Can this be done with PT10? (Realistic Strings)

[spenner]

gavriil1, since you reference a hit song... The bigger questions you should be asking are:

1) Can I write a hit song with emotional lyrics that capture the listener, or have a team of writers to help me do so?
2) Can I arrange the instruments and select the right sounds to fit to the song?
3) Do I know how to use effects and/or tweak VI parameters to add emphasis to a part or parts if necessary?
4) Do I need real musicians for this song?
5) Will I have an Alicia Keys caliber singer?
6) Once everything is recorded can I mix like a top mixing engineer or can I afford to have the song mixed by one.
7) Once the song is mixed can I master like a top mastering engineer or afford to have it mastered by one.

Once you have answered all these questions then look at what you have.

And I can assure that any hit producer can make a hit with the the instruments you said you already have in the other thread (Pro Tools Creative Collection and a few keyboard synths).

Xpand and Vacuum are very nice synths loaded with useable sounds. Layering sounds, tweaking parameters, and using fx are the key to getting your own banging sound, not having the latest VI.

Boom layered with Drums from Xpand with the right eq and tweaks can definitely yield a hard hitting drum track.

This is why I asked in the other thread have you written any music with what you have? That will show where your talent lies. If you have a track that makes the listener dance or feel good but the strings are too harsh then he/she might just say attenuate around 2500 Hz, not buy Hollywood Strings.

[gavriil1]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Gavriil 1

I never heard any sample libraries that actually does what their demos does and I too was smittend when I heard H-wood strings and some NI Action strings but believe me when I say that the songs you linked to as Alicia Keys and company, they are done by producers who been working in the limelight a LONG time to get that feeling you mentioned = Simple but Sophisticated and I know a few of these "a-list" producers and aspire to be like them one day but I promise hand on heart, You wont get anywhere near that sound without years and years of practice and builiding up your knowledge base. It Will NOT be achieved buying alot of sample libraries alone, it comes with lots of practice and lots of trial and errors. I am wondering if there is any good studios in your area where you could ask if you could be an intern? I was an unpaid gofer for 3 yrs in 2 diffrent respectable studios and all I did was listen listen and listen to what they did, how they did and why they did certain moves and I learned more those 3 yrs than my 5 years at SAE Music Institute so my best advice would be to knock on doors until someone lets you in and try to soak up as much techniques and ideas as possible without beeing a painin the "you know what" as that is their place of work and only ask questions when it feels right. I am sure you will get alot of your questions and worries about the right gear and what others use answered way easier than on a forum like DUC.

Good Luck
Chris

Chris your input is helping me immensely. Because we do think alike in principle.

Excellent idea about the studio intern. I live in Leesburg, VA. Can you help me suggest any studios or is there anywhere on line I should go to to find one that's good? Not just a studio.

[gavriil1]

Originally Posted by spenner

gavriil1, since you reference a hit song... The bigger questions you should be asking are:

1) Can I write a hit song with emotional lyrics that capture the listener, or have a team of writers to help me do so?
2) Can I arrange the instruments and select the right sounds to fit to the song?
3) Do I know how to use effects and/or tweak VI parameters to add emphasis to a part or parts if necessary?
4) Do I need real musicians for this song?
5) Will I have an Alicia Keys caliber singer?
6) Once everything is recorded can I mix like a top mixing engineer or can I afford to have the song mixed by one.
7) Once the song is mixed can I master like a top mastering engineer or afford to have it mastered by one.

Once you have answered all these questions then look at what you have.

And I can assure that any hit producer can make a hit with the the instruments you said you already have in the other thread (Pro Tools Creative Collection and a few keyboard synths).

Xpand and Vacuum are very nice synths loaded with useable sounds. Layering sounds, tweaking parameters, and using fx are the key to getting your own banging sound, not having the latest VI.

Boom layered with Drums from Xpand with the right eq and tweaks can definitely yield a hard hitting drum track.

This is why I asked in the other thread have you written any music with what you have? That will show where your talent lies. If you have a track that makes the listener dance or feel good but the strings are too harsh then he/she might just say attenuate around 2500 Hz, not buy Hollywood Strings.

Very useful thank you.

For whatever it's worth, here are the answers to the above list of yours:

1. I can.

2. I semi can. Mostly cos I am not familiar with all my libraries can do, plus I am still "collecting" libraries. Eventually, next year, I will be able to.

3. Only empirically. I know the basics, reverb, echo, delay, etc cos I have been using synths for decades. But for me it's also turn the knob, does it sound better or worse? Depending on the answer, act accordingly. Here is there is a lot of room for improvement. Plus, oh man, so many choices with all these processors!

4. No. I am convinced that for what I wonna do I can do with what's available on a PC/Mac and my Mbox3.

5. No. I will sing. I can sing, but not a million dollar singer.

6. I can by 25%. Lots of room for improvement here.

7. I can by 10%.

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by gavriil1

Chris your input is helping me immensely. Because we do think alike in principle.

Excellent idea about the studio intern. I live in Leesburg, VA. Can you help me suggest any studios or is there anywhere on line I should go to to find one that's good? Not just a studio.

Hi Gavriil1

Thank you for the nice words

I wish I could recommend a studio or two in your area but as I live in Sweden I can't help you out there but I bet there are others here who can. There should be a few studios in your area and the only ones I can tell you about in the US are the ones I hung around at and they are NRG studios LA and Paramount Recording and 3 months at Henson Recording and it was the best time of my life. Just sitting there soaking up all the magical thoughts and seeing a 75 piece string recording is something everyone should experience atleast once in their lives so I am sorry that I can't help you with that but just ask here and go knock on doors, don't take no for an answer, I didn't although I was asked why they should let me hang out there but I didn't give up and it paid off bigtime. Not only did I get to see the best of the best record, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera. Maroon 5, Jay-Z, 50 cent, Linkin Park, Ray Charles, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and not to mention all the great producers and engineers I got to know a bit and money just can't buy experience. Trust me. Just get out there and ask. You won't regret it!

[spenner]

Originally Posted by gavriil1

Very useful thank you.

For whatever it's worth, here are the answers to the above list of yours:

1. I can.

2. I semi can. Mostly cos I am not familiar with all my libraries can do, plus I am still "collecting" libraries. Eventually, next year, I will be able to.

3. Only empirically. I know the basics, reverb, echo, delay, etc cos I have been using synths for decades. But for me it's also turn the knob, does it sound better or worse? Depending on the answer, act accordingly. Here is there is a lot of room for improvement. Plus, oh man, so many choices with all these processors!

4. No. I am convinced that for what I wonna do I can do with what's available on a PC/Mac and my Mbox3.

5. No. I will sing. I can sing, but not a million dollar singer.

6. I can by 25%. Lots of room for improvement here.

7. I can by 10%.

Cool. Just as long as you know that all that and more goes into the hit song you hear on the radio. What virtual instrument or DAW you use is way down on the list of skills to make a hit song.

Try your best to emulate what your hear with what you have. All of the articulations that come with HS are not needed on the average song. A thick layered string patch with the right eq or fx, from any sample library, could work on many songs. Buy HS (or any VI) only if what you are producing right now absolutely needs what HS does. Otherwise it, alone, will not make your string arrangement sound like a hit.

Southsidemusic is spot on with his last post. Also hit the local music scene and hook up with talented musician/producers. You can learn a lot there as well.

Lastly, if you are also interested in a formal education then I recommend Berklee Music Online courses. I've taken a few Pro Tools courses, Producing Music with PC, and a few others. Great instructors, learned a lot, and would do it all over again.

[gavriil1]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Hi Gavriil1

Thank you for the nice words

I wish I could recommend a studio or two in your area but as I live in Sweden I can't help you out there but I bet there are others here who can. There should be a few studios in your area and the only ones I can tell you about in the US are the ones I hung around at and they are NRG studios LA and Paramount Recording and 3 months at Henson Recording and it was the best time of my life. Just sitting there soaking up all the magical thoughts and seeing a 75 piece string recording is something everyone should experience atleast once in their lives so I am sorry that I can't help you with that but just ask here and go knock on doors, don't take no for an answer, I didn't although I was asked why they should let me hang out there but I didn't give up and it paid off bigtime. Not only did I get to see the best of the best record, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera. Maroon 5, Jay-Z, 50 cent, Linkin Park, Ray Charles, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and not to mention all the great producers and engineers I got to know a bit and money just can't buy experience. Trust me. Just get out there and ask. You won't regret it!

OK very helpful and again, it proves that we think alike. However, how did you answer to "why should i let you sit here dude? who do you think you are?". Do I pay them? Something else?

[gavriil1]

Originally Posted by spenner

Cool. Just as long as you know that all that and more goes into the hit song you hear on the radio. What virtual instrument or DAW you use is way down on the list of skills to make a hit song.

Try your best to emulate what your hear with what you have. All of the articulations that come with HS are not needed on the average song. A thick layered string patch with the right eq or fx, from any sample library, could work on many songs. Buy HS (or any VI) only if what you are producing right now absolutely needs what HS does. Otherwise it, alone, will not make your string arrangement sound like a hit.

Southsidemusic is spot on with his last post. Also hit the local music scene and hook up with talented musician/producers. You can learn a lot there as well.

Lastly, if you are also interested in a formal education then I recommend Berklee Music Online courses. I've taken a few Pro Tools courses, Producing Music with PC, and a few others. Great instructors, learned a lot, and would do it all over again.

Thank you. I will look into Berklee.

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by gavriil1

OK very helpful and again, it proves that we think alike. However, how did you answer to "why should i let you sit here dude? who do you think you are?". Do I pay them? Something else?

Hey

No payment, I did some small stuff in the studios and things like that and as I was not there to make money I was of course not paid. I would have paid for it bu thats not how it works. And when they asked me I expalined who I was and why I needed to be there to learn and as long as your humble then there were no problems at all. After recordings I took my own initiatives and made surr everything was in the right place and I cleaned up without anyone asking me to and after I showed them I was not a hassle I was more and more involved in setting up the studios for recordings and did everything I could think of to make an impression. You have to start at the bottom but the bottom in these guys worlds is not bad at all

Just be yourself! Hope that works for you. Maybe I was lucky but not 3 times in 3 different studios. I was the one who left when I moved on, never asked to leave so that says alot I think.