Computer software to create acoustic sounds?

[mprintslcii.net]

Let me ask a question: (thereby confirming my status as a newbie to computer audio)

 

Can computer software, like Reason 1.0, create music that sounds natural, like for instance, an acoustic ballad with an acoustic guitar, acoustic bass and non-electric piano with drums that don't sound like blips? Or is it only for bass/drums/keyboard as far as sounds that are reasonably realistic?

Could typical "country" style music be created on such software? (regardless of the question-Why would you!)

If so, anyone have examples of such to listen to?

I am totally fascinated by the idea of software like Reason, just curious what niches it can be used in.

 

Thanks

 

Craig

Mineola, texas

[HanafiH]

I don't think you could use Reason on it's own, but with a massive arsenal of tools, an unlimited amount of time and budget, you can get very close to a natural sounding performance using just computer sources.

 

Firstly, you need to consider humanizing factors in the sequencer itself - slightly shortened notes, slightly stronger emphasis that real musicians do intuitively when playing. These need to be painstakingly encoded as a series of instructions into the sequencer, performed thru a keyboard or you can use a tool like NTONYX SE to pre-compute them over a dead pan sequence.

 

Secondly, you need to consider the soundstage: tools like Antares Microphone modeller, SF Acoustic Mirror and a really good reverb are essential to de-plasticize the totally flat nature of the sounds generated.

 

A good place to start is finding a really good software sampler like Giga and paying a fortune for some really good akai or giga samples of the instruments you want to use. You then audition various 'players' and trying blending them in. A hardware tone unit like the yam sw1000xg can do some good things but you'll find some instruments like saxaphones for example almost impossible to get right if the composition expects the full range of expression. I've always weeped tears over the muted trumpted - but hey that's my problem.

 

All in all, it takes so much time and effort to do something like this it's cheaper. quicker and usually a lot more fun to hire session musicians.

 

Also you can't synth a vocal.

 

Just my two happenies' worth.

 

HH

[dansouth]

Reason comes with a large sample library which includes samples of guitars, pianos, etc. These samples will sound pretty close to the real thing in a mix with effects - as opposed to soloed and dry - if you construct the parts tastefully. If you do a good job as a composer and arranger, you'll fool a lot of folks, even some golden ears types. Samples have limits, but I'd advise you to focus on what you CAN do instead of what you can't. The glass is definitely half-full - at least.

[Nawor]

Why stop at the music? Why not software based engineers? Then we can all retire and go and live by the beach and smoke gunja and drink piss all day long!... Whoooooa yeah!!

[mr. rob]

Now, I think reason has a certain set up, with its step and pattern sequencder, with its analog synth and whatnot that makes it more cut out for electronic sounds, while it can go beyond that with samples, its not the best suited thing at that.

 

Something you should realise is that buying one piece of software wont unlock all mysteries of the universe. You have to understand that most musicians using electronic tools go through maddening amounts of eqipment and tweaking trying to get things to sound right. With a sampler, you can just load whatever sound you like, but even the a sampler leaves a sonic imprint.

 

I think to get a sonic variety and texture youd want to use both software and dedicated hardware. Gigastudio by nemesis could be one big piece of the puzzle your looking to assemble btw...And then you may want a hardware sampler, or "rompler"sample playback module.Also theres analog and virtual analog. Virtual acoustic emulations have yet to be given the cpu power to do it justice with enough juice to play a whole arrangement. Yamaha has some acoutic dsp synths though.

But for what you say you want to do Id say get a sequencer application that supports vst instruments like cubase, then theres lots of stuff to use in that environment.

[mprintslcii.net]

Thanks guys for the info. I was just curious. Sounds like an expensive proposition - but interesting. Rowan, that would be *ganja* now wouldn't it? I'll leave the piss to you http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

Craig

[Anderton]

>>All in all, it takes so much time and effort to do something like this it's cheaper. quicker and usually a lot more fun to hire session musicians. <<

 

Well said. Reason is definitely more in the "electronic" side of things, not just dance though...hip-hop, new age, whatever.

 

Samples of acoustic instruments just really don't do it for me that much. If I use them, I usually do something to make them sound more "electronic" rather than more "realistic." Emulating acoustic instruments is one thing, getting them to sound convincing is another.

 

Reminds me of a time I was giving a synthesizer seminar in Nashville. One guy raised his hand and said "How do I get a good guitar sound?" I said "Hey, you're in NASHVILLE! The guy down the corner at the local 7-11 is probably a killer guitarist...just hire him!"

[dansouth]

Originally posted by mr. rob:

Now, I think reason has a certain set up, with its step and pattern sequencder, with its analog synth and whatnot that makes it more cut out for electronic sounds, while it can go beyond that with samples, its not the best suited thing at that.

 

I have to disagree. Reason has a boatload of features including a fully functional sequencer that resembles a modest version of Logic. You can write ANY kind of music on that sequencer. Reason also features a pattern sequencer in its drum computer and an analog style step sequencer, too. In short, it's got about any kind of playback automation you can think of. And the sample library is EXTENSIVE. Plus you can load .wav files into it.

 

Reason is FAR MORE than just a dance program.

[HanafiH]

>> Reason is FAR MORE than just a dance program.

 

That's absolutely true, but it doesn't address the original question, which is: could you use it to produce country and western? Reason is one of fastest build tools I've used and coupled with cubase thru rewire is exceptional - this gets around Reason's one real weak spot - its effect plugs. You can do all sorts of really neat stuff with it but you're not going to recreate as musically rich and traditionalized a form of music as country with it, at least not in a way that a country lover would regard as being in keeping with the real soul of the music.

 

Perhaps in time there will evolve an electronica form of country, just as west coast acid rock did in the late sixties post psychedelia, that would be something, but it would be a new form and distinct from country.

 

IMHO.

 

HH