How can I "fake" sustained/tremolo str harmonics

[Migu_lez]

Hi there.
I want to write this passage where I have most of the string sections divisi, playing sustained harmonics (as "pad" texture). Also, I will have the same, but tremolo. How do you (if you have ONLY VSL) handle this? Do you fake them by EQ? If so, which settings have worked for you? Does this even sound credible, or is it a cheap work around? Any suggestions?
What library does have tremolo/sustained string harmonics?

Thanks a lot,
Fernando

[Herman-Witkam.com]

You could try using a High Pass Filter, filtering out the fundamental frequency of the sound and maybe some emphasis (filter resonance) on the frequency of the harmonic you want to create. You would have to fiddle with the EQ during playback to get different tones though. My guess is you will end up with a cheap workaround though.

[Migu_lez]

Yeah, that´s what I tought... Can anyone recomend me a library where they include these string harmonic sounds? Maybe even Harp harmonics as well...

Thanks,
Fernando

[Migu_lez]

Anybody? Or some other "fake" technique...

[dpcon]

VSL Harp has the best harmonics in the business. I don't think they have any string harmonics yet.

Dave Connor

[Scott Rogers]

I don't know how many notes you want to do this to, but if it's only a few notes then it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

If you can run each note through a frequency analyzer to see what you're dealing with, that would be a good first step.

Assuming that the second harmonic is already prominent enough to work with, you could choose that one as your target.

So what you would need to do first is make a steep roll-off filter that begins just about one semitone below your second harmonic in order to knock out your fundamental.

Next thing you need to do is set up a comb-notch filter to take out or at least reduce the early odd numbered harmonics. I think if you were to take out harmonics 3, 5, and 7, then that might be enough. Though doing this may get a little tedious, knocking out these odd numbered harmonics is essential since they are not present when the 2nd harmonic node is touched.

Lastly, you might need to boost the 2nd harmonic a bit, but that'll depend on how prominent it was to begin with.

One thing that will give you problems with this is if the sample has much vibrato. That will possibly screw up the filtering, not to mention the fact that vibrato is not used on a real harmonic.

Good luck.