Looking For Better String Samples

Greetings All. I’m looking for suggestions for great string samples that won’t slow down my MacBook Pro 2.8Ghz, Intel i7, 4GB. I’m currently using Logic with Komplete 7. The strings are ok but not professional grade. I’m looking for a library that isn’t too large but sounds great. I was interested in EastWest and Vienna. What are you pros using and what would you suggest? By the way, I have 8GB memory on the way. Thanks! I truly appreciate you all! -John

It depends upon what type of "strings" you're looking for. If you compose from the bottom up with solo instruments and individual sections, and have several thousand dollars to spend, then Vienna is the way to go. If your composing style is what I described, but you're more budget conscious, then I'd go with East/West Symphonic Gold. If you watch Soundsonline's sales, you can pick this up at a reduced cost, or get a two-for-one deal. It takes some time to learn, and then time to tweak and voice instruments correctly, but I've done some stuff with Symphonic Gold that would be impossible to tell the difference between virtual and live to all but the sophisticated DAW user.

 

If, however, you're looking for lush orchestral sounds without attention to detail so much, then I'd take a look at East/West "Hollywood Strings" and "CineOrch" from Cinesamples. These two differ slightly. Hollywood Strings gives you string sections with various articulations, while CineOrch gives you multi-octave voicings and chords. This sort of thing is wonderful for background stuff, and dramatic orchestrations where volume overpowers any individual instrument, but not so much if your goal is realistic compositions that can stand on their own. If you combined the effects of solo instruments PLUS one of these two, it would be unbeatable.

 

Also, I could be wrong, but I don't believe either of these two include non-string instruments (brass, woodwinds, percussion, etc.)

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Bruce

LASS...

http://www.audiobro.com/

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Yes, using Kirk Hunter along with East West Gold does a good job. Sneaking in a French horn with the strings helps to smooth the strings out.

 

John 8)

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Ugh, the demos on the site sound disgustingly computery (sorry Jay, yours was better than most!), I've got much better results just blending the stock bundled EXS samples with Sculpture.

 

The price makes them tempting, but does anyone know of some more convincing demos?

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Ugh, the demos on the site sound disgustingly computery (sorry Jay, yours was better than most!), I've got much better results just blending the stock bundled EXS samples with Sculpture.

 

The price makes them tempting, but does anyone know of some more convincing demos?

 

Funny you say that…

 

I've been in the market for some new libraries myself, and there are so many options I get the deer-in-headlights thing going trying to compare them all… But the thing I've noticed is a lot of the options I've researched have demos on their respective sites that don't seem to match the buzz—I hear the demos and think, that's what they're raving about? Makes me wonder why that is.

Zip over to Dan Dean Strings for a killer Group Buy.

Funny you say that…

 

I've been in the market for some new libraries myself, and there are so many options I get the deer-in-headlights thing going trying to compare them all… But the thing I've noticed is a lot of the options I've researched have demos on their respective sites that don't seem to match the buzz—I hear the demos and think, that's what they're raving about? Makes me wonder why that is.

 

I think apart from the Vienna stuff, the Garritan demos sounded best. Though I've heard tell that the solo instruments aren't great.

 

I looked at the Dan Dean site, the complete lack of demos is a big marketing oversight.

 

Like I said, I haven't heard any product demos for strings that sound better than my blends of stock EXS instruments and sculpture, and I quite like the solo flute and clarinet that come with Logic.

 

As for brass, I haven't found a successor to a 1 velocity-layer alpen horn set of samples I got from a magazine disk years ago. It sounds more natural and warm than almost all demos of expensive libraries I've heard, and can just about pass for a tenor horn or flugelhorn.

 

The fact that I'd have many more articulations if I bought an expensive library is outweighed by the fact that the instrument as a whole would sound less convicing, though I guess blending is again the way to go.

 

Also, don't forget that high bit-depth and bit-rate don't always make the best, or most realistic, samples; my most realistic sounding marimba and vibes samples are years old 16bit affairs, but have punch and vitality that I haven't found elsewhere. Cost me $15 from here: http://www.sampletekk.com/proddetail.php?prod=PMIDELIVER-008-FORMAT

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Ugh, the demos on the site sound disgustingly computery (sorry Jay, yours was better than most!), I've got much better results just blending the stock bundled EXS samples with Sculpture.

 

The price makes them tempting, but does anyone know of some more convincing demos?

 

I work with them every day. Trust me, they sound great and the workflow is terrific, especially the Kontakt version..

 

I blend them with Hollywood Strings, run them through QL Spaces and my UAD EMT Plate 140 and everyone I play them for has loved them.

 

http://soundcloud.com/jay-asher/oscura-seduccion-strings

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Ugh, the demos on the site sound disgustingly computery (sorry Jay, yours was better than most!), I've got much better results just blending the stock bundled EXS samples with Sculpture.

 

The price makes them tempting, but does anyone know of some more convincing demos?

 

I work with them every day. Trust me, they sound great and the workflow is terrific, especially the Kontakt version..

 

I blend them with Hollywood Strings, run them through QL Spaces and my UAD EMT Plate 140 and everyone I play them for has loved them.

 

http://soundcloud.com/jay-asher/oscura-seduccion-strings

 

I agree. The Kirk Hunter strings can do a good job. I love the romantic solo violin, though it needs some editing. Is the Kontakt version really much better Jay? Maybe it's time for an upgrade...

 

BTW, your "Oscura Seduccion strings partial" sounds great. I've been thinking of purchasing the Hollywood strings as well. Big price tag, but maybe it's time to bite the bullet.

 

Anyway, here's a short track using the Kirk Hunter romantic solo violin (using very little processing).

 

Lusty Nights

http://schicksville.com/Music/LustyNight-Blues.mp3

 

Best, John

I work with them every day. Trust me, they sound great and the workflow is terrific, especially the Kontakt version..

 

I blend them with Hollywood Strings, run them through QL Spaces and my UAD EMT Plate 140 and everyone I play them for has loved them.

 

http://soundcloud.com/jay-asher/oscura-seduccion-strings

 

Yeah, that sounded pretty good, much better than anything on the Kirk Hunter site.

 

I guess my problem is I write more intimate small ensemble stuff, the market seems geared toward big lush orchestras, and I guess that's easier to simulate, and more desired by film & TV. I think I'll stick to using real musicians whenever I can grab them, making my own sampler instruments (which always seem to work out better than bought ones), and waiting for the technology to improve.

Anyway, here's a short track using the Kirk Hunter romantic solo violin (using very little processing).

 

Lusty Nights

http://schicksville.com/Music/LustyNight-Blues.mp3

 

Best, John

 

Again, that sounded much better than the website demos, but it's still obviously a sampler instrument.

 

If it's going on amongst video, most people aren't going to be listening too hard, but if it's just audio, I haven't heard any libraries yet that you couldn't spot as being computer-generated.

 

I reckon alot of non-musical folks have heard VI orchestras on film and TV so much that they think that's what real ones sound like.

 

I'm waiting for an orchestral library to come out that's so realistic you can set the frequency of audience coughing...

Anyway, here's a short track using the Kirk Hunter romantic solo violin (using very little processing).

 

Lusty Nights

http://schicksville.com/Music/LustyNight-Blues.mp3

 

Best, John

 

Again, that sounded much better than the website demos, but it's still obviously a sampler instrument.

 

If it's going on amongst video, most people aren't going to be listening too hard, but if it's just audio, I haven't heard any libraries yet that you couldn't spot as being computer-generated.

 

I reckon alot of non-musical folks have heard VI orchestras on film and TV so much that they think that's what real ones sound like.

 

I'm waiting for an orchestral library to come out that's so realistic you can set the frequency of audience coughing...

 

Real is real, samples are samples. In a string section, you have a collection of guys responding emotionally to a conductor conducting music. They play different instruments, finger, differently, move from note to note differently, etc. You are NEVER going to be able to recreate all that in a sample library. And frankly, I am glad that is so.

 

Kirk's Concert Strings II is a good all-around choice.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Ashermusic

I work with them every day. Trust me, they sound great and the workflow is terrific, especially the Kontakt version..

 

I blend them with Hollywood Strings, run them through QL Spaces and my UAD EMT Plate 140 and everyone I play them for has loved them.

 

http://soundcloud.com/jay-asher/oscura-seduccion-strings

 

Yeah, that sounded pretty good, much better than anything on the Kirk Hunter site.

 

I guess my problem is I write more intimate small ensemble stuff, the market seems geared toward big lush orchestras, and I guess that's easier to simulate, and more desired by film & TV. I think I'll stick to using real musicians whenever I can grab them, making my own sampler instruments (which always seem to work out better than bought ones), and waiting for the technology to improve.

 

KIrk does include smaller sections in his Concert Strings II that may be more to your liking but for chamber work, I really like the Sonic Implants strings best. They have a lovely delicate quality.

Real is real, samples are samples. In a string section, you have a collection of guys responding emotionally to a conductor conducting music. They play different instruments, finger, differently, move from note to note differently, etc. You are NEVER going to be able to recreate all that in a sample library.

 

Well, never say never, but yeah. I think physical modelling synths is where it's probably headed, where you can have near-infinite variation without terabytes of samples.

 

Anyway, I've dragged this thread off-topic enough, and as I mainly use sampled orchestral instruments as a reference for scores rather than finished audio, I'm not so bothered about the quality.

 

But, hopefully one day the virtual will come closer to the real...

Check out Kirk Hunter Studio also.

 

Ugh, the demos on the site sound disgustingly computery (sorry Jay, yours was better than most!), I've got much better results just blending the stock bundled EXS samples with Sculpture.

 

The price makes them tempting, but does anyone know of some more convincing demos?

 

I work with them every day. Trust me, they sound great and the workflow is terrific, especially the Kontakt version..

 

I blend them with Hollywood Strings, run them through QL Spaces and my UAD EMT Plate 140 and everyone I play them for has loved them.

 

http://soundcloud.com/jay-asher/oscura-seduccion-strings

 

I agree. The Kirk Hunter strings can do a good job. I love the romantic solo violin, though it needs some editing. Is the Kontakt version really much better Jay? Maybe it's time for an upgrade...

 

BTW, your "Oscura Seduccion strings partial" sounds great. I've been thinking of purchasing the Hollywood strings as well. Big price tag, but maybe it's time to bite the bullet.

 

Anyway, here's a short track using the Kirk Hunter romantic solo violin (using very little processing).

 

Lusty Nights

http://schicksville.com/Music/LustyNight-Blues.mp3

 

Best, John

 

Sonically,m the EXS24 and Kontakt versions are almost identical and of course the fact EXS24 is so well integrated into Logic and CPU efficient that it is a huge plus. The Kontakt version gives you more control and I love Kontakt's instrument banks feature and the fact that I can load them in VE Pro's 64 bit server and have them sit there like a dedicated sampler.

 

I'm always torn as to which version to recommend.

For several thousand dollars you could use these guys http://www.internetquartet.com (they record real string tracks) for years...

Hey guys i'm fairly new to logic so i'm just wondering to get the fast bowed strings on .. lets say Carly Rae Jepson's Call Me Maybe do i need Symphonic Gold or some other plugin ??