Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

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rev.f
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Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by rev.f »

The midi sounds are generally good or very good, but sometimes are not great. Horns, French Horns, Trumpets etc. I want them to sound better.

Is there a way to install something that will give me new sounds that play on a midi track? I notice there are many files online. Do they work with Mixcraft? Please note that I don't know tech stuff, so if you have an answer, please make it easy for a dummy.
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Mark Bliss
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by Mark Bliss »

There are many options that work in Mixcraft, yes.
Getting realistic sounds, articulations etc. Can be key improvements, but realistic horns can be especially challenging due to the wide variations in playing dynamics of orchestral horns.

The trick is finding one that both sounds good and has a good user interface. Many are very complex and difficult to use. Some too frustrating to bother with IMO.
And some are very pricey.
And different people have different favorites. Some people like programs I find completely defeating to use.

I would suggest sticking to free trials/demos and seeing what works for you.
Stay in tune, Mark

My SOUNDCLOUD Page
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TrevsAudio
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by TrevsAudio »

I have this one - mainly because it was free :D
To be honest, I've not trialed it fully and it is more 'symphonic' than 'brassy', but you can check out this short video if you want...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM180lO ... noniStudio

Another good video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwiLvez ... tfireAudio
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cactus-head
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by cactus-head »

On a budget, a bit older technology might help. Get a decent SF2 player VST plugin and there are tons of free SF2 files all over the internet to download.

An alternative file/sample wave bank that uses a variation of SF2 is SFZ. There are some professional quality SFZ sounds out there. sforzando by Plogue Art is an excellent SFZ sound player and has a very low processing profile.
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Mark Bliss
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by Mark Bliss »

trevlyns wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:55 am I have this one - mainly because it was free :D
I have also previously downloaded the Spitfire player and some libraries, but have yet to install and try it out. It looks like a simple interface with advanced options.
And they offer a large number of free and inexpensive sample packs (they call them "labs") that look like they might be fun to experiment with. Will be exploring when time allows.

Backing up to the beginning though.
There are some very creative individuals who make the most of those midi sounds by varying velocity, automating levels to alter attack sustain and release, adding subtle effects etc.
There are many paths to explore.
Stay in tune, Mark

My SOUNDCLOUD Page
rev.f
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by rev.f »

Thank you Cactus head. I will try both. When I get the VST plugin, and/or the SFX wave bank, how do I incorporate it into Mixcraft? Will it just appear in my dropdown menu somewhere?
cactus-head wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:03 am On a budget, a bit older technology might help. Get a decent SF2 player VST plugin and there are tons of free SF2 files all over the internet to download.

An alternative file/sample wave bank that uses a variation of SF2 is SFZ. There are some professional quality SFZ sounds out there. sforzando by Plogue Art is an excellent SFZ sound player and has a very low processing profile.
rev.f
Posts: 86
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by rev.f »

Thank you Mark Bliss and Tryevlyns. If I download the Spitfire player & library, how do I use it in Mixcraft? Do the sounds appear in some dropdown menu? Same question for Mark Bliss.
Mark Bliss wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:09 pm
trevlyns wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:55 am I have this one - mainly because it was free :D
I have also previously downloaded the Spitfire player and some libraries, but have yet to install and try it out. It looks like a simple interface with advanced options.
And they offer a large number of free and inexpensive sample packs (they call them "labs") that look like they might be fun to experiment with. Will be exploring when time allows.

Backing up to the beginning though.
There are some very creative individuals who make the most of those midi sounds by varying velocity, automating levels to alter attack sustain and release, adding subtle effects etc.
There are many paths to explore.
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TrevsAudio
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by TrevsAudio »

It installs as a virtual instrument.
Click the piano icon on a virtual instrument track (left).Then from the dropdown, select VSTi Instruments, then BBC Symphony Orchestra. The GUI on the left appears, then just click in any group in the orchestra (violins in this example) and they're ready to play!
BBC Spitfire.png
BBC Spitfire.png (184.08 KiB) Viewed 2630 times
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cactus-head
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by cactus-head »

Hi,

Regarding SFZ...

Just digging around a bit on the internet I found a few links to get you started. Sforzando, for example, installs as a standalone app and as a VSTi. Once you run the installation program and identify the path to install the VSTi, if it's a path you use for other Mixcraft VSTs then it will be found the next time you start mixcraft. If not, just add the folder to Mixcraft under Preferences > Plug-ins.

Sforzando will automatically convert any SF2 file format to SFZ file format so you could use it as your sole SF2 SFZ format player.

https://www.plogue.com/plgfrms/viewtopi ... ree+sounds
https://www.laptopmusician.net/2019/06/ ... -list.html
https://www.plogue.com/downloads.html

A pretty ok SF2 player VST is Phenome. It will allow you to play up to 8 channels simultaneously. That means you could a multi-instrument SF2 fileinto Phenome, place it on one track, then route other midi tracks to any of the 8 channels in Phenome. Phenome has a lot of sound editing capabilities as well. I couldn't find much documentation on it but I've gotten it to work. It's a bit old but it works.

https://www.kvraudio.com/product/phenome-by-prodyon
rev.f
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by rev.f »

Just want to say thanks to everyone who answered by question
balarila
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Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by balarila »

I also downloaded and installed the Discover version of the BBC Orchestra but somehow cannot make it appear in MX9. I installed the SPitfire Audio app in the User/Admin folder. Am I messing up my folder locations?

trevlyns wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:03 am It installs as a virtual instrument.
Click the piano icon on a virtual instrument track (left).Then from the dropdown, select VSTi Instruments, then BBC Symphony Orchestra. The GUI on the left appears, then just click in any group in the orchestra (violins in this example) and they're ready to play!

BBC Spitfire.png
balarila
Posts: 59
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:43 pm

Re: Tips/plugins for midi sound quality? Orchestra

Post by balarila »

Sorry. Posted too soon. Managed to do it, though I dont know exactly how.
balarila wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 4:37 am I also downloaded and installed the Discover version of the BBC Orchestra but somehow cannot make it appear in MX9. I installed the SPitfire Audio app in the User/Admin folder. Am I messing up my folder locations?

trevlyns wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:03 am It installs as a virtual instrument.
Click the piano icon on a virtual instrument track (left).Then from the dropdown, select VSTi Instruments, then BBC Symphony Orchestra. The GUI on the left appears, then just click in any group in the orchestra (violins in this example) and they're ready to play!

BBC Spitfire.png
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