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I've been working on this for a week or so, trying to get it to be smooth & realistic. Aiming for sad-ish film music. Could use some feedback CANCEL THAT.... I've taken this down to work on it - thanks for the feedback, everyone!

I'm wondering if each of the strings & "aaaa"s come on just a bit suddenly? Maybe a little more "swell" at the start of each, not such a quick attack? Instead of creeping in, they seem to jump...if that makes any sense?I liked the initial percussion hit right at the start...do you have plans for more of that, or just the one?Just my $0.02 as always

Hi Vickie,This is very atmospheric - could hear this in a film. The only thing I felt was the same as Devin - that sudden start to each voice note makes it sound very Midi. I also wanted to hear more sustained, deeper strings, which could help minimize the midi sounds, perhaps. I liked the very high note too, but I was disappointed that it was only one short note. Maybe that could develop into something else?If you worked in some more of that initial percussive sound you could give it a more sinister character...?Georgie

Recording some "real" vocals on it might help...?- JH

Hi - yeah, I pretty much had the same comments myself, but just needed some confirmation, lol. I like the idea of the piece, but need to work on executing it better.THANKSHummin'bird

I know you are using East West silver, but I'm surprised that it doesn't sound more realistic. This makes me doubt whether or not I want to buy that one.The attack is something you can fudge with the fader. You can also fade one voice in earlier than then next and so forth. Lots of more work, but that is the only way it will sound accurate.As it is, I can picture you just hitting a key on your keyboard.You guys slammed me for doing this.There was a thread here where the guy (forget who it is) gave us great advice. He said (I'm paraphrasing here) "there is nothing that screams fake more than just playing chords for horn parts." I would imagine that the same holds true for chorus parts. His suggestion was that each note gets its own track and attacks differently and has a slightly different reverb. You could even "humanize" the sound by attacking the note a little sharp or flat and then bending to the true pitch just like real choruses do.Again, lot's of work. I am too lazy to do it. Are you also?Wig The vocals attack really abruptly and no one would really sing that way. The patch at 1:42 and 2:00 is almost like a flute, but I'm not sure what it is.

This has one choral track from EWQLSO Silver, the rest are choral synths from another program. The strings are EWQLSO gold.I'm aware that the hits sound very artificial - and that's after me working for a couple of hours trying to make them not sound that way. I'm still learning. And I'm hampered by my keyboard, which doesn't have a mod wheel. Even the midi that I play comes through sounding mechanical. It's on my list of things that need replacing, lol.I agree with the suggestion that I should sing the vocal lines. It's the only way to make them sound 'real'.Thanks everyone for your thoughts - it's obvious this needs a lot of work

Oct 26, 2008, 3:57pm, hummingbird wrote:This has one choral track from EWQLSO Silver, the rest are choral synths from another program. The strings are EWQLSO gold.I'm aware that the hits sound very artificial - and that's after me working for a couple of hours trying to make them not sound that way. I'm still learning. And I'm hampered by my keyboard, which doesn't have a mod wheel. Even the midi that I play comes through sounding mechanical. It's on my list of things that need replacing, lol.I agree with the suggestion that I should sing the vocal lines. It's the only way to make them sound 'real'.Thanks everyone for your thoughts - it's obvious this needs a lot of work Hey, Bird,You can do a lot of coloring the sound and attack after the fact depending on what recording program you are using. If you use Sonar, you can automate the volume envelope and even the reverb intensity after the attack of the note.Automation is a really cool tool. If you don't have that capability, you could always ride the faders during a bounce.HTH Wig