This is a good thread! Thanks Matt for starting it, you've provided the kick in the seat I needed to return to my template, which I had abandoned entirely earlier this year.
There is something to be said with starting with a blank canvas every time. But the word would not be efficient.
So I'm taking one more stab at creating a template, but I'm taking a very different approach this time - due in large part to this thread.
My first pass was all about the real world. If I was working in the real world who would I want sitting in the room? How could I cover 80% of the projects I take on with the smallest group of people?
This is what I came up with (all individual players unless marked otherwise, many doubling):
Flute, Flute/Alto Flute, Flute/Piccolo, Oboe, Oboe/English Horn, Clarinet, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Clarinet/contrabass Clarinet, Bassoon, Bassoon/Contrabassoon, Alto Sax Section (X4), Solo Alto Sax,
Tenor Sax Section (x2), Solo Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax
French Horn Ens (x4), French Horn/Descant Horn, Trumpet, Trumpet/Piccolo, Trumpet, Trumpet/Cornet, Trumpet/Flugel Horn, Trombone, Trombone/Bass Trombone, Baritone Horn/Euphonium, Cimbasso, Tuba
Timpani, Snare,Toms, Tams, Cymbals, Auxillary Percussion, Tuned Percussion, Kit
Harp, Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Prepared Piano, Pipe Organ, Electric Organ
Choir, Children's Choir
1st Violin Ens, 2nd Violin Ens, Solo Violin, Viola Ens, Solo Viola, Cello Ens, Solo Cello, Bass Ens, Solo Bass
Guitar 1, Guitar 2, Guitar 3
Synth 1, Synth 2, Synth 3
Still a bunch of people (tracks) but it provides a pretty decent starting point, at least for me.
The next step was to "transpose" the people to tracks. Note that no attempt is made (yet) to account for articulations. I think this is about as far as I can go without choosing specific instruments and or libraries. But it has been an interesting exercise thus far.
- Flute
- Flute/Alto Flute
- Flute/Piccolo
- Oboe
- Oboe/English Horn
- Clarinet
- Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
- Clarinet/contrabass Clarinet
- Bassoon
- Bassoon/Contrabassoon
- Alto Sax (X4)
- Solo Alto Sax
- Tenor Sax (x2)
- Solo Tenor Sax
- Baritone Sax
- Brass Ensemble
- French Horn (x4)
- French Horn/Descant Horn
- Trumpet Ens
- Trumpet/Piccolo Trumpet
- Trumpet/Cornet
- Trumpet/Flugel Horn
- Trombone Ens
- Trombone/Bass Trombone
- Baritone Horn/Euphonium
- Baritone Horn/Euphonium
- Cimbasso
- Tuba
- Percussion 1 - Timpani
- Percussion 2 - Snare,Toms, Tams
- Percussion 3 - Hand Percussion
- Percussion 4 - Tuned Percussion
- Percussion 5 - Kit
- Harp
- Acoustic Piano
- Electric Piano
- Clavinet
- Prepared Piano
- Pipe Organ
- Electric Organ
- 1st Violin Ens
- 2nd Violin Ens
- Solo Violin
- Viola Ens
- Solo Viola
- Cello Ens
- Solo Cello
- Bass Ens
- Solo Bass
- Orchestral Chords
- Orchestral Effects
- String Effects
- Winds Effects
- Brass Effects
- Sax & Brass Ens
- Electric Guitar
- Acoustic Guitar
- Hi-strung Guitar
- Baritone Guitar
- Nylon Guitar
- Lap Steel
- Pedal Steel
- Fiddle
- Mandolin
- Banjo
- Omnisphere
- Zebra
- Repro 1
- Repro 5
- Oddity
- Minimonsta
- impOscar
- timewARP 2600
- Jup-8 V3
- Prophet V3
- SEM V2
- Matrix-12 V2
- Synclavier V
- Waveframe
- Darklight
- Alchemy
- Absynth 5
- B4 II
- FM8
- Kore2
- Massive
- Pro-53
- Reaktor Prism
- Realtor Spark
- MS-20
- Polysix
- Mono/Poly
- Wavestation
That's a LOT of tracks, and I haven't even begun to figure out articulations, although I am hopeful that I can find a way to get away from the articulation per track approach.
Such fun!