• SONAR
  • How to make the electric/acoustic guitars sound real for those who do not know how to play (p.2)
2012/01/07 22:58:27
Kreative
If you have Melodyne Editor, you could possibly rearrange some REAL guitar playing to somewhat suit your liking. There are lots of free loops out there, or ones you can buy that might be suitable. It's just another angle to consider if you don't play, or if you can't pay. 

Is anyone out there doing that w/any success or satisfaction?
2012/01/08 01:41:59
tomixornot

The Strum series from AAS looks interesting too, still running on bundle promo. There are some sound/video demos as well.

http://www.applied-acoustics.com/products/#ProfessionalSeries
Can read more about it here

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/aasstrumacousticgs1.htm

Since I do play guitars, I do not have this yet.
2012/01/08 02:43:36
zgraf
Actually, you won't need to record real guitar for all the guitar parts in your song...
I found that if you just play/record real guitar on 1 audio track, you can usually get away with performing MIDI / keyboard guitar parts on remaining guitar tracks (2nd, 3rd guitar parts) in your mix.   The human ear is less capable of detecting "phoney" sound sources when they're embedded in a thick mix with legitimate sources.   
2012/01/08 02:50:36
timidi
I thought everyone was a guitar player?
2012/01/08 07:30:10
Barczar
You might want to try SONAR X1 Advanced Workshop: The Next Level .  Craig Anderton has a great video tutorial on this. Sounds pretty good too.
2012/01/08 10:05:37
Sidroe
If the question you first ask is related to getting sampled or synth guitar sounds realistic, there is no way! I have played guitar for over 45 years and I can tell you the guitar sounds in synthesizers or samplers are useless. Even as a pro pianist would say that the grand piano sounds of an electronic keybooard or plugin is useless. Let's face it. When we use sampled or synthetic instruments we tend to have a WOW! moment. As in that sounds great! After a while we begin searching for the next WOW! moment and have to have the new updated library or plug. Nothing will ever replace the real instrument in the hands of a really proficcient player. If you are trying to physically imitate the guitarist you need to pay close attention to the strum,up or down. Also the bend and the gliss or slide. Most guys overlook the most important element. Even most GM librarys have the fret noise sample. Not a guitar player alive plays with out creating fret noise. It depends on how much detail you want. MOST IMPORTANT! CHORD VOICING! Most keyboard players tend to play chords on a guitar patch like a piano chord. Guitar chords don't work that way. Lastly, Pianist have ten fingers for eighty-eight keys. Guitarist have only 6 strings on a standard guitar. On top of that, a guitar player usually uses only four fingers and sometimes the thumb for the chord work. It would help you to pick up a beginner's book for guitar or look on the internet for guitar chord info to learn the proper voicings.
2012/01/08 10:08:56
trimph1
Is this a trick question?

I think that one can, sort of, get a guitar-like quality from these things.
But I also think learning how to play the instrument as well can come in handy.
2012/01/08 10:09:09
alexisrael
I think that you can do a sound that you like. I feel confident that software in advanced experienced and creative hand/head can do a good sound that can compete with acoustic instrument player. I would not rank true acoustic sound and its' computer modelling, as each deserve its' place and advantages. Perhaphs at high tempo software instrument can do better then a tru virtuoso player As Randy (bowser) mentioned at a discussion of Jazz Big Band from Garritan (a year ago it was available at Cakewalk store at half price) it takes near the same time to learn software instrument as to play acoustic instrument. My experience of playing violin during childhood confirms that it is great advantage to have true instrument experience to apply it then to software instruments (limitations, certain techniques, and imagining what software instrument can do for you to get a true instrument result, etc) Here are few my examples of using Dimension for similar tasks Beethoven Moonlight sonata by Zither of Dimension Pro, with no advanced seetings/play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz74nNCKbWg (I am sure I could add expression by using certain pickup technique small bass modeler by Behringer, that I probably could similarly accomplish with some plugin) Here is my violin/cello play of Pachelbel Canon in D, a kind of work in progress with some advanced Dimension Pro play, I like it but still do see a ways to improve the performance (perhaphs there is a bit of Studio Instruments strings added in this recording) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swjzHEkO7ns Here is We wish you a Merry Christmas with Russian Balalaika play with SFZ+ (and some advanced settings play) and free sound font (plus sax at Dim Pro with no advanced play): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5AX15oEwBM I think my sound is much to do with modeling Abbey Road acoustics that I do with a tool from Cakewalk I do not aim to mimic acoustic instruments, however, I aim to get the sound thjat I (and my kids) enjoy
2012/01/08 10:37:08
Sidroe
Alex hit the nail on the head. You must enjoy what you are working on. I agree that when you start this type of conversation it begins to sound nit-picking. Find a sound that you are most comfortable with and work at it. We all can tend to get mired down in the details of one instrument and lose focus of the whole project. Depending on how many instruments and vocals are present, that small detail that you labored over for two days can be unrecognizable in the mix. The song is the most important instrument.
2012/01/08 13:32:58
Fred S
I've spent quite a bit of time finding suitable emulations for accoustic piano and guitar. Piano, sans micing up the grand, can be made practically acceptable. And I got quite close with guitar lead emulations including humanizing vibratos...occasionally fooling guitarists (who weren't tipped off in advance!). However, strumming is a different story. As long as you don't go for too much, you can pull it off to an acceptable level.  That said, I've since learned to play guitar.

I'm much better on keys, but after 4 years, I can pull off pretty much all I need on guitar. For you keyboardists considering the same, I can tell you that learning to play guitar is a gas. Its a different instrument with unique rewards...its wonderfully kinesthetic! Just be aware, you'll soon have more guitars and amps than you really need :).
© 2025 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account