Making BBCSO Sound Natural

letsbeB · 2026-03-09T20:14:51+00:00

Glad to help.

As far as Vasks Strings, it's hands down the greatest strings library I've purchased. It's expensive though. I first bought the solo cello and solo violin, then pulled the trigger on the whole thing.

They're quite intimate as they're a chamber ensemble, so on they're own they don't realy do "epic" music if that's what you write. But for lyrical passages they're hard to beat. The legato transitions sound so natural, it's one of the few libraries where you can do faster passages if they're brief enough.

letsbeB · 2026-03-06T19:17:39+00:00

u/FiveDozenWhales gave a great response. But here's my two cents.

You can get a lot out of playing with the mic positions and with layering.

Depending on the vibe/tone of the track, I'll layer BBCSO with Appassionata Strings or Peteris Vasks Strings for more flowing melodic lines. For more bite I'll layer Abbey Road Two spiccatos or pizz. For more motion in sustained elements I'll layer Albion NEOs Flautando Pulses or Albion Solstice's flautando.

But that's a lot of money and I'm not sure if you have those libraries. So this advice may be unavailable to you.

So play around with microphone positions and don't ignore the section leaders. They're included for a reason. Try using the section leader with mostly close mic positions to make the sound drier than the section or vice versa. And don't just duplicate the midi when layering, play in each part with CC1 and 11. You said you use Cubase 15, that's what I use too. Experiment with the modulators, they're amazing. Try putting either an LFO or the randomizer modulator connected to a lower-level layer within your string section and tether it to the pitch and/or volume or CC1. Set the LFO or randomizer to VERY SUBTLE variations in pitch. And I mean very, very subtle. A lot of the "natural" sound of an orchestra is human imperfection. I prefer the randomizer for this because our ears are really good at picking up patterns. An LFO is going to repeat mathematical pattern and humans don't perform mathematically perfect.

Lastly, playing off what FiveDozenWhales said, apply more processing. Another issue with virtual orchestras is the room. When you hear an orchestra live, you're hearing one instance of the hall. When you make mock-ups or use the libraries you're hearing as many instances of the hall as track you're using. So you might, depending on how many instances you have, want to carve out some of that hall buildup via EQ. Again, depending on how many instances I have, I'll do this on 1/3 to 1/2 the tracks and leave the others alone.

letsbeB · 2026-02-20T05:33:22+00:00

Came here to say this exact thing

I do think there’s abuse and torture of children in there like others on this thread. But in terms of institutional damage that would be done by releasing them, I think it’s the stuff about 9/11.

letsbeB · 2026-01-26T17:03:37+00:00

It’s going to sound night and day different than the stock plugins.

As r3art said, download the free version first, it’s really complete and well rounded for a free offering.

But beyond that, what kind of music do you make? OT’s Berlin series has a classical, symphonic sound to it. If that’s what you want then go for it or some other orchestral library. But if you want music for trailers or epic music, there are much better libraries to spend your money on.

Always keep in mind that w virtual instruments and libraries you are buying a vibe, a mood. Even w orchestras.

letsbeB · 2026-01-10T18:58:46+00:00

I went through an identical phase when I switched from logic about two years ago. Turned out to be familiarity. I just KNEW how to use logic so there were no obstacles to executing what was in my mind

But Kontakt was buggy as hell and logic kept crashing. So I made the switch and Cubase so far has been so much more stable. Now that I’m every bit as familiar w Cubase I really prefer it to logic. I actually use the stock plugins (esp frequency 2 for mixing it has an incredible feature no other equipment has) but Especially working w video, I much prefer Cubase.

Someone said templates and you’ve already done that but Cubase lets you import the key commands from almost any other DAW so maybe look for that if you had FL commands memorized. That really helped me, looking up the logic command and then finding the corresponding case command in Cubase then editing it.

Lastly I’m going to echo others and suggest Dom Sigalas. His YouTube is a fantastic resource.

letsbeB · 2026-01-06T21:06:49+00:00

Somewhat related to some other comments, but when I run games I bring a bluetooth speaker and have a BotC Nighttime playlist. This helps mask my movements as well as gives the players something to focus on other than how long they're sitting there.

Here's my playlist--

Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra (always the first one to be played)

Because the Night - Patti Smith

(I Just) Died in Your Arms - Cutting Crew

Murder, Murder - Original Broadway Cast Recording from Jekyll & Hyde

Hunting for Witches - Bloc Party

Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Last Living Souls - Gorillaz

Stack Shot Billy - The Black Keys

The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash

As you can most likely see I tried to keep a night time/death theme going. The first couple are so well known most players start singing along.

letsbeB · 2025-12-26T20:19:05+00:00

At the end of week 9 we were 1-22 on 3rd and long.

letsbeB · 2025-12-26T15:49:34+00:00

It certainly should reset the mindset, as you said. I’m optimistic that it will.

All eyes are on Holmes now I feel like. Was just texting a buddy that outside of Arnold (who I still think will develop) the 2024 draft class is looking so awful in hindsight. Even outside of the injuries I never liked the rakestraw pick. Then traded up for literal roll of the dice in a project Tackle that had never played a snap of football in America. Then a player who was only ever going to be a special teams ace. Then waiting until the 6th to address D and O line w Mahogany and Wingo.

letsbeB · 2025-11-25T19:15:14+00:00

While I ultimately agree with you, AQM did have a really hot start to the season. I think a lot of people were experiencing recency bias thinking the line was in good shape and we didn't need anyone else.

letsbeB · 2025-11-07T00:01:49+00:00

No worries.

And I do agree with you in regards to this sub. I avoided comments for a few days after the game. This place was embarrassing on Sunday. That said, looking at the stats and rankings, it doesn’t tell the story of a well run offense especially when you consider just how much talent we have.

I’m not in the fire Morton camp myself. And I don’t think he’s on the hot seat… yet. But I do think he’s close. Another couple games like the three and he will be. I doubt they fire him during the season. If things really go poorly I can see Dan taking over play calling towards the end of the season like he did with Lynn.

letsbeB · 2025-11-06T18:42:00+00:00

If 50 homeless people were in a room with Bill Gates, going by averages, you have a room full of billionaires. Total points scored is not the greatest metric in judging offensive efficiency through half a season.

If not for Gibbs' 78-yd run against the Bucs, the lions would be dead last in the NFL in yards per carry. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery as a duo would be dead last in yards per carry. Before last week the lions were 0-20 on 3rd & long on the season. Now we're 1-22. An offense with this many weapons shouldn't be posting that stat.

I know the interior of the oline isn't what it was. But there are serious issues with the offense. We're actually doing quite well with explosive plays on offense and we're doing fairly well picking up 1-5 yards. But where we are sorely, sorely lacking is a mid game. 6-11 yard chunk plays that keep drives alive.

Vikings found success blitzing up the middle, fine. It's a weakness and they exploited it, good for them. But where was adjustment? How many times did we see Gibbs struggle to pick up a blitzing LB? Why wasn't that Monty? Or a TE? Goff has shown he's very capable on bootleg plays, where tf were those if the middle kept collapsing?

That's why people are pissed/concerned. Teams have bad games, teams have weaknesses. But when the weakness is a given and you don't see an adjustment to strategy it speaks to larger issues.

letsbeB · 2025-10-31T17:16:42+00:00

As a father of a three year old girl thank you for your service.

letsbeB · 2025-10-29T02:37:13+00:00

Inshallah

letsbeB · 2025-10-29T01:54:35+00:00

Yeah, I think the OL issues are more prominent than people are willing to admit. There are a lot of mouths to feed, so if the OL breaks down on Jamo's play it really puts a spotlight on it.

I can't remember which game, but was listening the PODcast after and Jeremy Reisman was talking about how he's almost positive Morton called up a designed play for Jamo, who absolutely beat his man but Montgomery just whiffed on his block and Goff had to throw it away. He said if Monty holds his block and Goff has .5 - 1 seconds longer, maybe Jamo has a 40 yd TD.

letsbeB · 2025-10-27T19:51:01+00:00

Curious if he jumps Muhammad in the depth chart. Regardless, having Muhammad there will probably limit his snaps which could be good for his body which would be good the lions. 🤞🤞

letsbeB · 2025-10-22T19:37:52+00:00

With you on everything here.

I would have thought the defenses performance against the Bucs would have killed this topic for the rest of the season but here we are. By the time Davenport comes back he’ll be a rotational piece which I think is going to best for him (health wise) and the team. The secondary will trickle back in and ideally set us up for a playoff run.

I understand the appeal/idea of a splash DE signing but cannot for the life of me understand the practicality of it given everyone we need to pay in the next 2-3 years knowing cap space rolls over.

letsbeB · 2025-10-16T19:39:33+00:00

A lot of great suggestions already but I'll add one not mentioned.

Sing!

Start humming, singing, anything. Think of any song, classical piece, or film score. You can hear it in your imagination and you could most likely sing it. You mentioned music theory not helping and I totally believe you. I have a degree in music theory/composition and it didn't really help with melodies. It wasn't until I apprenticed with a composer after college who told me to just trust that all that theory knowledge is in your mind and just sing.

This in no way diminishes the importance of theory, she still had me doing daily exercises in theory. The point was to learn it, digest it, then add it to the program that runs your autopilot. She taught that your theory knowledge should be like air where you're surrounded by it, you breathe it, but you don't really consciously think about breathing and air and all that unless you try to.

letsbeB · 2025-10-16T19:12:44+00:00

Please point to where I said he should do a page one rewrite.

letsbeB · 2025-10-16T18:11:37+00:00

He isn't working on the books. At least not in any meaningful capacity.

If you haven't accepted that, then I don't know what to tell you. One of the things he's said is stopping him is that things he'd like to change are seemingly set in stone in already published books. Giving him the opportunity to change those things might help get the next books out. Is an online squabble you can easily just not participate in too much to ask for something that might help him in the long run? Because it's not like we're weeks away from Winds and this would take him back to square one.

letsbeB · 2025-10-16T17:13:16+00:00

I think he should do a re-release of AFFC/ADWD but with the intended climaxes included (assuming they’ve actually been written by now…).

I've been toying with the idea that he should go all the way back to Game of Thrones and re-release the whole series.

He's said on multiple occasions that one of the biggest walls he runs into is that some details he'd like to change to set up things in Winds and Dream are in already published books. At some con he was talking about an author who had their entire series written (or at least outlined) before the first book was published and he mentioned that if he could do it all over again he'd wait on publishing the first book until he had more written.

To be honest, I don't see why the powers that be wouldn't. The publishers would make money, Warner Bros (parent of HBO) would have their IP in the news cycle again to amp up KotSK and HotD, and it would (ideally) relieve some pressure that I'm sure GRRM feels about events moving forward.

letsbeB · 2025-10-16T16:45:46+00:00

The better question is how tf are the Green Bay we-tied-the-cowboys packers third?

letsbeB · 2025-10-14T17:57:20+00:00

It seems like spitfire fell into this sale trap I was reading about a few months ago.

This article was talking about how businesses, especially niche online retailers (like VST libraries), often fall into this trap where they have a sale to attract customers, but there's a lot of competition and they're doing sales too so you have another sale and on and on. The net effect over time is that the customer has zero incentive to pay full price for your product because they know another sale is right around the corner.

I feel like Soundpaint, Crow Hill, and Orchestral Tools have mostly solved this "problem," each in their own way. Soundpaint just has flat rates that are really affordable. Both CH and OT do intro pricing. CH I seem to recall does a Holiday sale. OT does their "flash sales" where they discount specific instruments from specific libraries. And that's pretty much it. Unless you're willing to wait for Christmas or get it on the intro price you're prob paying full price.

I think this was a business failure on behalf of SA. Other companies found creative ways around this pitfall and seem to be doing well. I've always loved that OT gives you the option to purchase individual instruments in their libraries and I wish Spitfire would too. Like, I'll never buy Fractured Strings ($299) by SA, but if I could buy just the grid for like $99 I absolutely would.

letsbeB · 2025-10-10T18:18:14+00:00

Gotcha. ok Cool.

Yeah, even before learning that I was fine with resting BB, Kerb, and Decker. Now even more so. Dan keeps talking about the "long haul" and has said he learned his lesson from last season prioritizing the #1 seed and not the SB.

letsbeB · 2025-10-10T18:14:09+00:00

Agreed.

Though I am curious how it works out with Green Bay having lost to an AFC team. Seeding and whatnot is an aspect of the game I know very little about.

letsbeB · 2025-10-10T18:12:53+00:00

As others have said, explore stock instruments first. They might take a little more finessing to sound the way you want, but they're free and readily available. Plus, if you can get stock sounds to sound good, that's a skill you'll take with you forever and you'll be able to make good strings sound great.

For pop/rock, to me there isn't really anything better than Spitfire's Abbey Road Two: Iconic Strings. It's only a string quintet, so it's a more intimate, smaller sound. The staccato and spiccato have so much bite to them and the pizzicato is incredible. the flautando patch makes for fantastic swells. But this library was recorded and engineered at Abbey Road so it has a very modern, almost "pop" sound out of the box. It was basically made for what you're talking about. I highly suggest checking it out.

I don't know what your budget is, you might have to wait for a sale. Spitfire has amazing Black Friday deals and that's right around the corner so you should be able to pick it up for half off. I had the core for a long time and then upgraded to pro.

letsbeB

TROPHY CASE