Project Anvil is an attempt to create a virtual studio orchestra whose sound is reminiscent of the Anvil Denham Recording Studios were soundtracks like The Empire Strikes Back were recorded by renowned engineer Eric Tomlinson. Whilst the exact sound cannot be recreated, the qualities of the sound can. In the case of Anvil it is a direct tight sound not drenched in reverb but sharp and brisk in its presentation, with a strong sense of spatial depth and clarity in each instrument.
There are more considerations at play which, for the sake of brevity, I’ve listed here in simple terms:
- The resulting template should be easy to manage, both in terms of number of tracks and of stored size on disk.
- The resulting template should aim for the distinctive upfront sound of studio orchestra.
- The resulting template should be properly volume balanced.
- The resulting template should provide ample options for exporting stems so that the most possible flexibility is maintained for any mixing/mastering process that may follow.
