I decided to have a go at creating an orchestral composition using Scaler with Spitfire’s BBC Symphony Orchestra in Studio Pro. There are 17 tracks, comprising strings, horns, woodwinds and percussion. The piece is arranged using two chord progressions. The first in 4/4 was created using suggestions on the main track in the browse page, the second in 5/4 is a Neo-Riemannian progression done in the create page.
My workflow is to record the progressions on the Scaler DAW track using the bind keys. They aren’t necessarily in the order of the chords on the main track, although obviously the Neo-Riemannian one has to be. From this I record a guide track with just the chords on a separate DAW track that won’t be in the final piece; this track is also used to extract the chords to Studio Pro’s chord track. Each of the DAW tracks has its input set to Scaler, and with keys lock (chord notes) on, I played and recorded each instrument. I don’t use the Scaler arrange page or performances/motions.
I can’t remember what key I started out in (C Major, possibly), but Scaler says that it is now in the Ab Ionian #2 scale. Taking the sections separately, they are Db Major and C Harmonic Minor.
I’m not going to get a job scoring the next Hollywood blockbuster anytime soon, but I’m happy with this as a first attempt. I’ve gained a huge amount of knowledge during the project and it proves what a phenomenal resource Scaler is, not only as a practical tool, but for learning harmonic theory in a unique way.
Nice work @NickC4555 and thanks for sharing. I have a similar workflow and Scaler 3 also helps me professionally in so many ways. Even just speaking the language!
Nice! I’d like to see what your project looks like in Scaler 3. Have any screenshots you could share? I’m interested to see how you are using the various passages, etc. to generate the various tracks. Well, now that I think about it some more, I’m not sure you can share screenshots on the forum. Oh, well. Either way. Nice job.
There isn’t really much to see in Scaler on the project, just the chords on the main track in the browser. They are just dropped on there, not arranged or sized. I don’t use the arranger in Scaler or passages. The arrangement is done by recording the chords using the bind keys directly onto the DAW Scaler track (not the arranger in Scaler), then all the instrument tracks are played live with the keyboard using keys lock.
Very nice piece, sir. I’ve been doing orchestral stuff also, very different from this, but your facility with brass is light years beyond my own, as is your harmonic sophistication. You’re on a whole different level.
I truly never considered utilizing Scaler 3 for an orchestral composition, but why not give it a try? It is quite a delightful piece of music, although I must admit that it does wander a bit, which is not particularly unusual for a classical composition. Well done, and it is definitely inspiring to witness such creative applications of the tool. It truly makes me ponder the possibilities of what else could be achieved.
Thank you for your kind words. Any skill with these instruments was beginners luck, it’s the first time I’ve used any orchestral samples. I started to appreciate the importance of the mod wheel during the time I was working on it, but I will still take a lot more care with CC1 and CC11 with my next piece, they are fundamental to realistic orchestral performances, yet completely ignored by me previously. One piece of constructive advice I received was about my poor understanding of the attack envelope. Having only used electronic instrument samples previously this is a different level of complexity. I have to give Scaler at least half of the credit for the application of advanced harmonic theory, and the other half to what it has taught me over the years. It’s a remarkable learning tool, and it encourages me to further my understanding with additional resources when I find something in Scaler that works with my ideas.
I do use Fender Studio Pro, as it is now called. I’ve been using it since Cakewalk Sonar was canned after the Gibson acquisition.
Thank you, much appreciated. I agree with you about the wandering, it’s something I will try to overcome with my next piece. This has been a huge and very enjoyable learning curve.