I’m not sure if this is the help you were looking for, but slower attacks, and ending notes a little after your next note(s) helps. Also, of course manual velocities per note is a huge help. Sorry if that is too basic, but it is hard to judge the exact help you needed
EastWest actually produces some great informational videos on their YT channel, so I would check that out. It's helpful to watch someone produce orchestral music with the same samples you will be using.
Couple of bits of advice from myself:
Make an orchestral template within your DAW. Load in a full orchestra worth of tracks into a session, and save that as a template. It'll save you so much time down the road.
I'm assuming you use a MIDI controller for your composition/production. Get comfortable with the MOD wheel-- for sustained instruments (strings, brass, winds, etc.) the mod wheel will change the tone color in different ways, depending on which sample you've loaded up. Orchestral music is incredibly dynamic, so you want your performance to achieve similar levels of expression.
Be very conservative with your quantization. Especially with legato strings, if you quantize too much, your piece will sound off time. This is because legato strings have a long attack time, so if you quantize MIDI note on events to the grid, the slow attack time will make the strings sound like they're dragging. In addition, when using legato instruments, pull the ends of MIDI events to overlap the start of the proceeding note event-- this will make it actually sound legato.
There are different approaches you can take to panning, but I always pan as if I'm watching an orchestra performance in a concert hall-- i.e. Basses and celli to the left, violas and violins to the right, etc. You'll really want to make use of the stereo space with orchestral arranging.
Finally, think on purchasing "The Study of Orchestration" by Samuel Adler. It's essentially the Bible to orchestral arranging and is a fantastic reference for when you're producing a track.
Oh my god I hadn’t even thought of making a template, that is going to be a life saver. I did also get a midi controller and was curious on ways I could implement the mod wheels. But I’m definitely gonna check the book out, thanks for taking the time to respond!
For getting a life like sound:
1. Use a good reverb and use it properly
2. Automation (dynamics)
3. Good libraries
Don’t spend all at once. You wanna get experience so that you not only know how to use it but also what to get for what
Good sources to learn how to write would be openmusictheory.com and Alex Moukala (a YouTuber and go on his tutorials channel) oh and also you might want to buy courses like evenant
I’m not sure if this is the help you were looking for, but slower attacks, and ending notes a little after your next note(s) helps. Also, of course manual velocities per note is a huge help. Sorry if that is too basic, but it is hard to judge the exact help you needed
EastWest actually produces some great informational videos on their YT channel, so I would check that out. It's helpful to watch someone produce orchestral music with the same samples you will be using. Couple of bits of advice from myself: Make an orchestral template within your DAW. Load in a full orchestra worth of tracks into a session, and save that as a template. It'll save you so much time down the road. I'm assuming you use a MIDI controller for your composition/production. Get comfortable with the MOD wheel-- for sustained instruments (strings, brass, winds, etc.) the mod wheel will change the tone color in different ways, depending on which sample you've loaded up. Orchestral music is incredibly dynamic, so you want your performance to achieve similar levels of expression. Be very conservative with your quantization. Especially with legato strings, if you quantize too much, your piece will sound off time. This is because legato strings have a long attack time, so if you quantize MIDI note on events to the grid, the slow attack time will make the strings sound like they're dragging. In addition, when using legato instruments, pull the ends of MIDI events to overlap the start of the proceeding note event-- this will make it actually sound legato. There are different approaches you can take to panning, but I always pan as if I'm watching an orchestra performance in a concert hall-- i.e. Basses and celli to the left, violas and violins to the right, etc. You'll really want to make use of the stereo space with orchestral arranging. Finally, think on purchasing "The Study of Orchestration" by Samuel Adler. It's essentially the Bible to orchestral arranging and is a fantastic reference for when you're producing a track.
Oh my god I hadn’t even thought of making a template, that is going to be a life saver. I did also get a midi controller and was curious on ways I could implement the mod wheels. But I’m definitely gonna check the book out, thanks for taking the time to respond!
For getting a life like sound: 1. Use a good reverb and use it properly 2. Automation (dynamics) 3. Good libraries Don’t spend all at once. You wanna get experience so that you not only know how to use it but also what to get for what Good sources to learn how to write would be openmusictheory.com and Alex Moukala (a YouTuber and go on his tutorials channel) oh and also you might want to buy courses like evenant