Guide: what is virtual orchestration?
One of the most exciting innovations in modern music.
Are you looking for a virtual orchestration?
What is virtual orchestration ?
Virtual orchestration is the art of create orchestral sounds through the use of virtual instruments (VSTi)
“Virtual orchestration is not virtual”: it’s a discipline founded on the study of real instruments, with the precise aim on recreate them with the most precise realism.
Violins and aerospatial engineering
Any kind of industry is slowly abandoning real life testings because virtual ones are equally reliable and far less complex to implement. Aerospatial industry, for example: airplanes are extensively tested in a virtual environment, before being put on a real world testing.
And if you can predict how a jet fighter will fly, trust me: you can also recreate a violin.
Does virtual orchestration sounds good?
Yes: it does.
If made by a skillful composer and sound engineer, it’s hardly distinguishable from an orchestral session recording
Virtual orchestration is an instrument: it sounds as good as who will use it. It’s not like clicking a button.
If you hire a good composer and a good sound engineer, it will sound very good.
If you hire a not so good composer and a not so good sound engineer, your violins will sound like plastic.
Some virtually orchestrated tracks, made with our virtual orchestration service
Is it better than normal orchestration?
If you‘re not a millionaire with plenty of time, definitely yes
As you heard from the precedent paragraph, when in good hands, virtual orchestration sounds just like a real orchestra.
Because, in fact, it is based on studies on a real orchestra.
But, on the contrary of a standard orchestral production, it is extremely less expensive and time consuming.
A standard orchestral production can easily cost more than 5000€ per day.
And, unless you’re recording with the London Symphony Orchestra, don’t expect to finish an album in one day: instrumentalists make mistakes.
Instead, with a virtual orchestration service, you can realistically expect to make an entire symphonic album with more or less that price. And with no mistakes.
And, if you need just a string quartet and not an entire symphonic orchestra, you can spend as little as more or less 200€ per minute.
If you‘re a millionaire and you’re not in a hurry, no
If you’re just back from your last two weeks on your 400ft personal yacht, why deny yourself the warmth of 60 people in the same room and a quote way above 5000€ per day?
And be sure to let your 5000€ be well spent!
Jokes apart, if you can afford it, there’s still no such thing like a real orchestra.
But, as you can imagine, it is extremely expensive and time consuming: real instrumentalists make mistakes, and mistakes means extra time and money.
And we can tell you by experience, it is not easy to find precise instrumentalists.
How much does a virtual orchestration cost?
If done by skillfull hands, less than 1/10 than a standard orchestral production
A standard orchestral production for a symphonic orchestra will cost at least 5000€ per day with non veterans (non veterans needs a lot of rehearsals, are late, forget their parts at home…).
To record down the same amount of music, with a virtual orchestration service, you will spend more or less 300€.
A standard orchestral production for a string quartet will cost at least 1000€ per day with non veterans.
To record down the same amount of music, with a virtual orchestration service, you will spend more or less 100€.
Don’t you believe it?
Ask us for a quote.
Let us hear from you!
If you have found this post to be useful, share with us your experiences on your social networks!
Maybe you could also add a link of what you’ve created, and by using the hashtag #lmkmprod we’ll be able to find all of you.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!