The Vienna Symphonic Library
Noble Hero Tips and Tricks Tutorial
By Craig Stuart Garfinkle

Introduction:

At this point you should already have read part one, “Basic Concepts for Using the VSL.” Now let’s focus on some of the specific examples I mentioned in this overview. So if you haven’t already done so, go ahead and download the MP3 of “Noble Hero” from this link: http://www.ilio.com/features/tips/media/NobleHero.mp3

You then may wish to download these MP3 examples, as they will be the focus of the rest of this tutorial:

Example One: Solo Trumpet “Performance Legato” Patch

Example Two: String “Staccato All” Patches

Example Three: Brass “Sustained Dynamic” Patches

I chose these examples for two main reasons:

1. They demonstrate the types of performance and specialty VSL patches that might be used to expand upon the use of “Basic Combination All” patches.

2. They are also good examples of how one can get the most out of these types of patches in a real world situation.

Example One: Solo Trumpet “Performance Legato” Patch

In “Noble Hero,” the solo trumpet part that enters at 00:30 is a good example of how to get the most out of a performance legato patch.

Naturally, true to the concept of starting with boundaries, I originally sequenced this part using the “Basic Combination All” trumpet patch. But when I realized the wonderfully soloistic nature of the part, I knew that a performance legato patch would be needed to bring the part to the forefront. In this case I chose “TrC_mV_perf-leg.”

Understanding the Performance Legato Patch

A performance legato patch is a monophonic patch that connects any “first” note of a legato pair with the “second” or “target” note of the legato pair.  How this occurs depends on the interval you are playing.

The target note, i.e. the second note of the interval pair you are playing, starts off with the combination of:

• A few milliseconds from the tail of the first note, and then
• The transition sound that is triggered from the first to the second note
  

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the matrix window of this solo trumpet part and compare it to what we hear.

Note the overlapped notes at the downbeats of measures 12 & 14, and then again between beats 3 & 4 in measure 17. As you will hear, a slight portamento slur occurs just between these overlapped pitches.

Connected Notes = Tail of the preceding note and short protamento to the second note instead of an articulated attack

Looking to the same example, notice how the releases of most of the MIDI notes are connected to the attacks of the next note. Wherever this occurs, the Performance Tool chooses a note from the pool of target notes and applies a small cross-fade between the two.  The result is a smooth connection between the first note with the target note.

Separated Notes = Attacks are articulated

Finally, look at beat 3 in measure 13; beat 4 in measure 15; and the downbeat of measure 19. In each of these cases the note is not connected to the note before it. As you can hear, the result of this is that these notes have clearly defined attacks.

Be deliberate and pay attention to detail to note duration!

I have seen students who are wonderful orchestraters pull up this exact performance legato patch and get frustrated when their trumpet part didn’t sound right – not because of the instrument but because their keyboard technique didn’t deliberately pay attention to:

• Which notes were crossing and therefore slurred
• Which notes were connected and therefore legato, and
• Which notes were separated and therefore attacked

The result of these oversights was an overly slurred and sloppy performance that sounded like an old mini-moog with the portamento key stuck in the “on” position! Not pretty!

Example Two: Staccato All Patches

In “Noble Hero” there are a number of sections where the rhythmic pulse is propelled by an evolving staccato string ostinato that follows the music’s underlying harmonic changes. In this section of the tutorial we will look a little closer at one of these sections and learn how multiple “Staccato All Patches” were used to render the section (Go ahead and download it if you haven’t done so already).

The Beginning of the Process Remains the Same

Just as it was in the case with the solo trumpet example, for the expediency of its creation I originally sequenced these parts using “Basic All” patches.

Then, during the process of orchestrating, the staccato parts were copied to their own tracks and were assigned to a number of assorted “Staccato All 1 & 2” patches. Here are some of the reasons why this was done:

On a Short Note, a Staccato Sample is Ten Times Better Then a Truncated Long Note

This seems like it should be a “no brainer” but so often the novice orchestrater overlooks this truth.

Different Articulations Require Unique Signal Path and Processing

Getting a staccato part to speak through a mix requires a whole set of criteria that has nothing to do with a sustained musical phrase. For example, as a general rule, the faster a musical phrase moves, the less reverb it should have. Likewise, it might require a different type of compression to bring out the attacks, or an alternate EQ setting. As you can hear in this example, I use every trick at my disposal to bring out the staccato phrases against the sustained strings including some pretty severe panning and EQ. If the staccato parts have the same signal path as the sustained part, this would be impossible.

Specialty Patches Offer Greater Depth of Sample Performance

This discussion could also be called: Repeatedly Trigger the Same Sample – Go to Jail!

Staccato 1 & 2 Patches and Key Switches

A staccato 1 & 2 patch works as follows: Using key switches, the performance can instantly switch back and forth between multiple unique staccato sample patches. The type of performance is the same from patch to patch, but the actual sample is different.

Let’s see how this works in Noble Hero. The matrix editor window below is the midi information that created the audio example, “StaccatoStriTop.mp3.” Take a moment to listen to the part while studying the editor.

Examine the slew of seemingly random C0 and C#0 notes that pepper the bottom of the editor. Each one of these notes is a key switch that triggers a complete change of sample patch. These key switches are placed deliberately so that the next sample that is triggered in the pattern doesn’t repeat a sample we just heard – even if it is the same note performed at the same velocity. The result, to my ear, is a performance with much greater sonic interest.

Example Three: Brass “Sustained Dynamic” Patches

For me, a sustained note is not musical unless it does something! Anything! It has to get louder, softer, brighter, duller, more vibrato, less vibrato, more flutter, less flutter…

Therefore, another technique I use to add depth to my basic orchestration is to separate out the sustained parts and assign them to assorted VSL dynamic patches. These patches are built from sampled performances of instruments as they crescendo or decrescendo, or both.

In Noble Hero, the way I use these patches for sustained parts is most evident in the low brass. You might wish to download the example and review it if you haven’t done so already.

Multiple Crescendo and Decrescendo Envelope Times

As you can hear in the example, special attention is paid to how all the sustained notes are overlapped and intertwined while propelling the harmony. This is done using multiple layers of “dynamic patches,” each with different “envelope times,” that are selected by key switches (It sounds more complicated than it really is!).

One Last Tip – Just for Fun!

When I was preparing the solo trumpet example for this tutorial, I made note of one last technique that I wanted to share – even though it falls slightly outside our realm of discussion. This tip is called:

“Volume Controller Automation = Dynamic Markings and Articulations”

When I was studying this example, I realized that just as important as the deliberate placement of the slurs, was the use of volume controller automation to articulate certain aspects of this trumpet melody. This is immediately evident when you view the screenshot below that shows a graph of the volume ride (the yellow line) as it falls against the notes.

Observe the peaks and valleys of the volume automation. You should see four “spiked notes” at the beginning of each phrase where the volume ride is used to “accent” or “dig out” the low note that establishes the beginning of the phrase. Without this, the low notes would simply not be able to cut through the mix.

Likewise, note the “decrescendo” during the long notes at the end of each musical statement. This line in the volume automation, if it were notated in a score, would be the equivalent of a hairpin dynamic. You can take a last listen to this solo part with this in mind by clicking here.

Summary:

These tutorial examples represent just a few of the wonderful possibilities that the VSL affords the orchestrater. Hopefully it will introduce an approach that will help cut the library down to a manageable size and get you well on your way to mastering it.

Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about the VSL and all my other production techniques, keep a look out for my upcoming textbook, “The Virtual Studio Instrument,” (which is to be distributed by “Sound.Org”). In the book I am attempting to distill twenty-one years as a “Virtual Midiot” into just a few hundred pages. It is a pleasure to share what I have learned.

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Craig Stuart Garfinkle, award-winning music producer and Emmy Award-nominated composer for feature films, television, commercials, stage musicals, and albums. Mr. Garfinkle's recent scores include music for the Xbox game Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II; the feature film Ghosts Never Sleep; and, with his partner Simone Benyacar, his music recently appeared in trailers for Halo II, Sin City , and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. His score for the documentary Visions of Arizona received an 1999 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Score.

Craig is also a noted film music educator presently teaching film composition for UCLA’s continuing studies program, and as an author on the subject of film music technology he is presently writing “The Virtual Studio Instrument,” a textbook to be distributed by “Sound.org.”

Please feel free to visit http://www.midiotmusic.com for more information about the author