Overview

Status: Available | Released: Dec 16th, 2014

Orchestral sample libraries are everywhere. You can buy cheap ones or you can shell out some serious cash for the top of the line libraries. And while the quality of your sample library is important, solid MIDI techniques can make ANY orchestral sample library sound more real. You just need to learn the tried and true methods that MIDI master and orchestral composer, Peter (Ski) Schwartz, reveals in this example-filled, information-packed, super-cool course!

Think of it this way: The samples are the instruments... and we all know that instruments can't play themselves! The MIDI notes are the score... and the score is just a musical roadmap. So where does the "real" MUSIC come from? We're talking about the all important stuff like expression, phrasing, dynamics and feeling that is key when you're trying to emulate a room full of great musicians! Well, the answer is all in the artful programming of the MIDI CCs and all of the behind-the-scenes MIDI techniques that you, the virtual conductor, bring into the production! That's exactly what Peter Schwartz explores and teaches you how to accomplish in this 40+ tutorial course!

Whether you're using a premium orchestral library like EastWest or the basic one that came with your DAW, this course, on enhancing orchestral realism, will guide and inspire you to make your orchestral productions as authentic-sounding as possible. So grab your virtual MIDI conductor's baton, open up your favorite sample library and start making orchestral scores that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing!

Outline

Section 1: Section 1: Gettng Started

Section 2: Section 2: Perspectives on Using Sampled Insruments

Section 3: Section 3: Dynamics & Dynamic Control

10

Dynamics Essentials

5m 51s

Section 4: Section 4: Velocity Control of Dynamics

Section 5: Section 5: Continuous Control of Dynamics

Section 6: Section 6: A Pause to Consider

27

A Question of Intentions...

8m 30s

Section 7: Section 7: Beyond the Basics

Section 8: Section 8: How Samples Fake Us Out

Section 9: Section 9: Bonus Content: Writing for Harp

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Reviews

It's 2020 and still relevant! wrote on January 18, 2020

Great course, amazing teacher, interesting and fun. :) It's great to watch this in 2020 because 4/5 years later, the mockups in the course still sound incredibly better than most things out there.
(1)
Rawl wrote on September 19, 2019

I am truly impressed with the both the quality of the content and the quantity of material covered. One instrument that is missing is of course the piano itself. While most folks use a keyboard for MIDI input of notes, many myself included are not piano virtuosos. Like all sample based virtual intruments, the piano has both its limitations and characteristics during live performance based on player skill level and capabilities that are not always well represented in sample libraries. So, even this instrument should benefit from similar analysis and MIDI techniques just like the rest. That not withstanding, there is so much excellent material presented in this course on how to achieve better more realistic MIDI mockups but perhaps just as important, great explanations as to why one should employ each technique and how each technique relates back to live performances. Bravo. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to anyone looking for this knowledge.
(1)
Very beginner-friendly and infor wrote on July 17, 2019

I appreciate Peter Schwartz's kind and sweet teaching style! He's humorous and very musical in his explanations. It's surprisingly rare talent either academics or professional musicians. I am very happy to take this course and also recommended to many other media composers :) Thank you so much, Professor Schwartz!
(1)
DP wrote on October 23, 2018

Brilliant! Packed full of useful information and presented in a very easy to understand manner.
(2)
LB wrote on February 6, 2018

This is an incredible course. It has a wealth of very relevant knowledge, is very well structured, very practical and very deep.
(1)
Kevin Nolan wrote on June 10, 2017

Stunning course. Addresses essentially ALL of the important issues w.r.t realism with sample libraries. This course has fundamentally changed my view and understanding of the 'art' in using sample libraries. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Peter Schwartz is extraordinary - as a musician and composer and as a teacher.
(3)
Rasitha Ferdinando wrote on November 24, 2016

I really like the way these tutorials are structured, the amount of information given, and how easily I can navigate and find a particular topic. Its amazing how much I have learned in the few months I joined. Its like I've gone into a full time uni but without spending a fraction of a cost. I have become a knowledge addict!
(1)
ZeroZero wrote on October 23, 2016

I've been tackling these issues for a while, I found that this course helped me to crystallize my thoughts in a number of ways - gave me an agenda for fixing stuff. It's very detailed, I shall refer back to it. The thing I found missing was dealing with humanizing timing and phrasing/tempos, but dont let that stop you delving into this, its detailed and thorough on other issues its also very clear
(1)
Zac wrote on May 6, 2016

The depth of this course material was insane! It is one thing to know how to compose...it is a whole other beast to tackle when it comes to the emulation of that in the digital world. Really glad I took this course and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to create highly realistic sounding orchestral material in their work.
(11)
Matt wrote on April 30, 2016

A really great course. I've been doing midi orchestration for a long time and most of it was review but I learn some great tricks too.
(1)