitar. You record, and you think, oh I can change that 'in the mix'. While you do have a huge lot that you can do 'in the mix', the basic sound needs to be good, the 'mix' isn't a miracle job. And that is what a DAW really is, the tool to record your basics. But, when you record that guitar live, you yourself have a huge influence on how the sound will be that gets recorded. You yourself can tell the player to adjust his playing style, instrument used, amp used, you can adjust the mics, the room, the eq, ... before hammering it down in stone. And that will be a huge influence on your 'sound' afterwards. A DAW can't do that for you really.

just my 2 cents


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## Montisquirrel (Jul 7, 2020)

Maybe you should change the thread Titel to something else. Maybe "Need composers to help me with my thesis" or something similar. I guess many are willing to help but don't even look inside this thread because of the title.


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## ZosterX (Jul 16, 2020)

Thanks you for your kind response, I'll really appreciate ! I'll let you know if I have other questions to ask


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