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Post by Johnkenn on Nov 28, 2018 22:34:00 GMT -6
So you think the ssp2 stuff beats the vsl for that? I mean there are definitely things about the vsl that I don’t like - the velocity can be wiggy - but I honestly thought it was just me not knowing the ins and outs of how to use it...I.e. the touch sensitivity blah blah. I’ve just always ultimately gotten what o wanted from it. It would be nice to have something that sounded as good and was easier to use.
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Post by popmann on Nov 29, 2018 0:18:27 GMT -6
It's easier to lay two hands on some chords and do sustaining ensembles. The auto voice assign will work wonders for someone who isn't going to play out each line. Without the VIP2, you don't have any of the voice delays and intonation stuff or polyphonic legato--all the modern DSP that makes you able to get away with holding down some chords. So, definitely compared to the old player? All day this will be more realistic. Now, see the next part... Tonally, it's more scooped and "modern" sounding than VSL. Lots of rosin...like it's preEQ'd to let pianos and guitars through...so, maybe that's something that would bother you--it's almost the opposite of VSL that way, which cries for EQ and obviously ambience because it's completely raw and in an anechoic chamber...This has Kontakt's built in IR, with some scoring stages defaulting... The shorts don't fare as well as just sustaining chords, IMO...but, then, that's kind of the issue with lots of libraries--they have strengths and weaknesses. Berlin Strings had the most playable legato sections I've ever played...ever...but, ensembles were either non existent or serious weak tea (I don't remember which)...LASS I think has a nice tone, and some nice auto divsi stuff, but it's pitchy as hell. Attempts to intonate it seem to make that WORSE rather than better... I just did a tour of modern offerings only to find there are now even MORE new stuff...Spitfire apparently has a new "Studio Strings" that are dry/intimate small ensembles...sight unplayed, based on having played their other stuff, and then the clips: www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/spitfire-studio-strings-professional/That's what I'd love to demo...
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Post by popmann on Nov 29, 2018 8:58:51 GMT -6
Funny story...I originally linked the "non pro" version...which requires like 14gb of disk space...then realized I'd only heard demos of the professional...so, I changed the link --only to see this morning that it requires 500gb!! Which isn't about drive space...well, it IS...but, also bigger on drive means longer loads...I feel like the Spitfire Chambers were 50gb or something...and that wasn't THAT long ago...they best be giving me more than 48khz for 500gb of a samples.
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Post by indiehouse on Nov 30, 2018 15:47:12 GMT -6
Funny story...I originally linked the "non pro" version...which requires like 14gb of disk space...then realized I'd only heard demos of the professional...so, I changed the link --only to see this morning that it requires 500gb!! Which isn't about drive space...well, it IS...but, also bigger on drive means longer loads...I feel like the Spitfire Chambers were 50gb or something...and that wasn't THAT long ago...they best be giving me more than 48khz for 500gb of a samples. Been researching string libraries all week. The biggest challenge has been trying to find reviews and demos of these libraries used in the context of indie/rock/pop music. Most people are reviewing these in the context of orchestral recording, but I think one can get away with much less scrutiny in the indie/rock/pop context. That said, the two that have landed at the top of my list are: - Cinematic Studio Strings / Cinematic Solo Strings - Spitfire Studio Strings Pro They sound really awesome, and are fairly newer releases. My timing for this is bad. I've missed most of the holiday sales, including those two. They don't appear to have sales often, and Cinematic has actually posted on their website that they have one sale a year, Black Friday. Bummer. I think I'm going to pick up NI Session Strings Pro 2. It's half off at $150. It'll at least get my feet wet and get me some experience. Who knows, maybe that will be enough for me. Though, I'm the type of guy who "buys nice, not twice". I'd rather spring extra for the nicer library than be stuck with something I don't like/use anymore. BUT, money is money. I'd like a string library that isn't EW, and the NI library won't break the bank. But dang, those other two sound really nice. Also, honorable mention to LA Scoring Strings Lite and First Chair libraries. They sound really nice as well, and are on sale right now with a healthy discount.
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Post by popmann on Nov 30, 2018 17:14:52 GMT -6
Ive used CSS. Pass from me. That and another “smaller” set....Light&Sound? Pass on CSS and HARD pass on L&S.
East West isnt goig to work for pop....and yes, that IS the challenge. Much like when you talk about the value of tactile control and somene who doesnt use any offers up some fader pak as “the solution”...there are these specialty pockets where this Milleniall Hive Mind As Review Filter is truly useless. Being old, Id argue is flawed in a lot of ways, but this is the thing where it really shows a red bare ass.
Spitfire makes solid products, IME. Meaning easy to use...easy to make sound natural....if i had not just finished this sting project, Id have likely bought their Studio Strings Pro sight unheard. I like that the recording engineer had to explain to the Spitfire “guy” how to use the mics becuase he didnt do it all classical decca tree and such....thats a good sign.
I would ask if they fixed the intonation issues in LASS. It scares me a little buying anything new when that was SO far out....I dont know if its audience does less against static pianos and fretted instruments or what.
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Post by indiehouse on Dec 26, 2018 14:25:03 GMT -6
I did the Spitfire wishlist thing a couple days ago and woke up this morning to a coupon code for 40% Studio Strings Pro. Hmmmm....and here I already bought the NI library.
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Post by mike on Dec 26, 2018 15:17:46 GMT -6
I don't know if this is helpful, but 8dio has it's Anthology (normallly $598) on flash sale through Dec 31st for $148. While that has full ensembles etc it also has chamber strings. On the product page link, below the sound cloud song samples are breakdown videos of the different aspects including chamber strings at tinyurl.com/ycdlrndkI have other sample library's from 8dio I like, this seems like a pretty good value for $148 while it lasts.
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Post by Vincent R. on Dec 28, 2018 19:38:59 GMT -6
I personally use East West Hollywood Orchestra Diamond. There is a ton you can do with it, especially with all the different microphone options, bow positions, etc. It can be cpu heavy and you really need an external solid state drive to run it properly. I usually end up setting up each instrument and then bouncing them down to audio and mixing them afterward. humblecomposer, you should really chime in here.
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Post by M57 on Dec 29, 2018 5:48:08 GMT -6
I have the EW Hollywood Orchestra as well (can't remember if it's diamond or platinum). It's a handful and a hog of a program, even running off the external SSD. It does sound incredible, but it's not as user-friendly as I had hoped (I probably just don't use it enough) and a bit more cinematic of a sound than I would like for some of my projects - I have to confess that on occasion I find myself grabbing one of the string sections in Logic and finding it adequate if not more appropriate for the music. That said, I really do need to dig back in. I have a couple of projects that I've put on the back-burner that call for it..
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Post by indiehouse on Dec 29, 2018 7:06:37 GMT -6
I have some EastWest stuff. Not really fitting with the indie/pop style. Sounds too big/cinematic. Bet it’d kill for film score.
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Post by Vincent R. on Dec 29, 2018 18:34:48 GMT -6
I have some EastWest stuff. Not really fitting with the indie/pop style. Sounds too big/cinematic. Bet it’d kill for film score. It’s great for a big orchestral string section behind a certain loud mouthed opera singer you all know. The woodwinds are nice too. I’ve never heard a brass library that could trick me though. I wish I could say I had. The low brass in Hollywood is nice for that kind of sound, but the horns, trombones, and trumpets work if used sparingly. I’m hoping to get some real brass on my Christmas album, budget permitting.
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Post by jtc111 on Dec 30, 2018 0:54:39 GMT -6
He didn't chime in but I know for the film work he does he really loves the realism of the Chris Hein instruments, as do I. The one caveat is violin. For the singer-songwriter/folk stuff I do, more often than not I need a violin that sounds like a fiddle and the Hein violin can't pull that off ...no orchestral violin vst is going to pull that off. It's a different sound and it relies on different articulations. But if you don't need the fiddle sound, the Hein stuff is top notch. BestService.com runs some great sales from time to time on the Hein offerings. The solo strings package is very useful too. You can select more than one of any given instrument. I think you can choose having up to five playing at once.
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