Vienna Ensemble Pro – Sound on Sound – February 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Review extracts:
Ensemble Pro comprises three main parts: the Ensemble Pro application itself, the server, and a plug-in. The Ensemble Pro application is the host, and this can be used as a stand-alone audio and MIDI application, just like any other host. However, the real power comes when you start using the host application in conjunction with the plug-in.
[…]
How it works
Getting started with the networking aspect of Ensemble Pro is easy. After running the installer on all the computers on which you want to use the software, you can launch the server on one computer and then connect to it by using the plug-in on a different computer on the network (or, indeed, the same one). Each plug-in you add in your sequencer communicates with a different instance of Ensemble, and a nice touch is that one server can support multiple Ensemble instances.
This can be useful in two ways. Firstly, you could have different instances for different types of sounds: one plug-in communicates with a string set while another connects with a brass set, for example. Secondly, you can have two computers connecting to the same server, sharing the same set of Vienna Instrument libraries and plug-ins.
Perhaps the best thing about using Ensemble in this way is that the settings for an Ensemble instance are stored within the corresponding plug-in. This means that id you close and re-open a project, the host will automatically recall the setup, saving you from having to manually load and save setups on your different computers – which is pretty neat. If you don’t want an instance to be unloaded when you close your current Project, there’s a handy Preserve button. When enabled, that instance will stay preserved, so you can connect to an existing instance rather than having to start from scratch when starting a new sequencer project.
[…]
Anyone who purchases Ensemble Pro will also receive a free VSL sample pack: Epic Orchestra. Rather than trying to be down wiv da yoof culture, the word epic in this case refers to the style and acoustic majesty of the instruments. Think of a Jerry Bruckheimer film soundtrack – almost. […] Epic Orchestra is a welcome treat. It offers a great introduction to VSL’s Instruments if you’re a newcomer or require only a simple orchestral palette.
[…]
One of the best things about Ensemble Pro is that it can potentially solve so many problems. It can be a way of running plug-ins on other computers, it can be a way of running 32-bit plug-ins with Pro Tools on a Mac. At £165, Ensemble Pro might not be the cheapest host available. But when you consider the flexibility , the networking, the cross-platform nature of the product, and the fact that you get three licenses – not to mention the included Epic Orchestra collection – the prices starts to look like good value.
Click here for more information on Vienna Ensemble Pro
|
