# Best sampled oboe, english horn and bassoon?



## Vik (Dec 14, 2016)

Are there anyone here who has compared the various sampled oboes/english horns and bassoons? Are there any of the existing instruments which stick out as must-haves?

Thanks in advance.


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## John57 (Dec 14, 2016)

I would say that I am not as happy with the English Horn in Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds as with the EastWest/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra which has two separate solo English Horns players which is a bit unusual to find. The two English Horn players in EastWest/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra have quite a bit of character with two different English Horns. While I have not compare with all libraries I just find the solo woodwinds in EastWest/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra to be more satisfying than Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds for my needs. I am currently checking woodwinds ensembles and could say more later.


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## LHall (Dec 14, 2016)

I sound like a broken record, but I love the Sample Modeling winds.


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## jonathanprice (Dec 14, 2016)

+1 on Sample Modeling. You can hear for yourself in this cue, which uses only SM for winds and brass:


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## John57 (Dec 14, 2016)

I have Sample Modeling Viola but for me it is not as convincing for my needs. The old version of Viola was better. The Sample Modeling sound is good for the brass and Saxophones as far I can tell and have technical advantages on computer resources.


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## jon wayne (Dec 14, 2016)

Berlin WW expansion b soloists or Fluffy Audio WWs. I only have the Fluffy bassoon, but I love it. You just missed their sale on the package, but you could by them separately.


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## midiman (Dec 14, 2016)

I would say 8dio Oboe is the best one so far. The 8dio Clarinet is also superb. The best Bassoon is on Symphobia 2. and English horn I would say also 8dio.


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## kurtvanzo (Dec 14, 2016)

If I was starting over I would probably go for Berlin Woodwind soloist expansions, but I like the tone of Cinewinds too (2 different solo oboes are both nice). Sample modeling woods are a bit too synthetic sounding (and cpu intensive) for my ears.
http://www.orchestraltools.com/libraries/bww_exp_b.php
And for solo basson, etc...
http://orchestraltools.com/libraries/bww_exp_c.php


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## JoelSim (Dec 14, 2016)

Try the Oboe d'Amore and Bassoon 2 from VSL Woodwinds complete.

Cost a fortune but definitely worth it!


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## tonaliszt (Dec 14, 2016)

I've always liked the tone of the Cinesamples Bassoon.


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## DHG (Dec 14, 2016)

I've always found wallander's english horn very expressive and enjoyable to play.


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## aleki3419 (Dec 14, 2016)

+1 Berlin Woodwind soloist expansions, also have fluffy audio woodwinds


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## Parsifal666 (Dec 14, 2016)

Best English Horn for me: Hollywood WW. Improvise with it and I think you'll hear what I mean.

Oboe: If you are talking solo instruments, the Chris Hein vol 2 Oboe is fabulous imo, Terrific sound all the way around, and the d'amore is by far the best sounding and most malleable ever. I can't recommend that library enough for solo oboe.

Bassoon: Gotta give it up to the Hein again. The Contrabassoon is particularly good in that library, but all props to the solo as well. Marvelous stuff.

As far as Ensemble Woodwinds, for lows I might freek some people out by picking Spitfire's Albion, I think they might be the best part of Legacy and One. But had I to do it all over again, I might have passed over Albion and gone Berlin. The times I've messed with the latter have been very smile-inducing.


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## Naoki Ohmori (Dec 14, 2016)

I'm also looking for a good oboe and I'm torn between Chris Hein's and VSL's. 
It would be subjective but which do you think is better? 

I like the tone of the old Miroslav oboe. Which is closer to the Miroslav's?


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## BachN4th (Dec 14, 2016)

I really enjoy the Spitfire English horn and Bassoon, to me they are inspiring to play, and have great expressiveness. The Spitfire oboe does not get a glowing review from me (nor the clarinet/clarinets a2). Hoping those issues are addressed with the repackage/update tomorrow.


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## HardyP (Dec 15, 2016)

I would say, that CH Winds are one of the most flexible and sophisticated libraries. Definitely worth checking out, and I fully second Parsifals statement on the Oboes.
Tone-wise, I like OTs Soloists Exp, but that's just from the Demos, I don't own them.


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## spyder (Dec 16, 2016)

I have the 8dio English Horn and I found it the most playable and realistic.


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## sinkd (Dec 16, 2016)

JoelSim said:


> Try the Oboe d'Amore and Bassoon 2 from VSL Woodwinds complete.
> 
> Cost a fortune but definitely worth it!


Both available as individual downloadable instruments, I believe? I have VSL and BWW (not expansion) but I still keep Westgate oboe in my template as well.


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## Ryan99 (Dec 16, 2016)

midiman said:


> I would say 8dio Oboe is the best one so far. The 8dio Clarinet is also superb. The best Bassoon is on Symphobia 2. and English horn I would say also 8dio.


+1 for 8dio Oboe!


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## robgb (Dec 18, 2016)

For clarinet, you might want to look at Reaktor and the free B flat clarinet patch on the Native Instruments site. It's one of the most musical clarinets I've encountered. https://www.native-instruments.com/en/reaktor-community/reaktor-user-library/entry/show/7854/


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## robgb (Dec 18, 2016)

John57 said:


> I have Sample Modeling Viola but for me it is not as convincing for my needs. The old version of Viola was better. The Sample Modeling sound is good for the brass and Saxophones as far I can tell and have technical advantages on computer resources.


Interesting how different people have different perceptions. I think the new version of the Viola sounds much, much better and I think Sample Modeling's solo strings blow everyone else out of the water in terms of sound and playability.


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## JPQ (Dec 19, 2016)

robgb said:


> Interesting how different people have different perceptions. I think the new version of the Viola sounds much, much better and I think Sample Modeling's solo strings blow everyone else out of the water in terms of sound and playability.



Ears can be so different but still normal hearing range. And monitor systems and what kind stuff someone wrotes also says something. There is lot of things which are related thing and when we talk sample libraries even how sample library is controlled is important.


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## Parsifal666 (Dec 19, 2016)

JPQ said:


> Ears can be so different but still normal hearing range. And monitor systems and what kind stuff someone wrotes also says something. There is lot of things which are related thing and when we talk sample libraries even how sample library is controlled is important.



When I first started checking out the Albions I couldn't believe how lame the sound was on the walkthroughs. Of course, I had to do the supreme DOHHH! when I realized I was listening through my phone.







What was so good about the libraries came through loud and clear on my monitors and extra-good headphones.

Of course, that's just one of manifold ways people hear things differently.

Another example: I've heard a ton of things about all kinds of solo cellos out there, and I own (and use) several myself. But I also still use (successfully) the old GPO Solo Cello 3 on projects...I know, sacrilege.

Here's an almost equal bit of blasphemy: I think East West Hollywood Woodwinds for the most part stands up to the best out there. I know, people are far less inclined to believe that in comparison to the EWH Strings and Brass, and for good reason. I still make money using EWHW, if that's your personal barometer of quality, and I love how many of those instruments sound, period.


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## Raindog (Dec 19, 2016)

+1 for Chris Hein´s woodwinds.
Great sound, intuitive GUi (if you understand one of the instruments you understand them all). Combined with a breath or wind Controller it´s spooky how realistic these woodwinds sound. Still my favourite Chris Hein library but I´m slightly biased
Raindog


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## Parsifal666 (Dec 19, 2016)

Raindog said:


> +1 for Chris Hein´s woodwinds.
> Great sound, intuitive GUi (if you understand one of the instruments you understand them all). Combined with a breath or wind Controller it´s spooky how realistic these woodwinds sound. Still my favourite Chris Hein library but I´m slightly biased
> Raindog



I bought the Compact Winds a month ago and regret it now; I love the sound and articulation range so much I should have just bought the Complete Winds right off. I went ahead and grabbed vol 2 the Clarinet last week and have been awed by it since. It's such a wonderfully malleable instrument (and this is coming from an obviously die hard EW Hollywood enthusiast) and imo it sounds terrific.

To me, the Hein products are ample proof that you don't have to spend one heck of a lot to get a terrific instrument.


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## alexballmusic (Dec 19, 2016)

I've been using Spitfire BML woodwinds and have just cross graded to the new Symphonic Woodwinds.

I personally think woodwinds are the strongest of the Spitfire libraries. Incredibly nimble and expressive. Funnily enough, I recorded a bunch of real woodwind players a few weeks back and was playing them the equivalent Spitfire woodwind to see what they thought. They were impressed. Obviously not 100%, but pretty remarkable non-the-less.

The Symphonic winds are pretty extensive - clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, oboe, english horn, flute, alto flute, bass flute, bassoon, contrabassoon. Solo and section. So covers what you're after and a heck of a lot more.


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## alexballmusic (Dec 19, 2016)

alexballmusic said:


> I've been using Spitfire BML woodwinds and have just cross graded to the new Symphonic Woodwinds.
> 
> I personally think woodwinds are the strongest of the Spitfire libraries. Incredibly nimble and expressive. Funnily enough, I recorded a bunch of real woodwind players a few weeks back and was playing them the equivalent Spitfire woodwind to see what they thought. They were impressed. Obviously not 100%, but pretty remarkable non-the-less.
> 
> The Symphonic winds are pretty extensive - clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, oboe, english horn, flute, alto flute, bass flute, bassoon, contrabassoon. Solo and section. So covers what you're after and a heck of a lot more.



Only thing I'd add is that you can't really get a dry sound with the Spitfire stuff because of recording in Air Studios. The close mics are still pretty roomy. But for that classic symphonic / cinematic sound it's totally authentic.


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## WorshipMaestro (Dec 19, 2016)

midiman said:


> I would say 8dio Oboe is the best one so far. The 8dio Clarinet is also superb. The best Bassoon is on Symphobia 2. and English horn I would say also 8dio.


I have also found the 8DIO winds to be among the most expressive in tone. Saying that I just downloaded SWW and am excited to be building my Spitfire orchestra.


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## Lassi Tani (Dec 19, 2016)

alexballmusic said:


> The Symphonic winds are pretty extensive - clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, oboe, english horn, flute, alto flute, bass flute, bassoon, contrabassoon. Solo and section. So covers what you're after and a heck of a lot more.



No piccolo?


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## alexballmusic (Dec 19, 2016)

sekkosiki said:


> No piccolo?



Sorry, yes there is a piccolo. Forgot that one.


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## bap_la_so_1 (Dec 19, 2016)

Dont forget 8dio claire series. They are one of the best in term of expressive solo work


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## LamaRose (Dec 21, 2016)

Are there any other walkthroughs/reviews of BWW Exp B? The OT video covers the oboe and clarinet pretty well, but I'd like to hear a slower flute passage, and anything on the alto flute. Also, does Exp B have true sustains for chords/beds?


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## JanR (Dec 21, 2016)

LamaRose said:


> Are there any other walkthroughs/reviews of BWW Exp B? The OT video covers the oboe and clarinet pretty well, but I'd like to hear a slower flute passage, and anything on the alto flute. Also, does Exp B have true sustains for chords/beds?


I can confirm that Exp B has sustains. With lower note velocities it triggers crescendo sustains and with higher note velocities it triggers decrescendo sustains


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## Vik (Dec 29, 2016)

Thanks for the replies, guys. I just read through the thread again, and 8dio seems to stick out as a recommendation when it comes to English Horn, Chris Hein got at least three recommendations for the Oboe, and OT/Berlin Woodwinds were mentioned at least four times as a generally good woodwinds package - so far.


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## Polarity (Dec 29, 2016)

with the new CineWinds Core update v.1.3 with new adaptive legato Flute, Piccolo, Oboe and Bassoon can become more interesting...
I think I will buy the upgrade (I still have v.1.1 non Kontakt Player version).

I agree that the old QLSO winds are still very good speaking of sound...
but for ensembles I used Cinesamples HWW since I have them (since they came out indeed).
I got Albion One and used a bit its winds section, but in effect as one in a forum stated a few months ago it has an instrument too much prominent in its tone (I believe it's the English Horn).

If I'm not wrong CineWinds has a rather dry sound if used with the Spot mic.

I don't have Berlin WW unfortunately (too expensive) or Spitfire SWW so I can't say anything on them regarding parctical use.


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