putting classical instruments on a rock recording

[WEBCYAN]

The stuff I do is a mixture of Creed(The guitar playing NOT the singing), A Perfect Circle, Tool, and even a dash of Marilyn Manson(again, not the singing).

As APC does I have a few songs where I think that a violin could be used to really embelish the song and make it really great.

I know alot about music theory etc, but I haven't the slightest idea how to play the violin. I tried reproducing it on my keyboard but obviously it sounded very fake. I know someone who plays cello and I think that woul work, but I don't know how to tell them what to play. I'm thinking of just handing them the bass line and asking them to embelish over that. Im not sure how a cello plays notes so I dont know how to translate it to writing.

any suggestions?

[ilovebeingabeta]

My band has a flutist and a violinist.
They write their own parts... its a communal writing process.

*realizes that this post didn't help at all*
*sits back down*

Chris

[Fela]

Depends on the player.

You can write the stuff on a keyboard and notate it the hard way if they are really square but you may end up with a crummier part than they would improvise on the spot.

My suggestion is give them a tape of the piece and see what they think AND write a part. I don't know if it is a weird clef that you write in for strings or not. My guy writes good parts for me.

[Shailat]

Cello uses bass clef. When the notes get to high, in order to aviod ledger lines you use the tenor clef.

The two bottom strings are rich with a full body.
The "D" string is brighter and warm
The "A" string has a strong singing like tone.

The higher you go the more intense it starts to sound.
Notes above a "C" (an octave above mddle "C") are more for the soloist but for a orchestra keep it from that "C" and down.
The bottom range is a "C" two octaves below middle "C".

What else do you need to know........?

[Michael Jones]

Originally posted by WEBCYAN
I think that a violin could be used to really embelish the song and make it really great.

I know alot about music theory etc, but I haven't the slightest idea how to play the violin. I tried reproducing it on my keyboard but obviously it sounded very fake.
any suggestions?

What are you using to generate the violin?
This was done using my orchestral expansion card in my sound module. It's a string section, not a single violin, and probably a long way from the style of music you speak of, but I think it sounds pretty authentic:
http://artists3.iuma.com/site-bin/streammp3.m3u?190193

The strings come in at 1:00 and again at 2:05.

[rhs2000]

Dear All,
In UK. I use a simple music-making prog. called Octamed. It runs using as many tracks as you wish and comes with orchestral & string samples that you can 'tailor' to your needs.
Strings come over very well, single violin to string section. You can purchase & download Octamed from UK site. (I'll put up url next visit - I am not connected with the company!) For home recorders it's simple & good, and you can write to CD from it.
rhs2000