Realistic guitar on Logic!?!?

[DesireeBowen]

I am a Logic newbie so please bare with me

I have a few issues I am facing right now with Logic- the most important one being I can NOT seem to find a realistic sounding guitar from the Logic instruments (I have 9.0 which includes all of the JamPacks). I have not been using loops (I can't seem to figure those things out) I have just been using a keyboard at home an then setting it Acoustic Guitar or other similar instruments. As you can see, I want an acoustic guitar sound, strumming chords. I know there are loops, but they don't fit in with my chord structure, and I have no idea how to even begin to edit loops.

Thoughts? I would REALLY appreciate it!!!

[mojobone]

There are a few sampled or modeled VST instruments designed to mitigate this problem, but at the end of the day, it's easier to borrow a guitar than strum a keyboard.


check out the video below the item description:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RealGuitar2/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RealStrat/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StrumElec/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StrumAcous/

I haven't used any of these, being a guitarist. There's also this:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/245.html

which makes no attempt at reproducing a "strum" but sounds pretty cool, nonetheless; I've used it in a number of electronic contexts where authenticity wasn't required.

[willwillp]

realistic guitar is tough. I'm assuming you're talking about strumming. I find the acoustic guitar in Logic is pretty good for single note stuff. I have yet to find any great realistic sounding software based guitar alternatives that completely address all of the things you can do with a guitar. I usually end up playing any complicated part myself on a real guitar. The Akkord guitar in Kontakt has some pretty good strumming functions, but it is a bit clunky and doesn't let you do everything you could do with a guitar. I'd be interested to if/what other people use for sample-based guitars. I know there are a couple of programs out there, but I have yet to try any of them.

[kevinmathie]

EastWest's Ministry of Rock has an acoustic that has a pretty decent strum feature. You have to work at it a little, because you have to press keyswitches to change the chord from major to minor or dominant 7th, diminished, minor 7th, or whatever, but it has two or three variations of downstrums and upstrums per chord, so it's not as mechanical as some programs are. And there are no loops. You have to play all the rhythms.

Of course, Ministry of Rock has a lot of guitars (mostly electric) as well as basses and drums, so the strumming acoustic is just one instrument. I don't know if you'd be interested in buying the whole library if all you'll use is just one instrument, but I thought I'd throw out the suggestion.

[Len911]

Desiree, like Mojobone says the real guitar and real strat are very good, make sure if you get them you get the patterns with them, I believe real strat comes with them.

Some other very fine plugins are those from sonivox and they couldn't be easier. They are not only easy to download, everything is easy about them. You can even download them and use them for 3 day trial I believe. They are each a self-contained instrument.
Every day they put 2 instruments on sale, and if you order they will email you a 10% off your next order. They have acoustic guitars like martin and taylor, elec like les paul, telecaster, strat, rickenbacker etc etc. most are $19.95-$49.95.

http://www.sonivoxmi.com/index.asp


click on download sounds then DVI instruments

[DesireeBowen]

I guess I was naive in thinking that Logic 9.0 would have all the instruments I would ever need

Here is a question- if I were to hire someone to play the guitar part, how much would you pay them?

[kevinmathie]

I guess I was naive in thinking that Logic 9.0 would have all the instruments I would ever need

Well, compared to other DAWs, Logic has a lot more usable sounds. I think you can do quite a bit, depending on what style of music you're doing. For instance, I still use Logic's piano on a regular basis. But, it is true that Logic's stock sounds won't compete all that well in the marketplace of commercial music in some genres. If you build an orchestral arrangement from Logic's stock orchestral sounds, and then compare the same exact arrangement built from, say, EastWest's orchestral library, or the Vienna Symphonic Library, you'll definitely hear a difference.

And, hey, if you're just pitching songs to other artists, it may not matter -- although, I'll let the songwriters of the forum weigh in on that question. But, if you're trying to do professional tracks that are to be broadcast quality, you may find yourself at a disadvantage with the competition a bit. Again, depending on what type of music you're doing, and how you're using the sounds. There are a lot of nice sounds in the stock Logic library that would work great in a lot of situations.

Here is a question- if I were to hire someone to play the guitar part, how much would you pay them?

Depends on your specific region. I'm in the Salt Lake City area. Our going rate for experienced studio musicians is around $55/hour. $75/hour or more if you need someone to do a lot of doubling (i.e., play guitar, mandolin, electric guitar, heavy metal pan flute , etc.) Other areas of the country are a lot cheaper though.

Or, if you get someone who isn't an experienced studio musician but is still pretty good, you could probably pay $20/hour and have some really nice tracks. Often, I do trades with musicians. I hire a fantastic violinist all the time, and we just trade work. I record her songs for free; she records my songs for free. So, I'd definitely look at trading. It's a great way to get live players on your tracks.

[DesireeBowen]

THANK YOU for all your input. I can't say enough how glad I am that I found this forum! I have several other Logic questions that have come up tonight as I was working on a song, but it is after midnight now and I should go to bed.

My brother-in-law just moved to SLC. He just moved from Provo to SLC though, so not a big trek there. Only been there once before when I was a baby, but I hear from all my friends and family its beautiful!

[kevinmathie]

My brother-in-law just moved to SLC. He just moved from Provo to SLC though, so not a big trek there. Only been there once before when I was a baby, but I hear from all my friends and family its beautiful!

Right on! Yeah, SLC is nice. Not too big, not too small. I hope your BIL likes SLC. It's getting to be quite different than Provo. The Provo area is still so extremely conservative, while the SLC/Park City area is getting to be quite liberal. I like the Avenues in particular.

[randwool]

Desiree,

Just post or PM your desired guitar chord arrangement and a quick mp3 on your idea.
Several here might be glad to send you something at no charge to help out.