Surprising Success With The Waldorf

I'll be honest, today I tried and failed to synthesis Well Tempered Clavier part 2. But, as a consolation prise I got a lovely deep 'cello'.

Now, instruments of the violin family cannot be synthesised in any realistic way; they are just too complex (if someone does it - they are probably using samples directly - convolution with a sample also works). However, one can (I believe) capture their essence using first principles synthesis. The key ingredients are:

1. Body resonance - if you think you have too much - you probably don't.
2. Pitch variation due to bowing (as the string in stretched by the bow its pitch varies).
3. A shockingly rattle at the top end which somehow works out because it is unstable.
4. A shimmering stereo field cause but the sound being sent in all directions by the body of the instrument.
5. A strong variation of the notes as they move in and out of resonance with the body.
6. A very carefully tailored envelope.
7. Vibrato and tremolo which is not just slapped on but moves and is subtle.

This is the Sonic Field blog so which of these came from the Waldorf Pulse 2 and which from Sonic Field?

2 and 3 were definitely aided by Sonic Field. The reverb had a chunk of excitation to it which built on top of chorusing. This along with the alive nature of the synth (being analogue) helped create this piece. It is not a cello but people tell me it sounds nice :)