The real test is to take the 'instrument' you don't like because you play it, and let 20 people who don't play it listen to it with a solo and ask them how you did.

I bet none of them tell you it sounds crappy.

The most of us have thought that the judicious use of one or two Real instruments enhances the file.

I've heard all midi backing tracks with the worst sounds ever on the 'seniors' radio station with a local gal playing the organ, and my Mom thinks it's the cat's meow. Wow. And I was going cheese cheese..very bad...and she said that's a nice trumpet..Wow.

Point is, you bend stuff or pFzzz it or whatever and it's not your sound. The more you dwell on it, the less you like anything.

Just move on, unless you want to invest in better gear. My wife cannot play the flute as well as the Ketron SD2 and that made her mad.

On the other hand, the guitar realtracks have string scratches and all, how realistic is that? Maybe they should put burps and sniffs into the soprano sax realtracks, or a far....never mind.

As a horn player, I've found you put some in as harmony (on my Ketron), make a horn intro, and then stick it in the end. Works ok, it's not the horn section from any good big band but again, what are you trying to do? If the people you let listen like it, you need to ignore your bias, and let the software work for you. Lots of the Midi bass can sound better on my Ketron than the realtracks.

John Conley
Musica est vita