Orchestrating a Melody in 3 Unique Ways with Cinematic Studio Strings & Solo Strings!

Today, I'm diving back into the world of ‪@cinematicstudioseries2985‬ Cinematic Studio Strings and Cinematic Studio Solo Strings to explore orchestration. In this video, I've composed a short piece that I'll orchestrate in three distinct ways using CSS and CSSS. You'll experience the variety of colours, flavours, and atmospheres these exceptional string libraries can create!
In all three orchestrations, I use the default patches, I don't mix the tracks, and I use the default microphone positions, so this should give you a great impression of what these beautiful string instruments are capable of without any processing.
If you have any questions about my orchestration techniques or how I use Cinematic Studio Strings and Cinematic Studio Solo Strings, please comment. I'm happy to share my insights and answer your queries.
If you like this video, please like and subscribe!
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:31 Playback of the Original Sketch
VERSION 1:
02:01 Starting to orchestrate
02:28 Delay
03:15 Smoothing Lumpy Legatos
03:38 Adding Harmony
04:47 Adding Rubato
05:30 Cellos
07:06 Basses
09:14 Playback of Version 1 (CSS)
VERSION 2:
11:23 Introduction
11:43 Viola Melody
12:00 Bass Melody (!)
12:38 Using Harmonics
13:18 Sparse and Simple
13:55 Cello Octave Doubling
14:23 Viola Countermelody
14:48 CSS Violas & Cellos are Unmatched
15:20 Adding Tremolo
15:52 Adding a Little Bass
16:26 Playback of Version 2 (CSS)
VERSION 3:
19:07 Introduction
19:59 Orchestrating in Sibelius
23:34 Programming in Logic
25:20 Playback of Version 3 (CSS & CSSS)
Software Used:
► DAW: Logic Pro X
Virtual Instruments:
► Cinematic Studio Strings
► Cinematic Studio Solo Strings
Connect with Me:
► Instagram: tom.harrold_music
► Website: tomharrold.com/
► SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/tom-harrold
My Setup:
► Mac Studio M2 Max 64GB
► Audio Interfaces: Presonus 8pre
► Headphones: ‪@shure‬ SRH 1840
► Controller: ‪@GhostNoteAudio‬ Conductor
► Keyboard: ‪@StudiologicMusic‬ SL73
#composer #musiccomposer #cinematicstudiostrings #cinematicstudioseries #css #csss #filmcomposer #newmusic #commercialmusic #logicprox #logicpro #orchestration

[@zaharishtonov]

Great string writing! That's all I can say. I love the way CSS and CSSS sound. Probably the most expressive string library out there!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

I agree! Takes a lot of programming but it is completely worth it. Thanks for watching

[@Dklampanis]

Love this demonstration Tom! I find every composer's workflow fascinating to observe and certainly very edifying in this case! Thank you!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

I'm glad you enjoyed it - thanks for watching!

[@pmishraofficial]

That music is beautiful!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Thank you!

[@AsiaOdin]

Beautiful and sensible! That's for the composition. About the library I have the feeling that the samples overall sound like they would play in reverse

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Play in reverse? What do you mean 😀

[@focal24]

I think I know what @AsiaOdin might be referring to. Also what you Tom mean with bumpy. Like most people I feel CSS is super expressive because of the vibrato style, butter smooth envelope, legato programming and baked in stroke dynamics. However, I do find that CSS strings are not tolerating dynamics CC amplitudes that other instruments cope with. As a result you have some of the famous "suction effect" that some other VSTs have in every transition, and that can seem like a reverse note I guess.

[@simonpassmore]

This is fantastic Tom!! Glad to see you're enjoying CSS/S!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

I sure am! I bow down to your superior programming sir! I owe you for putting me on the CSS path. What beautiful instruments they are.

[@Marky33]

thank you so much for sharing this information! love from Zimbabwe... i love this music but haven't met any people who teach or do this here! i dont even think there is an orchestra this side! so watching this is the only way i am learning this music!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for tuning in, more to follow!

[@micwarren21]

Great presentation CSS is on my wish list I have BBC SO core. Thank you for the tempo change tips I shyed away from that, but it makes a huge difference.

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Yes, the tempo manipulations (even the most subtle) add to the sense of realism. I did it extremely quickly in these demos so I would probably be even more detailed if I was to spend more time on them. Thanks for watching!

[@ASX2001]

Cool, thanks a lot!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

No problem! Thanks for watching

[@Pax30001]

Thanks for sharing!

[@TomHarroldMusic]

You’re welcome!

[@JoeMullanMusic]

Wonderful stuff Tom.

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Thanks for watching!

[@mrknockknock1]

Can you cover CSS Brass and Woodwinds in other videos just like this? And also percussion? It's not out yet, but when they release it, will you review it and teach that too?

[@TomHarroldMusic]

I would love to, but I don’t currently own those libraries. I’m not sponsored by anyone, so I just cover instruments that I own/buy for my own uses. Maybe Cinematic Series will send me a copy one day, or I might add them to my armoury soon! Thanks for watching.

[@uncle-ed]

This is a good video, really. But when you say "sometimes they sound a bit lumpy," it's because you want to be triggering the legato transition which you do by overlapping the notes 🙂

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Yes I’ve gone through and put all them on by extending the midi already. I just mean that the expression and modulation could be better refined and programmed, and that I could alter the velocities too. It was a quick job!

[@seanfourie7]

Beautiful piece and I haven't even heard the strings yet

[@TomHarroldMusic]

That’s very kind of you, thanks for watching!

[@stanvanmierlo6579]

Great piece! Would you mind sharing the midi files so I can load them up in my own DAW to see in more detail which chords you used and how you programmed it?

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Thanks so much for listening. I can't share the MIDI just now as this is going to become something bigger in the future, but I'll be sure to keep this in mind. I really appreciate you listening and subscribing, and I'll consider releasing MIDI of this piece (and others) in the future. Thanks!

[@octavianlupashco235]

да Том...очень круто....🎹🎻

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Thank you!

[@michaellaumusic]

Very James Newton Howard-ish. Nice piece and great video.

[@TomHarroldMusic]

I’ll take that! Thanks for watching

[@focal24]

Thanks for that demonstration Tom. One tooltip and one question: You mention legatos not re-engaging and thus work with seperate tracks for that sustain option. You working with the 1.7 version? I first thought there was a bug but in communication with customer service it turned out I should have read the manual. Might be that in your case too you arre hitting some keyswitch velocity threshhold or other midi cc automation switching off your legato. People keep pointing out how beautyfully simple CSS and CSSS UIs are. However, I believe that is more a fault than an advantage because basic principles of these VSTs' functionality are hidden, can create programming mistakes, even mask some great features (like alternative bow change legato). A few more buttons and tool tips in the UI would have helped the product, which is great already, but has even more potential than is obvious at first site. Now to my question: You appear to have arpeggios on the solos in the second half, I wonder what it would sound like if they were more prominent on some tutti section(s)?

[@user-dd2kj8kb4n]

CSS & CSSS are delayed in the DAW to compensate for the delay, otherwise the sound will be misaligned. You need to keep it in sync, and the delay is different for different strengths.建议用75力度写作

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Yes, you are right

[@sonnotas1812]

Hello, which virtual instrument do you think has the best solo violin sound? Thank you.

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Very tough to say, it depends on what you need it for I suppose. Spitfire Joshua Bell is on my list of something to buy in the future, but I’m currently getting good results from Cinematic Studio Solo Strings

[@sonnotas1812]

@@TomHarroldMusic Thank you for answering.

[@JanSax3]

It would be useful to have some illustration of some of the more detailed tweaking you did towards the end if possible?

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Sure thing, I might just release the complete unadulterated version to show how much programming it takes if you’d like that?

[@JanSax3]

@@TomHarroldMusic That would be really very useful thank you.

[@zaharishtonov]

@@TomHarroldMusic - Would love to see the programming part!

[@-syasya-]

[@svendkorsgaard9599]

Beatiful! One question, did you modulate to Fminor in the last part of the piece ?

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Thank you! I briefly flirted with F minor at the start of the second half, yes

[@BsktImp]

Can you please better balance the instrument and microphone volumes?

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Yes I will improve this in the future. I’m still learning how to produce these videos and will always strive for a higher level. Thanks for your feedback and thanks for watching!

[@yves2078]

tres technique mais sans émotion, donc sans intérêt

[@TomHarroldMusic]

Is there no emotion in my music? 😅

[@zaharishtonov]

@yves2078 - You must be deaf!