Getting better sounds inexpensively

[homeboy26]

I am now at the stage where I can take a serious look at my Notation scores and look to find ways of producing final .wav files that sound as close to reality instruments as possible.
But, as with all new steps in computing, there is a minefield of information out there for one to have to sift through and experiment with.

So my question is, which instrument creating software have other NC users found that brings out the closest to reality instrument sounds by first saving a Notation Score as a midi file then using that as the platform upon which to fiddle and mix and match instrument sounds of all kinds?

I tried a programme called "Propellerhead Reason" which offers a wide range of instrument variants, but you know what? I ended coming back to leaving my Notation Score played by Notation's own instrument sounds. You can hear some of the results of my work at:-

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/poppamadison and on www.soundcloud.com by entering: poppa madison in the search window.

Any comments on what you hear or any other suggestions as to improving musicality of my recordings would be most welcome.

Cheers

Poppa

[Sherry C]

Hi,

Actually Notation Software products don't have their own sound library, but they can use whatever you have available For example, the GS Wavetable is the default just because it's on every Windows machine out there, but we have users who hook up their PCs to keyboard synthesizers, use VST Host (or something similar) to use VSTis, Garritan Libraries, EastWest Orchestra, etc.

The blessing (and some would say curse, at least while still on the learning curve ) is that these various devices have a lot of different control parameters to help with articulations and other nuances of "live" playback feel for a file. They may not sound as good with a "flat" (ie. no MIDI Controllers going) file, but if the MIDI cc's - accessed using Graph Over Notes in Notation Composer - are used, you can get often get a performance that sounds pretty close to live musicians.

ttfn,
Sherry