Yeah, it’s all practice. You’re off to a good start.
I forgot about this video in my previous message; Mike Verta's V.I. Techniques - Part 1 of 2 - YouTube
I’ve linked it on the forum before and it has some really great information on editing orchestral samples and how you should be thinking more like the player that you’re trying to replicate. In the brass example he gives he shows you what the curve of the horns should look like and plays the example. I’m not quite good enough to be able to record it in with the MOD wheel whilst also playing the notes so I just record it in the best that I can, and then make the curves more accurately as to how they should be for realism. I can do it in half the time that it used to take, so just keep practicing is my point and you’ll easily get the hang of it.
You can have big drums, you just need to choose which ones to avoid the resonance/boom cluttering and overpowering the orchestra.