On the output of each audio track you will see that that out can go to any buss providing you have buses to begin with. If not just add them; as many as you need. 

chckn8r1


Still plugging away guys - just wondering if it's objectionable to sub a bass clarinet for the second Bassoon part - seems as though there's a need for some more oomph down there...

Hiya, "Chckn8r1"--(what IS the story behind the user name, by the way?)--Glad to hear you'll still be sending an MP3 in.

Earlier on the thread, it's come up a few times that substituting a tuba for the bass trombone is fine since some libraries don't have a bass trom.  That's a precedent setting thing which, in my opinion, makes it acceptable to swap out any of the instruments.  Maybe someone has a different interpretation of what the string section should consist of, for instance.  And I posted on here that I find the used of Tremolo strings at the opening to be questionable, and so I suggested people experiment with switching that to regular strings, marcato or whatever they want.

So I say if you feel a bass clarinet would work better than bassoons - then you should be able to go ahead and do that! - Interesting that you feel more oomph is needed in the lower registers.  I find this file to be bottom heavy, what with bassoons, cellos, bass, bass drum along with tympani - it's the kind of preponderance of low instruments which can work with a live orchestra, but which can muddy up a MIDI generated recording pretty quickly.  Hands on the EQ knobs for handling that, since for this we shouldn't be changing the arrangement - But to reiterate, changing the instrumentation a bit I think has to be OK.

Randy B.

Here's another issue we haven't really discussed on this thread, Bitflipper - I hope you can chime in with your thoughts on this:

--It was mentioned in a post here that someone was sending separate files of the various sections in the orchestra to demo their software more.  - And then, following suit, inspired by that post, someone else has done the same.

I feel that we can't accommodate the extra tracks, that it's beyond what the original parameters of this were - The basic concept is to demo what various libraries sound like playing this MIDI file.

We could have asked for several MP3s from everyone - a full mix, strings only, brass only, woodwinds only, percussion only - but that would have added up to a Much bigger time commitment to listeners, having to hear 4 versions of each library.

Please let me know what your thoughts are.  For now I've replied to the people sending in extra tracks that I think it's beyond the scope of what we're doing, so the extra tracks are on hold until a definitive decision has been made.

Randy B.

bitflipper


Yikes! Let's limit it to finished products, please. No stems. Randy is not offering a mastering service here.

hehe--Well, to be fair to folks who have sent me multiple MP3s, they weren't asking me to finish the mix for them using the separate files.  They were wanting to demonstrate their library more thoroughly, like "here's what the strings by themselves sound like."  I can understand wanting to demo that - but it really is beyond the scope of what we're doing.  I don't see how we could have most libraries represented with one MP3, but others with three or four.

OK, I think we're in agreement.  You guys who have sent me the separate files - thanks for them, maybe we can use them later.

Randy B.

bitflipper


Oh, I misunderstood. No, that's actually a cool idea, especially if the submitter used more than one library. I'd actually like to hear what the strings sound like on their own. But unfortunately it's beyond the scope of our little project.

Yeah, it's a fine idea.  I'm keeping the extra tracks, maybe to add on to the Shootout webpage later on.  But for now, I'm glad you agree that we need to keep it to one MP3 per demo.

ANOTHER NOTE REGARDING THE USE OF COMBINING LIBRARIES -

All submissions which have been sent in are being posted, along with the notes that have been included.  For the reference of people who are still contemplating doing one of these - it would be great if you could keep the production down to one synth.  We have some which include pick-and-choose instruments from several different libraries, and while the results may sound nice, there's no way the listeners will get any idea of how one particular library sounds. 

Combining a small group of libraries which are dedicated to just one section of the orchestra - that's different, as explored in some posts several days back.  If you're using a strings-only library, and have another one which is brass only - it's logical you would need to combine them both to fill out the instrumentation.

But please try to resist the temptation of deciding, "Well, I'll swap in a different piano because I don't like the piano in this library I'm using."  - If you would have left the original piano in, that would be instructional to listeners -they would know what that library's piano sounds like, and that's more helpful.

Just reminding everyone - this isn't a contest to see who can make the best recording.  The idea is to present a library (or two) playing the presented MIDI file, so listeners can get an idea of what these various orchestral programs sound like.

Randy B.

Hey Randy

Do you want me to re-do mine with just that main synth/sampler I used? Wouldn't take long and won't improve my meagre skills either way 

I betcha that the percussionist(s) on the session was asked to enchance the part as they saw fit. 

It's a bear to write detailed drum parts and a good drummer or percussionist can generally come up with something that's far better than whatever silly notes I could ever write for them. 

Speaking of percussion, I thought that this arrangement sounded more like marching band music than orchestral music.  I almost got rid of all the cymbal hits, at least in the B section (as we call it in Jazz), but had to stick to the rules.  They get annoying real quick.  The arrangement is not bad otherwise (though I would've done some things differently - and I'm sure most of you guys would too).  In any case, Randy, is there an ETA on the release of the submissions? (just a question, not meant to rush you guys or anyone for that matter ).

Thanks!

Hey Randy,

I admit I'm not a Star Trek fan, though I do like the music (so I may be wrong about this).  But the recording I was listening to, as a guide for this project, doesn't have anywhere the amount of crashes that this particular arrangement has.  However, I'm not sure it is the original version (though I assume it is).  This is the recording I'm referring to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AiSbxZYViE


Like I said, to me this arrangement sounds more like marching band music but with orchestral instrumentation (really odd).


Take care!
 
 
 
EDIT:  Wow!  You guys are setting up a webpage and everything, that's cool!  Can't wait to hear all the works that have been submitted.
 
 
 
 

Hi all, Randy and bitflipper:
 
Of course, I've seen this thread, but finally decided to participate because it just makes me smile that this is such a interesting idea and a good number of users are are happy to get involved. I just have a couple of questions.
 
Can the file we send be a .wav or does it have to be a .mp3? and does the sample rate suppose to be 44.1? I saw that if we send a .mp3 it can be at 320 kbs
 
I was thinking of sending in a .wav at 44.1/16bit (and the file size is 10.7mb), but I don't want to make anything inconvenient for you all.
 
I'm enthusiastically waiting to send in my ametuer submission and hear the others.
 
Thanks for making available the 2nd version of the midi file. It made things really convenient for me. 

OK .mp3 it is. Yes, I have the Cakewalk MP3 Encoder.

Thanks for the reply!

About the cymbals in the file "...I just dealt with that by bringing them down in the mix until they weren't obnoxious anymore..."

Something I did in addition to editing their velocities before rendering to audio, was to use several different cymbals.  The GM file has them all on one line, one note, but in the library I used I had more choices, so for some of the repeating notes I used a choked crash cymbal, which would be one very good choice for a percussionist playing this.  And I used the heaviest cymbal clash just a few times, a lighter one for other measures. - That's a good tip for people who are still working on their recordings.

Randy B.

Awesome news, bitflipper!

I admit Sonar is working so well that I forgot I had even joined this forum. Nice to see all is going well here. I plan to take a stab at this shootout (or should I have said "shot").  It sounds like fun.

Rich

I admit Sonar is working so well that I forgot I had even joined this forum. Nice to see all is going well here. I plan to take a stab at this shootout (or should I have said "shot"). It sounds like fun.

Welcome aboard, Rich! And yes, it will be fun. It has been for me anyway.

And it's about to get even more fun.