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Orchestral song
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:20 am
by Mike Conway
Damn quiet around here, so I'll post a song!

Just playing around, but I like the sound quality.
OASYS orchestra
15 MIDI tracks, plus 4 audio of my voice through the vocoder.
EDIT:
Some details in this
Vimeo version. Unlike YouTube, this one is stereo.
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:34 pm
by Zzzins
Nice one Mike. Particularly like the Vocoder choir pads - very realistic. I also wasn't aware of the additional "expression" features of the exs3 sounds.
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:36 pm
by AnthonyB
Great stuff mike (as usual).

When I heard the mp3 demo first, i was assuming "Karo" strings was involved here, but looking on the youtube afterwards, didn't see any mention of it, though a lot of sounds seems to be in "User banks".
Love the deep strings on this, very good!
Edit: your right, very quite round here, almost seems like oasys forums was "discontinued"!
AnthonyB
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:49 pm
by RC-IA
superb mike. thanx

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:36 pm
by kenackr
Mike,
How big a file is it? I'm on 25K dial up and been down loading for about 20 minutes and still cranking.
Being in the Norcal Sierra foothills, I think my next tune is going to be "California Burning".
Ken
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:49 pm
by Mike Conway
Ken, the MP3 is 3.29 megs.
Anthony, Karo strings are pretty much a permanent part of my setup - especially the "Solo" and "Spiccato" strings. I just consider them part of the OASYS, now.
Thanks, RC!
Zzzins wrote:I also wasn't aware of the additional "expression" features of the exs3 sounds.
To be honest, I wasn't that impressed when EXs3 first came out. Now, that I've started playing around with the different versions of each sound, I realize how fantastic and expressive they are - especially in a mix, with their different variations. I absolutely need to use the Cornet Trills, next time. Great job to those involved with that library.
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:46 pm
by Arend Groot
Very nice orchestral demo Mike.
I think the EXs3 is very detailed, but a bit dry in my opinion. With a little more reverb all those brass sounds come to life, a superb library.
Re: Orchestral song
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:05 am
by medusaland
Hi Mike,
I like your superb "Oasys Orchestra" including the KARO strings
fantastic work...
Best wishes,
Kurt aka medusaland
Re: Orchestral song
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:16 am
by Mike Conway
Thanks, Arend!
medusaland wrote:I like your superb "Oasys Orchestra" including the KARO strings

Kurt (and Oliver), I'll be forever grateful for your fine library.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:52 pm
by AnthonyB
Mike, I can see you use lots of equipment and so forth. I was wondering if you've actually used Software/VST String/orchestral library's, (east west/vienna etc) or just "tried" them, and how they "compare " to the KARO strings.?
Also, was it just a case of unloading the OASYS piano (500 meg) to use the karo?, as you have brass EX on as well (thats over 600 megs or something). At the moment I only have 96 megs free on load uo, with all EX's etc loaded in (piano /brass/HD etc). What i'd like to see implicated in the OASYS, is the ability to load just a "few" samples from BRASS EX, it's not very often your going to use all patches for one song is it! - or maybe you can do something like that now, i don't know

.
Reason I ask this, is becsause there are differnet types of orchestral music, some with "Brass" being the dominent, and otheres the "strings". Sometimes a "mixture" too. Most popular in general (for me at least, as others have different ideas) are: Strings (using chords - but "spaced-out") "Solo strings", Flute, Oboe/Cor anglias, and French horn. There are great sounds from the Stock OASYS sounds also, of course - i like them anyway. (you even used a Horn sound (I think) from the GM set on your DVD:).
It's good that KARO do good work like this with the Strings library as it adds that "Different" sound to the OASYS, Like an "addition" rather than "as well as".
Thanks
AnthonyB
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:04 pm
by Mike Conway
AnthonyB wrote:I was wondering if you've actually used Software/VST String/orchestral library's, (east west/vienna etc) or just "tried" them, and how they "compare " to the KARO strings.?
I've only heard the VST demos. I sure wouldn't mind having the East/West QL Orchestra, as it seems to have some really nice section sounds. There are going to be far more samples and variety than on a workstation. My only direct comparison was to the Roland SRX04 Strings card, which I have in the Fantom. Similar price to Karo Strings. It has a really nice Tremolo section, but Karo blows the rest of those sounds away.
I find that for the way that I play, the OASYS and Karo Strings give me what I need. That song wasn't very tight - I wasn't actually composing to a visual - so I feel that I can improve on the sound. Obviously, the O's samples are well beyond other hardware synths. The sounds I can get out of it, by itself, exceed my last score, where I used a dozen hardware units. Granted, I couldn't do that in my first month or two with it, but the more you get to know it...
Also, was it just a case of unloading the OASYS piano (500 meg) to use the karo?, as you have brass EX on as well (thats over 600 megs or something). At the moment I only have 96 megs free on load uo, with all EX's etc loaded in (piano /brass/HD etc). What i'd like to see implicated in the OASYS, is the ability to load just a "few" samples from BRASS EX, it's not very often your going to use all patches for one song is it!
I don't use the EXs2 piano, as the one on Int. E000 is good enough for what I do. I agree that it would be beneficial to load individual EXs3 instruments, instead of a 700 meg chunk. The alternative is to internally resample the sounds you want. You could still use the base programs, but switch the ROM Multisample to RAM.
The other alternative is to record brass/woodwind tracks to the Audio tracks and then unload the samples. The nice thing about the Karo sounds, is that you can store just the samples that you need. I don't need any of the Solinas or electronic emulations.
Before I really get on with my next project, I'll be porting over some "best of" samples from my E-MU and Yamaha libraries, particularly big orchestral drums - gongs, basses, waterphones, etc.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:14 pm
by Davidb
Mike,
The song is superb, and the production too.
I´ve got to tell ya, I´m a fan of yours, mate!
Thanx and regards.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:24 pm
by EJ2
Super stuff, Mike. You're right, it's been too quiet in here. I'm guilty of sitting here waiting, myself. That's going to soon change. Stay tuned, folks.
Cheers,
Eric
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:37 am
by Mike Conway
Thanks, David and EJ!
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:52 am
by pigpen
Great sound, nice use of the vocoder............how long did it take you from inspiration to finished sond, and did you do much editing after the first take? I am interested in how others on this forum work their Oasys.
I find I spend hours exploring the features of the machine and the exi's and then i just go to a combi and create a piece. I KNOW that I am only using about 15% of the Oasys capability.