# How to get hans template?



## dan1

:(
i sat here 2 hours writing for hans accidently hit backspace its now gone..f**ing scheiß
whatever,
how can I contact hans to give me his template?
I recently concluded I cannot ever never ever learn the practices of organizing/mixing/reverbing/balancing of a template. even if you give me a blueprint video, my brain is incapable. I will not remember the technique and how to apply it. its why i dropped from school, I cannot learn in theory, only with experience and over time
that is to say, unless I get a completely balanced, ready to play template, with all tracks loaded, organized, routed, mixed, balanced, treated, tweaked, panned, all the right way, I won't even bother launching cubase any more.. because it is waste of time
I wana give life to my ideas from a creative point, with a free mind, without messing or learning about knobs and parameters and numbers and decibels and tails which are all chinese to me
I do have the right set of tools but shame on me I cannot use them unless they are preconfigured
so do you guys know how do I go from here if I want hans templit. PLEASE FUCKING HELP ME GET IT!!!!!!! Im in tears PLEASE
so after I rewrote this, I will now finish this post and carefully move the mouse toward the "create thread" button. hopefully my post goes through this time (crossing fingers)


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## Jimmy Hellfire

Let's put it this way: if you ever got such a template, it would only further convince you that you're too dumb to understand audio. A template made by another person, tailored to their personal needs, preferences and workflow, would only confuse you even more. Especially if it's perhaps a quite elaborate, complex setup.

You should really get rid of that silly mindset that you're somehow biologically uncapable of wrapping your head around some audio and music production specifics, or whatever. It's a really bad idea to convince yorself of stuff like that. Could it be that it's just some convenient excuse? Whatever it is, it's just keeping you from making music, and it's only your loss.


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## givemenoughrope

Organizing a template is like organizing your own junk drawer. It will probably only make sense to you. Besides, without his samples it won't sound like much (or anything). 

JXL basically shows how his template is setup. Why not take some pointers from there? I watched that video and realized that having 1500 midi tracks was ruining my brain (so I crammed most string arts into vst expression maps).


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## Vin

And read this: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/7618571-post1.html


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## Saxer

dan1 said:


> its why i dropped from school, I cannot learn in theory, only with experience and over time...


Best requirements to work on your own template. Nobody learns to set up a template in theory and especially not at school.
Seriously: start small. Add things part by part when you need it. Take time. Work slow. And enjoy the process and the progress.


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## FriFlo

I seriously need JWs template! But he didn't reply ... :(


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## tokatila

I don't need better template. What I need is better ears. I might suspect this might be the case with you too.


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## d.healey

FriFlo said:


> I seriously need JWs template! But he didn't reply ... :(


Should have asked sooner - here you go: http://stewardshipofwealth.com/musical-staff-paper-28.png


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## FriFlo

d.healey said:


> Should have asked sooner - here you go: http://stewardshipofwealth.com/musical-staff-paper-28.png


More expensive will be the grand piano.


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## timtom

d.healey said:


> Should have asked sooner - here you go: http://stewardshipofwealth.com/musical-staff-paper-28.png


Haha! Thats really funny!


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## dan1

nuts


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## MA-Simon

dan1 said:


> you know its like youre asking someone to model a car in a 3d modeling program, you give them the modeling program but you dont give them an actual model file for learning and experiment.. you know what I mean?


 Thats the only way it will stick though.


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## Hannes_F

dan1 said:


> I cannot learn in theory, only with experience and over time


One question: Why do you need to jumpstart into writing music for full orchestra then? Wouldn't it be better if you start with two or three instruments and say what you want to say with that? No big problems with balancing those. Then, when you have mastered that, you can add more.

BTW this is how the old masters learned their craft. They wrote sonatas for piano, for piano and melody instrument, then for string quartet, for choir, for small wind ensemble and so on. Much later they headed on to orchestra.


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## Blackster

This is quite entertaining  ...


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## Studio E

I don't want to dig on you, but this really sounds like you are asking for help as a person who is unwilling to help themselves. I think if your attitude was that you ARE trying to do all you can but not understanding something about it, then people might be very willing to help you overcome the bumps in your own road. I don't have a perfect Hans Zimmer template, with panning, verbs, etc all setup, but I seem to write music for money and record/mix/produce bands just fine. I have put in the time and effort to get here. Part of that effort was seeking out answers on this and other forums, but I was also reading, watching videos, and practicing/experimenting the whole time as well. 

Just get started, with one instrument, no verb, pan it to say.....who-gives-a-f*ck o'clock, and play the damn thing until you make noise that is pleasant to your ears. Record such "sequence" of sound and add-to/adjust it to make it sound more like what you want it to sound like. Think in specific terms of the difference between your sound and the sound that you want to hear. Then, hunt down the solutions, one at a time.


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## Farkle

dan1 said:


> :(
> i sat here 2 hours writing for hans accidently hit backspace its now gone..f**ing scheiß
> whatever,
> how can I contact hans to give me his template?
> I recently concluded I cannot ever never ever learn the practices of organizing/mixing/reverbing/balancing of a template. even if you give me a blueprint video, my brain is incapable. I will not remember the technique and how to apply it. its why i dropped from school, I cannot learn in theory, only with experience and over time
> that is to say, unless I get a completely balanced, ready to play template, with all tracks loaded, organized, routed, mixed, balanced, treated, tweaked, panned, all the right way, I won't even bother launching cubase any more.. because it is waste of time
> I wana give life to my ideas from a creative point, with a free mind, without messing or learning about knobs and parameters and numbers and decibels and tails which are all chinese to me
> I do have the right set of tools but shame on me I cannot use them unless they are preconfigured
> so do you guys know how do I go from here if I want hans templit. PLEASE FUCKING HELP ME GET IT!!!!!!! Im in tears PLEASE
> so after I rewrote this, I will now finish this post and carefully move the mouse toward the "create thread" button. hopefully my post goes through this time (crossing fingers)



Hi, Dan,

I just went to your soundcloud, and listened to your cuts. I think you have a very good mixing style and ear already, so I'm a bit confused by your above comments, about not being able to use the tools unless they are preconfigured. You've already made some great, well mixed epic tracks on your soundcloud, so just keep on doing it! 

Regarding borrowing/using someone else's template, I think that creating templates is so individual, and is so tweaked to the user, that you'll be even more lost if you get a template from Hans, or another, similarly talented hybrid/epic composer, you'll spend all your time looking at routings, trying to understand "Wait, how is it that I'm playing these drums, but it doesn't sound like The Last Samurai!?!", because the FX chain and the layering is not pre-built.

I don't mean to sound pedantic or condescending, but in this modern world of media composing and production, there are no shortcuts. You have to forge your own sound, by asking the advice of others, reverse transcribing and mocking up pieces you love, and (most important), writing music and getting it out there! 

And, honestly, you have the chops. Your soundcloud shows it. Keep moving ahead, really!

All the best,

Mike


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## gsilbers

dan1 said:


> :(
> i sat here 2 hours writing for hans accidently hit backspace its now gone..f**ing scheiß
> whatever,
> how can I contact hans to give me his template?
> I recently concluded I cannot ever never ever learn the practices of organizing/mixing/reverbing/balancing of a template. even if you give me a blueprint video, my brain is incapable. I will not remember the technique and how to apply it. its why i dropped from school, I cannot learn in theory, only with experience and over time
> that is to say, unless I get a completely balanced, ready to play template, with all tracks loaded, organized, routed, mixed, balanced, treated, tweaked, panned, all the right way, I won't even bother launching cubase any more.. because it is waste of time
> I wana give life to my ideas from a creative point, with a free mind, without messing or learning about knobs and parameters and numbers and decibels and tails which are all chinese to me
> I do have the right set of tools but shame on me I cannot use them unless they are preconfigured
> so do you guys know how do I go from here if I want hans templit. PLEASE FUCKING HELP ME GET IT!!!!!!! Im in tears PLEASE
> so after I rewrote this, I will now finish this post and carefully move the mouse toward the "create thread" button. hopefully my post goes through this time (crossing fingers)



Are you asking for hans zimmer's template? or something similar? or guide to do it? you post is a bit confusing.
did you have it and lost it?

hans zimmer will not give you his template. for one, i think he makes a new one for each movie. second. he has instruments not available commercially.

as for you, how about getting it simpler. you can get one bundle like Hollywood series, load the most common articulations and stem into four busses.

btw- you should do "save as" every so often. like when you finish making the brass setup, do a save as and start with winds. after winds articulations are loaded , then do another save as. that way you don't loose sessions and also you can recall a session after it goes wrong on one plugin.


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## kavinsky

dan1 said:


> how can I contact hans to give me his template?


Dan, you have to understand that orchestration is mixing. You can't bypass it.

Needless to say, templates don't work the way you described at all.
Hypothetically, even if you'd managed to get HZ template, after one glance you will certainly won't open your DAW again in your life. Just watch JXL videos and try to picture yourself using his template and you will understand why.

As someone already said, start from something very basic. get one of those 'all-in-one' libraries which are pre-mixed to a certain extent, load few instances of kontakt and start getting your ideas out.

You don't have to overcomplicate things to write great music. If your ideas worth it, you'll definitely catch up with the technical stuff in the process.

Watch Daniel James beginner tutorials, his setups are as simple as they can possibly be.


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## Farkle

dan1 said:


> I need reference to learn from.. sry if i got painted as some dumbfuck who not willing to learn but PFFF LOL SRY ITS THE TRUTH!!! Im too lazy to learn!!



Based on that line, I'm tempted to say, "Good luck then." My 9 year old daughter said that exact quote about being too lazy to do work last week. Guess who had a stern talking to?

Since you are being honest enough to post and ask for help, I will say this; in this world of media composing, working for yourself, trying to wear 15 hats to make ends meet, constantly battling with all of the professional difficulties.... don't go up to one of us and say, "help me out, I'm too lazy to learn".

That's a pretty unimpressive attitude, and it makes someone like me unwilling to even help a bit. However...



dan1 said:


> I just wana have fun playing around with the libraries in my free time, nothing more, ofc if I was wanting to work in the industry I would have taken real courses
> in second thought actually I dont even know what I want
> but I definitely know what I dont want: spend more time watching videos & reading turotrials.. these only give me headache!!



Now, THIS quote makes more sense. You sound overwhelmed, and not having fun. And, right now, you're still ramping up your music. So, here's my advice.

You want to play around with libraries, and have fun making music? Then, find those Zimmer pieces you love, and reverse-mockup them. Using your libraries. You'll be listening to some of your favorite music, you'll be playing with your libraries, and you will ABSOLUTELY learn a ton about how to mix and balance your template.

Then do Troels Folmann, then Alex Pfeffer, listen to how they are similar, yet different to Zimmer. Listen to their idiosyncracies. Then, go back and write something new. You'll be stunned at how much your mixes have improved, and how much faster you'll have developed.

Much faster than using any that template one of us could give you.

Mike


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## ChristopherDoucet

Whoa. Dude. 

I can appreciate your frustration. There are certain things that are very difficult for me that I haven't cracked yet. Tuning a drum kit for instance, is something I've been struggled for years with to do. Which is strange because I have a decent ear in other area's. Bottom line is, when I finally get it sounding amazing on my own, its going to be soooo much more rewarding.

That being said, if I have a session the next day, I dont have time to be fooling around with toms when I need to be getting the charts ready, so in those cases, I will pay someone to come tech the kit out and get it sounding the way I need so I can fly through the creative stuff.

Along those same lines, while extreme, you can hire someone to fly to you and help you build your template with and for you. If you can afford it, it's really cool, because you can learn a lot from these super-tech's. Maybe something to look into.

Also I can't speak for anyone on here and certainly not a legend, but I guessing that saying things like.....



dan1 said:


> :(
> I recently concluded I cannot ever never ever learn the practices of organizing/mixing/reverbing/balancing of a template. its why i dropped from school, I cannot learn in theory, (crossing fingers)



.....will not* impress the people you're looking for help from.


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## RiffWraith

I don't find someone asking an established, A-List composer how they go about doing something odd.

I do, however, find someone asking an established, A-List composer for their template _extremely_ odd.

Hans is not going to give you, nor anyone else, any of the many templates he works off of. You wouldn't be able to use them anyway, as the instruments he uses do not exist on your system (the few that might will be in different folders on different drives), you almost def. don't have the same plugs as he does, and the routing would be different than what you have. Besides - if you got hold of his template, and were able to successfully load it, do you really think that would make you a better composer? It wouldn't.

Do you really want to improve? Do yourself a favor, and stop worrying about what someone else does, and what their template looks like.

Cheers.


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## Saxer

That's just too bonkerst to be true. Already April 1st again?


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## kunst91

tokatila said:


> I don't need better template. What I need is better ears. I might suspect this might be the case with you too.



Me too! I wonder if HZ has a couple spares 

In all seriousness, I can relate to the OP's conundrum. I once convinced myself that I was incapable of learning the tech side of this business, and it really set me back a few years. One day I decided enough was enough. Still have no idea what the eff I'm doing (hence my frequent "lost please help!" posts), but at least I'm having fun trying! 

Also, as for template building, it's like a good sports massage--painful as hell, but when it's over it feels oh so good.


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## kmlandre

kunst91 said:


> Also, as for template building, it's like a good sports massage--painful as hell, but when it's over it feels oh so good.



Then I must be as weird as I've always suspected. I actually get kind of a kick from the whole process.

Kurt


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## tack

kmlandre said:


> Then I must be as weird as I've always suspected. I actually get kind of a kick from the whole process.


Me too. In fact, I find myself spending more time on workflow (and enjoying it) than I really should. I know the music comes first, but I'm too much of a nerd not to enjoy the technical aspects.


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## Rctec

Dan, I got kicked out of nine schools for being lazy...
So I turned to the one thing I wasn't lazy doing: Music. With computers.
In retrospect, I wasn't lazy, I was overwhelmed - which is a lot less fun than noodling around on a piano or sequencer.

So here is my template:

Whatever sound you hear in your head you can find a way to create.
Have a sense of what is inspiring to you.
Only work with sounds and tools that you perceive to be of quality. Most things sound like shit to me, but I've heard others create magic with things that just aren't resonating (literally) with me.
Quality is what you decide. What you feel. (I love the sound of The Clash as much as The Berlin Phil...or Kraftwerk and Mozart... It's not an argument I'm prepared to have. They are both "quality" to me)
Have a simple base-line, otherwise you'll get hopelessly lost and the sound and inspiration will evaporate.
My base-line is that I know my speakers and never change my monitor level from 85db. If I want quieter, I just write and program quieter. They are not the most expensive and amazing speakers in the world, but their quality and familiarity suits me.
Buy a keyboard you like and can customize the feel off - and is easily replaceable. Nothing worse than some exotic thing that you can't replace when it breaks - and it will break. It's nothing more than 88 continuous placed switches for data entry. The rest is muscle-memory.
The same goes for key-commands. The mouse isn't designed for music. By the time you dragged that thing across the screen to a drop-down menu, you'll have forgotten a bit of the tune. Key-commands are like playing the piano. Muscle memory.
Before I start writing something, I need to know what I want to write about. That leads me to what sonic world I find appropriate for the piece. Usually, it's just a handful of instruments.
If you're lazy, be rigorous in getting rid of things that get in the way of having fun, of things that stand between you and what you love and excites you. I hate reading manuals, so I try to get the most out of a few devices. But never forget that a computer is as much a musical instrument as an oboe or a violin. You have to learn it!
But...
Don't think of it as "learning". Think of it as "Play"
- that's what we do: we "play" music.

-HZ-


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## Carles

Rctec said:


> - that's what we do: we "play" music.


That's the most significative part of the entire post to me.

The end of a template is just saving you some tedious work so you don't need anybody else's template but just yours, custom made for your maximum comfort and productivity.
Just experiment yourself and use those things that you can understand at the moment, no need to be a super engineer, no rush and no pressure, just play around.
Inspiration instead comes from the most unsuspected subject, it can be a sound or just a concept, but it's necessary that it will catches you "ready to play", no matter if at that moment you are in front of a super-template or just have in your hands a 50 cents recorder and a piece of paper where to write a few chords, it's all about "that moment", and that moment comes more often if you are having fun through music than if you are just "working".
Feel free to stop "working" when too frustrated with learning too many things and just try to have fun with whatever you find funnier at that moment. Next day you'll go more technical, or next week, no matter, just do not forget that you are a musician first, meaning an irrecuperable eternal kid :D and kids do that, just "play" music.

Carles


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## Carbs

Rctec said:


> Have a simple base-line, otherwise you'll get hopelessly lost and the sound and inspiration will evaporate.
> My base-line is that I know my speakers and never change my monitor level from 85db. If I want quieter, I just write and program quieter. *They are not the most expensive and amazing speakers in the world, but their quality and familiarity suits me.*
> -HZ-



So, you're rocking the JBL 305s just like me? Lol..just kidding. 

Thinking of it as playing instead of learning has actually helped me quite a bit. It's how I've managed to trick myself into actually knowing a thing or two about music over the years. 

.


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## NoamL

d.healey said:


> Should have asked sooner - here you go: http://stewardshipofwealth.com/musical-staff-paper-28.png



I know it's a joke, but JW actually works on a six-stave 'short' score. Like many other old school composers used to work before MIDI. It looks like this, but handwritten and with little scribbled notes for the orchestrators:







Then it gets blown up to the orchestrated score later. Doing that same process backwards is super helpful for learning orchestration.


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## ghostnote

Templates are overrated... they can limit you. Especially a template that isn't customized to your needs. Let's not forget, the main goal here is to invent your own shortcuts and gather the instruments that you'll use 99% of the time to help to form YOUR idea of how music should sound. 1000 Instruments loaded into 3 PCs won't make you write better stuff. Although Hans certainly has his secret tricks, it's his workflow that has formed his template and maybe he even has some habits that can be improved or are useless in your particular workflow.

Listen to Bruce:


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## dan1

nuts


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## Prockamanisc

Cal Ripken Jr. didn't ask his dad for his baseball bat, he asked him to teach him how to use the bat. He didn't ask for his dad's glove, but rather, how to throw. He didn't ask for his cleats... well, you get it.

I think you want to "be" somewhere, but the truth is that you have to "get" there. We can stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, but there is no other way than just to learn and put in the work. You're young, you're 23. Put in an hour each day into creating templates and tweaking them and in a few years you'll have templates that Hans will be asking _you_ for.

Would you trust a car that was built by a mechanic who doesn't know how a car is put together? 

Great art requires great insight. Great insight just takes time. Taking your time takes patience. Having patience requires focus. Focus requires a goal. Set your goal and work at it every day. If you don't enjoy yourself in the process of reaching your goal, then find a path that's better suited to you. Good luck!


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## roknardin

dan1 said:


> i hope cubase 20 will have feature that reads your brain then records on its own LOL



I'm hoping I will live long enough to experience this hahaha.


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## Tanuj Tiku

Patience. It is the only thing time will respect. Humble beginnings lead to a place of discovery and mastery.


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## ptsmith

dan1 said:


> OMFG HANS SPOKE TO ME!!!!!!
> hans if it really you...


That's really Hans. He post in this forum quite often. Super cool guy!


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## givemenoughrope

Rctec said:


> The same goes for key-commands.



Ages ago I was complaining to someone about making the jump from Cubase to Logic (lasted about a month) and he was nice enough to offer me a set of basic key commands that were ported over from one to the other. He used to work at RC so they may have been Rctec's. I think he said they were. They helped with some basic stuff but after a while I knew I needed to build my own. Not a million of them but for whatever would speed up the workflow. Still building them and trying to memorize some new macros these days. And I do think of them as muscle memory movements...sorta how like the upper stack or lower altissimo of the saxophone uses different combinations of the closest, most reachable keys. I have a trumpet player friend who is a stenographer. He said he thinks about key movements in a musically technical way also.

Make your own key commands and template and learn it like an instrument. Then you can just bang through commands like nothing.


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## Ivan Mayboroda

This is part of the creative process and I see nothing wrong with you feeling yourself insecure or "I can't do it" feel. It appears that even Hans Zimmer can feel himself this way.

I guess you just need to accept that feeling insecure is ok. If you need an advice, I would suggest you to focus on writing today better that you were writing yesterday. Shift your goal from being better than this and that guy from soundcloud and focus on being better self. You don't need Han's template (I doubt there is one), it won't solve the problem and you know that. It is just hard to accept.
You are just asking someone to solve your "problem". But this thing that irritates you isn't problem at all, this is an opportunity for you to get better, to grow your musical muscles by pumping iron and you are giving it away.

Since I was a kid I found it helpful to think that somewhere there definitely lives a guy with much much bigger problems than mine. Maybe he doesn't even have a food to eat or a bed to sleep at night. However I'm shure he is taking this problems like a man and eager to solve them as one.


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## Hannes_F

dan1 said:


> I meant to say I need ANY template from which I can learn.. how it was set up, why it was set up that way, and only THEN make my own.



Just came along this, maybe template consulting is your solution:
http://www.orchestraltemplates.com/


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## Sebastianmu

there's something very charming about this thread.. I like vi-control a lot!


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## Ned Bouhalassa

I would never want to use someone else's template! It seems like such a personal thing to me. Then again, I'm the kind of guy who constantly changes their template, from project to project, and even from cue to cue! It's like baking (more of a baker than a cook): I always adapt to a new recipe, and have as many spices as possible, just in case.


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## mc_deli

Hannes_F said:


> Just came along this, maybe template consulting is your solution:
> http://www.orchestraltemplates.com/


I looked at that previously - and again now - of course the services are interesting but unfortunately the set up guide PDF is out of date. It goes into great detail on VEPro and Logic BUT it is from before the CC7 preference, before track stacks, still recommends the multiport template etc... and misses out batch settings in Kontakt for setting up multi outs in the mixer. Tobias' is a great guide and full of knowledge but probably counter productive for a new user (it certainly sent me up a few garden paths a few months ago!)


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## cmillar

I'd hoped this was 'sarcastic' post? I'm still hoping it truly is.

You want to make music? Get a piano. All the notes are there... go practice.

You just want to 'wank around'? Then get a copy of Garageband. 

Having been a sessional college music teacher, it's hard to know what to say to students like you.

If hard work was good enough for every serious musician who's come before you, then just accept it..... or get out.

The learning never stops. That's just the way it is.

Put your cell phone away, and go lock yourself in a music studio and do something.


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## Ned Bouhalassa

Ding, ding, ding, ding!! We have a candidate, friends, for best post of the year. I love the, "The learning never stops." part, along with the emphasis on WORK. Nothing beats putting in the time. Thanks, cmillar.


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## OT_Tobias

mc_deli said:


> ... still recommends the multiport template etc... and misses out batch settings in Kontakt for setting up multi outs in the mixer.



Just wanted to chime in (I wrote that tutorial) and say that it actually says NOT to use the Multiport layer because of its bugs and also because it is inefficient. Page 33 


The tutorial does not go into detail at all how to set up outputs in Kontakt, it just mentions that you should do it. Good idea to add a section about that!


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## airflamesred

Would Hans want Hans's template? I suspect not.


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## prodigalson

Trying to use a template like Hans Zimmer's is like putting premium-grade diesel fuel in a Prius. 

You're not gonna get very far and you'll have a very smokey car.


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## Jonas.Ingebretsen

If you were to be given a template by say: Hans Zimmer, you would only limit yourself creatively as that template is created for him and his way of composing. You're brain IS wired to understand logic _(Organizing, mixing, mastering, set-up)_. The only thing stopping you is _yourself_, really. 







My template is on* "Mark IV"*. It's my third year using it and I've been upgrading it slowly through-out the years, with 3 major updates each year. The Mark 1 template started off with only Cinesamples Strings and Brass, and my mixing abilities were horrible. I were proud of the template as it was mine, it was designed for my style of composing and how I like to work. Because it was myself who created the template I was in full control and that feeling of being in control was important for me & my template's development.

One of the common reason why we're lazy is because we want to be somewhere we're not. You want to create something you're not fully able to yet, so you try to cheat the system. My best advice to you is to start small, get your Mark 1 template going, and learn by doing. Experience is the best mentor we have.

~ JBI.


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## Lassi Tani

Jonas.Ingebretsen said:


> Experience is the best mentor we have.



Well said! I started my first template in Jan 2015, and it was terrible. Balance was terrible. I didn't hear it at that time, but now I can hear it. Now I'm building a template v2, and I have a hunch of what works and what doesn't. If I wouldn't have built the template by myself, I wouldn't have learned much and my hearing wouldn't have improved either. It all comes down to a learning process.

And btw Jonas, the green color you used for strings is just wrong. Strings should be blue  EDIT: I'm joking, well just half joking :D


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## tokatila

sekkosiki said:


> Well said! I started my first template in Jan 2015, and it was terrible. Balance was terrible. I didn't hear it at that time, but now I can hear it. Now I'm building a template v2, and I have a hunch of what works and what doesn't. If I wouldn't have built the template by myself, I wouldn't have learned much and my hearing wouldn't have improved either. It all comes down to a learning process.
> 
> And btw Jonas, the green color you used for strings is just wrong. Strings should be blue



Are you kidding; you just don't hear it yet but v2 is terrible too. Always it is. Maybe little better; but still terrible. One needs to have at least 15th iteration to sound almost moderately ok. 

And you are totally right about string colours.


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## Jonas.Ingebretsen

I am color blind.


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## synapse21

Dan, it is a lot of hard work - but it can be worth the effort. I just finished up my latest template and it took _weeks _to do. The lost time putting it all together (a combination of VEPro-loaded instruments on the same PC as well as everything else I own on "frozen" instrument tracks) will now equate to more time sketching an idea instead of fussing with the more technical aspects of software. As I begin to use it, the template will adapt and adjust over time, but those changes will be more incremental and easier to tweak going forward. No one is truly "done" with templates.

How long do you think Junkie XL and/or his techs took to set up and hone the core template he uses and shows us in his tutorial videos? He mentioned he has 3 systems of 6-7 computers apiece in different locations. That is a LOT of technical maintenance and by no means did he get there overnight.

Here's another perspective: you might not be lazy _at all_. What if you suffer from something like ADHD and haven't had it diagnosed? You could simply be dealing with a (seemingly) endless array of distractions that prevent you from sticking with something as technical as setting one of these things up. Something worth looking into if you haven't already - it can be a silent killer of potential (and even self esteem) for some folks.

P.S. - I'd be happy to share my (Nuendo 6.5) template with you and explain the ideas behind it. From there (and other examples), you could see how you might change it for you and how you work. Mine finally incorporates other big time-savers like Expression Maps (a Nuendo / Cubase feature), many of which I had to create myself if they weren't readily available for multi-articulation instruments. Happy to share those too if you use Cubase / Nuendo.

Hang in there and learn all you can. This is a great community, but they are to be respected.


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## germancomponist

What was the template yesterday? A template makes you a slave of it!


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## synapse21

One nice thing about setting one up with literally everything I own was simply _REMINDING_ myself of everything I already own that I had forgotten about or never went to when fishing for something in Kontakt. That was a fun exercise.


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## Lassi Tani

Jonas.Ingebretsen said:


> I am color blind.



Sorry for the bad joke then .



tokatila said:


> Are you kidding; you just don't hear it yet but v2 is terrible too. Always it is. Maybe little better; but still terrible. One needs to have at least 15th iteration to sound almost moderately ok.



Thanks for taking me back to reality :D.


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## InLight-Tone

synapse21 said:


> One nice thing about setting one up with literally everything I own was simply _REMINDING_ myself of everything I already own that I had forgotten about or never went to when fishing for something in Kontakt. That was a fun exercise.


I so much agree with this! I was skeptical about templates for a long time but I finally made one, a big one with disabled tracks and don't see how I functioned without it. 

It helped me by going through my samples and organizing the different libraries from different companies into similar categories like Small Drums, Large Drums, Hybrid Drums etc., and in the process listening and pruning what was unnecessary to me so that what I consider is essential is at my fingertips, pre-routed, grouped and ready to go.

Now if my musical ideas and inspiration were as organized


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## synapse21

Yes, exactly. I did a sample reorg on the drives first, then essentially duplicated it in Nuendo. What is also cool is you instantly see where you're lacking with instruments. "Hmm, time for another choir library" or "are those the only harmonicas I have?". LOL - stuff like that.


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## dan1

nuts


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## Guffy

Can you make good music without a template?
Because all it does is improve your workflow, it won't magically make your tracks sound amazing.
You still have to ride those modwheels, expressions, volume curves etc.
You probably have to mix it according to the composition aswell.

Most of the time i don't even use a template.


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## Daniel James

Imagine....years of non stop hit soundtracks, filtered through years of mixing with talent, throw on an army of synthesizers, seasoned in an inhuman like talent for nailing a tone, sprinkle on a thirst for originality and finally glaze with with practically limitless recording ability....then package that up and throw it in Cubase. Then you will have just a mere taste of Hans' template.

-DJ


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## tnoon

sekkosiki said:


> Well said! I started my first template in Jan 2015, and it was terrible. Balance was terrible. I didn't hear it at that time, but now I can hear it. Now I'm building a template v2, and I have a hunch of what works and what doesn't. If I wouldn't have built the template by myself, I wouldn't have learned much and my hearing wouldn't have improved either. It all comes down to a learning process.
> 
> And btw Jonas, the green color you used for strings is just wrong. Strings should be blue  EDIT: I'm joking, well just half joking :D



When you talk about balance, does that mean all of your faders aren't at 0dB before you've written anything?


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## Lassi Tani

tnoon said:


> When you talk about balance, does that mean all of your faders aren't at 0dB before you've written anything?



Yeah, that's what I mean. I tried that in the beginning, when I was building the first template that I had Hollywood Strings, Hollywood Brass, BWW and EW Symphonic Orchestra's Percussion and OT's Timpani all at 0dB. It didn't work :D. E.g. I had to move the woodwinds fader down. If the balance is wrong, it makes me use the sections in a wrong way, which wouldn't work in real life.


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## tnoon

sekkosiki said:


> Yeah, that's what I mean. I tried that in the beginning, when I was building the first template that I had Hollywood Strings, Hollywood Brass, BWW and EW Symphonic Orchestra's Percussion and OT's Timpani all at 0dB. It didn't work :D. E.g. I had to move the woodwinds fader down. If the balance is wrong, it makes me use the sections in a wrong way, which wouldn't work in real life.



Are you just moving the group fader track down or up, or going through each instrument and doing it that way?


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## Lassi Tani

tnoon said:


> Are you just moving the group fader track down or up, or going through each instrument and doing it that way?



Mostly group fader. Or Wet and Dry faders, if I want more dry sound or more reverb. The instruments should be balanced against each other out of the box. But sometimes e.g. with Hollywood Strings there's a patch, which seems to be quieter, and I make it louder.


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## tnoon

sekkosiki said:


> Mostly group fader. Or Wet and Dry faders, if I want more dry sound or more reverb. The instruments should be balanced against each other out of the box. But sometimes e.g. with Hollywood Strings there's a patch, which seems to be quieter, and I make it louder.



That makes sense! Thanks.


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## Lassi Tani

tnoon said:


> That makes sense! Thanks.



No problem


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## prodigalson

dan1 said:


> Jonas.Ingebretsen & synapse21 YES I WANT YOUR TEMPLATES!!! PLEASE!!!
> I cant wait to put my hands on a REAL template thats ready to play&learn&have phun with



...I don't think he's getting it...


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## dan1

nuts


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## tack

dan1 said:


> please  give me the car so i can start driving


That's actually the best analogy so far. You're not asking for someone to teach you to drive, or even give you the blueprints to a car. You seem to be asking for someone to _buy_ you a car. And in Hans' case, you're asking for his Bugatti. Oh and Hans, can you wash and wax it before you drop it off? 

Even if the "average" composer here gave you his or her template, you'd be on the hook to buy the $15K+ worth of libraries and plugins that go into it.


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## prodigalson

dan1 said:


> me and knobs are enemies



This, right here is your problem. It's this attitude that is going to stop you from learning anything. If you don't find any joy whatsoever in learning how these knobs can open up sonic possibilities to you then I think perhaps you should just get some score paper and a pencil and sit at the piano. I can just hear you screaming right now "BUT I WANT TO HEAR WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH A PERFECTLY BALANCED, AMAZING SOUNDING VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA!!!!!!! "...yeah well then you gotta learn the knobs. sorry, that's just the way it works.

And your car analogy misses the mark. The car isn't the template, the car is the DAW. We're not recommending you learn how to build the engine (write cubase's code). We're gently suggesting you learn how to change gears, what to do at a red light, how to overtake safely. 

By using your analogy, you're asking us to let you get in the car and drive to your hearts content without wanting to learn anything about how to use it and the rules of the road.


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## prodigalson

Also, I think you're aiming too high with the 400 tracks idea. 

If you want to just open up cubase and drive then I'd suggest you simply get some ensemble based libraries all recorded in the same place and load them up. e.g. Cinesamples Cinesymphony Lite, Albion ONE, Sonokinetics libraries or Symphobia. They sound great out of the box and youll be able to get your ideas down and have the instant gratification of hearing an orchestra in the same room, relatively pre-balanced for you. 

Start with 20 tracks and go from there.


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## Lassi Tani

Start from small. You could for example start with the string section. Balance that well, listen to references, make it perfect, write music for just strings first. Then move on to the other sections. You're missing so much, if you're not willing to learn and study. Let's assume you will get THE Dream Come True Template, what if you would like a different sound, change something, compose different type of music, how would you do that? Ask for an another ready made template? I don't believe you, when you're saying you're so dumb, maybe impatient, but not dumb. No one is too dumb for studying and learning how to balance a template.


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