Synth Vs. Acoustic

[BrassFusion]

Ok, there's a cruxshadows song on dgn radio right now, "ave maria." They used what sounded to be a real violin for an effect and behind it had synth strings, and after that, what sounded like a real 'cello playing a solo.

If *I* was writing music like this (obviously i didn't write this), I'd want to put the real instruments in as much as possible rather than synth versions of the string instruments. I have no problem with electroblippy, but it just irks me if they try to make them sound like real instruments.

I know some of you guys write your own stuff, too, so tell me: do you like the sound of some synths, even more so than their acoustic counterpart instruments, or would you strive to use real instruments if you had access to them?

[Fierce Critter]

Funny you should bring up that particular song.

My mother has always wanted some kind of recording of me singing Ave Maria. I've sung it at funerals for family & friends, and she wants to be able to HEAR me sing it, not be laying in a casket at her own funeral.

Anyhow, for Mother's Day, I decided to finally record a version for her. I know there's a Kareoke version of it out there, but I couldn't find a copy of it cheap or free in time to do this for her.

So I started trying to figure every part out, note by note, using Cubase and synths. And while searching for something online, I came across a website that actually provides midi versions of many classical songs, each instrument's part broken down separately.

They had Schubert's Ave Maria in 4 parts. Oh, glee.

So I downloaded the parts into Cubase. And then I got searching for VST's of woodwinds, strings, and for kicks, pipe organ.

I found a great organ demo, and damn if the sounds weren't fucking INCREDIBLE. FYI: Organux is the name of the program. Only problem is, I couldnt' afford to buy the program at the time, and the demo blasts this obnoxious effect every 5 seconds.

So I went with a strings program. And the one I used was kinda crappy. But it worked. My mother has her Ave Maria, with 4-part instrumental behind it.

Would I prefer real instruments? You betcha. Do the fake instruments I used sound fake? To the learned ear, yes. I'd prefer a better (read: much more expensive) program for future use.

But I think the Organux program might fool some of the best ears. Would I prefer that to the real thing? I dunno. Organux can take the same midi part and change it with the click of a button to not one, but several different cathedral organs, a Hammond B3, and about a dozen or so others. I like that instant versatility.

And as far as using real instruments? If I had to rely on that, I wouldn't have been able to afford to hire real musicians on my budget, and my mother would be hearing Ave Maria in her casket.

I used to despise electric pianos. Early ones were so nasty sounding - all clink-a-dink. Shudder. When Elton John gave up his grand for one of those, that's when he lost me.

But technology has come so far. And the samples being used are so good. I'm being fooled more and more.

Addendum: A lot of my own songs have gone unrecorded because I lack the guitar skills to play them myself. RealGuitar is AMAZING. Not only can I plug in different sounds with it, but it also has hundreds, if not thousands, of effects that can change everything from pluck style, to strum style, to varying the sound of the instrument's pick noise, the noise of fingers sliding up and down brass-wound strings, etc. It's awesome, and incredible.

What that will allow me to do is oh-so satisfying. I haven't sold my guitars - yet. But the possibility of being able to purchase RealGuitar with the money I'd make off them is the first temptation I've had to sell my "babies". I never will, but I'd honestly get a lot further if I had that program than I ever will trying to improve my skills on an instrument for which I obviously do not have the proper talents.

[BrassFusion]

There's no arcane law that says the accompaniment to Ave Maria must sounds like an "organ" or "strings." If you know the right people, you could have it played on a real piano and recorded for free. I obviously never heard what happened as a result of the fake strings, but I bet real piano behind that would sound a lot better.

[phee]

I am in agreement.... I make electronic music not to immitate other things. I make electronic music for the textures and expandability of the medium to make something fundamentaly different sounding than pre-existing things.

For example... If I want a cello in my music.... I will find someone to play the cello for that song. But if I want an otherworldly sound of a wraith filled starship being pulled into a galactic vortex.... then I synth and sample manipulation.

I remember reading once that Trent Reznor spent days and weeks "building" a marching band for one of his songs... My question was... Why? he is Trent Reznor, why not just use a marching band? why the insistance?

[BrassFusion]

I am in agreement.... I make electronic music not to immitate other things. I make electronic music for the textures and expandability of the medium to make something fundamentaly different sounding than pre-existing things.

For example... If I want a cello in my music.... I will find someone to play the cello for that song. But if I want an otherworldly sound of a wraith filled starship being pulled into a galactic vortex.... then I synth and sample manipulation.

I remember reading once that Trent Reznor spent days and weeks "building" a marching band for one of his songs... My question was... Why? he is Trent Reznor, why not just use a marching band? why the insistance?

That's awesome... and yeah, i suppose that's why Metallica did that whole spiel with a live string orchestra.

Cuz they were Metallica. And cuz they could.

i mean, unless Trent was making some artistic commentary out of it, like, something ironic about how marching bands are so regimented that one was symbolized by a synth. I could dig that.

[Fierce Critter]

There's no arcane law that says the accompaniment to Ave Maria must sounds like an "organ" or "strings." If you know the right people, you could have it played on a real piano and recorded for free. I obviously never heard what happened as a result of the fake strings, but I bet real piano behind that would sound a lot better.

I know. But that's how I personally wanted my accompaniment to be - primarily strings, possibly organ.

I no longer know 'the right people', as I've been out of the musical loop for some time. Actually, even if I had known a pianist at the time, I might have recorded with them as well as my own synthesized version, but probably would have opted for the synth arrangement.

As for what happened, it actually sounded beautiful. My mother, of course, loved it. And whereas someday I'd like to do it again with a program with better samples, I'm quite satisfied with how it came out.

Maybe I'll upload a version to my MySpace account if you'd like to hear it, though it'll be lower quality for speed's sake.

[Steven]

I like the real cha cha as opposed to syth.

I also like old school recordings over Pro Tools - too clean, too perfect - is to "product", I want to hear the person in there.

I would love to record an acoustic album with all kinds of "real" instruments including rarities like a hurdy gurdy, etc.

all I can do is sing, or finger pick a simple melody over a twelve string.

[BrassFusion]

I like the real cha cha as opposed to syth.

I also like old school recordings over Pro Tools - too clean, too perfect - is to "product", I want to hear the person in there.

I would love to record an acoustic album with all kinds of "real" instruments including rarities like a hurdy gurdy, etc.

all I can do is sing, or finger pick a simple melody over a twelve string.

I can play every instrument in the world... uh, at varying levels of facility.

no, seriously, i CAN play anything, it just won't always be technically impressive or good. that's what I want to do someday, get a group of people together that aren't necessarily really good at their instruments and make stuff that sounds good regardless. It's possible, when you have a bunch of people with sensitive ears.

[Steven]

well then that's me. throw me a stringed instrument and I'll definately NOT neccesarily be any good.