I have been given the exciting task of scoring my first film - an independent film in the UK. There isn't much of a budget for music, we can't afford an orchestra so I thought of buying a decent sample library to use instead. I'm looking at getting something with better and more varied sounds than those which are included in Logic 9, which I'm using at the moment, but without breaking the bank. I would appreciate any guidance from anyone with experience in this field. Many thanks, Matt.

If this is a current project, with a deadline, it isn't really the time to be buying and learning new tools! Rather make the best music you can with what you're used to.

Do you play any real instrument to a reasonably high standard? Adding even just one acoustically recorded element to a sequenced mix can make an enormous difference. Also, as you play with the track, you'll discover where it's become too rigid and mechanical, you'll probably want to go back and modify tempo and dynamics to make it more musical, more playable.

Or write a score for two or three live instruments. That session would probably be affordable.

If you're not used to programming orchestral stuff, now probably isn't the time to start. Not all film music has to be orchestral - and some of the best, most creative films don't use orchestral music.

But if you do need something, then Vienna Special Edition is pretty good as something that covers all bases; or maybe Garritan Personal Orchestra 4. Plenty of others around that cost more, the best stuff probably being the various VSL libraries, or give you a better representation of a solo instrument (e.g. Garritan Gofriller Cello is nice, but it's only a 'cello...)

The score is a mixture of instrumental incidental music and also band songs, and I've got a small pool of live musicians to choose from, woodwind, brass, guitars and percussion, so it's mainly strings I'm short of. I will certainly follow up your suggestion to mix the sequence with some live elements. Thank you for your reply, and for giving me a different approach.

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If you're not used to programming orchestral stuff, now probably isn't the time to start. Not all film music has to be orchestral - and some of the best, most creative films don't use orchestral music.

But if you do need something, then Vienna Special Edition is pretty good as something that covers all bases; or maybe Garritan Personal Orchestra 4. Plenty of others around that cost more, the best stuff probably being the various VSL libraries, or give you a better representation of a solo instrument (e.g. Garritan Gofriller Cello is nice, but it's only a 'cello...)

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Yes, most of the score isn't orchestral, but the introductory theme wants to be. I'd looked at the Vienna Special Edition, seems to fit the needs. Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

You can also supplement your main choice with this:

http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=4371

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Dance&Club Myspace Profile

I'll go with Adobe premiere, Magix Sequoia, and final cut.....but if you can't pay for it you can rent them so the cost no so astronomical

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http://www.audioplexus.co.uk
http://www.audioplexusmastering.com

Quote anticonstitution:

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I'll go with Adobe premiere, Magix Sequoia, and final cut.....but if you can't pay for it you can rent them so the cost no so astronomical

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OP is not editing the film

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Composer;
www.ogonline.org

If money's tight, I find you can get surprisingly reasonable results out of the strings that come with Logic, especially if you work the individual parts rather than just playing block chords with one patch. Of course there's better stuff out there - is there anything specifically you're missing in Logic?

If you've already got a host sequencer like Cubase, Logic, etc, Native Instruments' Kontakt 4 now has a fairly comprehensive and great sounding orchestral library. Kontakt 4's interface also has a number of great features that make tweaking sounds on instruments very easy and intuitive.

On top of the orchestral stuff it also has ethnic / world, band, synth and all sorts of other stuff thrown in totalling nearly 50Gb of samples.

D.

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www.thirdfloormusic.com

Quote Exalted Wombat:

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Do you play any real instrument to a reasonably high standard? Adding even just one acoustically recorded element to a sequenced mix can make an enormous difference.

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+1 ! If the listener can hear real topline instruments, he/she rarely notices that the rest of the "orchestra" is samples!

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Real strings online

and use Fat Cat for that !! He's really good! I'm looking for a project to use him......

Hi Nelly, thanks for your reply.

I find that the Logic sounds are great, but limited when it comes to individual instruments. For example, there are many cello section sounds, but no individual cellos. Just one example I know but there are more. I'm sure I will use many sounds from Logic, but I'm just trying to gauge whether spending say £400 on new software will give me that much more than I've already got!

Matt

Quote Darclinc:

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If you've already got a host sequencer like Cubase, Logic, etc, Native Instruments' Kontakt 4 now has a fairly comprehensive and great sounding orchestral library. Kontakt 4's interface also has a number of great features that make tweaking sounds on instruments very easy and intuitive.

On top of the orchestral stuff it also has ethnic / world, band, synth and all sorts of other stuff thrown in totalling nearly 50Gb of samples.

D.

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This looks like the winner: within my budget and the library has all the feature I need. Thanks for your reply Darclinc!

A couple of thoughts on that then... if you go the Kontakt route, it's probably worth stumping up the little bit extra to get Komplete 7 rather than just Kontakt 4, a load of extra stuff for about an extra £70.

Or, if you're spending this sort of money, and if all you want is quality orchestral, then for less than Kontakt you could get something like Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra Gold.

Don't want to cloud the issue, just throwing some options out there!

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Quote Darclinc:

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If you've already got a host sequencer like Cubase, Logic, etc, Native Instruments' Kontakt 4 now has a fairly comprehensive and great sounding orchestral library. Kontakt 4's interface also has a number of great features that make tweaking sounds on instruments very easy and intuitive.

On top of the orchestral stuff it also has ethnic / world, band, synth and all sorts of other stuff thrown in totalling nearly 50Gb of samples.

D.

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This looks like the winner: within my budget and the library has all the feature I need. Thanks for your reply Darclinc!

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No worries, glad to help. Personally I've always been very happy with NI's stuff. They sound very good and are great value.

I hope it works well for you !

D.

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www.thirdfloormusic.com

For strings I would thoroughly recommend Symphobia. Well worth the initial outlay.

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Stand by for action - we are about to launch Stingray!
Cue irritating bongo music ...

Quote Darclinc:

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Quote fallenleaf:

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Quote Darclinc:

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If you've already got a host sequencer like Cubase, Logic, etc, Native Instruments' Kontakt 4 now has a fairly comprehensive and great sounding orchestral library. Kontakt 4's interface also has a number of great features that make tweaking sounds on instruments very easy and intuitive.

On top of the orchestral stuff it also has ethnic / world, band, synth and all sorts of other stuff thrown in totalling nearly 50Gb of samples.

D.

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This looks like the winner: within my budget and the library has all the feature I need. Thanks for your reply Darclinc!

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No worries, glad to help. Personally I've always been very happy with NI's stuff. They sound very good and are great value.

I hope it works well for you !

D.

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WAIT ON!

If you are seriously thinking of Kontakt 4, (sells for £330), you'd be insane not to buy KOMPLETE 7 which sells for £399.

You get the full version of Kontakt 4 and pretty much everything else they do, including Absynth, Reaktor, MASSIVE, Abbey road Drums etc.

http://www.nativeinstruments.com/#/en/products/producer/komplete-7/

Fair play.

I got Komplete 7 recently at the special upgrade price from Kontakt 2, so I don't actually know what the difference in price is.

But yeah, if it's that little it would be silly not to get Komplete. Around 90Gb install though .... yikes.

D.

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www.thirdfloormusic.com

Lucky 7 it is then! Thanks for all your help guys, much appreciated. The film, by the way, is called 'The Bell Pool' and filming has just begun. Should be released next year, and I'm going to be very busy in the next few months. Wish me luck!