Search results for query: *

Looking at it from a slightly different angle, if it doesn’t work with a small/simple/sparse arrangement, it will probably not really work all that well, in a bigger/denser arrangement.

Enjoyed this.

My aesthetic perception is not of any particular value, but you’ve asked for input... With a casual 1st listen, I hear what sounds like mostly aimless random notes—not much music for me to latch on to.

The price of the 8700k is going up due to a 14nm capacity shortage--only a few months ago, in the USA one could get the 8700k for ~$300 USD, but today the cheapest price is ~$380. This shortage is no doubt caused in part by the newly added production of new generation designs such as the...

This is junk. The number of SF "microphones" should be 8 (a "mix" is equivalent to a microphone), the number of "instruments" should be 17. However, there are a lot fewer articulations in some "instruments" (divis and large band have just a few), so effectively the plausibly representative...

It should be pointed out that with the XPS you can get a 4K touchscreen OR for $400 cheaper, get a 1080P non-touch. And depending on the time of year and how new the product is, you can get a discount off the listed price. And if you want an extended warranty, you have more/cheaper options...

I agree, but try this one instead:

I’m imagining one could still do it in real time, recording simultaneously on two tracks with a midi filter set up on both tracks such that one track gets all the notes below a certain velocity, whereas the other track gets the notes above the certain velocity. Alternatively, this could...

It should be possible to set things up with a midi filter that puts the high velocities onto one track and the low velocities onto another track.

In that scenario, they would need to record new, more suitable evos—but this is a fairly small set of samples to make. In any case, the main point is that for the top layer, we have available, a full featured legato (with multiple dynamics and perhaps vibrato options, etc.).

Conceptually, the BDT is basically an evo at low velocities and a more normal note at higher velocities. I have no experience with this, but it would surely be possible to set up the segmented velocity range for different libraries without needing any scripting. If there isn’t a velocity...

I agree it sounds nice, but this is a very simplistic melody here--doubled by a piano and well covered up harmonically. The main point of using famous classical works for my example is that you know the tune. Once you know how it should sound, your brain is more sensitive to what is wrong...

I agree that there exist convincing mockups which are pleasant to listen to--but these are usually original compositions where the notes have been (to some extent) contrived to suit the samples used. Most commonly, this involves compositions not having strong lyrical melodies. It is a much...

Try listening to any famous classical music that you would recognize (Bach/Mozart/Beethoven/etc.) played on a VI. As of 2018, it's rare for a classical mockup--done with any VI--to ever be pleasant for a casual listen by a layperson. The basic cause of this is that libraries can't do...

I agree. I am not a professional nor do I have tight deadlines, but this still seems like a nice concept even without available legato. I very well might buy it at $150; but if it had legato and was $300, maybe I wouldn't buy it.

The premise here is for a professional to quickly get useful results; I am looking forward to the day when such a premise implies useful legato—capable of playing an actual melody line. But for now, since most composers are using orchestra samples to compose, and most orchestral samples are...

Spitfire has enough other positive aspects that they can afford to be behind the curve on legato—but this can’t last forever. There will come a time when great legato is a required item for any library release.

The problem here is the narrator. The music is fine. They could have just had silence and music. We don't have to be told that the story is about a boy and a girl and aliens. We can see the boy and the girl and the aliens.

Just listened on iPhone. I like the sound—nothing offensive. On the positive side, I’m not lost; but even for a layperson like myself, there isn’t enough music here. IMO, the audience shouldn’t be able to predict every single chord change in this type of song, so I would advocate doing...

The low hanging fruit is put a link to your music in your profile, and posts such as this, and probably 10+ people from this thread will see it.

Fair comparative listening without matched levels is not possible. It would be great if all the examples could get mastered to the same average loudness level.

Obviously, the guy was significantly right. You have implemented a musical idea as a (flawed and incomplete) “sketch” with HZ strings. As a demo for your compositional/arrangement/mock-up/mixing skills, this is not at a professional media music standard. (I listened just out of curiosity...

So, the simple fact is that this is a recording of someone saying Laurel. As the playback sound quality is degraded, eventually, people will no longer be able to correctly hear/understand the originally recorded word, and may hear another (wrong) word. Some people begin to lose the ability...

For ideas on shorts, maybe check out: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/knock-on-the-door-synth-orchestral-track.71494/#post-4230225

Hey, I’m glad you could extract something helpful. I enjoyed listening several times again this morning. This is arguably not enough musical content for 4.5 minutes; IMO, it would be beneficial to at least add a variation which is a surprise. Nevertheless, for my taste, I didn’t get bored...

Good structure, good amount of content, accessible but still interesting; mock-up is solid enough. I just don’t personally like the song (maybe it’s not my style). What I really like, and want to hear more of is the transitional section around 2:05—2:08; not sure how far this could expand out.

Layperson perspective: No, except for the “SFX, 100% made from scratch” section.

Wow! The mockup and mix is right on the money for me overall--listening to the 2nd one (1st one has too much noise). I agree that there are some blending issues; close mic or solo jumps out at ~12 and 24 seconds; a funny stereo imaging shift in string note at ~50 and 56 seconds (listening on...

Sub no question. I can recommend a Rhythmic sealed sub. Doesn’t even sound like a sub is there—just seems like the speakers go all the way down.

Layperson perspective: IMO, the strongest part of the song was the groove in the last ~40 seconds—that part could be expanded into a song. I would start with that. The rest was not very enjoyable for me.

Yes.

IMO, you should send this in anyway. This would be a great demo for their product.

The ending works well enough for me—you could slow the tempo for the last few notes (and let the fade out go a bit longer). It’s “in the box” compositionally, but it’s a good box—and I think there are plenty of ways to expand out if you want. A lot of times here you resolve a melody line with...

I like everything about this. Listening in my car is the sub bass rattles (no doubt, my car’s fault)—otherwise I can’t find anything offensive or annoying here. Very tasteful blend of the electronic sounds with the orchestral elements. I like how the arrangement keeps the instrumentation...

So obviously, there are professionals who do nothing but mix music 60 hrs a week—and others who only master music in their 100k+ room. Odds are, these professionals are better at doing their profession than you are; so if it really matters and budget allows, obviously you do your thing and pay...

I have listened several more times and found your composition to be increasingly rewarding with repeated listening. Frankly this is the first time I have gone back to listen to a VI-control "member's compositions" forum track purely for my own enjoyment. I would listen to this track just for...

Layperson perspective: Wow--this track is so lovely, it really draws me in. Very nice calm and pleasant and refreshing overall sound (listening on cheap headphones, but the sound comes through well enough)--tastefully lush. The tempo is unnaturally slow a lot of places IMO. The music is...

There is just one synthy string melody line at 6:20 that stuck out to me. The other issue that jumped out in the realism of the mockup is that some of the brass chords are too perfectly synchronized in timing and in their uniform volume envelopes as if you are playing chords with the same mod...

Wow what an incredible mockup--probably one of the best I've ever heard (better than a lot on TV IMO). Obviously, rather noisy, but I assume that helps the realism?

To my ears, the quiet parts sound realistic, but as the piece builds, it starts to sound more and more like a synthesizer playing some of the layers of the notes, but it is a pleasant sound--like a real string edited and trying to sound like a synth (and succeeding) rather than a synth trying to...

There are all kinds of math errors that don’t sound random. But IMO, a simple single pass of good a quality (properly implemented) 48k vs 96k recording (of anything), played back at 48kHz isn’t going to show differences that anyone can hear in blind testing. So any audible differences...

Math errors are the most reasonable explanation. People tend to assume that everything is “perfect”, but it is quite easy to degrade audio with improper processing—but this was much more the case in the days of 32-bit processing.

Paul, I think that you are much more discerning than an average casual 1st time listener. In my first listen, I never really grasped the theme (only four notes of it—the same notes I was already familiar with from Indiana Jones). So hearing the variation to my ears sounded new. But I still...

I work as a EE and having dealt with some of these issues first hand (not in audio), there certainly is a benefit for enormous over sampling because it makes analog/digital filter design trivially easy (and less likely to mess up). For example, in one project, the digital data rate that we...

Not necessarily tears, but to connect with the listener, the music should (generally) have emotional movement. The goal is to make great music, and all great music (and art in general) does this one way or another—very few exceptions. Even the basic structure of a traditional four part...

I listened some more to this and a couple of your other tracks. Wow. I wish you were orchestrating some of the Shows/movies I watch (which are too often not up to your standard). As far as I am concerned, your arrangement, orchestration, musical content depth is at a level that meets or...

Layperson perspective: I like this, but will try to focus more on criticism which is more useful feedback. Really impressive orchestrated journey. the mockup, though amazing in places, still sounds like a mockup—not fooling anyone—but it is generally not offensive and conveys the music...

Layperson perspective: For me, playing two chords and repeating a basic dozen note theme does not fill 1.5 minutes. IMO, even assuming your melody is something really great (it is not), at 30 seconds in, you should do something different. By comparison, listen to 1.5 minutes of any great...

Layperson perspective: #1. There are lots of things I like here, but I will try to focus on criticism, which is more valuable feedback IMO. Overall, this is listenable background music, that I can imagine might work with a picture. #2. The composition seems like it repeats the same short...

In theory, it is one marriage partner's duty to promptly inform the other of conjugal intentions; but in practice, it is better to make a habit of asking one's partner regarding their intentions--and be on the lookout for any equivocation (a telltale sign of hidden intent). And, if you find...

I agree about trailer music lacking musical content. This is overwhelmingly true of current film music, and a general problem across a lot of genres. But I disagree that the Moonlight Sonata opening its self isn’t something special; this is one of the most iconic and memorable bits of music...

I have a different take. If an artist can’t make great music with Beethoven’s source material, odds are they would only do worse without the help. I would rather listen to even stale shadows of great works than freshly composed drivel.

I have lived in the USA my entire life, and I have never heard of Mr. Lamar until this thread. Judging by the two videos I just skimmed, I wasn’t missing anything. IMO, there exists some great rap music out there, but most is worthless at best.

32" 1440p is a great monitor for most common setups. Whether or not this is "large" is entirely up to how far you sit from it, so this question is obviously dependent on your desk and setup.

For me, yes, but it depends on how much you like bass and what kind of music you are listening to. (The HR824's are pretty good for bass.) However, getting good quality bass always more expensive--need lots of power. If you can't afford it, don't compromise with a crappy sub--it's a waste of...

I haven't heard any of the smaller monitors. Just based on reviews, I would lean toward LSR305 since they have a reputation for being more pleasant to listen to, with the Presonus having a reputation for being more neutral. Ideally listen to more than one pair before committing. Now, you can...

IMO, the sound bar will not compete with studio monitors. It's a 90% waste of money because you will replace it with something better soon. It's better to save up and spend money on something you will be happy with for years. If you don't need super loud, the absolute best bang for buck is...

I suspect you won't notice much sound difference in various DAC options, but if you record instruments in real time, latency will be a significant concern. So, IMO, getting an audio interface is a good idea, but most likely you won't notice much difference in sound.

I have heard other speakers with more information/ resolution/ articulation, but the Mackie HR824s (Mk1 and Mk2) do well enough in every area and just sound very pleasant--well rounded, nothing offensive. In terms of power output, frequency range, frequency response variation, etc.--many years...

I don't have much experience with a lot of different monitors, but I have used Mackie HR824 (L C R) for Home Theater purposes and I like them a lot in that application--on the used market they can be a great value.

Yes, a professional audio interface is 100% suitable for pleasant listening. All DACs and amps are designed to be very flat, and low distortion--and they measure well (including hifi stuff). These days, good quality DACs and amps are cheap. The biggest cause of imperfection in the sound...

Could there be an issue in your monitors? Any decent preamp/ADC won't have audible resonant bumps below 10kHz. But many microphones and speakers do have these kind of bumps.

IMO, it is wonderful to have someone like HZ here, and I personally would indeed show someone like him a bit of deference. But if you make treating him extra nice, a "rule", then the conversation isn't free and real any more. Now, if VI-Control wants to make a HZ subforum moderated by HZ, I...

I agree 100% about VI-Control. A bit of ostensible toxicity here and there is vastly preferable to the totalitarian control that some well intentioned and nice people might prefer. IMO the argument and cross examination that some dismiss as "toxicity", still actually often serves a legitimate...

In my experience (I've been involved in a lot of online debates/arguments), many of the nicest and kindest people (in my judgment) are not very capable of tolerating/handling interpersonal conflict very well. One might hypothesize that for these lovely individuals--so kind, caring, and...

Your point has merit, but if I was actually a lifelong best friend of CH, I would actually still be in no position whatsoever to make a definitive claim about him being a "wonderful human"--no person one can actually know that about another person. So clearly, I am, in fact, making a...

I think it is pretty reasonable for the price to go up prior to the product getting appreciably better. Intro prices are very reasonably cheaper due to getting the v1.0 product. If you want the v2.0 product at the v1.0 price, buy before price increase, and hope for the best.

I can agree about the bidirectional aspect, but at the same time, I think you would be the first to agree that CH's vlog is not a "toxic" atmosphere. I totally understand CH being insulted--not denying that; I just think that being occasionally insulted by detractors is a normal part of life.

Nevertheless, for freedom of speech to exist in practice, there must be a healthy level of tolerance for rudeness--even to the point where tolerance it's self is viewed as an ethical prerogative. For example, what if I am "rude" about the king/president/PM? Should such be tolerated? Probably so.

Christian is a genuinely wonderful human being, and I can see how he might feel that VI-Comtrol is "toxic", but I disagree with that premise. The fact is that VI-Control has thousands of threads, only a relative hadfull of which some _might_ consider "toxic". It's not that hard to simply...

I see what you mean with the Debussy comparison, but with Debussy, there is usually a rhythmic effect of the piano notes rolling along, so we can tell where we are as the pace varies--it's more like waves rolling along. Still, I genuinely enjoy listening to this (something which I can't often...

The overall sound (recording/mix) is pretty nice and at a professional level IMO (admittedly listening on cheap headphones)--maybe could use some more reverb glue though. Also, the fade out at the end is annoyingly too fast. The mockup parts are a bit weak (especially the opening strings), and...

I'm sorry to come across as a jerk. Don't let naysayers drag you down--especially ones such as myself who have zero demonstrated expertise and questionable taste. On the other hand, IMO there is often value in gathering insight from a diverse group which includes those who you don't generally...

That is absolutely true. Look at the rubbish which is often the top of various pop charts, whereas there are who knows how many of the world's best artists who die completely unknown. But such adds to my point. Even if one creates truly great music, there is still no guarantee of getting any...

#1. I am a random layperson on the internet with a mild hobby interest in VI's and music, so don't take my input too seriously. #2. I don't follow anyone on SoundCloud. The only artists I follow on FB are personal friends. So I am not in your target audience--see point #1. #3. IMO, the...

I appreciate and respect your analysis and great videos including this one. Basically, your main point about HZ branding is perfectly true, and I am sure a large fraction will be disappointed by this--no question. On the other hand, HZ can do his branding however he wants. Arguably, HZ's...

I am a layperson listening in the car, so take my view with a grain of salt. I like the music, general sound, and there is nothing offensive to my ears (good mockup).

IMO, this is pretty good. I am used to hearing drums/percussion in music like this, so I may be biased, but IMO drums would make this more "passable".

Newer TVs all have this, as do all decent receivers.

I don't have a standing desk yet, but it seems like a great idea even if never actually standing. Easily fine tuning desk height, and easily adjusting the desk height to be optimal for different purposes such as a synth midi keyboard on top of desk vs. 88 key keyboard underneath vs. office...

I have Philips BDM3270QP2 ($310, 1440p), and it is great, if not glorious. Benq has a similar 1440p model. For most people, it seems like the sweet spot is 32"1440p or ~42"4K depending on desk depth and personal preference.

IMO, there is no reason for most people to get a monitor smaller than 32", unless their space is very cramped. I have the Philips BDM3270QP2 (1440p), and it is great; IMO, it's probably the best and safest size for most setups (with moderate desk space)--and it's only $310 on Amazon. I could...

Very close to all headphone amplifiers will correctly drive 250 ohms, but the max output may not be quite as loud as some may want. In general, higher impedance headphones require more voltage/power to produce the same volume levels, but most amps will correctly drive higher impedances.

I have little experience in this area, but I believe this represents the relevant conventional wisdom: In one long/legato note from a string or horn or wind, each note usually has some kind of movement/expression dynamic performance in it, as string/horn/wind players do not hold their notes at...

Great!

Regarding the OP, it is usually more expensive to build one's own custom PC than simply shop for an off the shelf PC and then make upgrades. IMO, look for a dell XPS8920 or other similar PC in the $800-$1100 range and upgrade ram and SSD.

I am just starting with VIs, but articulation switching only makes sense if the articulations will all receive the same processing signal chain during mixing. If stems are being made, obviously, all articulations need to be going into the same stem. I have read that it is desirable to...

I have no personal experience with this, but I can imagine that it is visually easier to see what parts are what articulation if the tracks are kept separate. Perhaps more importantly, some prefer to use different effects/reverb on short articulations vs long ones. For example, Christian...

The instruments--especially lead sounds very close up. I am imagining I would like a more distant background sound, perhaps with more room sound. I listened to some YouTube videos and it may significantly be a characteristic of this type of instrument. Obviously, this is just one laypersons...

If anything, it sounds too clear--like I am ~3ft from the instruments. Probably better to start to clear and add fuzz than the other way around. For this type of music, I think it is too much on a steady beat. Let some of the high notes start times drag behind the beat more--maybe play...

My layperson perspective (listening on IPhone 7 earbuds) is that this is at a high standard, but there were a few items that bothered me. #1, There were some audible edits/defects in the dialog. The worst was at ~0:50 where there is a sloppy cut from noise to silence. Another bad one was...