Virtual Orchestra Instruments: A Blessing or a Curse?

Rui Ribeiro shares his insights on the use of virtual instruments in creating contemporary orchestral sounds, discussing both their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the fundamental importance of studying orchestration to achieve convincing results.

Composer and producer Rui Ribeiro has closely followed the evolution of music technology, particularly in the realm of virtual instruments. In recent statements, he reflected on the impact of these tools on orchestral productions and how they have transformed the industry. His perspective provides a detailed look at the transition from traditional methods to contemporary ones, addressing both the challenges and opportunities that have arisen from this evolution.

A New Era of Technological Possibilities

"The days of needing to bring an entire orchestra into a studio to achieve an orchestral sound in a recording are long gone," begins Rui Ribeiro, reminiscing about the early days of orchestral production. He highlights that, while many may think virtual instruments are a recent innovation, this technology began to emerge in the late 1980s. "If I'm not mistaken, the Prosonus Orchestral Collection, which came out around that time, was the first commercially available library of virtual instruments, later adapted for the famous AKAI samplers and their systems," he explains, emphasizing the significant impact this tool had, even though it was accessible only to major companies due to its high price, which was around $10,000 at the time.

Rui recalls the moment he first began using virtual instruments in the early 2000s: "The first orchestral virtual instrument I used was IK Multimedia's Miroslav Philharmonik." Recorded in Prague at the Dvořák Symphony Hall with musicians from the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, this tool marked a significant shift in the options available on the market at that time. "I remember thinking, 'Wow, I can actually have endless musical resources and the emotional depth of an orchestra right here on my computer!'"

However, the composer is realistic about the initial limitations of the technology: "Well... whether it sounded good is debatable... much like computer games in the 90s, where we looked at the monitor and said, 'Wow, what incredible graphics, it looks so real!'—it was more about the excitement of that possibility than the graphics themselves. The same was true when I was using IK Multimedia's Miroslav Philharmonik in the 2000s, and so many others that followed: they sounded, frankly, quite poor, and far from what a studio recording with an orchestra playing a written score would sound like. It was more the thrill of having that possibility and the belief that the technology for producing these virtual instruments would develop much further in the future... and it did."

Two Decades of Technological Evolution

Reflecting on the two decades that followed, Rui Ribeiro notes a remarkable evolution: "Nowadays, a significant percentage of orchestral music we hear on television, in films, and in the media has actually been created using virtual instruments, often without our awareness." The composer and producer also touches on the process of creating these instruments: "The germinal idea is seemingly simple: you put an orchestra in the studio and record, section by section, soloist by soloist, every note of each instrument, each articulation, across all possible dynamics, different performance techniques, different microphones to provide variety in sound, and so on. However, in reality, this isn't truly achievable, as combining all these elements simultaneously generates an infinite number of possibilities that, at least to date, are impossible to replicate entirely faithfully."

Despite these limitations, Rui Ribeiro emphasizes that the use of virtual instruments doesn't always mean that the quality is inferior to that of a real orchestra. "If I have the London Symphony Orchestra in a studio recording for me, you can be sure it will sound better than any virtual instrument. But what if it's an orchestra with hastily selected musicians who have never played together, and their technical level is mediocre?" He goes further, revealing that in some situations, he has replaced recordings of real musicians with virtual instruments that sounded better: "Ultimately, it all depends on which musicians or orchestra we’re talking about."

The Fusion of Real and Virtual: A Common Practice

Today, the combination of real musicians and virtual instruments has become an increasingly common practice in orchestral productions. "I always strive to avoid the extremes of opinion regarding the use of virtual instruments: those who reject them entirely and those who think they are always the best option. It all depends on the project and the musical needs," the composer states, highlighting the importance of adapting each approach to the context of the production.

A practical example of this fusion, common in many of his productions, is the use of virtual instruments for non-melodic orchestral percussion sections. "The realism is becoming increasingly convincing regarding these instruments. Often, if I want to record more rare or large percussion instruments, I frequently resort to virtual instruments." Additionally, Rui mentions layering, or adding layers to double instruments like brass, creating a more powerful sound: "The cinematic musical language of Hollywood that we've grown accustomed to often employs an expanded french horn section, producing a highly penetrating sound that’s not easy to achieve with a conventional session featuring four horns."

Economic Considerations and Limitations of Virtual Instruments

For many producers and composers, the cost of recording a real orchestra is prohibitive, and virtual instruments provide a more accessible solution. "Recording with a high-level professional orchestra in a good studio is going to be significantly more expensive than purchasing (or subscribing to) virtual instrument plugins," the composer acknowledges. However, he warns that using virtual instruments may not be as economical as it seems at first glance: "Not only are these constantly being updated, but often it will be necessary to combine multiple plugins to cover each one's weaknesses... and believe me, there will be many!"

Beyond cost, there’s another crucial issue: sound standardization. When using a virtual instrument, the sound tends to become repetitive. "Every time a real orchestra enters a specific studio, the outcome will always be different. With virtual instruments, it’s easy to get tired of a particular manufacturer's sound because it always sounds the same." Rui Ribeiro also references cellist Tina Guo, renowned for her frequent collaborations with Hans Zimmer, who worked with CineSamples to create a virtual cello instrument bearing her name: "I've heard her say that she often recognizes her virtual instrument in various recordings, even dubbing it 'Robot Guo' (laughs). I confess I also find myself identifying several virtual instruments in various recordings, films, commercials, television shows, etc., which only highlights the risk of everything sounding the same."

The Need for Broad Technical Knowledge

One of Rui Ribeiro's most relevant reflections is the importance of a deep understanding of orchestration to make the most of virtual instruments. The composer states: "It’s incredibly common to hear my colleagues ask me, 'What virtual instruments are you using to achieve that sound?' only to conclude that I’m using the same ones they are. This happens because I’ve had the good fortune to study orchestration and conducting, to regularly conduct orchestras in rehearsals, recordings, and concerts, to immerse myself in their idiosyncrasies and the technical challenges inherent in each instrument's practice, in the tricks and techniques, and, above all, to have the real sound of an orchestra recorded in my memory, both in its tutti and in each individual instrument." The composer continues: "It’s very easy to fall into the trap of believing that just because we can load a virtual instrument into a DAW in seconds, we have the ability to write music for an orchestra," he warns. For him, a detailed knowledge of each instrument's characteristics and limitations is essential to avoid unconvincing results. He provides some examples: "Putting an oboe to play its lowest note in pianissimo will sound unconvincing because, while it’s possible in the virtual world, it’s quite difficult to achieve in the real world. Having a solo violin play its lowest G string note while simultaneously playing the next B note is impossible due to the instrument’s setup and tuning. An extremely rapid ascending scale might be idiomatic on a flute, but certainly not on a trombone. If a composer using virtual instruments lacks a good understanding of articulations and bowing techniques in the string section, for example, they are doomed to achieve a limited or unsatisfactory result. These basic examples are just the tip of the iceberg. I recommend that any composer wishing to use virtual instruments spend a good amount of time studying orchestration, reading scores of reference works, engaging in dialogue with instrumentalists, and attending rehearsals to gain a solid foundation of knowledge. Of course, good MIDI sequencing technique and mastery of a DAW environment are also necessary, but without an ear finely tuned with the necessary knowledge, none of that will work, no matter how good the virtual instruments in use may be." The composer concludes with an analogy: "Opening a virtual orchestral instrument library offers an immense array of tools, but without knowing how to use them, it’s like having the parts of a car engine laid out on a table... without mechanical knowledge, we won’t be able to get the engine running."

Examples of Some Virtual Orchestra Instrument Manufacturers That Rui Ribeiro Uses in His Creations:

EAST WEST

CINESAMPLES

ORCHESTRAL TOOLS

SPITFIRE AUDIO

8DIO

VIR2

STREZOV SAMPLING

Team Rui Ribeiro