How would you spend $1k

[mazz]

You have a very nice collection of software at your disposal. You can make some very excellent library music with what you have there, just with Logic, Kontakt and the Spectrasonics stuff, there are no excuses for knocking out some very high quality stuff.

LASS and Hollywood Winds would set you back around 1.5K and you wouldn't be able to run the full LASS on your current system. You could run the ensemble sections but that's like having one hand tied behind your back. You'd be better served by getting a broader based library like EW Gold to start with and work up from there, at least you'd have more than strings and woodwinds, you really need good brass and percussion these days as well. I know matto has had several placements with orchestral pieces he has written using Gold exclusively, he just writes to the strengths of his samples and avoids the weak spots and fills those in as he can, which is a sound strategy, IMO.

That's my 2c as far as getting involved in the orchestral realm. I think you have enough right now to make some great noise. Maybe going deeper into those instruments (and you know how deep Omnisphere is) is a strategy to consider, rather than broadening out. Of course, it's all up to you in the end, I'm happy to throw out options all day long!

You're doing the right thing by weighing the options. Selfishly, I hope to shake your hand and clink glasses with you come November.

Cheers!

Mazz

EDIT: Actually a couple more things come to mind:

I have very little acoustic treatment in my studio, just 3 2X4 panels from Ready Acoustics (around 200 bucks for 3), a futon and some bookshelves. My music has had some decent placements, so I can say that if you learn your room and your speakers, you can do OK with minimal treatments. It's always nice to have it, but it's not 100% necessary at this stage of the game unless you have the money laying around anyway.

Kontakt and Logic already have some orchestral instruments in them and the strings in Omnisphere can do some very nice things as well. You wouldn't be able to do everything you may hear in your head, but you have a good basic kit there and if you use the best sounds and make music with those, you just might be able to pull off some orchestral stuff, particularly if you are blending in rock/tronica type stuff as well. Use what you already have to it's fullest and you'll have a lot more experience when you graduate to the next level of library.

[crs7string]

Kayle,

I agree with Mazz on the strength of your current software instruments.

You can do a lot with the orchestral section of Kontakt. As you know it is based on VSL samples. Not as many articulations available, but you can still do a very good orchestral piece with what it does cover.

I recently added LASS and Hollywoodwinds to my arsenal. The are very nice "additions" to a pallet, but I do think one needs a full orchestral package for these to build on. Also, check out Kirk Hunter. He has full orchestral libraries available and has regular sales. You already own Kontakt and his libraries play nicely in that enviroment.

As I said earlier in this thread, there will always be something new to spend money on. Project SAM is releasing Symphobia 2 next month. The new "must have" investment. Is there no end??

Chuck


BTW Mazz picks up the bar tab for all new TAXI members he meets at the Rally. This is only available if you attend the RALLY in your first year

[mazz]

Little does Chuck know I charge everything to his room!

[Casey H]

Little does Chuck know I charge everything to his room!

Doesn't everyone?

[matto]

MacBook Pro 17" Core 2 Duo, 4 GB Ram, 320 HD, 500 GB external HD, Apogee Duet, Yamaha C3 Midi Grand Piano, Blue Bluebird, AKG 2000B, SM-58, Adam A5s, AKG 240 headphones. No acoustic treatment

Logic Studio 9, Kontakt 4.1, Omnisphere, Trillian, Stylus RMX, Garritan Steinway Basic, Izotope RX

Wanting to do more orchestral stuff, hence the desire for LASS and HollywoodWinds...

Thanks again for all your suggestions.
kc

Considering what you have now I would say spend the money for the Rally.
I would also concur with mazz, if you want to get more into orchestral writing get EWQLSO Gold. This will provide you with a great sounding basic orchestra, which you can combine with the VSL sounds in K4. It's also far more budget friendly.

I used Gold pretty much exclusively for a number of years and the resulting orchestral and hybrid tracks have been placed in countless reality tv shows, feature placements in daytime TV, The Tonight Show, NBC Olympics coverage as well as a couple major movies.
Gold is still the backbone of my orchestral setup today.

I do not have LASS or Symphobia or any of the other pricey packages out there, nor do I have Hollywoodwinds.
LASS is a great library but it needs a lot of computer horse power so you're really looking at buying that plus a new computer. I would personally hold off on making such a move until you've gained some more experience producing orchestral music and feel like you've outgrown the Gold/K4 combo.

We have to be careful not to get too caught up in gear lust. I'm of the opinion that it's better to have fewer things and learn to really use them well than to buy everything under the sun. Especially earlier in the game when you teach yourself the nuts and bolts of orchestral mockup production it's IMHO best to have a basic stock of great sounding orchestral sounds rather than a gazillion options. Otherwise it will likely be too overwhelming.

HTH...

[mazz]

We have to be careful not to get too caught up in gear lust.

HTH...

Too late for me!!!

[kclements]

We have to be careful not to get too caught up in gear lust.

HTH...

Too late for me!!!

Yup, me too.

But I take your points, and thank everyone who has chimed in to offer suggestions. After a lot of searching, and pushing my never ending urge to by software and hardware, I have decided that I will indeed see you all in November. Made my reservation for the hotel tonight and will now looking into airfare.

Thanks again everyone - I really look forward to meeting you all in person in LA!

kc

[crs7string]

We have to be careful not to get too caught up in gear lust.

HTH...

Too late for me!!!

We may see if we can secure a meeting room at the Rally for the first TAXI member's "Gear Lust Anonymous" meeting.

Somebody want to start a sign up sheet?

Chuck

[rnrmachine]

Hi Kc,

I am in the same boat you are in. I plan on attending, IF I can next year.

My sisters kid, who I had to raise, will be 17 in July of next year, SO IF I have to leave her alone for almost a week, at least I will feel pretty secure about it. Also, I NEED to update my sample pool if I am going to continue to try more venues then just rock. I am willing to do just about any music so I need to find where I will do well and have some success. If I hope to have any chance then I need to update some samples or it will not matter how many people I meet. Unless... some of my stuff is better then I think it is... which I highly doubt. If I think I need better samples, then I probably do. I am not a complete moron... at least I hope I am not. hehe

Rob

EDIT: also, I do have this forum... which I have read a ton of. Learning a lot about things. I might need connections down the road, but right now I need to get constant forwards through Taxi before I can worry about more deals through Taxi. At least I find that is best FOR ME.. but what is best for me might not be the best for you. Also... if Taxi is not forwarding my material (they told me in one critique, that my one song was not BQ but MTV used it.. BQ style. /shrug) how do I expect to take this "non forwarded" music to the "Taxi Road Rally" and dare hope someone will want it? When Taxi wouldn't even pass it through...??

[kclements]

This is how I see it, after thinking on this the last week or so.

The Rally should be treated no different from any other investment in my composing career. It won't come in a shiny new box with 5 dvd's to install, but it is just as valuable. And if you look back over the years at artists who have created some of our most cherished music, you can see that it is not all about the gear. I can too easily be distracted by thinking I can't do a particular piece because of my gear limitations. I think the only real limitation is that line of thinking (ok, enough with the philosophical pontificating)

It seems to me the opportunity to meet face to face with not only industry professionals, but also the likes of Michael, Mazz, Matto, Chuck, and the countless others who chime in around here and share wisdom from their experience has got to be high on the investment list.

As for the quality, you never know unless you put it out there. I am hoping to play my tracks to as many as will listen and let them tear them down (or not) so I can grow as a composer. For me at this point, that seems like a better investment than acoustic tiles.

Thanks again everyone for your guidance and letting me "think aloud" here on the forum. It has been a tremendous help.

kc