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Topic: Make a trumpet sound less shrill (Read 3932 times) previous topic - next topic

Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Hi.
For two equal staffs ("Trumpet Staff 1" and "Trumpet Staff 2") I have inserted this in Trumpet Staff 1:

***
Multi Point Controller with Style set as Absolute.
Controller - Volume - Initial Value 127
Controller - Expression - Initial Value 127
Controller - Pan - Initial Value 55
Controller - Effects (Reverb) - Initial Value 20
Controller - Chorus - Initial Value 20
***

(The example is from "Trumpet/Trombone sounds" posted 3 days ago).

Trumpet Staff 1 and Trumpet Staff 2 sounds quite identical for me, despite the 5 Multi Point Controllers I have inserted at the very beginning of Trumpet Staff 1.

I use "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth" and I have had the hope to make a trumpet-sound who is less shrill. - But there is no need to experiment if it makes no different at all?!

Kind regards
Steffen Appelquist

PS
I have vainly searched for some NWC-examples, who can show how to make a trumpet sound less shrill.

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #1 –
I am not sure that the MS Wavetable Synth responds to Reverb or Chorus.
There has been a discussion on the alt.comp.midi newsgroup recently about this topic.
I think the reverb is a fixed quantity which is preset and doesn't respond to the controller.
Other users here may know differently.

Try this:-
Alter the Reverb and Chorus Controllers to a high value (100+).
Does this make any difference to sound of Trumpet 1.
If not then the synth does not support these controllers.

The timbre of the trumpet depends so much on your sound device there is really not much you can do to "soften" the sound.
On the MS Synth the attack on the trumpet is harsh while saxes sound really artificial.
___________________________________

Barry Graham
Top Brass Events Band
Melbourne, Australia
www.topbrass.com.au

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #2 –
It makes no difference. I have also tried to use "SB Live! Synth A [B800]" as play back device. Also here the two staffs sounds identically despite the insertion of the Multi Point Controller commands.
Steffen

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #3 –
Steffen:-

Make sure that you have set Reverb on in Audio HQ.
(If I remember there is a trick to this something to do with audio effects.
Perhaps a Live user can help out here).

Then
Go here http://www.hammersound.net

Go to the Soundfont Collections.
On the last page (page 5) download the Chaos 8Mb soundfont.
Unzip and add this soundfont to your collection with the SB Live Soundfonts.

Load this soundfont into Synth A.

You should definitely hear a difference in this sound font when you add reverb. It certainly works on my AWE32.

I'm not an SB Live user but if you need help using this card go here:-
http://listen.to/sblive

In the left pane select MIDI Information (this is from memory) then select "Soundfonts - How to..."

Hope that's been some help.
__________________________

Barry Graham
Top Brass Events Band
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.topbrass.com.au

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #4 –
I don't know if it's the right place for setting Reverb to "on".
I went into "AudioHQ / EAX Control Panel / Midi".
Here "Reverb" is set to "Not Mappable". I don't know what it means, but it is impossible to change.
Man! - this computer composing is indeed difficult. Writing music manually is much easier!
Regards
Steffen

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #5 –
Now you need the help of an SB Live user.

The effect may be accessible through the Environment effects rather than MIDI.

The following is from http://listen.to/sblive

CC 91 - Reverb
Controller number 91 controls the amount of reverb added to the signal (or whatever effect you've assigned this controller in the **Environmental Audio** control panel).
A value of 0 adds no reverb, and a value of 127 will add full reverb, as set in the Environmental Audio control panel. (make sure the reverb isn't turned off or the Master reverb amount is set to 0). How much reverb that is actually added to the sound also depends on the settings of the SoundFont instrument.

CC 93 - Chorus
This controller sets the amount of chorus added to the sound. Works just like controller 91.

-------------------------------------------

Did you go to this site?
If you are having trouble with setting up the card this is the place to go.
I do know that you can use either Reverb or Chorus with the Live but NOT both.

-----------------------------

Barry Graham
Top Brass Events Band
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.topbrass.com.au

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #6 –
Put a sock in the bell.

Re: Make a trumpet sound less shrill

Reply #7 –
You can certainly make an instrument sound louder or softer with NWC, and depending on your soundcard/synth/soundfont etc. you might be able to alter the reverb and chorus effects as explained by some of the answers above.  But altering the actual timbre of an instrument belongs to the realm of sound font editing, not NWC’s multipoint controllers.