Syntronik String Box: A Plausable Option for GR-Type Sounds

Started by Rhcole, July 09, 2018, 06:09:42 PM

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Rhcole

Usually on this site we spend time wondering how to make a GR guitar sound more like a different instrument or a synth. We go for organs, strings, brass, and wonder how we can make them more authentic sounding.

This review is the exact opposite of the above approach. Instead, I am positing using an external synth to sound more like a GR guitar. Crazy, huh?
Well, not so fast to draw this conclusion, at least in my case. I actually love GR guitars for how well they blend with a regular guitar and their unique sound. Everybody who worships the VG-99 or GR-300 would certainly agree. GR guitars have a sound of their own.

In this case, I have found an eccentric little synth that can be used exactly for that purpose: to mimic GR-type sounds. It's the IK Multimedia Syntronik String Box. The String Box features samples of crappy but venerable old string synths from days gone by, such as the Elka String Ensemble, old Roland and other string boxes of the mid-to-late Seventies. We all know the "Dream Weaver" patch used by Gary Wright, but as it turns out,  these odd boxes had many other settings for cellos, brass, clarinets, oboes, etc.

And there they are, sampled with great clarity and flexible user controls in Syntronik's String Box. Take the old cello sound and remove the phasing and chorus. Hey, it sounds kind of GR-ish! Same with the brass, string ensembles, etc. They may remind you of cleaner sounding VG-99 or similar sounds. You can dirty 'em up if you wish, blend them with actual GR guitar, or just take them at face value as voices that blend in very well with guitar.

I use the wonderous MIDI Guitar 2 to access Syntronik String Box on my iPad. It's a pretty clean and simple setup and it works well.
Syntronik comes as a free download, and you can purchase String Box for $9.95.

Check it out for some unexpected inspiration.