Dear Anyone.

Complete - but improving - noob here. I've got Reason 3 and just the Orkester and Factory refills at present. 1 gig RAM and an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Soundcard.

Question. How do you make strings sound SOFT in Reason? I'm a wannabe New Age composer - think piano/flute/strings with everything - but the strings always sound like the shower scene in Psycho, nails-on-blackboard jobs! Tried lessening velocity and they just sound like quieter nails-on-blackboards. They don't have that velvet glow you get in romantic movie soundtracks, which is what I'm after. Even when you have mounting-tension strings in movies - I know most movies are using real people but I'm including the low-budget movies that use synths! - the strings are a soft, central bass almost-drone with a mist of higher strings around them. They're not usually drawn with a switchblade, which is what my strings sound like!

Please, what sample(s) do I use and what do I do to them to make them sound soft, buzzy and gentle? Have patience with me, I'm still a noob (though I've learned a lot recentlly).

ulrichburke

Try the "pad" sounds in either the NNXT form or the subtractor patches....even better would be the "pad" combinator patches. They have a slower attack and would probably be more what you are looking for.


www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

Christopher Burke...

I don't know if it can work with Reason 3, but the sweetest sounding strings are: Garritan Orchestral Strings. They ain't cheap, but, you will never again have: shower scene in Psycho, nails-on-blackboard
That is why I purchased them, I have never heard a Synth that sounded like Strings EVER. From the first time I heard Synth Strings I hated the sound... Over the years I have learned to tolerated the synth string sound, but it still sucks.

Garritan record an actual Orchestra, Recorded in Lincoln City... "OK Ladies and Gentlemen... Give me a nice sustained A Minor. Very good, let's try it again". End result, Perfection.

Kick Synth Strings in the butt anyday.

But, if you are planning on the Sound Track Sound... Reason 3? I'd really like to hear that end result. If you can convincingly pull it of, I will fly you to Harlemburg/Hamburg, put you up in a Good Hotel, give you a salary, transportation and food, if you could turn Reason 3 or any of the Reason Versions into sounding like it is not: shower scene in Psycho, nails-on-blackboard. I only see or hear reason for Dance Music. Sort of "I play house with my mouse... click, click, click and paste. Check my beat turn up the heat.... click, click, click. Copy.

Unless you have SERIOUS MANIPULATION SKILLS ("Playing" Skills hahaworld. Smile) Those self contained music programs are limited, even when used by a Professional. However, Professionals don't use Reason. They might fool around with it, lay down ideas with it, but they don't use it to Produce Records. For that it's a 100%. Pro Tools and all those that follow. Pro Tools remains the Industry Standard.

You might want to invest in some more Refill's like Miroslav Refill: Gold Bundle http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=1344

or Sonic Refills Vol. 05: Symphonic
http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=178

These sounds are alot better than the stock sounds in Reason, but I have to say that you'll need VSTi strings to get a more realistic sound.

Hope this helps,

PP

I have done this -- and I do it. Here are a few things I have learned with sting and orch. instruments in reason and any other soft for that matter:

1.) Always play with your attack and release knobs.
2.) Be mindful of your use of quantising -- unless you have swing options. Even the best soft synths sound fake when they are perfect -- especially when played together.
3.) With bowed instruments, the human being's ability to draw a bow is limited -- just remember that -- a held G sharp should not be sustained of 20 seconds.
3a.) Make pitch bend your friend !!
4.) Depending on your DAW, if Reason is being used as an instrument in Pro Tools, Live, Logic, etc -- try this -- set up your MIDI and audio to record simultaneously -- continue to play and record both -- as you go, and make any corrections in MIDI -- you can always just simply delete the audio track for each pass. Once you have it where you want it -- use the best compressors and EQ's you can find -- some offer ( blue tubes is one ) -- string pre sets that can help you get into the acoustic ballpark you're looking for.

5.) Garritan is by far and away the best in my book -- I have both violin and cello -- flawless !!

6.) Reason: fun for beats, groovy arps, second to none matrix setups -- not so hot for orchestra unless mated with another DAW with absoulte control over everything.

Hope that helps !!

Best of Luck -- and email me something when you're done !

fishboisfo@mac.com

Turn down the velocity in the instrument pattern, add a slight reverb and finally try ALL the strings if you have to. Reason has a LOT of strings, try them all if you have to, I can guarantee tht you will find one that sounds almost right.