Making Strings Sound Soft In Reason Options

[Christopher Burk...]

Dear Anyone.

Complete - but improving - noob here. I've got Reason 3 and just the Orkester and Factory refills at present. 1 gig RAM and an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Soundcard.

Question. How do you make strings sound SOFT in Reason? I'm a wannabe New Age composer - think piano/flute/strings with everything - but the strings always sound like the shower scene in Psycho, nails-on-blackboard jobs! Tried lessening velocity and they just sound like quieter nails-on-blackboards. They don't have that velvet glow you get in romantic movie soundtracks, which is what I'm after. Even when you have mounting-tension strings in movies - I know most movies are using real people but I'm including the low-budget movies that use synths! - the strings are a soft, central bass almost-drone with a mist of higher strings around them. They're not usually drawn with a switchblade, which is what my strings sound like!

Please, what sample(s) do I use and what do I do to them to make them sound soft, buzzy and gentle? Have patience with me, I'm still a noob (though I've learned a lot recentlly).

ulrichburke