Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

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Veerstryngh Thynner
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Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by Veerstryngh Thynner »

Greetings all!

On the lookout for virtual symphony orchestras other than Sonatina , I came across Total Composure Orchestra (on YouTube). It runs on Kontakt.

Musical instrument audio quality and musical instrument flexibility on offer are really to my liking. So an email was dispatched to TC.

I asked as to whether TCO would work in Ubuntu and where to get a manual from. I got the following reply back:


The TCO download link can be found at KVRAudio: http://www.kvraudio.com/product/the-tot ... -composure

I don't know if it runs on Ubuntu, it's a Kontakt instrument and requires the full version of Kontakt. If Kontakt runs on Ubunto then the TCO will too.

The user manual is included in the download.


Hence my main query:

- Is Kontakt fully compatible with Ubuntu?

So far, I haven't got any real experience with virtual orchestras or Kontakt. I'm currently using Sibelius (Windows), if a score requires orchestral audio.

Ideally, I'd like to have all my music production tools in one basket (namely Ubuntu). However, music notation and video capturing software still leave a lot to desire, in Ubuntu - as far as I'm concerned, anyway - so with respect to applications aforementioned, no other option is available, I feel.

My system:

- main platform Ubuntu DreamStudio 12.04 LTS;
- Windows 7 Professional, as auxiliary, in VirtualBox - with Sibelius as sole application;
- PC: IBM Intel (R) Core (TM) i-5470 CPU @ 320 GHz 3.20
- DHH 750 Gb;
- RAM 4 Gb;
- 64-bit operating system;
- virtual recorder preferred: Audacity.

I'm looking forward to your experience.

tnob
j_e_f_f_g
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Which instruments are you interested in? I can make sfz files of them.

This thread should really be in "Samplers and samples".

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zth
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by zth »

Jeff, how cumbersome would it be to turn the entire library into SFZ? If I understand correctly, it's licensed in a free way, right? So if this could be added to the FLOSS instrument arsenal, that'd be awesome!
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Actually, I just did a review of the TCO's samples, and the vast majority are taken verbatim from the Sonatina Orch. The former has some added key-switching, for example between staccato and legato strings. And it may have some tweaks to amp attack/release times. And it adds Kontakt's built-in reverb. But it's essentially the Sonatina, in Kontakt format. The only instruments that have different samples are:

Piano
Clavichord
Solo violin
French horn
Marimba
Tambourine
Cymbals
Shakers
Temple Blocks

If someone wants one of these, I can do it. Otherwise, use Sonatina with a good reverb for the same result.

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zth
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by zth »

Thanks for the research jeff!

I'd personally be interesting in:

* Clavichord
* Solo violin (provided that it sounds as good/better than the sonatina sustain one)
* Marimba

If you're up for it, that is :)
Veerstryngh Thynner
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by Veerstryngh Thynner »

zth wrote:Jeff, how cumbersome would it be to turn the entire library into SFZ? If I understand correctly, it's licensed in a free way, right? So if this could be added to the FLOSS instrument arsenal, that'd be awesome!
My inpression is that SSO's sound quality is slightly 'muddy', in comparison with TCO. And also that TCO seems much easier to control (things like reverb and vibrato, for instance).

I support the motion quoted above, since various brass, woodwinds & strings would be wonderful additions to my musical instrument palette. Furthermore, I did not yet know that FLOSS also holds an instrument arsenal. Does 'instrument' mean 'tool' here - or musical instrument?

Finally, maybe j_e_f_f_g could divulge where to find his article about TCO. I'd be interested.

tnob
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

Here's the marimba:
http://wikisend.com/download/335450/marimba.zip

You don't want the Clavichord. It has a horrendous amount of hiss and phasing, like it was sampled from cassette tape.

The Solo violin appears to be from that Iowa Uni website, where students played the instruments. The tone and intonation is mediocre. I think my own solo violin is better, although the TCO has more articulations.

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AnthonyCFox
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Re: Total Composure (Symphony) Orchestra

Post by AnthonyCFox »

tnob wrote:My inpression is that SSO's sound quality is slightly 'muddy'
You might try an equalizer. Experiment with rolling off the low frequencies. That's often the cause of a "muddy" quality.
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