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I'm not very experienced using orchestral libraries.

I just got a few string libraries from 8DIO, and I'm trying to sequence simple melodies-- legato, or just played simply, I suppose, but it doesn't really matter, can't get it to sound natural.

It seems like I have to choose between "sustain" where all notes have a very slow attack, like what you would play if you were playing a fermata out of context. When you make a melody every note crescendos. Or I can choose Marcato which is short, and has no sustain. There are some legato options, but these are putting weird random grace notes of different pitches before the played note.

There are some things about key switching I don't understand, but I don't want to have to play a note marcato then crossfade to sustain for every note. Any suggestions? Is there a good video to watch?

The Legato patches are designed for melodies. Try overlapping adjacent notes in differing amounts and using velocity values to control portamento/glissando between notes.

If you want something that you can actually play, where it feels like a real instrument, try Sample Modeling or Audio Modeling stuff, and use a Breath Controller. At present, I am liking the Sample Modeling strings a little more than Audio Modeling's versions, but each finds a place in my work at least periodically.

The SM and AM horns and winds are really awesome with BC, too, as is the old Wallander stuff (no longer supported for DAW use, but Note Performer carries on the Wallander modeling tradition.)

You may want to check out DP's articulation maps. Setting them up can be a pain, but they may be the solution you are looking for. The method that works best for me is using DP's articulation lanes - just drag the chosen articulation down into the lane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTtG1NznVI ( I can't get the link to start at 00:00 )


https://youtu.be/Vo8lNeOfVpw?t=2

I agree with your observation. I don’t do a lot of this either but when I do, I wonder how we are to deal with sounds that are either sharp stabs or slow swells.

cuttime wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:23 am You may want to check out DP's articulation maps. Setting them up can be a pain, but they may be the solution you are looking for.

Thanks. I'll check that out. The weird thing is that I'd need to work out which articulation to use. I'm doing some orchestration, so I didn't want to have overlapping notes for notation purposes, so even with notes that are "butt-spliced" (i.e. adjacent note offs to next note on). It doesn't work right.

HCMarkus wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:07 am The Legato patches are designed for melodies. Try overlapping adjacent notes in differing amounts and using velocity values to control portamento/glissando between notes.

I'm hoping I can make use of these libraries I bought recently, so hopefully I can work it out. But yea, I can see how using something with a BC would be ideal!

stubbsonic wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:46 pm Thanks. I'll check that out. The weird thing is that I'd need to work out which articulation to use. I'm doing some orchestration, so I didn't want to have overlapping notes for notation purposes, so even with notes that are "butt-spliced" (i.e. adjacent note offs to next note on). It doesn't work right.

Another nifty thing about DP’s articulation maps is that the Quickscribe notation symbol matches the articulation lane. You can work from QS. Of course, this all really does depend on the library you’re using for the pudding’s proof.

cuttime wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 2:37 pm Another nifty thing about DP’s articulation maps is that the Quickscribe notation symbol matches the articulation lane. You can work from QS. Of course, this all really does depend on the library you’re using for the pudding’s proof.

I'm doing all the sequencing with DP, but I'll move over to Finale for the notation stuff. I was hoping to make some rehearsal tracks from within DP, and it doesn't need to be "release ready", but I just need to make it not sound so weird/wrong.

Thanks for all the tips. Plenty to work with here.

I'm doing all the sequencing with DP, but I'll move over to Finale for the notation stuff. I was hoping to make some rehearsal tracks from within DP, and it doesn't need to be "release ready", but I just need to make it not sound so weird/wrong.

Have you tried NotePerformer? Works with Finale. Perfect for rehearsal tracks.

I had forgotten about NotePerformer. Not too difficult a price. Not sure if I'd need/use it enough to justify, but perhaps. Got a tab open now, will check it out!