Hollywood Strings vibrato problem

[T.j.]

The reasons I don’t work with a keyboard:
1. I don’t have one.
2. I have never played a keyboard in my life- and this late in the game I see little benefit in learning a new instrument.
3. I have no interest in using any VST for performance- only to flesh out arrangements for recording with real performers, mostly vocalists.

1. It will cost you <200,- for a full 88 key midi controller, less if you go 61
2. When i went to university I had 75+ year olds in my class, just because they were eager to learn.
The benefits are enormous
3. If that's what you do you might as well focus on making it sound as good as possible. I'm a firm believer in vst performance; it will never, ever look the same (and more importantly sound the same) when you draw your cc's by hand vs. if you actually 'perform' them, they just don't.

I've been a guitar player since I was 15/16, I can relate.
Remember how long it took you to learn C/G/A/E, then the slightly more difficult ones?
> not very long, same will be true for keys except it's easier because the notes are literally in front of you.
How long does it take to play/record a progression on guitar? 5 seconds?
How long does it take you to painstakingly put every note on the right line with the dumb mouse?
Answer is: freaking forever

I promise you I'm not doing it to annoy or insult you, Just to help (I've been in a similar situation)
The couple of weeks it will take to learn basic stuff you'll get back times a million because you'll be able to speed up your workflow and your arrangements will be better cause you can literally 'see' the chords in front of you.
Nobody is talking about becoming a keyboard wizard. Most people on here i bet are 'functional' players at best.

 

[calebfaith]

I’ll be glad to post a clip of what I’m getting. Nice, beautiful, well-executed non-vibrato string sounds. Any preferred articulation and instrument? How long ?

Just a short ~15 second example using NV NV NV VB MV with both CC1 moving from lowest to highest and also CC11(expression). And maybe same thing with one of the normal sustains like 'sus 6' or 'sus 9'

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

The reasons I don’t work with a keyboard:
1. I don’t have one.
2. I have never played a keyboard in my life- and this late in the game I see little benefit in learning a new instrument.
3. I have no interest in using any VST for performance- only to flesh out arrangements for recording with real performers, mostly vocalists.

1. You can use any MIDI keyboard, even a cheap used one (with USB connection). The MOD wheel will be your best friend and make your life so much easier.

2. That's the lamest excuse ever. At 48 years old, I just started piano and theory lessons. I have learned several instruments over the years, never stop learning something new...or your life gets stale and you end up a cynical old fart. Your inspiration is very limited if you stick to the same instrument forever.

3. Then why bother with Hollywood Orchestra? It's probably the most complex, resource-hungry VST out there. I would opt for a simpler library, such as the stock Kontakt library if realism is not a priority.

 

[pmcrockett]

How on earth did this turn into a discussion of the merits of keyboards? OP is trying to resolve an issue that has nothing at all to do with MIDI hardware.

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

How on earth did this turn into a discussion of the merits of keyboards? OP is trying to resolve an issue that has nothing at all to do with MIDI hardware.

Because in order to properly program the patches in question, you really need a controller. Ok, you don't necessarily need one, but it makes life a lot easier.

 

[T.j.]

so let's get back to the actual discussion and help the guy if we can..

That is starting suspiciously sound like my problem. I have done everything suggested and STILL no vibrato. How do I get to that version? My version was loaded in Nov ‘16.

I'm assuming this isn't the answer because you're using protools and whatever protocol they have these days (rtas? i forget).
I'm really trying here..
What does it say under 'midi port' and 'channel' (upper left corner).

 

[mickeyrouse]

I am grateful for the collective effort.
MIDI port says “ Host.”
Channel says “omni”

I have played w/ omni to no effect, but clearly must work along with something else.

 

[T.j.]

I am grateful for the collective effort.
MIDI port says “ Host.”
Channel says “omni”

I have played w/ omni to no effect, but clearly must work along with something else.

Same setting here so that's not it.

2 suggestions:
- Mail EW support if you haven't already. Honestly, they're the ones that should be solving this.
- Try another DAW; something like reaper (which I believe has a very flexible demo version) or one of the free ones, just to see if the issue is with hosting it directly in Protools somehow (I know it works in Protools when hosted from Vepro).
You probably will have to reinstall Play to have the correct plugin format.

Other than that I give up, best of luck!

 

[Jerry Growl]

The reasons I don’t work with a keyboard:
1. I don’t have one.
2. I have never played a keyboard in my life- and this late in the game I see little benefit in learning a new instrument.
3. I have no interest in using any VST for performance- only to flesh out arrangements for recording with real performers, mostly vocalists.

That's perfectly viable. And of course there are more options to input midi.

I don’t doubt in the hands of a skilled keyboard player that interesting effects can be achieved, but my approach is if it can be written, it can be played, and vice versa- no more, no less. And considering how many years I’ve been plunking away on guitar.....
I have been using other VIs for other instruments and they give me pretty much what I want with no keyboards by editing the envelopes in the control lanes or via MIDI event lists available.

Anyone could ride a control fader. If it sends midi you can assign it to a CC.
Or use a footswitch or midi volume pedal if arms lack.

 

[mickeyrouse]

I have been waiting almost two weeks for them to respond to my inquiry. No answer.

 

[mickeyrouse]

My purpose of this thread is to seek help on software use. I am not into debating hardware pros and cons.

 

[Divico]

I don't know if it is related, but I also had a problem with PLAY Engine not registering mod wheel CC1. The problem was the VST3 version of PLAY Engine plugin. When I loaded the regular VST everything started to work fine.

Gotta check this out. I am playing around right now and the Vibrato is buggy. I am using an expression pedal mapped to cc1 and while most of the time everything is good, some notes seem to ignore the controler. changing notes back and forth seems to unbug the modwheel again oO. I am using the slur leg patches from the powerful system folder
Play using vst 3 while kontakt being still on 2. There had to be something wrong
Ok I have been wrong. I havent changed the position so it was on 1 and play played some notes open. Therefor no vibrato but a volume change when using the modwheel.

 

[PuerAzaelis]

Bump. I resulted in this thread when searching on Google. I am trying to get a nice vibrato sound on Opus for the celli. Any tips/tricks to increase vibrato?

 

[Snarf]

Bump. I resulted in this thread when searching on Google. I am trying to get a nice vibrato sound on Opus for the celli. Any tips/tricks to increase vibrato?

Are you using the lite patches or the max patches?

Lite has dynamics & vibrato linked to CC1 (Modwheel).
Max has dynamics linked to CC11 (Expression) and vibrato linked to CC1 (Modwheel).

Also, keep in mind there is no vibrato on open strings (e.g. lowest notes).

If that doesn't help, try posting an audio example here.

 

[PuerAzaelis]

Hm TYVM will analyze that track this evening ...

 

[EgM]

As @JohnG said, don't use those NV NV NV VB MV RR patches if you want to control vibrato independently from volume/intensity.

The correct patches for this are ones like "1st Violins Sus [6/9] [DB/RR] [KSFP/4th pos] Ni".

Using the above, CC1 (Modwheel) controls vibrato while CC11(Expression) controls velocity layer crossfades/volume.

Most computers today are fast enough to handle the patches from "Long Powerful System" so I'd just use the patch named "1st Violins Sus 13 RR KSFP ni" for violins sus.

 

[PuerAzaelis]

Are you using the lite patches or the max patches?

Lite has dynamics & vibrato linked to CC1 (Modwheel).
Max has dynamics linked to CC11 (Expression) and vibrato linked to CC1 (Modwheel).

Also, keep in mind there is no vibrato on open strings (e.g. lowest notes).

If that doesn't help, try posting an audio example here.

It was as simple as this ... Opus in its own way is as fiddly as Play ...