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epic/complex string lines

was wondering if anyone has any really good epic/complex string lines that i could take a look at, because i really suck at making string lines, and just wanted to further my knowledge and study them a bit more in regards to their chord progression and complexities.

ne one help?

Reflekt Feat Deline Bass - Need To Be Loved has one of the best string breakdowns ever... find the midi here: http://www.nonstop2k.com/archive.php?l=r&cid=0&p=3

I think the string line is in the thrillseekers remix, but the better midi (on that site) is the original mix, its the midi track called "pads" or something..

Its stunning IMO...

Always loved that track.

Maybe look at some classical music and dive a bit deeper into music theory.

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Originally posted by kitphillips Reflekt Feat Deline Bass - Need To Be Loved has one of the best string breakdowns ever... find the midi here: http://www.nonstop2k.com/archive.php?l=r&cid=0&p=3 I think the string line is in the thrillseekers remix, but the better midi (on that site) is the original mix, its the midi track called "pads" or something.. Its stunning IMO...

That string section was a sample from the movie 'Road to Perdition'. Straight sample...

If you want to study string arrangements, look at movie scores.

Re: epic/complex string lines

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Originally posted by AniG was wondering if anyone has any really good epic/complex string lines that i could take a look at, because i really suck at making string lines, and just wanted to further my knowledge and study them a bit more in regards to their chord progression and complexities.

Get out a MIDI keyboard and try to figure out the chord progressions in some of your favorite songs. Then you can make your own MIDI file(s) from that and study them.

That's what will help you the most in the long run.

post some string lines you made! then i can tell yuo how to improve them!

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Originally posted by Freak That string section was a sample from the movie 'Road to Perdition'. Straight sample... If you want to study string arrangements, look at movie scores.

I know, that string sample is amazing... + 1 to the movie scores bit.

i think too many people assume that strings are very complex and difficult. not all string sections are composed of 4-5 note chords simultaenously evolving to other chords in all these weird combinatons. in a lot of cases simplicity is beautiful. looking at a chord progression isn't really going to tell you how to make one of your own. you need to just put some time in on some very basic music theory and teach yourself. Hell, just choose a key to play around in and just start experimenting with what sort of musical steps sound good together and actually be conscious of the things you notice. ask yourself questions like: why did these notes sound good in unison? why does this note compliment the previous...why does this note not compliment? combine those observations with some basic music theory and you start to fill in the pieces. then it's just about how good your imagination is. you have to learn to experiment in a beneficial way. if you don't attempt to make connections between what you are doing and the ideas behind it...you aren't really learning how to do things.

i tried to study music theory and i read a book of music theory and the teachings were following: a full note is 2x longer than a half note?
cmajor scale uses only white keys? and there aer something major diatonic intervals? huh pretty trivial?

but the book didn't tell how to use them!? and what to do with this knowledge then?

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Originally posted by supernewbie i tried to study music theory and i read a book of music theory and the teachings were following: a full note is 2x longer than a half note? cmajor scale uses only white keys? and there aer something major diatonic intervals? huh pretty trivial? but the book didn't tell how to use them!? and what to do with this knowledge then?

Mate, with your talent you don't need to know anything about scales. Except perhaps, that if you know them then you can maybe avoid them more...

[[ LINK REMOVED ]]


Heres my sad attempt!!

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Originally posted by jey [[ LINK REMOVED ]] Heres my sad attempt!!

That wasnt soo bad, but could use some improvement? would you mind posting midi file of it? I could try to fiddle with it!

I like creating string lines and melodies most but I completely fail in production! And I seem to demand too high quality from myself and thus never manage to get anything done

the midi is at the link at the start of this thread!

thats were i got it, jus threw them sounds together to see how it sounds... nice track

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Originally posted by Floorfiller i think too many people assume that strings are very complex and difficult. not all string sections are composed of 4-5 note chords simultaenously evolving to other chords in all these weird combinatons. in a lot of cases simplicity is beautiful. looking at a chord progression isn't really going to tell you how to make one of your own. you need to just put some time in on some very basic music theory and teach yourself.

I completely agree with Floorfiller on this. I've noticed that sometimes the best string sections also have the best synths and that's what makes them great. The phatness that a nice string pad can achieve could only require 2 note chords. I think usually people compensate for bland samples by layering notes and notes when it comes down to the instrument.

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Originally posted by Floorfiller Hell, just choose a key to play around in and just start experimenting with what sort of musical steps sound good together and actually be conscious of the things you notice. ask yourself questions like: why did these notes sound good in unison? why does this note compliment the previous...why does this note not compliment? combine those observations with some basic music theory and you start to fill in the pieces. then it's just about how good your imagination is. you have to learn to experiment in a beneficial way. if you don't attempt to make connections between what you are doing and the ideas behind it...you aren't really learning how to do things.

Good advice. Actively asking questions about music may seen odd but it helps. There are a lot of good threads on music theory here so just read up and try to apply what you know.

There are somethings that I think also will give the extra push in strings. I noticed that having a counter melody often enriches the sound because the harmonies are richer. Dissonance like the raised 7th or even a diminished 5th could significantly create tension (this is a good thing) and willingness to resolve. Modulation between keys and maybe the minor/major boundaries can be awesome as well.

Here's a sample of what I cooked up. It has a counter melody on top.

String Sample (right click)

how do i open one of these midi files?. i use reason

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Originally posted by azndragon0613 I completely agree with Floorfiller on this. I've noticed that sometimes the best string sections also have the best synths and that's what makes them great. The phatness that a nice string pad can achieve could only require 2 note chords. I think usually people compensate for bland samples by layering notes and notes when it comes down to the instrument.

Yup, some of the pads on my virus are so fat anything more than 2 notes doesn't work.

quote:

Originally posted by Floorfiller i think too many people assume that strings are very complex and difficult. not all string sections are composed of 4-5 note chords simultaenously evolving to other chords in all these weird combinatons. in a lot of cases simplicity is beautiful.

One of the basic rules (:shock: :horror: the dreaded word!) of writing chord progressions is that you shouldn't change all the notes at the same time when you move from one chord to another. In other words the successive chords ought have some of the same notes. I believe this is especially relevant in trance which is supposed to have that floaty, dreamy or trancy (or whatever) feel.

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Originally posted by mysticalninja Yup, some of the pads on my virus are so fat anything more than 2 notes doesn't work.

They are so phat because Access had to convince you to buy the synth. It's rather common that presets sound mighty good in simple demos but when you start using them in real mixes, they suck up headroom and drown the other sounds. Try turning down unison voices, delay and such.

Hello i'd thought i'd share a string melody i recently created, you don't need to have any knowledge of scales etc. tbh, they just help you i suppose, but honestly, some of them are ridiculous and sound odd anyways, a good old fashioned mixture of major and minor does the trick!
I know my samples nothing special, its just an example of how to create that harmonic feel and idea of progression...

[[ LINK REMOVED ]]

quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips Reflekt Feat Deline Bass - Need To Be Loved has one of the best string breakdowns ever... find the midi here: http://www.nonstop2k.com/archive.php?l=r&cid=0&p=3 I think the string line is in the thrillseekers remix, but the better midi (on that site) is the original mix, its the midi track called "pads" or something.. Its stunning IMO...

probably my favourite track, however the pads arent overly complex to tell you the truth, probably why it sounds so sweet. often the best sounding ones are just a root note with a seventh can sound really nice. there is no real rule to making chord progressions, diminishing and augmenting notes might sound a bit wierd in uplifting and melodic trance thogh and have a look on the net and do some reading about cadences.

there was this pdf file in the prod studio of TA which was a great read for any producer who wants to brush up on a bit of music theory, i think it was called the ravenspiel guide to music theory or something, check it out

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Originally posted by jivamukti They are so phat because Access had to convince you to buy the synth. It's rather common that presets sound mighty good in simple demos but when you start using them in real mixes, they suck up headroom and drown the other sounds. Try turning down unison voices, delay and such.

Hmm? I didn't mean that in a bad way. It's a good thing, it sounds good with just 2 keys, better than a weak pad using 3 or more keys imo.

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Originally posted by Freak If you want to study string arrangements, look at movie scores.

that's my best bit of advice! I love movie scores and would like to write them one day. I have studied classical muic on piano alot plus love classical music so like to try and make my productions 'musical'

have a listen to my latest track 'Take Control'

www.myspace.com/bassjunctionmusic

this is a bump

here are newbie'ish epic pad/lead things!



http://minagi.hybridi.net/allah/lam...for_strings.mp3

http://minagi.hybridi.net/allah/gay...for_strings.mp3

i have no idea what to do with them

first one has way to much compression. one sound near kills the other briefly!

second melody sounds good..

Lots of good advice in here. If you want to learn music theory for harmonization google on "4 Part harmony", you'll get to learn about plagal and perfect cadences, how to avoid parallel 5ths and a whole pile of otherstuff that isn't that much use for what you're trying to do.

Then again.. :-)

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