Dshoff Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 Hi all, while I am VERY happy with my keyboard, I haven't found a simple unobtrusive strings sound (tone) that I like. I am pretty much just a piano player that only uses strings when I layer it on my piano tone. I'd be interested to hear which string sound you all use in this situation. The one that comes closest to the sound I want with my piano is the strings patch 40: GM synth strings 1. Thanks all! Dshoff (David) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XW-Addict Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 not so loud its a Privia digital piano not an keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Ok, digital piano! I traded in my MO 8 for this Casio so I think that is a testament to this key.... digital piano. I just love the keyboard, weighted keys and portability. I just need a good string sound! Dshoff (David) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 David, Perhaps you should post a link to a string sound that you like so we may hear what your looking for. I'm sure we can program the string sound you want. It's just that we don't know what sound you are looking for. I've posted string sounds for download here. They are listed under stage settings. I'm guessing you've tried those already. Is it a synth pad/string sound or acoustic string sound? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood-Pudding Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 I just moved up from the PX-3 to the 5 yesterday and haven't had time to figure things out, but I do use strings, layered with flute, as my primary sound, not piano. I like a thick string sound (like a pad, but not so slow) with some sustain so on the 3, I used synstrings (forget which #) and added a bunch of DSP to thicken it up and shortened the attack. I'll have to dig around the 5 when I get it up and running. The layering with flute really helps though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Display Name Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 I just moved up from the PX-3 to the 5 yesterday and haven't had time to figure things out, but I do use strings, layered with flute, as my primary sound, not piano. I like a thick string sound (like a pad, but not so slow) with some sustain so on the 3, I used synstrings (forget which #) and added a bunch of DSP to thicken it up and shortened the attack. I'll have to dig around the 5 when I get it up and running. The layering with flute really helps though. Welcome to the forum and the PX-5S family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 I knew somebody would ask what kind of string sound I was looking for, because there has to be millions of string sounds. I really don't know how to describe what I want but i'll try. I was looking for a synth string to layer on my piano sound. I'm looking for a slow attack, not too bright, and a reverb at the end. A lot of the strings on the 5s have a quick sharp attack at the beginning or are too bright. But I'm looking for something really simple, not something that does something at the end of the sound, or gets louder in the middle of the sound. UPDATE: I just messed around with my string sound (string patch 40 GM synth strings) and I'm liking it better. I turned up the cutoff to +5 which brightened it a bit. I also moved decay time to +12 and decay level to -64 which makes it fade like a sustained piano chord. I also upped the release time to +5 which makes the sustain a little longer. I'm thinking I wasn't liking how the strings held on at full volume when my piano chords died away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Maybe you'll end up getting the sound you like on your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. J. Love Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 I often use a piano/string layer too. I didn't need to fool with the amp envelopes as much because I use an expression pedal with a Midi Solutions Pedal Controller to fade the strings in and out. I tried all the stings in the PX-5S before settling on ConcertStrigs because I like the basic character of the sound and because it's a Hex Layer Tone so it's quick to change to one of the Hex Layer pads with a couple of button presses. The main edit I did to the patch was to tame the panning somewhat. At default, the lower strings are panned right and higher strings are panned left - in opposition to the piano. It's a very cool effect when you first hear it but grows kind of tiresome after a while. There are 6 degrees of panning used from hard left to hard right. I halved all the positioning so instead of +64 to -64 at the extremes, I have +32 to -32. The effect is still there, still cool, just not as pronounced and gimmicky, and blends better with the piano. Many times I'll blend in the Warm Pad to fatten things up a little or the GM Sweep Pad to give them a little more life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yep, I've used the concert strings as well. That is one of only 3 string sounds that work for me. I don't know anything about using a pedal to fade strings in and out so I had to put the fade in the sound. But it created a problem Here's a question: When I hit a chord and hold the sustain down the strings and piano fade after a few seconds, like I want, but when I then pick up the sustain pedal, the strings make a sound again, like I hit the chord again. Is there a setting I have to change for that? Anybody?? David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Playkeyz, I never run stereo so that panning shouldn't affect me at all, right? David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 David, check your release level settings for your strings tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 I moved my release level up to 5 for some sustain after I release the keys. Was that the wrong way to get sustain? David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 I worked on some other adjustments that I didn't think would would affect my last problem but it took it away for some reason! These new adjustments have made my string sound BEAUTIFUL with my piano layer! I did some tweaking on my string sound with attack and attack level, and decay time and decay level. The strings now come in a little softer and later, and swell just a little, then decay as the piano sound decays. If anybody is interested, let me know and I'll post the exact changes that I made. I only made changes to about 6 things and they are all in the AMP section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 When you get your strings sounding right upload them to the forum. We'd love to hear your work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. J. Love Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 No David, the panning won't affect you at all - as long as you use the L/MONO output. The Left and Right signals are summed there. And yes, please upload your new strings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dshoff Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Ok, I uploaded my piano/string sound, but had to make a new topic because I couldn't figure out how to put an attachment in a reply! Could I have put it here in a reply? Oh, I just found it, "reply options", dummy me. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh O Kelly Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I put two warm strings together, 5-7 cents out of tunepaned them left and right and detuned them as much as I could bare itand put them very low in the mix with the LA piano. It works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneblyth Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Ok, I uploaded my piano/string sound, but had to make a new topic because I couldn't figure out how to put an attachment in a reply! Could I have put it here in a reply? Oh, I just found it, "reply options", dummy me. Davidcan you link us to your sound please I'd like to try it. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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