Vernon Barnes

That's just the strings, so +/- $1600 for the 5. I know people around here don't like subs but my CC subscription is one of the best deals I have had.

I have the Composer Cloud subscription and have just installed the first release. the strings. There is a lot to explore here so I have only had the briefest of browses through the pre-sets. It all sounds pretty impressive but I do think the reverb is laid on too thick in most cases for my taste but can very easily be dialled back. Some of the "6 Celli and 4 Basses" pre-sets are really powerful, excellent stuff! The Hardanger Fiddles and the Viol ade Gamba sound very nice indeed. As a mountain dulcimer player I could be critical of the mountain dulcimer pre-sets as I don't think the sound authentic , but they do sound good and usable as unique sounds in their own right. The same probably applies to the lute which seems very bright. My first impression is this package is going to get some use!! I look forward to the rest of this series, particularly when they add the orchestrator.

The chord track and the integration of Notion are the main reasons I mostly use Studio One these days even though I think Cakewalk's MIDI is otherwise better. Sometimes I only use the chord track as a reminder of the chord for any location, other times I get MIDI to follow the track and it's very useful editing in Melodyne. I don't write in Notion but send scores from S1 complete with chords, lyrics, tempo qetc that need very little editing and this is a useful tool working with collaborators.

Smoke on the Water, Highway Star etc. Jon Lord was the master of heavy rock keyboards.

I updated a couple of days ago and the GIU is much better now. I have not used the synth much since buying it last year when it was on sale. I am sure the old GIU was a factor. (Along with getting into Pigments absorbing my sound creation time.) I look forward to going through you video and getting some pointers.

Installed (via Sonic pass subscription). I only had a brief look but it seems to be pretty versatile.

For anyone interested in control mapping and patch preview for NIs Komplete Kontrol watch this developer. MiniMonsta2 is not not included yet but given their rate of development it probably will be soon. https://freelancesoundlabs.com/index.php/downloads/komplete-kontrol-vst-packs/itemlist/category/118-gforce

You are correct, The VSTs I had made maps for, like IKs Hammond, have the assigned CC with in the VST. Unfortunately this does not appear to be the case with GForce. Just to the right of the window displaying the patch name there is a button labelled CC. With this enabled do the MIDI learn. The assigned CCs for each knob then persist when the application is restarted or the patch is changed. With this done a template could be made, but for basic purposes it may not be necessary.

You should be able to create a user template in Arturia's MIDI control centre software and recall it as required. I have not done it for Minimonsta 2 but I have for other virtual instruments.

I have more Mini Moog emulations than I can shake a stick at but Minimonsta has long been my favourite so I had to bite on this one and upgrade Boy, is their website slow at the moment, not helped by a forgotten login and the need to reset the password it was over half an hour to complete the purchase.

Cakewalk and Studio One not supported, anyone had issues?

My DAW has been on Win 11 more or less since it came out. I have not had any issues with it. My utility PC is still on Win 10 as the hardware is incompatible with 11, now I have got used to the changes I think I now prefer 11 but its marginal.

I think I will look into this, I hope it will be useful sketching out vocal parts as guide for a singer. One singer I work with just needs a lead sheet to pretty much nail the vocal but the other needs a lot more guidance.

I think EastWest's Hollywood Orchestrator is the ultimate for Ostinatos but that said I just added Chapter II to my 8Dio ostinatos as they have a different tone and character.

There does not seem to much in the way of male vocals of this type.

Look at Realivox "The Ladies" https://realitone.com/products/realivox-ladies Or "Blue," https://realitone.com/products/realivoxblue There is also EastWest Hollywood Backup Singers.

I am surprised this has not prompted more interest and discussion. I am trying the demo and it is very good, probably better than any other virtual Rhodes I have. I do still have a very soft spot for OTS's Famous E but I think the instruments would be complimentary, the Famous E has a character all of its own. It won't be cheap $180 for the standard and $250 for the pro version, so I will have to consider if its THAT much better than my other option.

Installed, courtesy of Sonic Pass, I have not had a look yet.

King Crimson

I much prefer the Hogarth era stuff.

When David Longdon replaced Sean Filkins as lead singer in Big Big Train the band took big a leap forward. and were starting to reach a wider audience when David sadly died. Hopefully Alberto Bravin will continue to move them forward.

Also updates for 8-Bit Synth, ICRAM Prepared Piano and Toy Suite

And Thompson again. From "Bone Through Her Nose". "Oh, she gets her suits from a personal friend, Coco the clown She got dustman's jacket, inside out, it's a party gown"

"And if you never liked pulling teeth Then why? Why did you tie me in the dentist's chair?" From Richard Thompson's "Missie How You Let Me Down" And another contender, the opening lines of the same song. " Hailstones and a sickle moon and the north wind races."

Thanks for the kind comments. I think the influences are mostly from the more melodic side of contemporary prog. Two bands that influenced this one the most were Luna Rossa and Big Big Train BBT were the impetuous to attempt a brass arrangement using orchestral and brass band instruments rather than pop/rock brass.