Quality of Choir Sound is Not Good

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sherrybsings
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 3:27 pm
Sibelius Version: 7.0
Operating System: Mac

Post by sherrybsings » Thu May 30, 2019 3:37 pm

Hello. I am using a macOS Mojave Version 10.14.5 and I have Sibelius 7 Ultimate. My friend with Sibelius sent me a recording of a playback and the choir sounds are amazing! It sounds like a real choir. When I play mine back, the quality is terrible and sounds nothing like humans. I thought with the Ultimate Sibelius upgrade the sound would be better. How do I access the good-sounding choir? Thanks for your help.


andyg
Posts: 1727
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:55 pm
Sibelius Version: 7.1.3 and 6.2
Operating System: Windows

Post by andyg » Thu May 30, 2019 8:51 pm

The Sibelius sounds haven't changed since version 7.5 and choirs are not a strong point.

It's possible that your friend has other sound libraries installed.

As for 'sounding like humans', what were you expecting? For it to sing the words? Ooh and Aah vowel sounds, plus some articulations on them is usually about it. I have Vienna Symphonic Choirs on this PC, but not for use with Sibelius. I can use it with Cubase, but it takes an age to get decent sounds, so I usually don't bother!

sherrybsings
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 3:27 pm
Sibelius Version: 7.0
Operating System: Mac

Post by sherrybsings » Fri May 31, 2019 2:55 am

Hi Andy, thanks for the reply. I was just hoping for a decent ooo or ah sound. Right now the "voice" sounds like a bad clarinet and not at all in the human realm. LOL! My friend's sounded like beautiful vowels by humans. It was awesome. Hopefully, I can figure it out one day. It's hard for some people to imagine how the piece will actually sound when the timbre is that much different.

MikeLyons
Posts: 1631
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 7:20 pm
Sibelius Version: Ult. 2024.3.1/7.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by MikeLyons » Fri May 31, 2019 6:23 am

When I'm working on vocal/choral stuff, I ususally do it with an instrument like flute/clarinet/oboe and bassoon. The awful electronic vocal sounds are too distracting because they keep making me cringe while I'm listening.

For a while, I messed about with EWQL Symphonic choirs, but the amount of time it takes to tweak the sounds to make them sound intelligible is really OTT. I want to get on with composing. I can use my imagination to hear what I'm writing and, generally, if I need a demo, I'll sing it myself (Tenor/Bass) or get a friend to sing it.
Sib 6.2, 7.5 and 2023.6, Windows 11, 32GB RAM, 16TB 7200RPM Storage, 2TB SSD, Note Performer 3.3.2, EWQLSO, EWQLSC, Harmony Assistant and some others. mike@mike-lyons.co.uk

bobp
Posts: 1182
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:53 am

Post by bobp » Fri May 31, 2019 4:58 pm

Isn't it interesting that people hear things differently. One of the things that I found amazing about Sibelius from the time I started using it ( v 4 ) was that the sounds were recordings of real instruments. You could hear the particular way notes sound as a bow is drawn across strings. Not at all like a string patch on a keyboard. Good or bad, they at least were not all GM. Personally, I find the choirs acceptable. Though pretty much only effective as backup. I only wish the solo violin had vibrato on it.
Bob Porter
Sibelius 7.5, W10,i5,16 GB ram,desktop

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