A sample from the radio

[Xenonstryfe]

I was listening to the radio, and a song I heard had a pretty nice sample that I'd like to try to emulate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25qiZy7vmqY is the song

I was thinking it would be some string/orchestral instrument, but with a lot of effects. I'm using fruity loops, and thus far I've used parametric EQ (eliminated a lot of bass) and the compressor, but I'm not sure where to go from there.

Edit: Yeah I know the song isn't so great, so if you want to skip to it, the sample starts at 0:22ish.

[PrototypeRaptor]

sounds like a simple string patch with a relatively long attack and some delay. (given the song) probably a preset on some famous synth...XD

but yeah, try messing with the attack of a string synth and slap some delay on there. also, the notes sound very staccato, so if you want it to sound EXCATLY like it, play the chords short.

perhaps someone else more versed in synth speak can tell you exactly what to edit, but there's a start.

[Xenonstryfe]

Actually I was thinking about that (right now I'm using a string soundfont that has detache and legato settings), but the problem is I just can't get enough punch to the beginning if I use legato, but if I use detache the notes don't last long enough for some parts.

Any ideas? Thanks for the help so far!

[PrototypeRaptor]

don't use soundfonts for this- it sounds synthy, not realistically synthy.

try the string theory vst from here: http://www.ugoaudio.com/

(it's freeware, good stuff)

it will let you mess with the attack and decay until you get it sounding exactly like you want.

See how that goes - remember, less is more. Don't use effects unless you HAVE to.

[Xenonstryfe]

I'm playing around with this VST, but it seems a bit over my head

[Yoozer]

Video's no longer available (and you didn't mention the artist and song anywhere).

[Xenonstryfe]

Oh sorry, the song was:

New Kids on the Block - Summertime

[PrototypeRaptor]

actually, the vid is still there, you just have to follow it back to the youtube page.

I'll try looking for another synth, but in the meantime go to kvraudio.com and look around there.

There's good stuff there - find a freeware synth you can deal with. (or go ahead and mess with string theory...no time like the present to learn synthesis!)

[Yoozer]

Ah, it said "not available" so I didn't bother to click any further. Anyway.

This is a Mellotron string patch but it's pitched up - there are however some double strings (2 playing, one octave higher) presets for it if I'm not mistaken. Required software : G-Media M-Tron, or one of the presets in the free Proteus VX (preset 003:077 MeltroniKnbD - play the C4 and C5 notes).

The sound stops suddenly because a Mellotron is an analog sampler - it plays back 8-second tapes, and when you release the key, it has to rewind so you can play again.

[Xenonstryfe]

Is there any tutorial on string theory? I've got what I think is a pretty similar sound, but there's too much bow action there so it's a really raspy sound at the beginning instead of a synthy-string sound.

[Yoozer]

http://www.theheartcore.com/music/nkotb_strings.mp3 < this is how the Proteus sounds - I think it gets pretty close, taking into account you don't have to do anything for it .

[Xenonstryfe]

http://www.theheartcore.com/music/nkotb_strings.mp3 < this is how the Proteus sounds - I think it gets pretty close, taking into account you don't have to do anything for it .

Hm, I can't hear anything from that sample, but I'm on my laptop which gets cranky sometimes. Can anyone else hear something from that sample?

[Yoozer]

Whoops, selected the wrong part to render. It's fixed, the mp3 now actually makes sound.