Scott Storch Strings

[kataztraphy]

I have a ton of sample cd's and i've heard a lot of keyboards but in totally stumped on where some of the strings that Storch uses come from like the strings in

Candy Shop -50 Cent

Get Wild- Ruff Rhyders

Playas only- R.Kelly Feat. The Game

Naughty Girl- Beyonce


I have no clue where any of these strings come from and they're not sampled Scott is playing them. The strings and really bendy in "playas Only" and "Naughty Girl" and i've never heard strings bend like those do. I have tons of strings and even when you play them fats they sound kinda choppy and bunched up, they dont bend like those strings Scott uses in those 2 tracks.

Anybody have an idea?

[cynic]

motif....dunno if it's a patch he programmed or if it's stock.

[Stoneface]

Try adding your pitch bend wheel to your string parts. Create fatter patches by layering and track it and mix it through the sluttiest gear you can afford. My guess would be Motif to start with though, in his case. I actually spent 30 minutes or so remaking the Candy Shop beat on the motif and came pretty close.

[Sobe]

factory presets ........ no magic

[jlotto]

they showed him doin massive "pitch bending" on mtv when he replayed his tunes

[kataztraphy]

Hey, i'll bet money down its not the Motif. At least i dont think so anyways.I used to own one an ES 6. There's no strings like any of the Storch tracks i metioned on there.

How does he do "Massise Pitch Bending"? Are you talking with an effects processor or the Mod Wheel?. He has an Eventide H3500, could he be doing those bends with that?

[Sobe]

1080

[jlotto]

mod wheel

[kataztraphy]

Can any of you guys give me the exact preset number from whatever keyboard or rack any of those strings Storched used in those tracks?

[Stoneface]

It doesn't matter which patch. Its HOW you play the keys. There's pitch bend and modulation on those strings to give them that effect. Ever had a patch or a keyboard you thought sounded "cheap" and then someone who can REALLY play the keys, melts your synth (Not literally) and all of as sudden it's a great synth/patch again. It's the same thing. It's all in how it's played. If you want to get in the ballpark first, start with some sort of ensemble string patch. If it's not thick enough, stack with either another string patch, different octave or a combo of both. Then utilitze your pitch bend and mod wheel. Making it work is not easy but if it was, everybody would be doing it. Give it a solid try and if nothing else, you'll be that much closer to adding the pitch and mod wheel to your arsenal of tricks.

On top of that, there's a high probablity that the sound was tweeked for the right "color". There's no telling the amount of outboard used to process the patch. Could have been a pair of Di's could have been racks and racks and racks of sh$t.

Bottomline, you could buy every module and synth known to man and not find that string patch if you can't play it properly. I know these aren't the answers you are looking for but by my ears, that's what it is.

Good luck mane.

BTW-You may actally have to set up your mod wheel to modulate when on a string patch. Many times on synths default string and other patches, it can be set to volume change or any number of other control changes. Make sure the wheel is actually modulating the sound and you'll be damn close with that. Adjust tempo of mod, etc.

[kataztraphy]

Can i only set up my mod wheel like this on the Motif? Or can i set it up like this on a Midi Controller aswell?

BTW, thanks for the info!

[Red_venom]

I would guess it's straight presets. Pitch bend might be changed to half step instead of whole step(Which is the default on basically everything).

[Stoneface]

Originally Posted by kataztraphy

Can i only set up my mod wheel like this on the Motif? Or can i set it up like this on a Midi Controller aswell?

BTW, thanks for the info!

You should be able to set this up on any synth with a mod wheel. Even most rackmounts offer the same. Remember, a controller is just a controller. You have to tell the synth/module what needs to be controlled. There's a MIDI implementation chart at the back of every synth/module manual. Start their and get familiar with the CC numbers. On the Motif, start in Voice mode, create your patch then save it to the user section so your new patch(s) will be available in song mode.

It may require some digging through the module or synth manual to figure it out, but that's a good thing. Too many times people, not necessarily you, buy synths and use all the default patches while never even scratching the surface of what the synth can do. USE your synths. Know them inside and out. Make patches that make people ask the questions that started this thread. "Wow..where'd you get that sound?" That'll put a smile on your face.

[allstar]

Originally Posted by Stoneface

It may require some digging through the module or synth manual to figure it out, but that's a good thing. Too many times people, not necessarily you, buy synths and use all the default patches while never even scratching the surface of what the synth can do. USE your synths. Know them inside and out. Make patches that make people ask the questions that started this thread. "Wow..where'd you get that sound?" That'll put a smile on your face.

Absolutely true.

When I first started getting into synthesizers, it was the fact that you could program your own sounds that pretty much defined the difference between synthesizers and "Keyboards".
It was the ability to program your own sounds that made me sell everything I owned aged 17 to get one.

I've been programming all my own sounds for 18 years now, I think I've used a preset straight out a synth once or twice in that time. I know that's a bit snobish, but it's actually born out of the desire to get what I hear in my head and nothing else. The simple fact is presets rarely sound right to me.

Recently I was quizzed in a local music shop by a lad who wanted to know which synths I used on an album I produced. I replied that it was all Korg 01w and Novation BassStation. "what, all those sounds on that track came from those two!" he replied. "No", I said, "ALL the sounds on the ENTIRE album came from those two synths".

Ok, I sound concieted, I don't mean to, because it only takes a modicum of perseverance to get something decent and original out of a synth. If you stick at programming for just a month, I bet you can come up with one or more of your own sounds that you prefer to the presets.

Don't be offended by my synth programing evangelism, if a preset really works well then yeah, use it. I'm just hoping to motivate some of you to really get some mileage from your Synthesizers

[nukmusic]

Originally Posted by kataztraphy

Hey, i'll bet money down its not the Motif. At least i dont think so anyways.I used to own one an ES 6. There's no strings like any of the Storch tracks i metioned on there.

How does he do "Massise Pitch Bending"? Are you talking with an effects processor or the Mod Wheel?. He has an Eventide H3500, could he be doing those bends with that?

Kat man i c u still at it.........LOL. I have the Motif ES. The sounds are sweet. Better than most of the sounds on the original Motif. Yamaha resampled a lot of patches on the ES series.

When it comes to "what other folks are using".......remember that u have to factor in that the tracks are tracked, mixed and mastered by the industry's best. You can have the same sounds, and shit you can have "DRE, Storch, Tim, etc" come to your studio and drop you some of the original sounds they used on songs and it will not sound the same after being mixed and mastered. Case and point, I have heard songs by Lil Wayne recording and mixed on a Digi-001 and then heard the same songs mixed at Patchwerk and also mastered..... the differences were mind blowing.

[MarkusColeman]

Originally Posted by Stoneface

Start their and get familiar with the CC numbers.

...and while you are learning the CCs, use them to modulate your drums :)

[TonyBelmont]

I can understand wanting to know how to get a great sound. But, what's the fascination with duplicating another producers production style?

If the A&R's at the label are looking for that type of track, they are gonna call Scott Storch for the track not you or me. By the time you figure out how to duplicate that producers style, it will already be played out and everyone will be on some other shit. My advice is to develop your own style if you want to make a name for yourself. Get your own drums and your own keyboard trick sound for your strings. Then, people will come on the forums asking us how you get your kicks and string sound.

[Methlab]

yeah..i agree. I think a better question would be...

what are some pitch wheel techniques that you like to utilize? I think a lot of people could learn to do more with the pitch wheels, and they don't because they dont get the whole CC thing. I use a MIDI controller and software samplers like Kontakt..I know I can do more with the wheel then I do, so I am into stepping it up in that area myself.

[Methlab]

and allstar...good point on the synths. wandering around hitting every preset looking for the sound in your head is no fun.

When you make your sounds, do you just figure out what wav form and go from there? or do you snag a preset and tweak the crap out of it? So far, I am much better at the second option.

[allstar]

Methlab,

Sometimes I start from scratch, sometimes I use one of the sounds I've already made up and adjust it to fit.

The simpler sounds like those from an analogue monosynth are made up from scratch.

Sounds such as strings and more complex stuff are usually from sounds I have preprogramed into my gear. They get me close quickly. My presets if you like.

[juicemaster1500]

I think I know kinda what type of string sound you people are talking about.

The best bet would be VSL.

Those strings blows away the rompler type strings like triton and motif.

[MarkusColeman]

Originally Posted by juicemaster1500

I think I know kinda what type of string sound you people are talking about.

...you talking about the London Symphony Orchestra?(Adam F´s "Kaos" album) ;)

@ Methlab
Kontakt is a great tool, even though not easy to use (at first sight, at least).

(Not exactly Storch, but...)
If you listen to Bobby Valentino´s "Tell me", there is this little stringy loop.
Just three notes...(actualy, it´s just one note and a pitchbend-range of one octave)
For example, take a 1 sec violin sample...

Important for realistic and "living" strings are:

a.) adjustable loop-lenghts (controller 1)
The shorter the loop, the more "thrills" you get...

c.) fade-in and fade-out on the loop (controller 2)
The sound starts to "live"...

d.) adjustable sample-start (controller 3)
Only one note, but every loop-pattern sounds slightly different...

e.) Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release (controllers 4-7)
If you listen to the aformentioned "reference", you will hear, how every "note" has a different attack-decay and release time...that´s the whole magic.

f.) Fine tune (controller 8)
Play with the fine-tune of the sample...like all the time ;) (range of around +-15 cents works best for me)

g.) pitchbend set to +- 12 (one octave; just an example)
Off course, you can play the notes with the keyboard, but there´s more "feeling" to a pitchbend once you feel comfortable using it.

You can do it with just a pitchbend and a mod-wheel..."unlink" the pitchbend (off of bending the pitch) and you need just one controller... :)

Same goes for the guitar and the other string-pad sounds in the song...

All sounds are of a Roland XV-5080...

Regarding the "gear-mania"; gimme whatever sampler or synth you like - if I can assign it to use my Korg Z1 as it´s MIDI-controller, it doesn´t matter at all...

[Wiggum, Ralph]

MarkusColeman,

Great advice...

But isn't the Bobby V joint sampled from a movie. I remember someone pointing me in that direction...

But again, great advice

[rickrock305]

Originally Posted by kataztraphy

Can any of you guys give me the exact preset number from whatever keyboard or rack any of those strings Storched used in those tracks?

jesus christ man, give it a ****ing break already.

[MarkusColeman]

Wow! A lot of energy in the room...using it to read thru some synth-manuals would be alot better (or even listening to some classical music, which doesn´t hurt if you want to learn how "real" sounds like strings or even rhodes are supposed to sound, in the first place).

You can send me 10k and I will send you my "Magic JD-990" - from the whole "Yeah" thru "Let me love you" to "Cry me a river"-soundsets...it´s all in there, all original.

It would be a lot smarter, if you just went to www.ableton.com, got yourself a copy of the program´s demo for free, followed the tutorials and used my little advice just a couple of posts above as a starting point...start to make great sounds and beats...come back next year and kick Storch´s ass :)

You will never ask for preset sounds again; people will ask you to program theirs.

While you´re at their website, check out the "KidBeyond" demo video...it doesn´t get any simpler.

[Methlab]

man, i really want to this forum to stick around for good, bs like this is not going to help matters.

[soultrane]

Originally Posted by Stoneface

You say this as if the Rock-N-Roll heads don't talk sh$t back and forth. Give it a rest.

ok...

show me the thread that goes from

"what string sample is coldplay (or whatever rock band) using?"

to

"i'm going to break out my gat and show you what pitch bend is all about"

in the space of 25 posts...

and i'll admit i was wrong...

[Stoneface]

Originally Posted by soultrane

ok...

show me the thread that goes from

"what string sample is coldplay (or whatever rock band) using?"

to

"i'm going to break out my gat and show you what pitch bend is all about"

in the space of 25 posts...

and i'll admit i was wrong...

Show me in this thread where anyone said anything about a gat and I may be inclined to entertain your ignorance with an actual answer. As of now I'm still....

[TonyBelmont]

I deleted a few uproductive posts.... Let's get back on topic and move on from the gun talk.

[Stoneface]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

I deleted a few uproductive posts.... Let's get back on topic and move on from the gun talk.

Roger that!