smooth jazz sax piece

[dachay2tnr]

eh, it's just i'm a sax player also and i'm real critical about the tone of synthesized horns. it's fine if i'm composing something through Finale and all I got are the GM sounds, but I'd definitely not put it on a CD to give to other people to here.

instruments that are struck like the piano or guitar or drums can be faked a little easier than wind instruments, in my opinion. There's a lot of subtle nuances in a musicians embrochure, the way they control their breath, intonation, tonguing techniques, slurring, etc. Perhaps one day we'll get some good samples of a sax out there...until then, we'll keep paying real musicians to do it for us

I agree - except with the guitar. Im general I find midi/samples can work OK for piano, organ, bass, drums, and strings - particularly when mixed in with other live instruments. Horns, though, are the toughest IMHO.

 

[TimOBrien]

Tim, do you know if the fingerings of the WX5/7 resemble the saxophone's?

Yes, the WX5/7 fingerings are the same as a standard sax (except for the octave key - there are 4 instead of 1 - and there are no right-hand palm keys for the high notes- you use the octave keys to take it way up. There is actually the choice of a couple different key patterns for sax and flute, all set by a DIP switch. The octave keys take a little bit of getting used to (you have to learn to roll your thumb) but it's a snap after a little practice.

A much better set of vl70-m samples is available from www.patchmanmusic.com. He makes a different sound chip ("Turbo") that is MUCH more realistic and there are mp3 demos on his website.

I've also found through experience that you have to learn to "play" the WXhorn/VL70-m synth differenently for different instruments. By that I mean that when playing a trumpet or flute or bassoon you have to learn to attack the notes like the real instrument does. Just plodding through the notes will give a bland synth-like performance. Hitting a trumpet patch like a real trumpet players hits his notes brings the whole thing to life..... like any other instrument you have to learn how perform!