Making Strings Sound Soft In Reason Options

[Christopher Burk...]

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

[Mac Daddy]

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.