The material

The following scenario illustrates possibilities for creating a vivid string orchestra sound. 

The first video shows the string score without any musical elaboration. The pure music text is rendered by the notation programme with the soundset that matches the sound plugin based on the default settings. 

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The term "vivid string sound" is used in music to describe a particularly detailed, expressive, and spacious sound that a string instrument or group of string instruments can produce. Professional instrumentalists are able to create a sound that is "almost tangible" to the listener through their playing technique and interpretation. 
It is important to note that the term "vivid string sound" is subjective and can be interpreted in different ways. It depends heavily on the individual perception of the listener and the specific musical context.

Dynamics and articulation

Ideas for the musical elaboration (without audio)

click  to enlarge.

The different volume proportions bring the music to life and create a sense of ambience. Their use depends on the desired musical expression and personal taste.

The Technique text in this example matches the sound library mentioned at the beginning and the soundset of the music notation programme. Here is a list of the articulations used in organised form:

• sul ponticello; col legno; pizzicato
• non vibrato; legato; portamento
• spiccato; staccato short
• soft; marcato; espressivo

Automation curves

As mentioned in scenario 5, keyswitches for articulations that are not available as Technique Text can be triggered in Sibelius via MIDI messages. The Graphical MIDI Tools (GMT) plugin from Notation Central solves this problem with so-called "phantom notes", i.e. keyswitches that are made invisible in the notation. 

The fine-tuning of a sound plugin's dynamics, expression, timbre and other MIDI controllers takes place when the automation curves are created. 
Notation programmes such as Dorico or Overture already have integrated MIDI editors. In Sibelius, this can be solved with the help of the Graphical MIDI Tools. Depending on your taste and musical expression, you can use the sonic refinements of the existing sound library as you would in a DAW.

Microphoning and Ambient Sound

The right room acoustics are essential for a vibrant string sound. Again, this is a matter of personal taste and musical expression. There is a wide range of room simulating plug-ins on the market. Without basic technical knowledge, the choice can be overwhelming. Some manufacturers therefore offer ready-made setups, which in most cases will give you reasonably good results.

MIR PRO 3D mixing and room simulation software from the Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) was chosen for this scenario. The RoomPack with the "Sage Hall One" in Newcastle in the north-east of England was the favourite. A surround downmix setup was used - a reduction of a multi-channel recording to stereo.  

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Downmixing is necessary and useful when a multichannel recording is to be played on a playback device with fewer speakers than the original.

Setup: Sage Hall One – Mic 1+2 HOA – 3D FLOOR – 5.(1).4 

Manufacturer's note: “The setup uses a HOA capsule-based secondary Mic as a discrete source for the top layer’s wet signal. Not fully realistic, but psychoacoustically highly efficient…”

For an explanation of Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) recording and playback, click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambisonics

The orchestra in this scenario consists of 14 first violins, 10 second violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos and 6 double basses. The musicians are seated in a 'German setup', i.e. the first and second violins are facing each other rather than side by side. 

The main and secondary microphones, whose settings differ only slightly from the setup described, are positioned as follows:

Summary

With a few musical interventions, the music sounds much more vivid than at the beginning. The time required is relatively short if you have experience with string instruments. 
The score still looks a bit messy in this state - if necessary, you can make the score clearer again by using hidden text.