# Better auditioning device for composers?



## Weston

Hey folks, I thought this was astonishing. Would you believe this is not a string quartet?

http://www.synful.com/Sounds/Synful_Plays_Beethoven_Quartet.mp3

Okay, it's not quite there yet, but it's light years beyond most of the midi and Sibelius offerings I've heard. It's evidently software that tries to articulate the sound based on the context of what you are playing - or some such. It's been around since about 2004, but I had never heard of it. Here's the link to the full advertisement with lots more samples:

http://www.synful.com/

Has anyone tried this? At $479 USD it's a bit of an investment for the casual composer, but there is a free trial. I have not tried it yet. I just though it would be great to hear peoples' compositions closer to the way they hear them in their minds. I do know that in practice with this kind of software one almost never gets the results the samples boast, but you never know.

(Not exactly sure where I should post this, but this sub-forum where people show off their compositional skills seems related.)


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## emiellucifuge

Yes theres also the Vienna Symphonic Library, which is super expensive. Probably comparable quality.

I say its probably better to wait for a real performance


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## David58117

I've never used Synful, but I have the Komplete 5 bundle which I got when it was more than half off about a year ago ($400 USD). It has a very good library with the kontakt 3 player, and includes many synths as well. 

There are some really great VSTs out there.


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## jcsd

Hi, yes it is amazing what you can do on a computer.

Just yesterday I was experimenting with realtic sounds. This isn't a classical piece, it's just really a jam and I'm no production wizkid, but this was done using FL Studio which one of the cheaper pieces of electronic music production software:


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https://soundcloud.com/jcsd%2Fguitars-cellos-and-saxs

You can defintely hear that it for what it is in some places as the sound library isn't amazing, but it does show you can go well beyond the simple midi sound without expensive software.

I don't think there'smuch excuse for using simple midis (which sound absolutely awful) in order to let others hear your compostion these days as it's not massively expensive and only takes a bit of effort to approach a pseudo-realistic sound


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## Weston

I do have FL Studio, a recent purchase, but I wouldn't be able to come close to making it sound like the "quartet" example above. I agree it is much better than general midi or Sibelius and is a good alternative price wise.

That's a fun track by the way. I am struggling to come up with anything approaching that level.


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## David58117

Nice jcsd - are the other tracks you have (piano, bassoon) also with fruity loops?

Here are some of mine, they're just short practice pieces.

http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=142688

This is the newer one, where I only used what's included in Komplete 5 bundle (Kontakt 3 + the Akoustik Piano) and of course Cubase. I'm not too much of a fan of this piano, I think it sounds too plasticy in some places, the best piano I've used so far was Steinbergs "The Grand 2."

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http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=116915

This was with Reason, strings either came from Reason or MOTU Symphonic Instrument, I forgot which.

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http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=116852

This was only using MOTU Symphonic Instrument as the VSTi. I've been shying away from this program lately in favor of Kontakt. This was my fist serious attempt at orchestration (I guess is the word).


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## chillowack

I agree with you Weston, these are some of the most realistic sounds I've heard.

Not only the strings (which sound magnificent), but also the horns, which I have found to be disappointing in Finale.

Thanks for posting this, it's inspiring to know such quality exists!


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## Aramis

> Thanks for posting this, it's inspiring to know such quality exists!


I find it more disturbing than inspiring.


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