The Vienna Symphonic Library has been a long time companion of mine

and so I feel necessary to give some tribute to this beautiful tool. The idea here is not to promote the product but rather share my experience as a composer with you. The samples are of high quality no doubt, and now 24 bits, but what attracts me even more is the interaction that exists between the composer/arranger and the samples. The libraries are designed to dissect all aspects of every orchestral instruments, this alone gives the musician an awareness of what's idiomatic for each one of them, so it has some very interesting academic qualities for which I'm sure orchestration classes would easily welcome, I know I would of enjoyed that when I was studying orchestration in university. When I compose I am as much inspired by the various samples there as say a "stunning moonlight." Each sample when used cleverly expresses an emotion, and after a chain of these an entire piece is born. The VSL libraries has permitted me over the years to be much more productive by having this virtual instrument orchestra literally at the tip of my fingers.One thing I love working with VSL is experimenting with different colors, patterns, effects etc., and once again a good learning device. The ever-going discussion of the comparison between virtual instruments and real instruments or a real orchestra, tends to loose importance for me with time, good and bad music can be found in both medium, a real orchestra not perfectly in time and in tune is quite unpleasant to listen to, the same way bad programming can be misleading and the opposite is just as true for both sides, good music is good music, no matter how it's done. Virtual instruments and real instruments should both always have their place in the future.