Orchestra Composition

mikebeam
Thanks Gus!  That's a really good perspective.
 
I think I compressed it way too much!  I was a bit worried about that and you've confirmed it.  I'll have to go back in and figure that out.  Perhaps some volume automation.  The problem I was having is that the loud parts and soft parts are just too different.  

That's the thing with the orchestra. There is a great range in dynamics. Yes use automation to bring the lows up a tad, or depending on headroom, everything else down. Don't be too worried about the parts being too different. Check out commercial soundtracks and you will hear the ups and downs. For me, as I said I think automation is the route and not compression. But that's just my view.
 

gusrogers
mainly on the left, I can't hear anything going out further than where the 2nd violins would be, almost in mono. 

What do you mean by this?  I have the instruments panned - about 40% in different directions.  Would you suggest more?  It seems like you might have an understanding of something that I'm missing - I would love to hear what you do.

Yes the panning can be wider, web search how an orchestra is set out. Give more room in the middle for other instruments. Having the musicains wider adds interest because melodies are coming in and out at different places. Listen to John Williams score ie Harry Potter, there's so much movement from left to right, you just don't know where the next melody, solo is going to come in from.

Well if you want to hear my stuff, I have a few tracks on here
 

gusrogers
The Strings, Woods and Brass, do a send off each group of choirs to a new bus, there add 100% wet, 0 % dry verb as an fx. With this you can place each sections depth in the mix, as well as giving it some gloss washing underneath the overall sonics. 
 

This sounds like a fantastic idea!  Awesome!  Can't wait to try it.

Go for it, it gives your mixes a real pro shine to them.
 
Thanks!