Spitfire Audio - Discover

[Dave2002]

Has anyone else tried to download and install the Spitfire Audio Discover package to a DAW? This is the package which uses samples from the BBC SO. I thought I'd made progress, but something's not working.

I really would like to get this running - it sounds as though it might be a great package - if I can get it to work.

From the log file it looks as though something isn't authorising properly. I should be able to do this.

[MrGongGong]

I'd send a message to them
or find a forum
I know someone who sometimes works for them as an engineer who says they are nice human beings

[Dave2002]

Indeed - they seem pretty decent. I've already sent them a message - and hope they'll be able to get me up and running soon. I'd also like to try out the Labs packages, which may have similar issues.

I have probably enough software synths which work now - though I don't mind getting more to test - but I really would like the orchestra packages to work. I've only got the ones which come with Logic so far, and they're OK, but I think some instruments could be a lot better.

One kind of instrument which doesn't seem to work well is an organ. Most of the packages which have organs have nothing like a proper cathedral organ sound. I did find one which had potential, but as I recall I couldn't get it to work. I don't mind Jimmy Smith type organs for some things, but those jazz type "organs" have nothing like the brute force power of some large cathedral organs - either French or English, or the subtleties of small baroque organs suitable for Bach. I think organs for pop musicians mean something rather different. Those sounds might be useful for some pieces, but I really would like to get something much more like the organs I've mentioned here.

[MrGongGong]

Not sure about emulations
but there are plenty of folks making them
Several years ago I helped install the multiple speakers for the electronic organ that was in the RFH while the instrument there was in Durham being restored (nothing beats a trip to Durham ) and from what I remember it was rather impressive with some custom made subs for the bottom end etc

[Dave2002]

Not sure about emulations
but there are plenty of folks making them
Several years ago I helped install the multiple speakers for the electronic organ that was in the RFH while the instrument there was in Durham being restored (nothing beats a trip to Durham ) and from what I remember it was rather impressive with some custom made subs for the bottom end etc

Possibly the better ones (software emulations) are quite expensive. I can afford modest sums for something good, but I really don't want to spend out without trying. Some of the best ones might stay out of my price range for ever. I could waste a lot of time and money on a collection of cheap ones, none of which really delivers.

[Stunsworth]

You have to download their control programme. Once that’s been installed, and it’s been launched and signed into, you should see the package. From there if you click on install it should do everything for you. You’ll need to restart your DAW once it’s installed.

If you add a new track you can select the Spitfire plugin - I’m not at my Mac at the moment, but it’s towards the bottom of the selections available.

The LABs plugins work in the same way.

This is in Logic Pro, I’ve no idea about any other DAWs.

[Dave2002]

I think that’s what should happen, but there’s some form of authorisation issue. I suppose I could take everything out and start over.

[Stunsworth]

I think that’s what should happen, but there’s some form of authorisation issue. I suppose I could take everything out and start over.

When you select install from the Spitfire app it authorises the download before it begins. That can take a few seconds, but in my case no more than that.

[Dave2002]

When you select install from the Spitfire app it authorises the download before it begins. That can take a few seconds, but in my case no more than that.

I'm sure you are right, but that's not what happens with mine. Something has gone wrong. I'm waiting for a response from Spitfire - or maybe I'll clear all the downloads out and start again. The log file very clearly stalls after a page or two with an authorisation failure.

In the meantime I found this which seems to work for me - https://vis.versilstudios.com/vsco-c...#articulations - though takes up a lot more space.

I see you are also on Macs, so we should be able to compare notes. I think the BBC SO Discover package should be better than some other sample libraries, but some are really quite good and usable.

[Dave2002]

I think that’s what should happen, but there’s some form of authorisation issue. I suppose I could take everything out and start over.

I contacted Spitfire, got the details of the helpful videos again, and had another go. Since the files don't take up too much space (considering) it didn't take long, once I got the Spitfire app working. I think it had been corrupted, and it may have updated itself in the latest process.

I now have a working version - and have done a few very simple tests.

This is what my system now looks like -



Whether it's really better than other orchestra VIs I currently have installed I'm not sure. I think to get good results out of these systems a lot of attention to detail is needed - to get the right levels of attack, dynamics etc.

Have you played with it much? Do you do much with the Lab VIs also?

Most of the VIs I've installed now seem to be working, though some may be a bit finnicky.

This is what it looks like with the BBC Discover set up



Oops - seems to have gone very big again. I may tidy this up later.

[Dave2002]

If you look carefully, you might notice that there's perhaps a previous install, where I failed to get the plugin loaded. Now I want to get rid of that! Not sure how to remove that, but it seems benign enough at the moment.

[Dave2002]

Now played with this a bit more - it's really good. Set up a few tracks in a loop - with the same BBC SO virtual instrument (VI), and then the interface allows one to change instruments and sections dynamically. Sometimes notes "disappear" - for example I tried Double Basses and no sound came out, but with other instruments all or most of the notes do sound. I'm pretty sure this is because this package only attempts to produce sounds for notes which are possible on each instrument.

This doesn't happen with all VIs from other suppliers - sometimes a VI will "interpolate" a sound for a note which is actually not possible on a physical instrument.

Being able to choose sounds in the Spitfire BBC SO package while a loop is playing is a great feature, and obviously if extra tracks are needed, that can be done afterwards once the basic sonorities are worked out. This does raise another issue about DAWs and instruments, but I'll deal with that (maybe) in another post.

It might still be useful to have a few VIs from other sources, but for orchestral sounds this one is prettty good.

Highly recommended.

[Stunsworth]

Sometimes notes "disappear" - for example I tried Double Basses and no sound came out, but with other instruments all or most of the notes do sound. I'm pretty sure this is because this package only attempts to produce sounds for notes which are possible on each instrument.

That's correct, there's a bit cut off the bottom of the plugin screenshot you've provided that shows which keys are available. If you click and drag the Spitfire screen upwards you should see it.

[Dave2002]

Just slightly puzzled by Spitfire Labs. Firstly, I was sent an email suggesting a new mandolin in the Labs series, so thought that sounded good. Went to the site, and selected a few things to download. Then I was informed that I needed to update the Spitfire Labs app on my Macbook - so I tried that. Then the Discover package came up, with a suggestion to update it. This seems odd to me. Do the Virtual Instruments files ever need updating? I really wouldn't have expected that.

I hope I've not wrecked what was a working installation.

Looks like there's a Repair feature in the Spitfire application - perhaps in case files get moved.

I've still not got close to doing the download I originally intended of the mandolin.