Hi,
I’ve started using Dorico Elements only shortly ago and since I didn’t find anything regarding this on the internet it is probably a really dumb question.
When I set up a section player in a new project (like a violin section) it still sounds exactly like a solo player when played back. Is there any way (without buying additional software like NotePerformer) of having a violin section sound like it is actually a section and not just one player?
Maybe with 5.1 and Iconica sketches (probably in our hands at the end of December) it will be solved.
Have you actually checked in the HALion VST to see if it is a Solo instrument or a Section?
How do I check that? It says [GM041] Violin.
Do you know what Playback template you’re using?
I can’t remember which templates and sample libraries are available to Elements, but I don’t think you’re using the best one.
Im using HSSE (Elements). Apart from that theres only HSSE+GASE (Elements) which brings no changes, two libraries for Pro and one for SE.
Okay, now I somehow broke it completely. For some reason HALion doesn’t load any programs for any channel now when I create a new project or apply a playback template.
In Dorico Elements, there is no HSO, so I suppose the options are quite limited. Hence my answer about 5.1, with Iconica sketches included.
Iconica won’t be part of a Dorico update though right? I’d have to buy it or am I getting this wrong?
See Daniel Spreadbury’s response in this thread:
You could do it manually.
In the play tab, open the relevant Sonic instance and change things like so:
For tutti strings, replace the GM Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass sounds, with [GM 049] String Ensemble 1.
Replace Trumpet, Bone, etc, with [GM 062] Brass.
You can also dedicate entire instances of Sonic to creating a section out of several solo instruments.
I.E. to build a clarinet section, you could start a new Instance of Sonic, load several copies of the same instrument (or different clarinet sounds if you can find more than one in the Sonic library) into different slots. Set them all to the same channel.
You’ll also want to set them to use the same audio Output.
Pan them about and tweak the timber (Tone Color, EQ, Cutoff, Resonance, Attack, Release) and fine tuning so each of them are a bit unique.
Direct the endpoint of your stave to the new Sonic instances as required.
Don’t forget you can save your Sonic tweaks as multi-programs, and you can also save individual slots.
There’s more. With Sonic 7, each slot can actually have up to four layers each.
You also get a pile of effects with Sonic. Including ‘chorus’. In this case since we’re sending all the slots to the same Main outputs we could drop a chorus effect in line here.
It now sounds like a pile of clarinets!
Sonic 7 is quite powerful really. One can do much with the basic waveforms that come with Elements. It has the potential to sound very good! Just learn your way around Sonic. Don’t sell it short. Crack open the operation manual and give it a browse.
Cool. Thank you!
