chuckebaby

jmcecil
 
For example, when a full section of strings or woods decrescendo there is a distinct tonal shift. 

 
 
Great point about the tonal shift. A note can almost appear as if it is sharp when it reaches its peak crescendo
The Timbre changes, we hear a totally different sound.
The difference between an instruments being played at a soft / hard velocity's is amazing.
Parts begin to resonate. They begin to create sound that almost distorts the original sound wave.
 
This is why, in my opinion, the synth will never be able to duplicate the original. They come very close.
But there will always be that human element we can never duplicate. an attempt to ascertain but never completely.
 

This is exactly why I was talked into hiring a sax player for the album i'm currently mixing.
I could program and arrange the horn sections (trumpet/trombone) to sound real, but there was something in the tone (likely reed-based) that I couldn't replicate.
I thought my synthesized saxophone sounded right until I had the real thing.  She was the best $300 i've spent on the album so far.