soft synths "professionals" use

[dayexday]

anyone know what soft synth/samples "professionals" use. I mean like composers for commercials or the like (I know for many movies they use real orchestras but what about for non-orchestra sounds?)

I ask because I always feel my samples/soft synths never sound as good the ones used for commercials. Like their strings sound so much better than mine. I spent a lot on programs too so I don't know why. I have atmosphere, trilogy, kontakt and reason. What programs do "they" use?

 

[DavidK]

I ask because I always feel my samples/soft synths never sound as good the ones used for commercials. Like their strings sound so much better than mine.

Thats because they are pros. Strings especially, you cant just open up the program, they take a lot of knowledge, from voicing, attacks, eq, reverb, articulations etc. With the programs you mentioned, different people will get drastically different results.

Surely anyone scoring a major film has access to a major library or 6. The Vienna Symphonic line, East/West, home made samples, in addition to sneaking a few real players in from time to time. They also sound better because they have all the fancypants reverbs, comps, effects etc. Bottom line: all those programs you mention can get "pro" results if a pro is using them.

 

[dayexday]

i dont just mean that theirs sounds more polished (which it does) or that it is mixed better (which it is). it just seems like the sound itself, the sample, sounds better. you think thats from adjusting the attacks, reverb, and eq?

so whats the point of even having different samples. why not just have one string samples and then the user makes the proper adjustments to make it sound like whatever string he wants.

 

[DavidK]

i dont just mean that theirs sounds more polished (which it does) or that it is mixed better (which it is). it just seems like the sound itself, the sample, sounds better. you think thats from adjusting the attacks, reverb, and eq?

Definitely. Its also the fancypants compressors, effect units etc. Its also the scoring, the arrangement, the voicing etc. String parts in particular. And then there's the music...

so whats the point of even having different samples.

The software you mentioned is all good. All of it can get "pro" results, whatever that means or whatever you want that to mean. There is no magic formula or de facto software, different people use different stuff for different reasons. One might be workflow: I use Sonar because I am used to it after 9 years, no reason to change.

Most people who deal with synths have lots of em. I have 4 hardware synths, lots of softsynths, some samples, drum samples, on and on. There is no one size fits all, some are good for some sounds and crappy for others.

Regardless: synth technology today is so good that even relatively inexpensive stuff can kick serious ass and is 100% usable in any situation. Again, pros are pros. Pros have years and years of experience. Its not just going out and buying a sample package, actually knowing how to use it to its full potential has WAAAAAAY more to do with it than the software itself.

I eq every single string patch I ever record.

 

[SonicAlbert]

It's a lot more than just adjusting the parameters in software. You won't be able to get that sound using whatever default sample library came with the software when you bought it. Some sounds yes, but mostly no.

My favorite string library is the Kirk Hunter Emerald, I don't think there is any better. This is going to strike a lot of people the wrong way, but I think many instruments in the VSL library are virtually unusable. Their strings certainly are not up to the Kirk Hunter library in my opinion.

I do use some VSL sounds, like I think their harp and 8 french horn libs are excellent. But for a lot less money you are better off picking up "Emerald" and the East/West Gold.

You can't polish a turd so to speak, so to attempt to take sounds that aren't happening and eq them into greatness is most likely going to be an exercise in frustration.

 

[brzilian]

i dont just mean that theirs sounds more polished (which it does) or that it is mixed better (which it is). it just seems like the sound itself, the sample, sounds better. you think thats from adjusting the attacks, reverb, and eq?

so whats the point of even having different samples. why not just have one string samples and then the user makes the proper adjustments to make it sound like whatever string he wants.

Anything will sound better if you're using DACs at 24/96 costing thousands of dollars compared to prosumer audio interfaces...

 

[Dax Productions]

A lot of post for commercials is done completely in the box these days. As far as "fancypants compressors"... chances are it could just be the bf76 that comes with protools!

As for synth programs... I'm hearing a lot of reason loops in commercials these days. Reason with a couple good refills (I'm a big fan of reason pianos, reason drum kits and abbey road) can be VERY professional sounding.

But like others have said, knowing how to take the samples you have and make them sound professional is a whole different game. Fortunately, you've got all the great people on this forum to help you get there!!

 

[Dax Productions]

Also, for what it's worth, I recall reading a Butch Walker interview recently in which he talked about using Ampeg SVX for quick/good bass sounds.