Improving MIDI samples on Finale Notepad

[pacey1800]

I have submitted some of my music to a few production companies but they have told me that the sound needs to be more polished, innovative and current, and I can only figure that it is the poor quality single instrument MIDI samples on Finale Notepad that are holding me back. Does anyone know if there are any affordable samples I can get for that program that can sound like a full string section instead of just one instrument? I really think that that is what's holding me back here.

[geronimo001]

Garritans personnal orchestra is what seem to be most affordable. I'm not sure if it works with note pad though...

Good luck!

[danpowers]

I think that with Notepad, you're limited to the soundfont that comes with it.

I'm afraid that if it's professional results you're after, you're not going to get it from free products. :(

[dalek3]

Free music software is more widely available for Linux than it is for Windows.. if you run Linux you can use Rosegarden and Linuxsampler etc, and it supposedly can run Windows VSTs as well.. but that is really only an option if you are very technically inclined as many of those things are not the easiest to install and configure on Linux at the moment.

[Jeff Turner]

Just a suggestion, once you begin to submit a demos to production companies, the first impression you make is going to be the most important. If your demo is created with general midi sounds, you run the risk of being labelled an amatuer. It'll be quite hard to shake that label once it's in place.

If I were you, before I'd submit anything else, I'd get professional level equipment and learn how to use it. Possibly befriend other musicians in your area who are doing what you want to do. Get some advice and/or experience with them. I doubt that you'll ever get the type of sound you need from Notepad, or even Finale itself. You'll probably to create your final audio files in a DAW.

Do not submit again until you're sure what you're giving them is the absoulte best you are capable of. You might only get one shot with these companies, don't blow it by giving them a poor sounding demo.

JT

[PROTOOLSGUY]

I have submitted some of my music to a few production companies but they have told me that the sound needs to be more polished, innovative and current, and I can only figure that it is the poor quality single instrument MIDI samples on Finale Notepad that are holding me back. Does anyone know if there are any affordable samples I can get for that program that can sound like a full string section instead of just one instrument? I really think that that is what's holding me back here.

yes, that's exactly what's holding you back. My teacher told me once that when you're not a very well known composer, and just trying to break into the business, never rely on standards sound fonts, because believe it or not most people in charge of these kind of things in companies,do not know much about reading scores,....etc. So they rely heavily on their ears for the most part. Guess what? even if you score a master piece if it's gonna sound like crap with cheep sound fonts, you just wasted your time! If you can't do it yourself, at least hire someone who could give you a better quality audio so it would be a far better representation of your work, otherwise, you'r playing this game wrong.

[Garritan]

I have submitted some of my music to a few production companies but they have told me that the sound needs to be more polished, innovative and current, and I can only figure that it is the poor quality single instrument MIDI samples on Finale Notepad that are holding me back. Does anyone know if there are any affordable samples I can get for that program that can sound like a full string section instead of just one instrument? I really think that that is what's holding me back here.Personal Orchestra (many of the sounds of which are bundled in the full version of Finale) can work with Finale Notepad. You will need the first version of GPO (with Kontakt Player 1) and GPO studio (free download). You may also want to consider upgrading to Finale 2008 which has string section (as well as solo strings) sounds from GPO.

Best,

Gary Garritan