I’ve heard that said before, and while I don’t have insight into how most people program (not having watched them done it and hear the results) I think there’s a better way.
Here’s my best advice, rather than relying on somewhat artificial technical directions (use CC’s, don’t use CC’s, do this or that as I said above) instead load up your DAW with sections and work with them. Playing samples is just like playing an instrument, you need to hook the ear up to the hands. My recommendation, if you have a mac, is to use MainStage and setup templates with a split keyboard. Here’s an example (ping me on the forum if you want to know how to set this up)
It’s rather clever, it has an algorithm that dynamically changes the splitting based on how you’re playing it, by extending a range as you’re working in it. For example if you are playing the basses in one hand, as you go up it will extend the bass split, until switching over to celli at some point you set. It works better with a single split, doing what I’m doing here can be hit-or-miss sometimes, but it works well enough for the purpose. Do this for your winds, brass and percussion. Then just improve around and fiddle with all of your controls to practice being a sample musician. Practice!
Because it depends greatly on your sample library too. I tend to stick with one main library, I can’t claim to play them all well. And don’t forget the mics and other mixing techniques too!