# Track per instrument vs articulation



## dan1 (Apr 10, 2016)

How is your templight set up? One track for each instrument (with keyswitches) or one track for each articulation?
Also do you use divisi with strings?


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## Maestro1972 (Apr 10, 2016)

Both. I have the woodwinds one track for each instrument and use Expression Maps to alternate between articulations. However, I have my strings set up one track for each articulation which I must admit makes the track count more than I like but I find it easier to compose with. 









Notice at the bottom of my articulations I have "1st Vln Div A" track. That track has an expression map with all the previously listed articulations in it. This track seldom gets used unless I am writing something where divisi is legato or if I am layering different articulations. Again, I seldom use it and I will probably be removing it soon.

The reason I prefer the individual tracks is because with Hollywood Strings the CC controllers differ from one articulation to the other.


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## cadenzajon (Apr 10, 2016)

Thanks for sharing, @Maestro1972. Really helpful details! Do you use CC7 to set the overall max levels for each instrument, or the faders in Cubase mixing or those in the PLAY mixer? When I've used combination tracks (like your Div A) I've not found a convenient way to initialize CC levels across all the tracks it represents.


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## Jacob Cadmus (Apr 10, 2016)

I used to do keyswitches, but I personally find it easier to simply switch tracks and even experiment with layering. It may not look as clean, but it helps me work faster.

On the other hand, I never had the pleasure to work with live orchestra, so chances are that I might change my perspective on keyswitching if I ever get the opportunity.


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## Maestro1972 (Apr 10, 2016)

cadenzajon said:


> Do you use CC7 to set the overall max levels for each instrument, or the faders in Cubase mixing or those in the PLAY mixer? When I've used combination tracks (like your Div A) I've not found a convenient way to initialize CC levels across all the tracks it represents.



I balance my articulations within Play mixer. I then do a "Save as" in case I ever need to create a new template my articulations are already balanced for each instrument. I then balance my individual instruments within each section using faders. I know the general consensus is to use CC7 but I could never get it to work for me. Such a pain to go in and edit if it ever needed tweaking. Faders work best FOR ME. I then route everything to section tracks and balance the orchestra.


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## trumpoz (Apr 10, 2016)

I go with one track per articulation. I find it easier to program strings in particular that way as it helps with layering and stacking articulations. It also works well with HS as maestro mentioned as CC#s can differ between patches.


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## Saxer (Apr 11, 2016)

One track per instrument exept strings: for each string section there's a 'long' and a 'one shot' track. I try to avoid key switches but a few are still there: Longs have legato/trem and shorts have arco/pizz. Other articulations are selected by CC, velocity or playing speed (i.e. spicc/stacc/detache short/detache long by modwheel). If I need specials like flautando etc I just open a new additional track.
For brass and woodwinds I mostly use Samplemodeling which just don't need keyswitches. I'd love to have string sections that were playable like that!


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Apr 11, 2016)

I prefer one track per instrument. I use Cubase expression maps, so keyswitches aren't needed. I definitely prefer this approach. Editing CC would be a tedious mess otherwise. It would also be distracting and unintuitive for me to constantly have to jump between a whole bunch of tracks even though I'm working on a constistent, continuous performance. Everything in one track also makes routing and mixing easier.


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## Lassi Tani (Apr 11, 2016)

I use mostly 1 track per instrument and Cubase expression maps, but for strings, 1 track for longs and 1 track for longs. With HS I have 1 track per articulation though, it was easier to get them working in Cubase. With HB I'm using keyswitches and legato tracks.


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## devonmyles (Apr 11, 2016)

One track per Instrument and Cubase expression maps. It keeps it nice and tidy in PRV and especially the staff view.


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## Maestro1972 (Apr 11, 2016)

Saxer said:


> I'd love to have string sections that were playable like that!


+1!


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## Ashermusic (Apr 11, 2016)

One track per instrument in Logic Pro with instruments in VE Pro, using the SkiSwitcher 2. I admire people whose brain can deal with 200 + tracks, but I cannot.


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## anp27 (Apr 27, 2016)

The A.G. Toolkit has solved all the issues I had with Logic not having Expression Maps like Cubase. I use a single track and it's wonderful.


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## wpc982 (Apr 27, 2016)

I use two tracks per instrument, allowing repetitive passages to be divided into two tracks. Held over from my gigastudio days, I far prefer patch changes to key switches, though that almost always requires modifying purchased libraries. For orchestral strings, my favorite set up is three libraries playing together. see screen shot for an excerpt, violin 1, violin2, and viola shown --at this point the third library is not used, so it's two libraries each.


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## Kejero (May 2, 2016)

Ashermusic said:


> One track per instrument in Logic Pro with instruments in VE Pro, using the SkiSwitcher 2. I admire people whose brain can deal with 200 + tracks, but I cannot.



My template is approaching 3000 tracks (one track per patch). But Cubase makes it VERY easy to deal with that.
- All tracks are disabled by default, so they don't take any cpu or ram when I don't use them.
- Everything is organized in a whole lot folders.
- It's very easy and quick to find an instrument with the search box.
- It's very easy to only show the instruments I'm using, so if I only use 10 instruments, it'll only show me 10 tracks.


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## novaburst (May 2, 2016)

One track per instrument, main reason for placing articulations in there own tracks is you will want to make the articulations lower or higher in volume, also you will want to combine articulations together with octaves, placing them in there own track allows you to do this independently with out disturbing the main instrument line, or pattern.

Yes more tracks to manage, but I think it is a matter of what ever it takes to get the sound you are after.


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## dan1 (May 2, 2016)

Kejero said:


> My template is approaching 3000 tracks (one track per patch). But Cubase makes it VERY easy to deal with that.
> - All tracks are disabled by default, so they don't take any cpu or ram when I don't use them.
> - Everything is organized in a whole lot folders.
> - It's very easy and quick to find an instrument with the search box.
> - It's very easy to only show the instruments I'm using, so if I only use 10 instruments, it'll only show me 10 tracks.


That is huge, few questions
1. would you mind sharing a few screenshots?
2. what is your system spec?
3. how do you handle panning/room simulation? did you place all 3000 instruments in vss/spat or you only place individual tracks each time you finish the writing?


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## Kejero (May 2, 2016)

What exactly are you looking for in screenshots? I'm not sure what to show you. It's a bunch of folder tracks: one for each orchestra section, and then one for pianos, one for synths, one for ethnic instruments, and a few more. Then a whole bunch of subfolders in each folder. And then simply one instrument track (not midi track) per patch. Each instrument usually goes to a group track where I apply (insert) fx and reverb sends.

My system specs: http://vi-control.net/community/threads/feedback-on-new-build.44292/#post-3858323 . I think some components ended up being different because they didn't have all of them in stock, but the specs should be pretty much the same.

I'm not too bothered with room simulation: I find it far more important to simply _get a clear mix that sounds good_. I don't care too much if something sounds "realistic". Most of my orchestral patches come recorded in the "right" position anyway, so I usually leave those where they are. All the rest is just basic panning. And I'll happily place an instrument "where it doesn't belong", if it improves the mix. I mean, "european orchestra seating" places second violins to the right, so "virtual orchestra seating" can do whatever the heck it wants as far as I'm concerned.
I'm happy enough with getting all instruments through one or more instances of QL Spaces to "place them in one room", mixing and matching all sorts of libraries, dry and wet. I have VSS but I've only played around with it for a bit and never liked the results. I keep the amount of Spaces instances to a minimum. Partly because I like to "Keep It Simple, Stupid". Also because it tends to crash a lot.

When it comes to panning, I only have my orchestral instruments pre-panned in my template. I usually have some EQ's and other fx on their group buses ready to go as well (but not necessarily active). Any other instruments, I will always pan and process during mixing.


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## Heinigoldstein (May 2, 2016)

I like to work in a sore, so I want as little tracks as possible. 
Two for strings (long/short), one for most of the rest. All switches in Logic are handled by SkiSwitcher, which makes it very easy. I use a lot of OT, so x-fading and doubling with Capsule is easy in one track. It would drive me crazy to handle all the CCs in 100 tracks. My old brain isn't capable for that.


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## Kejero (May 3, 2016)

Heinigoldstein said:


> It would drive me crazy to handle all the CCs in 100 tracks.


Ironically it drives me crazy dealing with cc's when they're on one track. If find that very often I can't just leave a cc at the same value when I keyswitch to another articulation. Very often that's just volume, but there are other situations. Take LASS for example, where cc111 controls the legato on/off for legato patches, but (for some reason) it controls velocity on short patches. Value 0 means legato is on, but it also means velocity 0 for short patches. So back when I used ARC, I constantly had to move cc111 up and down whenever I switched to another articulation. Now I can just set it once and never worry about it for the rest of the piece (unless of course I want to NOT use legato with my sus patches for a few bars, but then I'm using cc's the way they were intended).


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## CathodeRay (May 4, 2016)

I use key switches for Brass and winds, one track per articulations for strings. It is easier to work this way in my Daw, but there is extra work after exporting the tracks into Sibelius, where they must be coalesced into just five staves.


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