Vienna Ensemble Pro and Vienna Suite - Music Tech - March 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Running a virtual orchestra on a single computer will tax most machines to the limit. The solution is to set up a network of two or more computers, but this usually entails a complex audio and MIDI routing system and a great deal of head scratching as you try to figure it all out.
To make things easier, VSL has since 2007 provided its customers with free, downloadable hsting software, Vienna Ensemble. It’s simple to set up and it works, but until now it didn’t support third-party instruments and plug-ins. However, the new Vienna Ensemble PRO does, which means anyone, not just Vienna Instrument owners, can use it for mixing and hosting.
It also offers full 64-bit support on both Windows and Mac machines and comes with Epic Orchestra, a bonus orchestral sample pack, which in our opinion makes it jolly good value for money. You can use it on a single computer in conjunction with a sequencer or as a master/slave solution with a network of Macs and PCs. No audio or MIDI interface is required on the slave computer. You can also run both 64-bit and 32-bit versions at the same time.
The GUI is very intuitive to use, easy on the eye and offers many flexible routing possibilities. Other improvements include mixer automation and a feature for preserving loaded templates and instruments while switching projects. There’s also a customised preset for the Epic Orchestra, complete with power panning positions and channel strip settings that have been optimised for the Vienna Suite plug-ins.
Epic productions
Indeed, even though the main purpose of Vienna Ensemble Pro is for networking with large orchestral projects, it’s the inclusion of the Epic Orchestra, an ideal starter-pack for VSL newbies, that will be the main attraction for many users.
Quite clearly selected with the budding film composer in mind, the set includes the lush-sounding Appassionata Strings, woodwinds, horns, trumpets and percussion ensembles. Two solo instruments are also represented, namely the cornet and oboe – the latter, presumably, because it is omitted from the woodwinds ensemble.
The strings, which consist of violins, violas, celli and basses, are mapped as one ensemble across the keyboard. The same design applies to the woodwinds, which feature flute, clarinets, bassoons and a contrabassoon. Although the articulations are limited, particularly in the case of the woodwinds, the instruments play well, with seamless transitions across the various registers and sections providing an intuitive and remarkably quick method of tracking an entire orchestra.
Power tools
Also of interest beyond VSL’s traditional core market will be Vienna Suite, a collection of nine high-end, 32/64-bit plug-ins for mixing and mastering. Although the suite contains hundreds of presets tailored for use with Vienna Instruments and Vienna Ensemble, they’ll run happily within any host program or DAW.
For users of VSL instruments and other similar libraries, the most used plug-ins might be the Equalizer and Compressor, purely because they each contain such useful presets as starting points for orchestral instruments. The Equalizer, for example, has dozens of factory settings, which are subdivided into ‘Resonance’ and ‘Character’ presets. The resonance settings highlight instrument-specific frequencies that might cause a problem in a complex orchestral mix, and the character presets subtly alter an instrument’s tone.
We were particularly impressed with the Convolution Reverb, which although it doesn’t come with plates, springs and outdoor spaces, does include a small selection of beautifully smooth halls from the Vienna Konzerthaus and studios from ORF (Austrian Broadcasting). However, it’s a limited collection unless you’re willing to pay extra (€145 each) for the small ensemble and full orchestra sets. You can, of course, source (or record) and import your own.
Another handy tool is the Analyzer, an analogue modelled spectrum analyser. It’s fast, accurate and, as well as homing in on filter band frequencies, it features a musical note display for locating the loudest-sounding frequency in the input signal.
Cubase 5 users will be familiar with power panning, whereby the left and right signals are collapsed without losing any information and then positioned spatially in the stereo field. Not all DAWs have this feature, however, in which case, VE’s PowerPan plug-in will prove useful for stage positioning orchestral instruments. With a real-time visual display of a signal’s strength and acoustical position, it’s very intuitive to use and features extras such as independent phase inversion for both channels and channel swapping. Other plug-ins in the Vienna Suite include a Limiter, Master Equalizer (an advanced version of the Equalizer), Multiband Limited and Exciter.
Final notes
If you work with several Vienna Instruments or other software instruments and have extra computers available, the Vienna Ensemble PRO makes perfect sense. You just run your sequencer on one computer, launch VE PRO on the other and connect them both with an Ethernet cable. A licence for three machines is included with your purchase so you can use up to four computers initially (though extra copy protection devices will be required – you’ll need one per machine).
For musicians working on a single computer and looking to add cinematic arrangements to their productions the Epic Orchestra is a great starting point; once hooked, they can expand their library and maybe start networking.
Vienna Suite, on the other hand, is heartily recommended for anyone requiring a set of high-end audio processing tools – whether they’re into orchestration or not.
Verdict: Vienna Ensemble PRO is a serious starting point for musicians looking to add orchestral arrangements to their productions, while for shaping any type of mix, the Vienna Suite plug-ins are an excellent choice.
Rating: 9/10
Click here for more information on Vienna Ensemble Pro
Click here for more information on Vienna Suite
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