Infinite Series (Aaron Venture) thread

[Sean J]

This is probably an old, oft-repeated question, but are ensembles on the roadmap for Infinite? I guess in the interest in ease of use, but possibly in saving system resources?

What are you trying to save on?

My Surface Book 2 16GB RAM can load the entire bundle. CPU is a real concern. ASIO4ALL will be the death of me. I miss my PCIe RME card for the drivers alone. The CPU of Infinite on my SB2 isn't even usable, which is a shame as my goal is 100% mobility and dropping my desktop entirely. On my desktop, the CPU isn't a problem at all. It's higher than my template was before, but only few percent on average. So I have issues that resonate I guess, but it's nothing Aaron can do anything about.

To ensemble, or not to ensemble...

I do wish there was a Trombone 4, as sometimes that's called for and more often I like having a2 on all my first chair parts. I've also offset my tracks. While Aaron's humanize is a great improvement, the attacks still felt like they needed a different center of gravity and cc1 dynamics are all too consistent. If you copy paste a part from one instrument to another, it's a bit super human in how exactly unison they are. So I can see that the ensemble performing can improve a little still. I'm still tweaking more than I'd like because of that. But that's the only thing I can think of.

Thing is, it sounds much more like a professional performance than my Spitfire template does when Infinite is human enough. My Spitfire template has ensemble and solo patches. So the idealist in me says it's better to keep it modular. At that point, it seems this is more a tech performance consideration than any other.

Has anyone been using Infinite entirely on a laptop?

 

[aaronventure]

This is probably an old, oft-repeated question, but are ensembles on the roadmap for Infinite? I guess in the interest in ease of use, but possibly in saving system resources?

Strings will have ensembles. But if Brass/Winds had them, it would only save a bit on the script engine. DSP would still be the same (like with Mixed Mic), and that's where the biggest hit is. RAM would also be the same (but is this seriously even a factor? :D)

I do wish there was a Trombone 4

You actually have 15. Make use that Transpose option! Transposing by 1 up or down is unnoticeable unless you compare it directly with the nonn-transposed one; in unison or when playing chords it's unnoticeable (in conventional sampling, half of your notes are already transposed by 1 as sampling is usually done diatonically).

 

[x-dfo]

Strings will have ensembles. But if Brass/Winds had them, it would only save a bit on the script engine. DSP would still be the same (like with Mixed Mic), and that's where the biggest hit is. RAM would also be the same (but is this seriously even a factor? :D)


You actually have 15. Make use that Transpose option! Transposing by 1 up or down is unnoticeable unless you compare it directly with the nonn-transposed one; in unison or when playing chords it's unnoticeable (in conventional sampling, half of your notes are already transposed by 1 as sampling is usually done diatonically).

Makes sense! Mainly it was more for saving time to just have TrumpetEnsemble ready to rock as a good sounding group and sketching. Maybe some divisi fairy dust sprinkled on

 

[Sean J]

I just entirely removed Spitfire's Brass from my DAW template.

So I've been writing a piece in StaffPad intending on adding Infinite to it later by live performing it with my wind controller, but without my own samples and synths, I find myself spending too much time working around that for now. I really wanted to get a solid Infinite demo out. So I returned to the DAW and started writing a piece specifically to highlight HB. It's coming along much faster and will be done soon. Halfway through this, I've realized I just don't even find a use in my Spitfire brass library anymore. I did miss my close mics on the strings for how detailed they sound (you'll hear why I care so much about this in the demo), so it's made me hope Infinite really nails a good string sound. But still... the brass... who needs anything else?

This is sort of a useless post. I just really wanted to say I'm 100% IB now.

 

[DivingInSpace]

I just bought Infinite Woodwinds a couple of days ago and finally had a chance to try them out. It seems like they might take me some time getting used to as there is not much performance backed into the samples, but i guess that whole point, doing your own performance. I am almost starting to regret that i didn't get both Woodwinds and brass with the student discount, but on the other hand i do have a great library already. I look forward to working with this.

 

[Denkii]

I just bought Infinite Woodwinds a couple of days ago and finally had a chance to try them out. It seems like they might take me some time getting used to as there is not much performance backed into the samples, but i guess that whole point, doing your own performance. I am almost starting to regret that i didn't get both Woodwinds and brass with the student discount, but on the other hand i do have a great library already. I look forward to working with this.

Student discount only applies to solo purchases anyway so no need to rush.
And you still save more than the bundle that is on sale.

 

[Brian Nowak]

I just entirely removed Spitfire's Brass from my DAW template.

So I've been writing a piece in StaffPad intending on adding Infinite to it later by live performing it with my wind controller, but without my own samples and synths, I find myself spending too much time working around that for now. I really wanted to get a solid Infinite demo out. So I returned to the DAW and started writing a piece specifically to highlight HB. It's coming along much faster and will be done soon. Halfway through this, I've realized I just don't even find a use in my Spitfire brass library anymore. I did miss my close mics on the strings for how detailed they sound (you'll hear why I care so much about this in the demo), so it's made me hope Infinite really nails a good string sound. But still... the brass... who needs anything else?

This is sort of a useless post. I just really wanted to say I'm 100% IB now.

How soon? I'm very, VERY curious.

 

[aaronventure]

New demo and screencast up. You might recognize the piece

 

[SoNowWhat?]

Picked IB up a couple of days ago and have only really just had a play. It’s freaking amazing. I already have Berlin Brass (full) and a few other Brass collections and I did play trumpet back in the day. Though I was never a particularly good player my father was and I think the tone is great here.

Right now I think that IB may displace all my other Brass samples. It’s very expressive, very flexible and very consistent. Smooth. There’s always the option to layer if I think it’s needed but I’m very happy right now. May still be the honeymoon period and I’m still very much learning how to use it properly. That process isn’t helped by the fact that my keyboard controller is playing up and not giving me accurate velocities (random levels and keys). Means I need to switch off the velocity for attacks and go full mod wheel for the moment. Not ideal but I can live with it til I get my controller repaired or replaced.

I’ve not had much of a chance to try out things in an ensemble setting. Just started with the horns. I like how it’s sounding so far. All of this is of course IMHO but I’m loving it. Thanks @aaronventure, you’ve got a very interesting product here.

Thanks also to everyone who posted their demos. I don’t think I’ve heard one that I don’t like the Brass in. It’s great.

 

[DANIELE]

I remember someone asking about listening to IB in a more epic contest, here's the last piece I wrote for fun (it is a remake of another old piece of mine, when I used to write more epic and percussive stuff). I don't know if this is the final version, maybe I will work a little bit more on it but it is enough to show to you all the IB and IW used in an epic track.

You will have simple melodies and rhythmic stuff, I hope it is enough for the ones that has doubts about IB used in a less classical context.



Now I have another kind of track to write.

 

[Sean J]

I hope it is enough for the ones that has doubts about IB used in a less classical context.

Thanks for posting this! I'm right at the end of mine. I went a very specific direction with mine and starting realizing that most would probably prefer a demo much more like how yours turned out in style. That thought left me wanting to hear more demos from more people. Definitely great to hear the library used this way. It certainly doesn't sound like Holst or Gershwin.

 

[I like music]

I remember someone asking about listening to IB in a more epic contest, here's the last piece I wrote for fun (it is a remake of another old piece of mine, when I used to write more epic and percussive stuff). I don't know if this is the final version, maybe I will work a little bit more on it but it is enough to show to you all the IB and IW used in an epic track.

You will have simple melodies and rhythmic stuff, I hope it is enough for the ones that has doubts about IB used in a less classical context.



Now I have another kind of track to write.

Wonderful. And the brass shines!
Strings are SM, or a mixture?

 

[I like music]

Thanks for posting this! I'm right at the end of mine. I went a very specific direction with mine and starting realizing that most would probably prefer a demo much more like how yours turned out in style. That thought left me wanting to hear more demos from more people. Definitely great to hear the library used this way. It certainly doesn't sound like Holst or Gershwin.

Would love to hear what you have cooking

 

[DANIELE]

Thanks for posting this! I'm right at the end of mine. I went a very specific direction with mine and starting realizing that most would probably prefer a demo much more like how yours turned out in style. That thought left me wanting to hear more demos from more people. Definitely great to hear the library used this way. It certainly doesn't sound like Holst or Gershwin.

Actually I like many kinds of orchestral music from the classic one to the modern one till the epic one.

This track seems easy and it is easier than a John William piece for sure but is not as simple as it seems at first listen.

I like to keep tracks unpredictable like the central part of this one.

Anyway now I'm going to do a track more in the JW style, I have to listen and study more to do a good job with this but I'll try to do my best and I'll post it once it is ready.

Wonderful. And the brass shines!
Strings are SM, or a mixture?

Thank you.

Strings are ONLY SM, I will couple them with the Aaron ones once they are out.

My principle is simple, I want to use the libraries I like alone until I have learned all I can to use them at their best. By doing this I'm learning a lot how to use them to achieve the best results.

Many parts of this track are manually recorded. This is how I managed to get this sound.

I think I'll post it in the SM thread too, just to show SM strings in this context.


I replaced the attachment with a new one, I did some little editing to get a better mastering.

 

[I like music]

Actually I like many kinds of orchestral music from the classic one to the modern one till the epic one.

This track seems easy and it is easier than a John William piece for sure but is not as simple as it seems at first listen.

I like to keep tracks unpredictable like the central part of this one.

Anyway now I'm going to do a track more in the JW style, I have to listen and study more to do a good job with this but I'll try to do my best and I'll post it once it is ready.



Thank you.

Strings are ONLY SM, I will couple them with the Aaron ones once they are out.

My principle is simple, I want to use the libraries I like alone until I have learned all I can to use them at their best. By doing this I'm learning a lot how to use them to achieve the best results.

Many parts of this track are manually recorded. This is how I managed to get this sound.

I think I'll post it in the SM thread too, just to show SM strings in this context.


I replaced the attachment with a new one, I did some little editing to get a better mastering.

Superb advert for this style of libraries mate. Well done.

 

[Sean J]

This track seems easy and it is easier than a John William piece for sure but is not as simple as it seems at first listen.

Oh, sorry if I implied it was simple. I just realized my own probably missed the style that yours hit on exactly. It's more like people were challenged to score a film and one person did it while I went on a mental tangent and wrote an opera. Not quite like that, just different types of epic. Still, you're on point.

 

[El Buhdai]

I remember someone asking about listening to IB in a more epic contest, here's the last piece I wrote for fun (it is a remake of another old piece of mine, when I used to write more epic and percussive stuff). I don't know if this is the final version, maybe I will work a little bit more on it but it is enough to show to you all the IB and IW used in an epic track.

You will have simple melodies and rhythmic stuff, I hope it is enough for the ones that has doubts about IB used in a less classical context.

Now I have another kind of track to write.

I had my doubts about SM Strings but I've certainly heard user songs from "better" libraries that don't sound nearly as good. It's always clear when a composer knows their libraries well.

I loved the sound of the trumpets and trombones playing effects around the middle of the song. I was sold there.

I'm not as sold when the IB French Horns play epic lines at high dynamics though. Even though I think you said you use 12 horns, it's missing the size and sound of more traditional libraries with smaller section sizes. Still better than I expected though, and I don't really use Infinite Brass for anything epic because that's just not how I write. It's fine with me that its Trombones and Horns don't do it as well as, say, Hollywood Brass. The trumpets are definitely there though.

Nice demo!

 

[DANIELE]

Oh, sorry if I implied it was simple. I just realized my own probably missed the style that yours hit on exactly. It's more like people were challenged to score a film and one person did it while I went on a mental tangent and wrote an opera. Not quite like that, just different types of epic. Still, you're on point.

Don't worry, it was only a general comment, not specifically referred to you. I wrote that because often musicians tend to put shame on epic music without thinking to different kinds of composers and works.

Plus, this is not my work so I do what I can to study as a self-learning guy.

I'm not so good with the language so maybe it is my speaking that could be misunderstood.

I had my doubts about SM Strings but I've certainly heard user songs from "better" libraries that don't sound nearly as good. It's always clear when a composer knows their libraries well.

I loved the sound of the trumpets and trombones playing effects around the middle of the song. I was sold there.

I'm not as sold when the IB French Horns play epic lines at high dynamics though. Even though I think you said you use 12 horns, it's missing the size and sound of more traditional libraries with smaller section sizes. Still better than I expected though, and I don't really use Infinite Brass for anything epic because that's just not how I write. It's fine with me that its Trombones and Horns don't do it as well as, say, Hollywood Brass. The trumpets are definitely there though.

Nice demo!

Thank you for your comment. Here the most horns parts are 4 horns only, sometime there is a fifth or sixth horn that comes in.

I have 12 horns in my template but I tend to avoid to use all of them as much as I can since I don't want to be loud for no reason.

About the high dynamics I still have to learn how to use them better but I'm actually pretty satisfied with the results. Take in mind that I still have to learn a lot how brass sounds together and how they are played in real life (I often watch at videos where real musicians explain their own instruments). If I could "access" some orchestra musicians I coud learn a lot about every instruments. Here I would need some brass players.

Maybe I have to rebalance the sound in louder parts because the horns there tend to stick at high dynamics for a long time (simple melodies with long notes) so a long sustained note dymanics could be difficult to be well "designed". Especially with a full orchestra that is playing behind them.

Maybe I have more to play with vibrato to give them more "life", I don't know.

Are you thinking that the problem here is the "space" where they "lives"? Or is it the ensemble that doesn't work? I played the lines multiple times, I'm applying a different delay on every horn, I'm using the randomization that Aaron introduced with 1.4 and I'm even using the attack detune option. Obviously I'm using all of this carefully so little adjustements here and there.

Do you have any advice to do a better work?

I don't really use Infinite Brass for anything epic because that's just not how I write

About this I like to wrote in many different styles, here I would like to try epic stuff to see how this libraries behave. I like to understand what every library I use can do so I want them to be able to sound well in many different contexts.
I will try a more classical orchestral approach for the next track.

 

[Eptesicus]

I had my doubts about SM Strings but I've certainly heard user songs from "better" libraries that don't sound nearly as good. It's always clear when a composer knows their libraries well.

I loved the sound of the trumpets and trombones playing effects around the middle of the song. I was sold there.

I'm not as sold when the IB French Horns play epic lines at high dynamics though. Even though I think you said you use 12 horns, it's missing the size and sound of more traditional libraries with smaller section sizes. Still better than I expected though, and I don't really use Infinite Brass for anything epic because that's just not how I write. It's fine with me that its Trombones and Horns don't do it as well as, say, Hollywood Brass. The trumpets are definitely there though.

Nice demo!

I agree with this. The agility and play-ability is clearly excellent, however i have never heard it sound really "fat" or expansive. It always sounds a bit thin.

I think one would still need a more traditional library for balls to the wall style epic stuff.

 

[DANIELE]

I agree with this. The agility and play-ability is clearly excellent, however i have never heard it sound really "fat" or expansive. It always sounds a bit thin.

I think one would still need a more traditional library for balls to the wall style epic stuff.

Do you have in mind a particular library to compare with?

I don't want to layer other libraries so maybe comparing the sound could be useful to try to reach that sound with IB.

Maybe I could try to distance more the instruments in my virtual space, just to have a bolder sound. Or maybe I could t ry to change the space in precedence to try out how they sounds.

For IB I used the studio preset with mixed mic at a middle/ middle-far distance.