Music Mixing Pro: Synthesized Strings

Whether you are mixing some beats, finishing a homework assignment in music school, arranging a Broadway show, composing your next symphony, adding a fiddler to your band, or even laying down some strings in Pro Tools for a video project, you need to know a few basics about string instruments in order to sound like a music professional.

Don't be tricked by synthesized strings
Yeah, the "wavering electronic strings" patch may sound wonderfully sorrowful and mix in well with an electronic dance track, but there is more to string instruments than eerie underscores for a horror flick or lush chords behind your jamming techno track.

First off, did you know that there are different kinds of string instruments? String instruments include the violin, viola, violincello, and bass. Think of the violin like the highest tier in a musical ladder, with most of the solos and a high piercing tone that can sound both lyrical and caustic. Then you have the under-appreciated viola, with a darker melodic tone, which is often relegated to repetitive musical support to her more familiar cousin, the violin.

The cello has an amazing range, capable of playing both a supportive harmonic role and providing sensuous singing lines. Finally there is the bass which, just because of sheer practicality, mostly has slow-moving lines, percussive musical strikes, and plays the part of the old grandpa in the string family - ever present, but largely ignored despite providing support for the whole family.

Why do you need to know this? Whether you are mixing in string to your next You Tube video or writing for a real string player, you need to know what is idiomatic (or typical) of each instrument. For example, if you need a low "oompa-pa-pa-pa" in for the string line, you are better off choosing a combination of the cello and bass instead of the high pitched-violin. If you want to have a piercing musical line that cuts through fire, you will probably write for violin (not the quieter bass). If you want a deepness to your lyrics, doubling with the upper range of the cello or with the viola will add a new dimension to your music writing.

Whether you are writing for acoustic instruments or software instruments, become friends with string players. Sit in a few rehearsals, talk shop over a cup of super-caffeinated expressos, and pick the string musician's brain. What is great about writing for strings is that contemporary string players have a few dozen experimental music techniques up their sleeves (like using harmonics, advanced pizzicato techniques, or even different percussive sounds). While some of these music techniques can be found in music engineering software like Pro-Tools, Cubase, Logic Music Studio, or even Garageband, others, like col legno are not present in standard music software. With a little bit of bribery (free pizza goes a long way), you can record audio samples of advanced techniques and drop them into your mix for a more authentic and professional feel.