Any way to make the Violins (and other strings) sound better?

brian-hill wrote on 2/25/2018, 8:01 PM

I am making a song and the strings I'm using just don't sound quite right. Now, I fully understand that these are midi instruments and will never sound as good as the real deal, but it feels like the attack on the strings is just not right. I have the attack set to it's minimum level and yet the strings still don't sound like they come in right at the start (much like a real string would). I am experiencing this with the "Orchestral Ensemble" instrument pack, the "String Ensemble" instrument pack, and the "Vita" strings instruments.

Can I make the attack sound any quicker or are these instruments just the way they come?

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 2/26/2018, 6:22 AM

. . . . I am making a song and the strings I'm using just don't sound quite right . . . "Orchestral Ensemble" instrument pack, the "String Ensemble" instrument pack, and the "Vita" strings instruments . . . . I would have guessed that the attack should be set to "maximum", not "minimum"? . . .

The Attack should be set to minimum - the ADSR parameters are measured in milli seconds or seconds - you can see this in the Vita ADSR settings as you adjust them.

Is this the sort of 'attack' you are wanting

If so the closest I can get is with the Orpheus strings VST.

Are you using a MIDI keyboard to play the instruments?

HTH

John EB

brian-hill wrote on 2/26/2018, 9:26 PM

Thanks for the response. I just installed the Orpheus VST. Maybe I just don't know my way around it, but I don't really know how to make a violin sound from it. It sounds more like a synthesizer to me.

And yes, my attack in the ADSR parameter is set to 0.00ms. And I'm just recording the instruments in the Midi editor. I don't have a Midi keyboard. If that's the best attack I'll get from the instruments then I guess I'll just have to live with it.

johnebaker wrote on 2/27/2018, 9:13 AM

In Orpheus you select the instrument type in the indicated dialog box shown below, clicking Preset List opens the pane shown below, or you can use the arrows each side of the indicated dialog box to cycle through the option.

You may have adjust the filter settings to get the sound as you wish and save it as a preset.

If you prefer something quicker then try the Sonatini Violin-32 VST, it is good, however has fewer adjustments.

There are many other Violin VST's available both free and paid for, such as the Magix String Ensemble available in the Music Maker store.

HTH

John EB

brian-hill wrote on 2/27/2018, 11:37 PM

Alright, thank you for the info and thanks for the help. I'll see what I can find.