This page is for users of Myriad Software.
The mp3's are short examples of my own User Instruments made for Harmony Assistant.
Such instruments can be made within the software from any source, live recorded or sampled,
which can provide a range of notes of the instrument in question.
NOTE ..... HA's instruments cannot match most other sound sources in that they are monophonic and do not have variable attack rates.
This can be 'worked around' if one uses duplicated staves with different instruments.
The examples below use only HA's native FX. ( I would normally add external FX afterwards)
First, some short examples using 'light strings' user instruments, alone or in combination with other user strings.
The light strings are freely available from the Myriad Forum
(When used with other string ensembles the light strings are usually on duplicate staves, and then usually panned a fair way across the audio field.
This seems to give the best sound and most realistic effect. But you can use them alone.)
1.Bach double concerto 278k. Very short example showing the effect of combining the light strings with solo instruments for each part.
2. Albinoni adagio. 636 k.
Uses slow 'light strings' with duplicate staves using my older slow 'symphonic strings'.
Should sound quite good in full with a dark violin as solo.
3. Barber of Seville. 980 k.
Extracts from the overture joined roughly into one piece. An example of various light strings combined with my older firm symphonic strings. All other instrunents are Myriad GMSE.
4. Vivaldi d minor . 607 k.
This extract uses fast 'light strings' for high strings, but attack light strings on the bass. There are duplicated staves ... but they are one left and one right instrument which were made as part of true
stereo string version test . The test worked but I decided it was only worth it if I made an ultimately realistic set of separate sections ... violins, violas, cellos and bass. .. using all the best new solo
intruments and ensembles I had in true stereo positions. I don't think this is going to happen !! There are just so many variations possible for ensemble size and attack..
5. Bacarole .. extract. 731 k.
Was surprised to hear how realistic the slow light strings sounded in the lower register when used (on wide panned duplicate staves) with my older 'slow symphonic strings'.
6. Jupiter mozart. 870 k.
Start of last movement. Fast light strings, with duplicated staves using fast chamber strings. Rest of instruments from soundfont or synth.
7. Bach Brandenburg 3rd. 777 k.
Part of first movement. Uses fast light strings and fast dark strings. Did not need duplicated staves since there are so many parts.
8. Corelli extract 454 k.
Light strings with duplicated staves played by user violins and GMSE cello . Good for a small ensemble effect.
9. Haydn symphony 99 extract. 799 k.
Fast light strings, with firm symphonic strings on panned duplicate staves. All other instruments Myriad GMSE.
.10. Vivaldi winter extract. 393 k.
Light strings ...attack variety . They nearly provides the necessary 'life"! You can tell though, the sound might be more realistic if there were good solo instruments on duplicate staves.
11. Mozart K136 869 k.
slow movement extract. Uses the slow light strings with duplicate slow 'dark string's panned widely apart as usual.
12. Vivaldi piccolo concerto, slow and fast extracts. 973 k.
Curiously, the strings are my attack variety of 'chamber strings', yet they sound quite pleasing in the slow movement as well. I probably added 'volume rising" effects to the notes in that movement. The
Piccolo is a soundfont flute played an octave higher.
Some solo violin sounds
1. 'Dark violins' playing with other user instruments. 1,130 k.
items within the mp3 are>>
a. A short burst of Vivaldi 'winter' with attack dark violin and attack light strings.
b. Part of mozart quartet k387 . Dark violins fast, viola made from soundfont, GMSE cello with duplicate staff using a user cello spicatto.
c. Near end of 1st movement Mendolssohn octet. Instruments as above with additional attack instrument for some violin parts.
( I'm fairly sure the octet should not sound like this, but I like the neatness of the effect! )
2. Paganini N24. 1,045 k.
A short version I made for experimenting with solo violin sound, here using a fast dark violin.
Over years this version has been 'honed' a fair bit as a 'test bed' for each new experiment. The hardest thing however, is to hear the same thing played by a good violinist afterwards and realise
how much more subtle, fluid and alive the real one is.