# Remembering the Northern Sounds forum



## kitekrazy (May 18, 2019)

I went back there to see what's happening, Only the Garritan forum is really active.

Two things stood out from that forum I remember.

The first one was the large thread over people dropping Waves over their old WUP. I think that hurt them and brought some change.

The other one was in those exhausting threads over piracy and Eric Pershing with his anti dongle policy. I copied his quotes and paste them when necessary.


----------



## wst3 (May 18, 2019)

Wow - had no idea they still existed. I received Chuck Israel's book for Christmas, I have to go back and revisit the on-line version now. And the online version of Principles of Orchestration too.


----------



## AllanH (May 18, 2019)

I haven't been there in years. I remember attempting to make sense of the Principles of Orchestration thread and comments.


----------



## erica-grace (May 18, 2019)

Before my time, but I seem to recall someone saying something about back in 2002, VSL announced that they were doing a new sample library (it was to be their first, I think), and it was to have, like, 19 billion samples (not exactly, but some number people were not prepared for), and some people on that forum were just crying bullshit. Or something to that effect?


----------



## Dietz (May 18, 2019)

It was pretty much like that, yes.  The announcement of a library aiming for a measly million of samples was already enough for many to shout "bullshit", though.


----------



## AllanH (May 18, 2019)

I vaguely recall VI-C being formed as a sort of refuge from some of the strife a NS.

There's little bit of history here: https://vi-control.net/portal/


----------



## Robo Rivard (May 18, 2019)

Haha, the good old days, when the world was free. No Snowflakes and Social Justice Warriors back then.


----------



## ProfoundSilence (May 18, 2019)

those who forget history are doomed to repeat it


----------



## chimuelo (May 18, 2019)

Gigastudio thread was cool for a while but Larry Seyer opened up a forum and no mas NS for me.
Every thread had somebody whining about something and I didn’t like that crap.
But now days I won’t participate unless there’s name calling and insulting going on.

Great therapy. Keeps me from going off on people at the grocery store.


----------



## NYC Composer (May 19, 2019)

ProfoundSilence said:


> those who forget history are doomed to repeat it


They already have.


----------



## WaveRider (May 19, 2019)

Robo Rivard said:


> Haha, the good old days, when the world was free. No Snowflakes and Social Justice Warriors back then.



But wasn't the NS forum a terrible place run by a tyrant? Some may argue the ultimate snowflake? It was before my time so I'm only going off what I heard.


----------



## wst3 (May 19, 2019)

Like a lot of on-line ventures, NS started out strong. I no longer remember the details, but at one point the original owner wanted to bail, Gary Garritan bought it. It became his luttle universe -- which is fair.

I like Gary, I've met him at several trade shows, and corresponded with him often. I have no complaints about him choosing to make it his football - her certainly gave back more than he likely received. The Principles of Orchestration and Jazz Arranging courses alone made the place great.

While I acknowledge that it was his football, I found some of his acolytes to be rather boorish, at best. I made a suggestion for one of the competitions and was soundly and roundly piled on both publicly and privately. I was not amused.

Then (and I might have the order backwards) I posted in a thread about the ridiculous delays in delivering libraries. I was polite, but pointed out that the absence of any news was a poor business choice - in my opinion.

I was once again pounced on. That's when I left.

In his defense = I ran into Gary and company at yet another trade show, Gary mentioned that I had not been around much. I told him why, politely of course. He thought it was sad that I'd leave over that.

Oh well.

I would not wish to own/run an online forum, not even for musicians!


----------



## rgames (May 19, 2019)

NS was an online version of North Korea.


----------



## germancomponist (Jan 29, 2020)

I know Gary "only" as a good friend. He always endeavored to offer the composers a good midi orchestra. What is he doing now?


----------



## wst3 (Jan 29, 2020)

Gary is a good guy, no question. And his adventures in the world of sample libraries are storied, to say the least.

Last I heard he is still running library development for MakeMusic. I do hope he is doing well.

And I wonder if he still wears those hats<G>!


----------



## jonathanparham (Jan 30, 2020)

I remember getting a lot of RTFM comments when I asked questions. I was trying to get my PC giga studio to light pipe over to Logic on a Mac. BUT all in all I did learn a lot. Just kept my head low and communicated privately when needed. Gary did run a fundraiser for me after Katrina and folks pitched in for a new laptop. I used that machine for several years for basic PT Playback in my professional work until I got new gear. Still have it, won't throw it out, because it's a reminder of artists helping artists.


----------



## Joulupukki (Jul 21, 2021)

rgames said:


> NS was an online version of North Korea.


I never had a problem with the NS Garritan community and I always found the help from Tom Hopkins very pleasant. What I had always found very annoying were EW Nick Phoenix and Doug Rogers appearances on various forums. I remembered both as very uncomfortable. But as always a question of taste.


----------



## Gerbil (Jul 21, 2021)

Whatever happened to Bruce? I can't remember his surname but I do recall he was from Dallas and was a very vocal member of NS. 

I actually thought about him a while back when I realised how much more I'd like BBCSO Pro - and I do like it - if I could edit the samples myself in Kontakt. He used to go on about the dangers of locking libraries up a lot.


----------



## SergeD (Jul 21, 2021)

Gerbil said:


> Whatever happened to Bruce? I can't remember his surname but I do recall he was from Dallas and was a very vocal member of NS.


Bruce Richardson maybe, very appreciated on that forum


----------



## jeffn1 (Oct 18, 2022)

Old thread, but I remember Northern Sounds. I used to do a fair bit of midi composing. Then I stopped (finished my CD) and got into performing live. So fo 10 years I was out of the VST world. Last year I started using Gig Performer (for live performance) and returned to VSTs and forums to get information. I found VI forum (and went back to k-v-r). Today it came to mind that VI-Control reminded me a bit of Northern Sounds, so I googled it at learned about the relationship. Sorry for the long-winded post, but.....


----------



## jonathanparham (Oct 18, 2022)

Gerbil said:


> Whatever happened to Bruce? I can't remember his surname but I do recall he was from Dallas and was a very vocal member of NS.
> 
> I actually thought about him a while back when I realised how much more I'd like BBCSO Pro - and I do like it - if I could edit the samples myself in Kontakt. He used to go on about the dangers of locking libraries up a lot.


Since we're resurrecting. . . Bruce is active on FB


----------



## RogiervG (Oct 18, 2022)

I remember there was also an older man, that posted almost daily his self made music (using mostly garritan libraries)


----------



## jeffn1 (Oct 18, 2022)

I seem to recall Bella D Media was very active there.


----------



## Niah2 (Oct 18, 2022)

I remember people getting banned left and right and coming to this forum for refuge :D


----------



## Jaap (Oct 18, 2022)

Niah2 said:


> I remember people getting banned left and right and coming to this forum for refuge :D


I have a very very vague memory of that as well 😁


----------



## Jish (Oct 18, 2022)

RogiervG said:


> I remember there was also an older man, that posted almost daily his self made music (using mostly garritan libraries)


'Larry Alexander' comes to mind with this. 

There were some great threads/info on there and like others have said Bruce Richardson was very, very active. Shortly after purchasing GPO 2 and looking for help on better utilizing it with Sonar is how I found the place. Still miss it on occasion, but also recall well enough the lowpoints as well.


----------



## RogiervG (Oct 19, 2022)

Jish said:


> 'Larry Alexander' comes to mind with this.
> 
> There were some great threads/info on there and like others have said Bruce Richardson was very, very active. Shortly after purchasing GPO 2 and looking for help on better utilizing it with Sonar is how I found the place. Still miss it on occasion, but also recall well enough the lowpoints as well.


That's him! i think.. i think that man i am talking about was back then in his 60's or even 70's.
(he said he was a senior age in one of his posts, i remember)


----------

