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What strings sound do you all like with piano?


Dshoff

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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)

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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?   

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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.

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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!

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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.   

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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.

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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 

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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.      

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  • 2 months later...
  • 4 months later...

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

can you link us to your sound please I'd like to try it. Cheers

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