Virtual Orchestration Workshop: ETIC & Rock 'n' Raw estúdios

On Thursday and Friday last week, I gave a presentation on Virtual Orchestration at ETIC (Escola De Techologias Inovação e Criação), Lisbon, Portugal - It was a fantastic experience to have the opportunity to share my perspective on virtual orchestration with a room full of students in a fantastic independent and creative education environment.
 

Big thanks go to the staff at ETIC, including André Prista, João F Gomes, Nuno Rua, Pedro Casiero, and Fernando Ribeiro of Moonspell for making it happen - I will return whenever possible, as there is so much more to share, and so much more to learn!
 

Extra thumbs up go to João, who introduced me to the spice Armageddon that is Cape Verdean cachupa cuisine! It was delicious though, especially when accompanied by Portugal's finest beer: Sagres...! 

On Saturday, having recovered from the exotic food and drink excesses of the night before, I followed up my presentation at ETIC with a more improvised and responsive virtual orchestration workshop at Rock 'n' Raw estúdios in Lisbon, which allowed for the participants to discuss and troubleshoot their own works-in-progress with me.
 

We even made time to take the workshop to the local cafe (of course!) for a breather, coffee, and croissants! My apologies go to Hertz, who, joining the workshop over Skype wasn't able to appreciate the quality of the pastries and beverages during the intermission.
 

Much appreciation goes to Mariangela Demurtas and Bruno Jorge for supporting and setting up the workshop - it was a blast! 

Out of gratitude to all those who attended the workshops, and to further support them with the development of their own virtual orchestration projects, I have I included the notes that I prepared for the ETIC_ workshop below, with links to useful charts and diagrams as well.
 

For examples of my own virtual orchestrations, feel free to explore my portfolio page here.

Creating the right momentum and developing the melodic structure of the song through the intelligent use of the orchestral arrangement.

Workflow
 

•    Listen (style, complexity, feel)
 

•    Analyse (structure, harmony, motifs)
 

•    Ideas (3 C's: compliment, compensate, catchy)
 

•    Arrangement (interest, clarity, flow)
 

•    3 D’s (development, dynamics, details)
 

•    Pre-Mix (EQ, PAN, REVERB - consult the producer on what they're expecting)
 

•    Export (group buses, labelling, format)
 

Where do these instruments sound their best?
 

•    Familiarize yourself with their sonic character and frequency range
 

•    Give instruments specific pitch space (this facilitates easier EQ tuning)
 

•    Avoid crossing parts to create clear voice-leading
 

•    Be aware of the similarities between instruments, and how they can fit neatly together
 

•    Is it best to pan the instruments like a traditional orchestra, or more in keeping with a modern mix?

•    Be creative with the panning and reverb to work with the band instruments
 

Is there any room for the ‘players’ to breathe or rest in this music?
 

•   “Rests are like windows - they let in fresh air”- David Fanshawe (British Composer)
 

•    Punctuate the musical ‘text’ with spaces between the phrases
 

•    Cross-fade between instruments/sections to hide breathes, facilitating flow
 

Is it always effective to just double the instrumental parts played by the guitars, and bass?
 

•    Don’t always double the band with the orchestra - this can weaken the band's sound in the final mix
 

•    If you do double the parts, do so in detail to create synergy between the instruments
 

How can I make the most of the orchestral resources that are available?
 

•    Be creative with instrumental combinations
 

•    Less is more (most of the time!)
 

•    Limitations can stimulate innovation
 

•    Try not to get stuck in a fixed way of doing things
 

•    Making use of virtual instruments with multi-sampled dynamics will give you more orchestral colours 

Refining the process of choosing from the whole variety of colours within the orchestral "palette" in order to distinguish what really stands out, and what can make the difference in the final mix of a song.

How do the different orchestral families fit into a metal context?

Strings
 

 •    Homogeneous
 

 •    Backbone
 

 •    Breathless
 

 •    Articulations
 

 •    Agility

Brass
 

 •    Accents
 

 •    Power
 

 •    Richness
 

 •    Warmth
 

 •    Dark

Woodwind
 

 •    Delicate
 

 •    Distinct
 

 •    Specific
 

 •    Cold
 

 •    Bright

Percussion
 

 •    Effects
 

 •    Climax
 

 •    Punctuation
 

 •    Enunciation
 

 •    Rare

Should I use all of an instrumental group for this part of the song, or just a subset / divisi?
 

•    More divisions = more options, but more programming work
 

•    Multiple individual ‘players’ for realism, or ensemble patches for consistency?
 

•    In reality, orchestral resources subdivide during a performance - they do not multiply
 

•    Don’t always use the full orchestra / sections - use bespoke colours for specific music
 

•    The range, envelope, timbre, and flexibility of instruments are worth considering when combined
 

Is there room for woodwind in metal orchestration?
 

•    In certain pitch ranges and dynamics, woodwind can be too delicate to be clearly defined in this context
 

•    Better suited to softer, less dense band textures
 

•    Great for expressive, sensitive, tender moments in a song
 

•    Double reeds (for example: oboe, bassoon) have more attack and mid frequency that cut through the mix
 

•    Clarinets and flutes can have very fast and dexterous parts - runs, flourishes, and arpeggios
 

Should I also consider synthesised sounds and instruments as part of my orchestration?
 

•    In film, TV, and computer games, orchestral and synthesized sounds are used together frequently
 

•    A broader combination of colours and textural possibilities can be achieved through hybridization
 

•    Layering synthetic and sampled sounds can result in a ‘best of both’ situation
 

Is there much room for orchestral percussion in metal tracks?
 

•    The band drums will be the focus
 

•    Accent climaxes with orchestral percussion - compensates for the compressed dynamics of the mix
 

•    Improve the attack of string parts with pitched percussion
 

•    Avoid the ‘machine gun’ effect and make it groove with sculpted velocities and continuous controllers

How to bring the quality and strengths of the band’s music to the top, or work to compensate for its deficiencies so that in the final mix a point of common satisfaction can be achieved. This is a case of balancing the original music of the client with the creative ideas of the orchestrator.
 

Why am I orchestrating this part of the song - what does it achieve?
 

•    Can you find a reason for that orchestral part?
 

•    Don’t just orchestrate out of habit - do it with purpose
 

•    Try to convey meaning
 

•   Frequently remind yourself of the initial brief that you were given - are you on the right track?
 

Are the sounds I’m using the right fit for the song?
 

•    Does the vibrato, tremolo, or trill speed of this instrument fit the tempo of the song?
 

•    Does the dynamic shape of the sample fit the phrasing of the music?
 

•    Do these round robin samples work with the rhythms I’m using?
 

•    Record multiple takes to capture the best render of rhythmic parts
 

Should I always work focused on the details, or should I also think about the bigger picture?
 

•    Work zoomed in and zoomed out - find a balance between the two that keeps you on track
 

•    Learn what tasks and stages of the process work best at either the macro level or micro level
 

•    Use snapped valued for automation, selection, and placement of region data - this saves time
 

•    Zooming out is a healthy part of the creative process, to avoid getting lost in the details
 

•   Remember that you are working on another artists music, not your own
 

•    Be creative, but also be objective about your work
 

How important is clear communication and understanding between the client and I?
 

•  Clear communication facilitates the smoother development of ideas, in line with the artists vision
 

•    It also helps to avoid conflict and misunderstanding
 

•    Respond proactively and objectively to constructive criticism

Developing the rapid construction of an efficient method to create one’s own compositions and arrangements, as well as using a midi controller to interface virtual instruments.
 

Who am I orchestrating for?
 

•    Research the artist and related bands in the genre
 

•    Are their previous orchestrations dramatic? Neoclassical? Filmic? Avantgarde?
 

•    Are they light and fun, or dark and serious?
 

•    Does the band already have keyboards?
 

•    Are their audience mostly musicians, or music fans?
 

Should I setup my orchestration template ahead of time?
 

•    Integrate your instrument with midi / audio input - faster than only programming with the computer
 

•    Using the same creative tools on repeat gives you more experience in how to get the best out of them
 

•    Choose the best sounds, but be flexible with your choices to suit the character of the song
 

•    Preparing the technical setup in advance makes more time for creativity and refinement
 

•    Make it portable, to have access to more clients, networking opportunities, and rich experiences abroad
 

How can I streamline the process?
 

•    Group buses in your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) - keeps things organized
 

•    Colour-code different sections / regions / instruments in the song, to make it easier to navigate
 

•    Process / Automate on buses - this saves on computer resources and time
 

•    Consolidate 3rd Party plugins, less instances of Kontakt / Play / Engine is easier on the processor
 

•    Hide tracks / Collapse buses to focus on what you’re working on, and to optimize the size of your screen
 

•    Avoid repetitive tasks - prevents boredom, speeds up the work, and keeps your creativity fresh
 

•    Keep the workstation tidy, both inside the computer, and on the desk
 

What equipment do I need to do virtual orchestration?
 

•    DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, such as Cubase, Logic Pro, Pro Tools)
 

•    Sample libraries of virtual instruments (these 3rd party plugins mount within your DAW)
 

•    A powerful computer (the more contemporary the model when you buy, the longer it will last you)
 

•    External Storage (7200rpm hard disk drives / solid state drives, via either thunderbolt or USB 3.0)
 

•    Monitoring Speakers (monitoring headphones are beneficial for a more portable, flexible setup)
 

•    External Audio / Midi interface (you need this to connect the computer to all your audio devices)
 

•    A portable setup - either in general, or to compliment your studio workstation
 

How can I use instruments I play to input midi into my DAW, capturing a more human performance?
 

•    Pianists - there are many midi keyboards, of varied size, quality and control complexity available
 

•    Guitarists - audio to USB cable + Midi Guitar software (from Jam Origin) + Livid Guitar Wing controller
 

•    Vocalists - the Sonuus i2M musicport allows you to convert audio input from a microphone into midi
 

•    Jam Origin also offer Midi Bass software, and they are developing a Midi Violin version

Techniques and tips that allow you to gain independence in the composition and recording of songs, embellishing the music with ‘larger than life’ orchestral arrangements, whilst saving on the budget, logistics, and time spent in the studio.
 

How can this orchestral part be phrased to make it fit the feel of the song?
 

•    CC Controllers
 

•    Dynamics
 

•    Velocities
 

•    Articulations via Keyswitches
 

How can I avoid monotony with repeating musical parts?
 

•  Loop in pairs or quadruple phrases, with variations upon repetition, keeping the music moving forward
 

•   How do the phrases relate to each other - call and response/ question/ statement/ answer?
 

•  Cutting midi regions into moveable blocks facilitates clear development and build in repeated sections
 

•   Keep the orchestration developing, for realism, whilst adding variation to repeating band parts
 

How can I get my slower, softer sounding instruments to play in time with the harder, faster sounds of the band?
 

•   Be aware of the attack speed and release times of different orchestral instruments
 

•    The volume placement of a sound with a slow attack in the mix affects its apparent timing
 

•  Compensate for slow-attack times with pre-delay on the instrument until it sounds tight to the click - allowing you to continue working within the divisions of the piano roll editor / notation more easily
 

•    In addition to this, you will have to lengthen the notes on the end of phrases to counter the effect of adjusting the pre-delay, so that the end of the note sounds in time
 

•    Humanisation is important for adding back some imperfection into quantised, programmed music
 

•    Syncing the orchestration with the band performance may require fine tuning the rhythms note-for-note
 

•     Familiarise yourself with the level that the producer is likely to place your orchestration into the mix - this affects the apparent timing of your instruments, so don't work with the orchestration too loud
 

What transferable skills can I learn from doing this kind of work?
 

•    Musicianship
 

•    Music Theory
 

•    Transcription
 

•    Production
 

•    Sound-Editing
 

•    Arrangement

Organizing and preparing the work to finally deliver it to the musician and the producer. 

Will my orchestral dynamics be affected by post-processing in the final mix?
 

•   Dynamics are integral to making orchestral music sound authentic
 

•  Compression will be used in the mix and master stage of the project - use instruments with multi-sampled dynamics to preserve phrasing and emphasis after compression
 

•  To better appreciate orchestral dynamics, study recordings and notation of orchestral music, or experiment on those instruments yourself if you have access to them.
 

To reverberate, or not to reverberate?
 

•    Dryer sounds = more options for the producer
 

•    Different microphone positions
 

•  Be consistent with your microphone settings for different instruments
 

•   Consider whether the instrument should be in the background, middle-ground, or foreground
 

•   Be careful and aware of virtual instruments that use reverb to facilitate legato articulations
 

•   Tailor reverb to suit the song / orchestral section - this can lead to a cleaner and more characterful mix
 

Should I develop certain character traits to do this work successfully?
 

•    Balance objectivity with subjectivity
 

•    Punctuality
 

•    Reliability
 

•   Respond positively to feedback - avoid taking criticism personally
 

•    Flexibility
 

•    Communicate clearly and professionally
 

•    Be a team player
 

What should I do to facilitate progress with my career as a virtual orchestrator?
 

•    Put the client’s needs first with regards to the artistic vision
 

•    Don't forget about your own needs, as both a professional, and as a human being
 

•    Maintain your integrity
 

•    Promote your work, and the artists you work with
 

•    Commit your creativity
 

•    Network
 

•    Form lasting professional relationships