East West strings help???

I purchased the Gold edition of East West Strings. I believe they are 16 bit samples. Is there any way to get the samples so they sound more human-like and don't always sound like a computer is playing them? More realistic?

Thanks.

Can you post an audio example of what you mean?  I use the Diamond Edition and have a few tricks.

Thanks. I'm sure it's my lack of understanding the various orchestral articulations. Feel free to offer any suggestions.

https://soundcloud.com/sister-disco-1/demo-strings

Thanks. 

It sounds like most of the velocities are close to 127 which gives it that "synth" feel.  Try finessing the velocities to be a more idiomatic performance.  I'm not sure what articulations come with Gold, but you also might try using more of a variety of short lengths.

It also sounds like the chords and melody are being played by the VLN I patch which isn't something that would happen in a live setting.  Try spreading the notes of the chords out among the entire string section.

It sounds like most of the velocities are close to 127 which gives it that "synth" feel.  Try finessing the velocities to be a more idiomatic performance.  I'm not sure what articulations come with Gold, but you also might try using more of a variety of short lengths.

 

It also sounds like the chords and melody are being played by the VLN I patch which isn't something that would happen in a live setting.  Try spreading the notes of the chords out among the entire string section.

Thanks so much for the helpful advice. VLN I patch???

Individual section patches.

Just read over the manual for a bit. Will have to go over it in detail though. 

One thing I am not doing is making use of my MIDI controller. For example, the MOD wheel. I realize I can just use 'MIDI Draw' in Logic, but, would you suggest using the MOD wheel in real-time instead to make the sounds more realistic? The Soundcloud patch I provided above was not actually played on a MIDI controller by myself. I grabbed the MIDI notes off of the internet and just imported them into Logic. So, I think that's why the velocity of the notes were all so close to 127. 

Also, your suggestion is to leave the string instruments panned as is....since the string instruments are pre-panned by default?

Thanks. 

I don't find the East West strings very playable.  It's faster for me to play the notes into a piano patch and then program the MIDI manually, especially since Logic has such good MIDI programming tools.  The legato patches are a nightmare to play live.

Yes, leave everything panned as is, unless you're going for something out of the ordinary.  

Thye are very playable if you know what each patch you choose does and how it behaves and therefore choose the right patch for the passage. I have been playing them successfully for years.

A bit of a learning curve, don't you think? 

You need to learn the ins and outs of string arrangements to make them sound real.

There is no one-button solution.

Otherwise we all would Hans Zimmer-type arrangers with a click of a button and a Kontakt or East West plugin.

A bit of a learning curve, don't you think? 

I think that's the trade off for being able to produce realistic-sounding mock-ups. The less-specialized the tech is, the less it's able to do.

You need to learn the ins and outs of string arrangements to make them sound real.

There is no one-button solution.

Otherwise we all would Hans Zimmer-type arrangers with a click of a button and a Kontakt or East West plugin.

Very true. 

Thye are very playable if you know what each patch you choose does and how it behaves and therefore choose the right patch for the passage. I have been playing them successfully for years.

A bit of a learning curve, don't you think? 

Yes, it is not an "instant gratification" library.

Thye are very playable if you know what each patch you choose does and how it behaves and therefore choose the right patch for the passage. I have been playing them successfully for years.

I couldn't agree more. Hollywood Strings and Symphonic Orchestra are, IMO, the best there is. One just needs to commit to getting "under the hood" and understanding them. Read the entire manual and experiment.

A bit of a learning curve, don't you think? 

 

I think that's the trade off for being able to produce realistic-sounding mock-ups.  The less-specialized the tech is, the less it's able to do.

Excellent point.