My name is Patrick Woodland. I compose and produce music for film and television. I work out of my recording facility in Irvine Ca. My music can be heard on HBOs’ “Sex and the City”, “The Late Show with David Letterman”, and “Numb3rs” on CBS, to name a few.
I recently upgraded my orchestral sample setup from a pc run Gigastudio (R.I.P), to a dedicated Apple Mac Pro running Vienna Symphonics’ Virtual Instruments, via their Ensemble Pro hosting software, and I couldn’t be more impressed. This is the best-kept secret in the composer community! All midi and audio channels pass through one Ethernet LAN cable to an additional Mac Pro running Pro Tools HD 8.03, working flawlessly, and sounding amazing. I learned through the VSL website that it was possible to run their full compliment of instruments (as well as third party VIs’) directly to an RTAS Pro Tools plug in, without having to buy an additional audio, or midi interfaces. This idea was intriguing, so with the usual wonderful support of Chris Bolitho, at RSPE, I was able to find out exactly what I needed to purchase, and how to pull it off. On the technical end, I had a huge assist from Frank Verrschuren, also of RSPE, who helped me configure my system.
VSL has extensive audio demos, and video tutorials on their website, but none of them really do justice to the sound I hear in my studio when I fire it up. The flexibility of the Vienna Instrument software is astounding too. Previously, I always felt that I had to compose “to” my available samples, and now I can very easily create individual instruments that behave precisely as my compositions require.
I don’t think I would have taken this leap, without knowing I had the support of a great sales and technical team behind me, and RSPE continues to be the most diligent, supportive…and fun team I’ve worked with in my 20 year career.
Many thanks guys,
Patrick Woodland
March 2010
