Jaxo Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 The best example I could find off the top of my head is Darth Vader's theme at precisely 2:14 . That high-pitch whistle-like instrument that glissandos up... what is that instrument? John Williams uses it a LOT, it's definitely in some other compositions of his.My next question would be, if it's not a standard instrument, where can I find a VST/Kontakt of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellanic Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Piccolo...though could potentially also be a flute but I'm hedging bets on it most likely being piccolo as its typically used in heavy sections like that of orchestral works to add "sparkle". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxo Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Piccolo...though could potentially also be a flute but I'm hedging bets on it most likely being piccolo as its typically used in heavy sections like that of orchestral works to add "sparkle". Hm, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrothaDom Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I don't see the need in making another topic with the same title, so is it alright if I ask another instrument here? If so, what instrument/synth is used starting at 1:54? http://youtu.be/dZdQtc45pVM The high pitched one. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnappleMan Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I don't see the need in making another topic with the same title, so is it alright if I ask another instrument here?If so, what instrument/synth is used starting at 1:54? http://youtu.be/dZdQtc45pVM The high pitched one. Thanks in advance That's a synth, specifically a detuned square wave. You make it by using two square wave oscillators, one of which is detuned very slightly. The key is to make sure the patch is monophonic and portamento is turned on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrothaDom Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Thanks a ton! I'll try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 What metallic instrument is that in the beginning of this song? and in this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT_MpNc3noA (especially this one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannthr Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 The best example I could find off the top of my head is Darth Vader's theme at precisely 2:14 . That high-pitch whistle-like instrument that glissandos up... what is that instrument? John Williams uses it a LOT, it's definitely in some other compositions of his.My next question would be, if it's not a standard instrument, where can I find a VST/Kontakt of it? This is for the OP so they get a full answer--here are all the instruments playing that run in the concert version (this is the version of the piece that John Williams uses when he tours or holds concerts)--I don't think the original version had a piano in this, at least I can't hear it. Flute Piccolo Oboe Clarinet and Harp. All of those instruments at certain ranges can assist in creating a glassy and shiny timbre, and John Williams uses them all together here to add a lot of substance to this run gesture. The piccolos play an octave above the flutes, the oboes an octave below the flutes, and the clarinets and harp play with the oboe. Hope this helps (obviously I ommitted all the instruments that do not play this run). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnappleMan Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 What metallic instrument is that in the beginning of this song? and in this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT_MpNc3noA (especially this one). The "instrument" in the first song is just a GM gunshot sound. (GM patch 128) The second song, I assume you mean the pad that's ascending in timbre at the beginning, which would be just that: a synth pad going up in pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks for your help Snapple ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 I've got an instrument I can't identify, from this track from the Guild Wars: Nightfall soundtrack. It's the instrument that's playing right at the start, the low twangy metallic-sounding thing that's mainly (only?) playing two notes an octave apart. I'm not sure whether it'd be classed as percussion or a string instrument, but I love the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Well, it's obviously a string instrument because you can hear it's being strongly plucked often, probably by fingernails, but I'm stuck between a mandolin and a lyre, processed with a little granular synthesis maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 It's possible that Jeremy Soule synthesized it, though I doubt it, since his soundtracks aren't generally known for synth sounds or processing tricks, and there's all kinds of ethnic instruments all over the Guild Wars: Factions and GW: Nightfall soundtracks, so I'm thinking it's something fairly unique. Most of what that instrument plays sounds metallic and unpitched; possibly he's combining something percussive with something stringed, though it does sound like one part played by one player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truemas Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Hmm, about that Guild Wars thingy: From all the instruments i have experienced up to know i would intuitively say that it is a Sitar (indish String Instrument) which is played in this track at a quite low register. When it comes to video game music i really like it in the Boss Music of Bastion (it is played on higher registers there.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Sure, it could possibly be a sitar. The string type is a bit odd though, like it's steel-string or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannthr Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 The instrument doesn't play a lot, but I suspect that going for the African vibe, he used a Kora or Ngoni sample. Kora: Ngoni: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Does anybody know what instrument is playing those low notes that are in the beginning of this song? http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01798/. I'm also wondering about the high instrument in the main melody as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannthr Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Does anybody know what instrument is playing those low notes that are in the beginning of this song? http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR01798/. I'm also wondering about the high instrument in the main melody as well. The low synth sounds like a saw wave with a bit of a filter laid on it. The melody sounds like a synthetic dulcimer or struck string, you could create that sound any number of ways--FM synthesis, a comb filter, etc. Did you try contacting the remixer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 The remixer has been gone for quite a while; last login was 2010. The bass sounds like a saw wave with some detuning, and an envelope on a kind of low cutoff. The envelope has no attack or sustain, and little decay. I think the string instrument could be a 12-string acoustic sitar, and it was probably synthesized with, I agree, comb filters or FM oscillators (probably comb filters). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) The bass sounds like a saw wave with some detuning, and an envelope on a kind of low cutoff. The envelope has no attack or sustain, and little decay. I think the string instrument could be a 12-string acoustic sitar, and it was probably synthesized with, I agree, comb filters or FM oscillators (probably comb filters). I'm not exactly sure how I can do that in Reaper, or what plug-ins I should use to replicate that sound (detuned saw). I mean, I have synth1, but I'm not sure how to make those sounds in it, or if there's a better plug-in to use. I'm also not sure what envelope means. Edited May 28, 2013 by Cosmic Sounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannthr Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Some synthesizers allow you to duplicate or double the wave form output of the synth, you could have two saw waves at the same exact tuning and they'll sound just a bit bigger--but if you detune one of the waves, then they'll get a bit dirtier sounding. As far as envelope--we're talking about some of the most basic components of producing sound, you might do well to read up a bit about the technology you're digging into: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Some synthesizers allow you to duplicate or double the wave form output of the synth, you could have two saw waves at the same exact tuning and they'll sound just a bit bigger--but if you detune one of the waves, then they'll get a bit dirtier sounding.As far as envelope--we're talking about some of the most basic components of producing sound, you might do well to read up a bit about the technology you're digging into: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer Okay, so I do know what an envelope is/does, just never frequently used the term while composing. Is there a plug-in that can help with synths, synth1 is a little bit confusing. Good, but confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanthos Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 There's no plugin that I'm aware of that is a synthesizer that also gives you tutorials. Granted, it doesn't have documentation (in English, at least), but it's such a basic synth that anyone who has even a working understanding of subtractive synthesis should have no problem using it. You should find some tutorials (of Synth1 or any other subtractive synth; there will be some differences, of course, but subractive synths are all relatively similar), or open up Synth1 and initialize the patch and play around to get an idea of what everything does. Synth1 is a great synth to use for someone starting to learn synthesis, so if you find it confusing, the problem is in how much you know and how much you want to experiment, not with the synth itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timaeus222 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Okay, so I do know what an envelope is/does, just never frequently used the term while composing.Is there a plug-in that can help with synths, synth1 is a little bit confusing. Good, but confusing. Synth1 is confusing to me too, but only because I never did try using it for too long, once I found Zebra2. If you ever get the money ($200) and your parent's consent ($200 for electronic content...), GET IT! It does have an awesome comb filter, and it's practically all-purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiFiSunset Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 (edited) Synth1 is confusing to me too, but only because I never did try using it for too long, once I found Zebra2. If you ever get the money ($200) and your parent's consent ($200 for electronic content...), GET IT! It does have an awesome comb filter, and it's practically all-purpose. Thanks for the advice . I think I found a way to learn synth1 better, and I'll be studying it for a while. Edit: Never mind, all it took was downloading an earlier version, and I'm good . Edited May 29, 2013 by Cosmic Sounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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