Noteperformer 4 (Demonstration and Review)

In this video, I demonstrate a few of the new Noteperformer 4 templates in Dorico, including VSL Synchron Prime, BBCSO Pro, Cinematic Studio Strings & Brass, and Orchestral Tools Berlin Orchestra

0:00 Introduction
3:16 Example #1 BBCSO Pro
5:31 Example #1 Berlin Orchestra
7:46 Example #1 Cinematic Studio Strings
10:01 Example #1 Synchron Prime
12:14 Example #1 Review
14:49 Example #2 Noteperformer 3
15:57 Example #2 BBCSO PRO woodwinds
16:58 Example #2 BBCSO PRO brass
17:59 Example #2 BBCSO PRO strings and percussion
18:59 Example #2 BBCSO PRO full orchestra
20:05 Example #2 Berlin Orchestra woodwinds
21:06 Example #2 Berlin Orchestra brass
22:06 Example #2 Berlin Orchestra strings and percussion
23:07 Example #2 Berlin Orchestra full
24:13 Example #2 Cinematic Studio Brass
25:12 Example #2 Cinematic Studio Strings
26:18 Example #2 Synchron Prime woodwinds
27:19 Example #2 Synchron Prime brass
28:20 Example #2 Synchron Prime strings and percussion
29:20 Example #2 Synchron Prime full orchestra
30:21 Example #2 Review
32:59 Example #3 BBCSO PRO
37:24 Example #3 Synchron Prime
41:19 Final Thoughts

[AboutTimeMusic]

A really valuable demonstration, well organized to be of great help to anyone considering VI purchase(s). Many thanks, Alex!

[keithwalls]

What I had been hoping for in the interim between version 3 and version 4 was that Arne Wallander had done something similar to StaffPad and gotten with one of the major sound library developers and made a bespoke, reasonably priced turnkey “advanced” library that would work only with NP. I guess this a reasonable compromise. Since I am a brass player, the brass sounds are most important to me. Also, it would be nice for a jazz/big band library to be available for use with NP4.

[mattwallis]

I think Synchron Prime sounded rather good.

Excellent compositions and orchestrations.

[timothysullivanmusic]

Thank you, Alex, this was a very useful "tour" of these sound libraries. As a Finale user who has mostly been composing for acoustic instruments, I have not investigated nor invested much in digital sound reproduction, but I have been frustrated by the inaccessibility of such software for "hands on" user experience. Through your well-curated selections, I feel I can safely say that the Synchron Prime results were, overall, the most consistently impressive.

[jonathanwingmusic]

As a percussionist growing up, who likes to write highly syncopated and harmonically dense music, I'm with you 110% on the importance of rhythmic accuracy and available articulations over having the perfect timbre. Yes, BBC I think sounded the warmest and lushest, but at the expense many times of sounding rather mushy - rhythms completely lost and some articulations sticking out randomly in ways they shouldn't. VSL sounds a little thinner but I love that it sounds like what you expect when writing - it's predictable and consistent in that way. For fast runs and incredibly syncopated shorts across multiple sections, I'd take VSL any day over the rest for those reasons – I'd rather hear every note that I write than have it all turn to soup. Plus the fast it loads quickly, can't be mad at that!

P.S. Love your writing, examples #2 & #3 are fantastic!

[whittymusic]

great video, thanks for all the time you put into this and great composition!

[ssem.music.]

Thanks for the demonstration. Great music!

[Vioolconcert]

Thank you for your demonstration. I have question: Will this also working with Sibelius Ultimate?

[AriannaCunningham]

I like how each of the library templates in NotePerformer 4 playback realistically. I didn’t even know that the previous versions of NotePerformer had modeling effects rather than actual samples. Unfortunately, for me, I can’t afford to purchase NotePerformer 4 along with Sibelius, Dorico, or Finale. Instead, I’m using MuseScore 4, with it’s free realistic Muse Sounds library, and the playback sounds amazing and almost similar to the NotePerformer 4 library templates.

[winknotes]

Wow very interesting. I thought VSL was the clearest and best balanced. It was truer to the score markings imo. Sonically I liked CSS the best. It was fuller and had more presence. I also noticed the horns don't sound as 'phased' with VSL either as with the other libraries. I have BBCSO Pro, CineStrings but can't use it yet until he updates the engine. I'm really considering pulling the trigger on VSL Prime and use it in conjuction with BBCSO and possibly CineStrings depending on how those work.

[JustWriteMusic]

Apparently Wallander weren't done with their own sounds after all, as they just released 4.1 with more updates :)

[anatomicallymodernhuman]

Holy cow, I think CSS strings sounded clearly the best. I have to get that one next. Synchron was smoother but less believable.

I agree with you that most libraries are not ready to be used in conjunction with notation software for general use. I rely on Notion on iPad, which used to have a broader range of articulations than most sample libraries. The sound quality was relatively low. But you could be sure that if your composition worked there, it would work with real instruments. The new version of Notion has a vastly better interface but a much more limited set of articulations (plus it’s buggy as heck). I can no longer count on it to represent the composition well, sadly. I hope they fix that over time.

[hittjett]

I essentially have the same libraries to choose from as you. I have had the most luck combining BBCSO and Berklee. It has made using Dorico a lot more pleasant, but at present, it just doesn’t sound as good as StaffPad. I hope to see improvements in the future, but I think the next round is going to focus on enabling more libraries. So we are likely going to have a long wait before any drastic improvements are made.

[paolotramannoni]

Since reverb can be adjusted in NPPE, I wonder how VSL would sound with more ambience.

[zionfortuna]

I understand that it was just released but like...didn't Noteperformer 3.2 come out 5 years ago? Noteperformer 4 still sounds like a beta version of what's to come. What happened?

[chrisraymondmusic]

Thank you for this very helpful demo video! Were there any MIDI offset/delay issues when using any of these libraries with NP4? It doesn't seem like it, but I was just wondering. Thank you!

[arkhemlol]

Hi, Alex. Thanks for the comprehensive tutorial. I listened to your examples and before your comments I was making an opinion by ear. It turned out that 90% of my opinions were the same as yours.

However, it still doesn't allow me to choose one or more libraries to use with Noteperformer 4, which frustrates me. I was hoping to be able to put together a go-to solution for orchestra with Dorico + Noterperformer 4, but that didn't happen.

I have a question: how do you set the divisi in Dorico and have the NP play it correctly? Is it just text or is it a custom articulation or something else?

[RobertOstermeyer]

How are you handling the example of Dorico not being able to play ornaments?

[sebastianquinterocollazos]

what are your thoughts for Iconica sections & players? i'm starting to learn how uses in cubase, it seems very full and one nice starting point for me as a begginer composer, I haven't buy noteperformer yet, it sounds interesting that i can see how integrate both. I also have dorico, and i like to work more in notation software than the DAW itself, maybe this can be a solution for working and after export midis to cubase for details.

[stevemartinalmonds]

Hi Alex, the screen recording of Dorico looks great. What software are you using may I ask, to do this with? Thank you.