How to make VST strings sound real: how Paradoks got authentic orchestration in C’est Toi

Making music in the box is all fun and games until you need to replicate instruments that humans have been hearing outside the box for centuries. Strings and pianos, for example, are notoriously difficult to recreate in a digital environment, even with high-end VST instruments and samplers like Kontakt. But if anyone has mastered this challenge, it’s Paradoks. His latest release on Nora En Pure Purified Records, “C’est Toi,” is a testament to his ability to turn MIDI-based VST strings into some of the most lifelike, expressive string arrangements you’ll hear.

Paradoks, a Belgian producer known for balancing club energy with emotional depth, relies on string-driven chord progressions to bring an authentic feel to his music. Since this is something so many producers struggle with, we figured this was the perfect time to have him break it all down.

In this interview, he shares why VST strings are so tricky, how to work with complex libraries like Kontakt’s String Ensemble, how to create realistic swells and movement, and when to use – or avoid – EQ and compression. You can incorporate some of these techniques in your music using the free Kontakt Player included in Komplete Start...

The post How to make VST strings sound real: how Paradoks got authentic orchestration in C’est Toi first appeared on Native Instruments Blog.

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