Real Orchestra vs Synth Mockup – Part 1/6

English Session Orchestra at AIR Lindhurst

Hi there, Tom Player here – it’s been a while since my last post! This is the first part in a small series of blog posts I’ll make about the real-world differences between orchestral mockups (or synth orchestras) versus real orchestras. As a composer who is fortunate to work regularly with live orchestras, I’ll try to help show the difference from a decent demo recording, to a mixed and mastered finished recording.

For me, undoubtedly the ‘highlight of the job’ is getting to work with live players. There’s nothing like the moment at the beginning of a session you hear the first note, and suddenly your work is brought to life by an ensemble of talented players. You can breathe! And then the rest of the hard work starts. :)

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Postfauxpocalypse Excerpt No. 5

This is the fifth excerpt from my Ostraka performance, “Postfauxpocalyse,” on October 24, 2013 at Popup Northrop. It was recorded directly from a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro to a Sony PCM-D50 at 48kHz/24bit. Again the instruments used were a DSI Tempest, Korg Volca Keys, Korg Monotribe, and Memory Man analog delay. This is my favorite of the series so far because, although improvised, it feels the most compositional.

Postfauxpocalypse Excerpt No. 4

This is the forth excerpt from my live performance, “Postfauxpocalyse,” on October 24, 2013 at Popup Northrop. I recorded it directly from a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro to a Sony PCM-D50 at 48kHz/24bit. Again the instruments used were a DSI Tempest, Korg Volca Keys, Korg Monotribe, and Memory Man analog delay.

Postfauxpocalypse Excerpt No. 3

This is the third excerpt from my live performance, “Postfauxpocalyse,” on October 24, 2013 at Popup Northrop was recorded directly from a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro to a Sony PCM-D50 at 48kHz/24bit. Once again the instruments used were a DSI Tempest, Korg Volca Keys, Korg Monotribe, and Memory Man analog delay.

Postfauxpocalypse Excerpt No. 2

This 1:19 minute excerpt from my live performance, “Postfauxpocalyse,” on October 24, 2013 at Popup Northrop was recorded directly from a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro to a Sony PCM-D50 at 48kHz/24bit. The only instruments used were a DSI Tempest, Korg Volca Keys, and Korg Monotribe. I also used a Memory Man analog delay during the performance.

“Postfauxpocaplypse brings together MAW members Jenny Schmid, Davey T. Steinman and Eben Kowler with musician John Keston for a night projection event that employs live drawing, animation, wireless camera feed, roaming interactive performance and responsive soundscapes. This piece responds to our current post-fake-apocalyptic state of illusion by embracing morbid seasonal imagery to respond to non-functioning governments, surveillance and a culture of excess.”