Combine the orchestra with computer sounds

Hi everybody,

I'm working on a score for orchestra and a few 'uncommon' instruments, like a electric guitar, eastern instruments and many computer effects. I already found an orchestra to perform my music, but, obviously, they don't have electric guitars, sitars, the percussion section is limited and normal people cannot produce computer sounds.

I'm working with Sibelius and Kontakt with Garritan Personal Orchestra sounds and other purchased and downloaded soundfonts. The question is how I can combine a real orchestra with electronic sounds. You will have to make a sort of click track for the conductor, so he can maintain the exact tempo. But how can you make such a thing? The public has to hear the full sound, while speakers do the computer stuff and the orchestra makes the real sound. But it all has to be perfectly synchronized...

Anyone an idea, please?

Nobody?

Please?

You could have a click track in one earphone for the conductor, but I suspect it would annoy the hell out of him, and possibly impair his conducting somewhat.

Depends on what you want to do, because right now it's kinda vauge, and frankly I'm not quite sure how you made it to an orchestra without a precise plan...

Never the less.

If everything is ready, and sequenced, then I don't think you can avoid the click track, and the menace of the conductor.

But if you would like to research on it, there are several ways to go the "live" way. Even if parts are sequenced, you can be in the computer and "trigger" the events. If you want you can get the sound, through microphones and influence it there and then, through various means, MAX being the major one.

On how to create the click track. After everything is done and tempo synced and all, you just create a new midi track, and add 1/4 every beat, with some nice "tick"-wise sound. Then you export it as a WAV file, and bang! you have yourself a click track.

But in all honesty I have to say that:

a. Sibelius is, still, primarily a notation program and not a sequencer. You can't do major audio works, and sound design in there.

b. GPO is an orchestra emmulation, and a "limited" one, which means that you could potentially want to load everything up, in 2 keyboards, linked to 2 laptops and have live playing. But my question is this: If you have a live orchestra what do you need GPO for?

c. You can always have live performers of guitars and suitar etc. Nothing is keeping you.

As for the speakers set-up, I can be too sure, as I've not dealt with such a thing, but I would imagine that a dolby 5:1, or even better 7:1 system would be the way to go. Then send the channels to the right speakers, with the right volume so that they emmulate the sound comming from the orchestra (which already will be building reverb, through the walls).

In all it sounds like a great idea, but very very large and dangerous.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it goes.

normal people cannot produce computer sounds.

Ever hear of a computerized sound synthesizer?

The question is how I can combine a real orchestra with electronic sounds.

Hire a professional who plays a computerized sound synthesizer. It’s really no differnet than hiring any other musician.

You will have to make a sort of click track for the conductor, so he can maintain the exact tempo.

This is the most absurd thing I ever heard. If want computerized sounds the person or person(s) who are playing the computerized synthesizers will keep the synthesizers in tempo with the conductor just like all the other musicians do.

This isn’t anything new. They’ve been using sound synthesizers with orchestras since the 1050’s.

I think any conductor is going to balk at the idea of being made into a robot with a computerized ticker in his ear. The people who operate the sound synthesizers are responsible for that just like any other musician.

What are you trying to do? Turn a live conductor into a midi player?

I can’t imagine who you got that would be willing to participate in such a thing.

Seems to me that you just need to get some good synthesizer operators, musicians, technicians, or whatever they call themselves.

A computerized sound synthesizer should be able to produce any computer sound. If it can’t, take it back and tell they you want the latest model.

If I'm way out of line here please explain why. You said that normal people cannot produce computer sounds. Please explain what you mean. Normal people have been playing computerized sound synthesizers ever since they were first invented. They just aren't real common in most orchestras, just as you aren't likely to see a guitar or banjo, etc. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

This isn

:happy:

This is the most absurd thing I ever heard. If want computerized sounds the person or person(s) who are playing the computerized synthesizers will keep the synthesizers in tempo with the conductor just like all the other musicians do.

This isn

Don't lose your mind over it!

You're too late. I already lost my mind a long time ago. :happy:

If it's just playing with a prepared soundtrack that should be a fairly standard practice too.

Whatever.

I was responding to the comment "normal people cannot produce computer sounds" is all.

If he just wants to have an orchestra play with prerecorded soundtrack why all the hype about computer sounds?

I dunno?

I am mentally ill by the way so don't mind me. :)

They’ve been using sound synthesizers with orchestras since the 1050’s.

Maybe since the 1450s, when the organ stop was invented. Organs attempt to emulate all sorts of things, but all sorts of problems arise when synching them to orchestras. . . perhaps the most horrific is the tuning issue. Some barmy coductors insist on tuning their orchestra 440 or 443 when it's usual for organs to be flat of concert pitch. Yikes.

The first electronic instrument to be played with orchestra was (I think), the Theremin. Paschenko's 'Symphonic Mystery' for Theremin and Orchestra which was premiered in 1924. The loudspeaker amplifier was invented just in time. Up until that stage Theremin and his accomplices had been forced to use gramophone horns in order to amplify their sounds.

Maybe since the 1450s, when the organ stop was invented.

I think I said the 1050's, but I meant 1950's. :happy:

I was thinking in terms of electronic digital synthesizers.

But yeah, you’re right. Mechanical synthesizers have been around much longer. :)