My Intimate/Hollywood Strings preset, and recipe/tips share thread!
ITT: We discuss (and in my case ooze about) How we like to make SM Strings sound great, in ways pretty much only this library can.
I have achieved what me and colleagues like to call a "Classic Hollywood" sound, and I am incredibly pleased! Linked below:
Before :
https://soundcloud.com/wesley-trentacosta/sme-strings-demo-before-tlc/s-kvR8EpoNsE4
After:
https://soundcloud.com/wesley-trentacosta/sme-strings-demo-after-tlc/s-WqwtlZXyfzS
No CC11 usage, so focus is on absolute sound quality.
Used:
-An Instance of the solo violin on top of the Large Ensemble, Body 2. SKYROCKETS intimacy and will boost your attacks! Needless to say, make sure to cut its volume, and pan a little bit to the left.
-VSS2 To unify within a space, making it a little easier to EQ, and even easier to mix. M7 Reverb.
-Fab Filter Pro EQ To cut out the MASSIVE mid frequencies in Body number 2.
-REQ (Waves) On Low-Mid problem frequencies.
-A tiny dash of Fresh Air, when the context needs a less dark string sound.
As for CC1s, I like to START at max vibrato and then work my way down as need be.
This will make your sound more "golden age," and intimate, something no other library can consistently automate and replicate.
I honestly am a huge fan of the out of box sound, because it allows many possibilities with sculpting.
What kind of sounds are you all achieving in this VST?
For a library that is capable of profound realism, I'm not seeing much people really tap into it's inner potential...oddly enough.
Comments
Soundcloud does some nasty things to your strings :(
Could you provide the sound files with better quality ?
-Michael
Just curious, what does Soundcloud do besides the usual frequency smushing shenanigans?
Will upload the audio files when I get back to my computer.
Soundcloud reduces the file size as much as possible. AFAIK, they do a volume compression and then rather low quality MP3 (or similar lossy) bit reduction. Not very appropriate for classical music.
With your files I seem to notice a rather nasty clipping (supposedly by too harsh compression), additionally.
-Michael
Yikes....anyways, here is the after.
Here is out of box Body 2, but still with vibrato settings.
I'm many months late, but this is incredible. The best I've ever heard SM strings sound in isolation, when going for a Hollywood/romantic lead sound. Any chance you could share MIDI for the programming, settings for the various instruments? I can't even approach this sound when trying to recreate it with Panagement, Spaces, and my EQs. This is buttery smooth! Is it all because of VSS?
another quick and easy solution that gives the same resultsOh yea, by now I'm sure this is considered the "better" VSS.
Still, EQ and proper vibrato settings I say are doing most of the work here :^)
Your Hollywood sound is tons better than the before version. Thanks for sharing.
Check out my Harmonica link in Windcontroller section in case you need that instrument.
Dan
Do you guys tend to EQ before, or after your ER-IR, or both?
I'm finding myself struggling a bit to tame the closeness/heaviness of the mid-lower frequencies in a way that doesn't just sound overly-scooped.