new piece features GOS

[pantonality]

Hi All,

I uploaded GraceGOS to my MP3.com site that uses GOS. It\'s taken over a week for MP3 to get this piece live, but it\'s up now. I\'ve since improved the performance slightly, but for those not sure this should give an idea of what GOS sounds like. The site is here;
http://www.mp3.com/ettienne (\"http://www.mp3.com/ettienne\")

I hope you enjoy GraceGOS. I\'ve left the original version (Grace) on the site (AO Strings, soft-sustained) for comparison.

Steve Chandler

[mahlon]

I actually like the AO strings better. I know the GOS is supposed to be great, from what everyone is saying, but your version of Grace with the Soft Sustain AO strings, to me, sounds much more realistic and warmner, less synthetic....unless the files are mixed up and one is really the other.

Very nice piece, though, with either sample library.

Mahlon

[Thomas_J]

Hmm... I was suprised here. Thanks for such a comparison. I second that, Mahlon. AO sounds better in this piece.

Thomas

[pantonality]

Ouch! You guys just wasted my weekend! http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif

Well I haven\'t actually sat and A/B\'d the two so maybe I should do that. I found the soft sustained strings about the only thing useful in AO Strings and obviously I should keep it handy. Any other opinions?

Steve

[Simon Ravn]

While I don\'t agree that the AO one sounds better than the GOS one, I think they both make the strings sound way too organ and \'stack\' like.

[Z6]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pantonality:
Simon,

Thanks for your candor. I\'d be the first admit the writing is a bit simplistic.
Steve<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don\'t be so hard on yourself. That\'s not true. I listened to \"Tender Heart\" and thought it was beautiful. What I would say (and it\'s not at all to do with the writing) is that in both pieces when the melody (and the harmony, really) moves around at a slightly quicker pace, it kind of thumps around with what sounds like too little variation: that\'s all. It just sounds as if you have to mix it up a little (attack-wise) when slightly faster scales appear.

Most importantly: Don\'t question your writing as simplistic, for goodness sake. Simple; yes. Beautiful, yes.

And, yes, I preferred the AO also (except in a few parts later in the piece).

keep posting.

[Simon Ravn]

Panton, actually I don\'t believe there is anything wrong with the actual composition. More the orchestration and voicings. It sounds too much like the strings were played in with chords, instead of separate lines. Also I think there\'s not enough expression in the various instruments. Both woodwinds and strings. More change of volume, or in the case with GOS, using the EXP instruments, would do wonders.

[LHong]

How do we get the GraceOS MP3 file source?

[Damon]

I\'ve always found the AO soft sustains to be a really great full strings patch. They seem to have just the right attack and release to make them user friendly for quick string sketching.
The rest of the strings on AO are horrible though IMHO.
I agree with Z6 Steve, nothing wrong with being simplistic. Most soundtrack music is, if that\'s what you\'re going for unless your John Williams.
I personally get more involved with minimalism. Sometimes just a piano is enough to voice emotion.
I recently bought Bernard Hermanns score to The Twilight Zone TV show and realized what an incredible learning tool the CD is. Some songs only feature 3 instruments, but they get the job done in presenting how one can evoke certain emotion (tension, beauty, resolve) with just the right voicings and minimalism.
Your compositions are good and I\'m sure you put alot of hard work into making them. Keep it up and keep posting more music! http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif




[This message has been edited by Damon (edited 10-30-2001).]

[pantonality]

Hey LHong,

I changed the properties just for you, at least until I have enough of these to justify offering a CD. You should be able to download it shortly.

Steve

[Thomas_J]

You must not misunderstand my post either! I thought the music was very nice and I was just puzzled because AO sounded better than GoS in this composition. (Face is Simon, it really does http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif. So congratulations on a nice composition!

Thomas

[donnie]

Comparing the AO patch to the GOS patch is like comparing free government cheese to a fine import from France.

It\'s all in the hands of the user....

Donnie

[LHong]

Thanks for the MP3 file.
Wow, I must loaded 2 compared songs into the Sonar1.3 to see and hear the difference!

They seem be nice composition like pro. As for me, the Grace has better expression, which is perfectly matched on the composition\'s personality.

BTW, there are about 2 clicks in the GraceGOS (not in Grace). That is the big difference! Just kidding!

Good work, we need more like this, pantonality.

Regards,
Long


[This message has been edited by LHong (edited 10-31-2001).]

[pantonality]

Simon,

Thanks for your candor. I\'d be the first admit the writing is a bit simplistic. I was appealing to an easy listening audience and I\'ve had GOS for less than a month. It really is deep and wide and I have a job and family that are top priorities. I haven\'t had the time to really learn GOS\'s capabilities.

How would you improve it? Bring the static parts down in the mix to emphasize the melody and countermelodies or rewrite the static parts for more rhythmic interest. Or would you do something else?

Steve

[Horst]

Steve,
thank you for this beautiful piece. I heard it several times because it went quickly and easily into my heart.

Also I agree that the AO patch sounds better. It might be that the GOS patch switches into the f and mf area which does not match the mood. GOS might need some tweaking here.

To be honest as far as this example is concerned the GOS performance is somewhat disappointing....

Horst

[KingIdiot]

I agree with horst in thinking that ou may have had the expression set too high and were letting mf-ff to play the music out. Doing this really changes the mood of the strings. Remember that the EXP is changing the bowing strength not just volume. Try the Sordino patches and keep the EXP in the p-mp range.

One thing that you have to relearn is the way we \"express\" with these strings. For the first run I was also making EVERY thing play with too much force. You can\'t just ride the Mod Wheel like we do with the exp/volume control. It takes a bit of fine tuning. You might want to even try the SUS/LEG patches in stead of the SUS EXP. Sicne you may still have \"old habits\" http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Also remember that the AO soft strings patch is NOT seperate sections its more like a synth patch where its suppost to sound warm and silky ALL THE TIME. Using GOS is more like having a string orchestra to orchestrate with...Its not the same as using the soft sustain AO patch. Even when you use Full string Lite. Its still not supposed to be a synthy patch.

The low strings in the AO version sound very false and dont have expression. The violin/viola stuff sounds nice possibly because there are cellos playing as well.

Your GOS version jsut doesn\'t sound \"played right\" Its like having an instrument you need to learn to play.

Thomas believe me you of all people will have a ball with GOS, you\'re are great at sequencing and I have no doubt that once you actually sit down with GOS you\'ld be blown away.

With all that rambling said, I\'d like to let you guys now I\'m working on a demo in which I will have both GOS and AO versions of strings. These will be the actual string sections and not the sof sustain patch. dont expect it within the next few days, I have some issues to clear upp and I want to actually mix it and work on BOTH the versions so that they both sound as good as possible. I may only do a section of the song since it will be more work than I have time for, but I believe Gary deserves some time devoted to something like this, as well as all you guys are scrambling for demos.

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Really...I am an Idiot