No Budget Orchestra 2

[j_e_g]

Version 2 of the No Budget Orchestra (NBO) is here, and it's a big update.

http://www.bandshed.net/sounds/sfz/nbo_2.zip

Over the past few months, I've been experimenting with numerous physical modeling synths, and have built up my collection of "synthesized orchestral instruments". Along with the availability of some new, quality orchestral samples at freesound, this has provided a good selection of additional material to bolster NBO.

First, I've been able to add a second, cross-faded velocity layer to several of the ensembles. This achieves more realistic dynamics, especially for the brass.

Secondly, some of the ensembles were made from versions of solo instrument samples that date back a few generations. In particular, I've redone NBO's solo violins and flute about 6 times each, as new, better quality free samples have become available. (I hope to never need loop another violin or flute). I finally went back and redid the violin and flute ensembles using the latest solo instruments (and my updated cache of synthesized simulations), and the results are dramatic, especially for the violins. (Gone are the scratchy attacks, typical of violin samples of poorer quality I initially was limited to).

The solo instruments all have release samples, but I didn't think those would be needed for the ensembles. I did some experimenting with creating/mixing release samples for the ensembles, and discovered that these do make a notable improvement in realism, especially for brass, strings, and low-pitched instruments. So I added release samples to all the ensembles.

SFZ format supports a feature that allows me to let MIDI expression controller (cc # 11) affect the dynamics of sustained notes. Although LinuxSampler doesn't support that sfz feature, sforzando does. So I've added expression controller support to all NBO instruments that can sustain notes (pretty much everything except percussion). You can now do decrescendos/crescendos with MIDI expression controller. Along with the added dynamic layers, this makes NBO's instruments a lot more realistically expressive and "playable".

In the new "MixedSect" folder are two instruments named "strings" and "brass". Each contains two or more instruments. For example, "strings" contains violins mapped to the upper keys, cellos mapped to the middle keys, and double basses mapped to the lower keys. This offers a patch that plays a "strings" sound across the entire piano keyboard. "brass" does the same for brass instruments.

Because so many of NBO's files need updating, I've decided to forego an "upgrade zip file" this time. Instead, everyone should download the latest full orchestra zip file "nbo_2.zip". (An added benefit is that you can delete your old installation. Some of the updates have produced "orphaned" wave files that are no longer needed, but weren't deleted. Getting a new copy of NBO gets rid of that cruft).

[Totolitoto]

Thanks for your hard work!

[filkertom]

Awesome. Thanks!

[Kalamata Kid]

Wondering about NBO?
https://www.google.com/search?sclient=p ... ydrG4jr9Jk

[DSmolken]

Expression on sustained instruments makes an enormous difference.

[thecontrolcentre]

Thanks for your hard work

[goldglob]

Many thanks..incredible amount of work there and sounding great.

[Diego_C]

Thanks a lot for your work and for the improvements