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I had numerous show-stopping issues on Windows (and PC hardware) prior to switching to Mac in 2013.....and only one show-stopper since, and it was due to a corrupt VEPro update that completely wiped out DNS settings. It's the same with customer service. You rarely hear about the good...

I tried the 30-day demo and really wanted to grab it during the $199 sale but did a hard pass. I agree, too many issues…..and the quality is definitely lower than Kontakt versions I own. And the Tina Guo libraries? I don’t get it, sub-par to say the least.

It’s not about reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s about pursuing your passion and enjoying the journey towards that light. So many great comments in this thread! I’ve been on the Journey for about 30 years now, and it has taken so many unexpected twists and turns, and have forged...

I look at it like this....I paid $200 usd for the first three years of AppleCare. Nothing happened (as expected). I'm now paying around $60 per year until I cancel it (my wife and I spend that at an average restaurant). If the screen dies on my iMac in two years, that's a HUGE cost. If I have...

Hmmm, not the Canada I live in. I’m in Calgary, 1.7 million people here and it has a thriving film industry. You’re probably referring to the cliche metropolis cities like Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto (I’m assuming you lived in one of those cities).

But even top dogs like Hans Zimmer and John Williams didn’t go straight to becoming film composers. They paid their dues in other areas for years, such as playing in bands and orchestrating music for television, etc.

I would LOVE to be in that scenario, and should be so lucky. Not to sound like a jerk, but with your outlook on this, you aren't going to get very far as a composer looking to make a living in the industry. Limiting yourself to one area, and choosing only projects that meet your definition of...

AppleCare is your best friend 👌

I've been using HOOPUS (and it's Hollywood predecessors) since release, and had SF Symphonic Strings on my wishlist for years....and finally caved and bought it a few years ago. I cannot speak for the rest of the orchestra, or the latest release, but it was a huge disappointment. It does sound...

Welcome! And congrats on your new NHL team 🤠

Ha ha! I’m a Canadian, it’s a lot bigger than you think.

Are you using dynamic track loading?

Does that mean you ultimately went with the Cubase disabled template?

For the bit extra you’d pay, I’d personally buy into the new generation. It’s a real PITA to try and port projects into a different DAW.

It also has a mini display port, which I found odd. Would have been nice if they just added an addition T-bolt port.

Yeah, but the author even admits that it only has a few years left in it.

Jeez, that's not good. I guess I'll see where things are at in a few years. I also have a MBP (2013), that is still solid as a rock. Upgraded to the iMac in 2021, but only for more horsepower.

Even though my 2020 iMac is steaming along nicely, I feel I'll be in the same boat sooner than later.....hopefully I can get a few more good years out of it. It owes me nothing. Just in case, I've made the plunge back into using Cubase more often, and so far I'm really digging the C13 trial (I...

Hhmmmm, I’m trialing C13 right now, I’ll try Ozone 9. Thanks for the warning!

Just my opinion of course, but I prefer 9. Download the trial and see if you like it....I made the mistake of just upgrading first. 11 does have some cool new features, but I'm not really finding any use for most of them. Although not part of 11, Audiolens is helpful, but not compatible with 9.

I got a good deal on an upgrade from 9 (Ozone 9 Advanced to 11 Advanced). If you don't already have Ozone, it is a great mastering plugin IMO. However, I prefer Ozone 9, to me it just sounds warmer and the Mastering Assistant is more accurate for my taste.

Wasn’t SX from about 2003?

I highly doubt it was written from scratch

Have some downtime, so thought I’d give C13 a test drive (two weeks in). Used Cubase up to C10 (still use it for audio recording) and Logic has been my primary DAW since 2013. I must admit, it seems a lot snappier than Logic, and realized how much I missed the MIDI editing features. I’ve been...

Not sure why that’s relevant, but okay. And anonymous to boot ;) At the end of the day, I personally get where @GtrString is coming from, whether we agree if not. It’s easy to become jaded in this industry. I’ve personally gained a lot of good insight from @GtrString over the years.

Nicely said. I’m one of those guys that chose to work with a a few libraries that keep all of the sync, giving me only writer’s share. Ironically, I’ve earned more with those tracks than the libs that I signed with at 50/50.

Great info. Are you using your drives on a Thunderbolt port of some sort? I’ve been contemplating getting a port/hub for my 2020 iMac.

That is plenty! My SSD’s are connected to USB 3 on my Mac and it’s fast enough.

That’s another big reason why I wouldn’t pursue this full time. I now just submit music based on briefs I receive…if it’s in a genre I actually enjoy. Zero pressure, and fulfilling to some degree.

Fair enough, but I had load time issues when using APFS. Spitfire recommends both formats on their website, journaled being a big improvement for my setup.

This!!! I have also had some awesome placements over the years, including some high profile ones. That is indeed success, as with any placements. But I agree, for me the ultimate benchmark of success would be earning a guaranteed perennial income that would sustain my current lifestyle/income...

This is not a realistic scenario in any job.

I'm personally a fan of using external storage, unless you can afford to eat up the space on your internal. That T7 is quite fast, so speed shouldn't be an issue; I use a T5/T6 connected to USB A on my iMac and have never had issues. I also prefer to format my drives to Mac OS Extended...

Yes! It’s great peace of mind, and dirt cheap considering you can renew it until you decide to cancel. I’m now doing this with my 2020 iMac.

Do you have the extended AppleCare?

The choirs in spitfire Solstice.

Great video, thanks for this. I'm considering the iPad version.

Compression.

Yes, that is what I should have clarified. The competition is crazier than ever (based on my experience in this over the years), and the market is soooooo saturated. Glad I forged great relationships when things weren’t as nuts. Someone brand new to this industry, and with a novice skill set for...

I let my Musio trial run out.....but does it allow you to right click on a parameter (ie; dynamics) and choose "MIDI Learn"? That way you could just assign the parameter to a hardware controller, MOD wheel, etc.

You are right, this is a part of my "secondary career", which consists of an ever-growing catalogue in libraries over the years (among other musical endeavours, of course); income from that averages around $10k annually which is a success for me. Keep in mind you've been at this full time for at...

Looks like a ton of scammers, especially AMW, whose pricing is highway robbery at best. Just work on your demos and keep submitting to reputable libraries.

You definitely make great points. The amount of $$ I earn from libraries these days is enough to pay for a couple of nice vacations for my wife and I every year. There is no way in hell I could imagine trying to do this for an honest, living in this day and age, I really pity these composers...

But good luck getting sync without a library behind you.

Do you mean M1 and M2?

That’s why I like AppleCare. If you had it on your laptop, they would have just given you a new one.

I look at it as “cost per use”. For example, I spent $3k on a 2013 MacBook Pro in 2013. I used the purchase money from a single gig I did (film score) at the time. That laptop helped earn me an average of $20k per year until 2021. It was reliable as hell, and to this day still owes me nothing...

It certainly did on my MacBook, especially with playback. Running libraries like HS Diamond and BS were an issue without an interface….and of course, latency. Perhaps things are different with newer setups, but on my 213 MacBook the interface was essential for handling demanding orchestra libraries.

I highly recommend investing in a proper interface, especially with running those bigger libraries you have.

Definitely something funky going on with your system. I was able to run much larger templates than that on my 2013 MacBook Pro with only 16 GB RAM. What are you using for an audio interface?

It’s still legato the OP is trying to achieve, and that’s not going to be convincingly possible with SO.

SO doesn’t have true legato patches.

I don’t have any formal music training, that is a myth. The key is to get some credits under your belt, and that generally gets obtained by seeking local independent film groups, etc. Munich is probably full of these groups! You can also contact local post production companies and explain that...

Hw did it not work out?

Yes, I totally agree! Such a goofy guideline.

I tried this, but it doesn’t remember. Am I missing step perhaps? Does it need to be done in standalone mode?

Thanks for all the input! I picked up a Mackie Big Knob at the local music store to give it a go (30-day refund policy). After reading so many negative reviews online, I was ready to be disappointed. However, I am pleasantly surprised. Did several tests to check for any colouring, etc, and for...

But you still need to mix...and to do that requires proper reference monitors to accompany the interface. A s**ty mix will sound extra s**tty out of a phone speaker (for example). But many platforms are now going higher fidelity, such as Apple Music which is up to 24bit / 192kHz (better than CD...

But you still need a good headphone amp inside the interface...and when mixing on monitors, the interface is crucial (based on my experience, at least). For rendering mixes, then it for sure doesn't matter.

Although they sound lovely, I got frustrated with the clunky interface. If they would allow transfers, I’d gladly give them away to someone who would enjoy them (I received them free during one of their promotions).

How about the sordinos in BBCSO, SSO and SCS?

Perhaps, but the Thunderbolt interface I chose has much lower latency than any of the USB interfaces I tried out.

That's interesting....but I still need the physical inputs/outputs.

I used to think there's wasn't a difference...until I upgraded (in 2017) from a beloved Steinberg UR22 to an Apogee Element. The difference in coherent sound quality was a real eye opener. And yes, also for simply listening to orchestral sample library playback it made a noticeable difference...

Thanks! I've never come across that one and is reasonably priced. Alternately, I may just decide not to use my second set of monitors after all, as I'm getting decent mixes with my current setup.

I use Orchestral Tools Con Sordino Strings.

Need advice from the guru's. I'm adding a set of monitors to my setup and need a transparent controller that won't break the bank. I have an original Mackie BK that I took out of service years ago....when I realized how much it altered the signal. Here's what I've narrowed it down to. SCC-ART...

Yeah, but EW allows a machine license, so it’s really not an issue.

Is this an assumption, or do you actually have clients nearby that will be coming into your studio to listen to your cues? In the past 25 years, there were three times that happened in my studio...and all three were before the internet made it easy to share files. Worry about that when/if the...

It certainly does! On the other hand, it's important to not overthink things. If it sounds good, that's what matters. A lot of the time (especially on a deadline), I program parts that are completely unorthodox in the real world...such as using sustain patches for strings. No director or editor...

Nothing to fear!!! We all started in the same boat.

Can you post some examples of your work? It might give a better understanding of where you need more work. As someone else already mentioned, trial and error is a big factor, as well as learning how to program MID convincingly. I've been at this since 1992 and I'm still learning! And although...

I have simply copy/pasted regions from one project to another.

+1 to Hollywood Brass. Still my go-to since its release. Got Century Brass as a "gift" when I bought something in one of their infamous flash sales....only to delete not long after.

Congrats!! Well done.

This is a necessary evil, unfortunately. I'm "old" as well, so I remember the good ol' days of calling around before the internet (and still do). Sometimes on a prospective client's website, there's only a contact form with no other options. Other times, there's an actual staff list with...

I use it for nearly everything, it provides a great starting point. Love it.

I’m on a few platforms, but don’t actively promote myself. I just post links to my latest work, production albums, website, etc. Yes, it does sometimes lead to a gig, but my #1 tool is my website…that I use as a digital business card.

Oh boy! This is an essential component if you want to land gigs as a composer. I hate it too, but has paid off in spades over the years. IMO, never pay any company to submit music to so-called “key contacts”, and never pay money to obtain contacts; even if you get those, it doesn’t mean they...

AppleMusic is now 16-bit/44.1 and goes as high as 24/96.

Anyone using iPhone version?

When I create reference track profiles, I now just use Audiolens...which only needs about ten seconds of a streaming track for analyzing. So if you you have something like Apple Music Classical, the sky is the limit. It comes down to finding tracks that you think sound good. You could also...

It depends. With every Komplete upgrade for example, there's usually one or two newer instruments I was interested in buying, so it works out cheaper to pay the minimal upgrade price when there's a big sale. If there's nothing you actually need in any upgrade, it's pointless.

As Beat mentioned, Classical music requires little "mastering" per se and more attention to the actual mix (he is knows his stuff). Ableton Live probably has some nice stock plugins to master your tracks. I personally use a combo of stock plugins (Logic Pro/Cubase), FabFilter and Ozone 10 (which...

What DAW are you running?

The company that hosts my website has a customer playlist feature, which is exactly how I send secure links to clients. https://www.tunebud.com/

What is what?

As far as consistency and programming is concerned? Definitely not, VSL is king. As far as tone is concerned, only you can determine if it's better. If you like a big, lush tone then you may like it. I prefer the sound of SSO over VSL stuff, but the strings are clunky as hell (although I have...

Thanks for your reply, I understand where you’re coming from now. Just keep plugging away and experimenting, you will reap results. Regarding 8Dio, they indeed have their shortcomings for various reasons, with forum members (myself included), but there’s no denying they have some wonderful...

I may be completely wrong, but it sounds like perhaps you were expecting those libraries to sound convincing out-of-the-box....which is a rarity even with sample modelling libs. Since you're coming from free 8-bit instruments, there is a lot to learn with regards to MIDI programming; that's...

Then why not experiment with all those libraries you bought and use them in your own way? I mean really, strings are strings (for example). There must have been something in the sound of those libraries that peaked your interest, not just the compositions themselves.

Could you imagine the logistics of the "sample library police"? It would be impossible to go through millions of tracks and verifying with the composers and developer(s) that they still owned the licenses. Not only that, but being able to surgically pinpoint (within a mix), without a doubt...

Just to clarify….did you literally quit your job (as mentioned again in this last video) or take a temporary parental leave (as you mentioned in the thread)? Completely different scenarios.

Ultimately, you should have the final cut delivered to you before writing the “good” cues. Unfortunately, revisions are par for course. Once those are approved, and signed off, you’re done. If you’re stuck on determining your hourly rate on a work-for-hire agreement (ie: film score), you’re in...

Never. I just apply appropriate limiting in the mastering phase (after rendering to an audio file).

We refuse to read/understand the question? Seriously? Lots of good advice in this thread. There is no "worldwide publishing admin" unless you want to enlist with an agency such as https://www.nrg-agency.com/ Or like Epic Wonder mentioned, a good publishing lawyer.

Perhaps it's pure laziness, but I've been doing it that way for years. If it has to be more precise, I'll draw it in, but other than that just record the fader movement.

Oh yes!! I still use the good ol’ Symphonic choir. It has a lot great soloist patches….and a boys choir. Still a great choir library overall .

Hmmmm, I use Insolidus a lot. Tit for tat I guess.

Ah, that kind of changes the outlook on your situation. Not sure about your demographic, but here in Canada, many employers will allow up to 15 of parental leave, and you can still collect unemployment insurance. That’s completely different from simply quitting your job with zero income coming...