# New from Strezov Sampling: Afflatus Chapter - Part one: Strings



## rlundv

Strezov Sampling are proud to present "Afflatus Chapter I Strings" - the first instalment in the new "Afflatus" series - inspired by film and classical music icons and based on authentic musician performance.

Thoughts?


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## rottoy




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## Leandro Gardini

You have an amazing approach to sampling. Looking forward to this one!


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## gregh

unfortunate name from the marketing department


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## ism

Looks wonderful and sounds wonderful. But can't say that this video left me any the wiser about what it actually is (except that it looks wonderful and sounds wonderful - which being Strezow, I could have guessed).


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## JonSolo

Fantastic!


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## Mars

He said "Polyphonic true legato" and "Auto divisi". He has my attention


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## Jaap

We so need a "love" button here. 

Sounds amazing (and loving the artwork!)


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## Henu

Strezov Sampling said:


> Flatus


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## Seycara

Sounds like there is potential, would like to see specs and detailed walk thru for the strings.


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## zimm83

ism said:


> Looks wonderful and sounds wonderful. But can't say that this video left me any the wiser about what it actually is (except that it looks wonderful and sounds wonderful - which being Strezow, I could have guessed).


+1 Super trailer, really. But what is it ? An orchestra ? Phrase based library? One library ? 4 libraries ?? One section release per month , per year??? Thanks.
But beautiful trailer, sounds , pictures and Mister Strezov, the sampling King !!!
Are all the instruments in the soundtrack from this library-ies ???
They sound.......stunning and fabulous ...


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## Oliver

boooah


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## artomatic

zimm83 said:


> +1 Super trailer, really. But what is it ? An orchestra ? Phrase based library? One library ? 4 libraries ?? One section release per month , per year??? Thanks.
> But beautiful trailer, sounds , pictures and Mister Strezov, the sampling King !!!
> Are all the instruments in the soundtrack from this library-ies ???
> They sound.......stunning and fabulous ...



Personally hoping it's not phrase-based!


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## Emmanuel Rousseau

zimm83 said:


> +1 Super trailer, really. But what is it ? An orchestra ? Phrase based library? One library ? 4 libraries ?? One section release per month , per year??? Thanks.
> But beautiful trailer, sounds , pictures and Mister Strezov, the sampling King !!!
> Are all the instruments in the soundtrack from this library-ies ???
> They sound.......stunning and fabulous ...



It is probably a Ab phrase library.

(Someone had to do it anyway...)


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## zolhof

You can rule that one out. Demos and walkthrough videos soon to come.


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## JEPA

Price????


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## artomatic

Already budgeted for Black Friday. But man oh man!


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## SoNowWhat?

They have polyphonic true legato in their choir libraries (Freyja, Wotan, Arva), so I guess it makes sense to see that moving over to other instruments.

Divisi? Yes please.

Another query for the name here. I guess it would work for a brass library though *snigger*. Having said that if it sounds good and plays well they can call it whatever the hell they want (and being Strezov, I’d expect it to).


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## SoNowWhat?

artomatic said:


> Already budgeted for Black Friday. But man oh man!


Yeah, with the types and quality of libraries and plugs coming out over the last few weeks, any idea of a “Black Friday budget” has gone well and truly for a Burton. I had a nice little list of things I’d like to pick up if they go on sale too. Oh well.


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## constaneum

so seems like what i've posted on facebook is true. Ranging from classical strings to modern epic madness !!


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## JonAdamich

zolhof said:


> You can rule that one out. Demos and walkthrough videos soon to come.


Phew


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## The Darris

I should admit something here. Strezov Sampling sent me early access to their beta of Afflatus a few weeks back. I can't give details aside from what George mentioned in his video. They sent me an NFR in return for my review which at this point, will be more of a walk through and talking about how this library has changed my workflow (more to come soon). What I can say is...

Polyphonic Legato - This is not a gimmick. Most companies that promote this feature haven't really perfected the concept of being able to play polyphonic lines with the ability to write counterpoint in one pass without issue. They have already demonstrated they can do with with their previous choir libraries (re; Arva & Freyja). This library surpasses what is available outside of Strezov's programming, at least from my perspective. You can simply perform your parts in live without trouble or extra midi programming. It just works and I love it. 

Auto-Divisi - Yes. Again, this isn't a gimmick. This isn't a new concept and those of you familiar with LASS understand what this means. However, Strezov has made it far more user friendly and like the polyphonic legato, it just works. You can truly hear the difference in the size of the sections when utilizing this feature so listen carefully when Strezov releases their walk through. 

Again, I can't go into details of the content but what George has said in his announcement is very true. There isn't anything like this on the market. It's less about creating a workhorse string library like Cinematic Studio Strings and more about the characteristic of the string performances themselves. Afflatus covers a wide range of styles that are, quite frankly, missing in all of the major string libraries on the market. I honestly can't wait to cover this on my channel and share more. Once the walk-through video or videos are released, I will share some more user thoughts. Keep an eye on their social media and youtube channel for more information. 

Cheers,

C


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## Casiquire

By divisi, I hope they mean LASS-style actual separate sections and not that when you play a chord it simply splits it amongst Vln I - II Vla Vc DB. Anyway the sound in that trailer is absolutely fantastic!


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## jaketanner

Still confused...so it's NOT phrase based...so it's based off performances like Performance Samples? Is this a completely user playable library, or are we stuck with "certain" phrases and passages? Still very unclear here..Hate when a company is so vague about what it is exactly that they are selling.


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## prodigalson

The Darris said:


> I should admit something here. Strezov Sampling sent me early access to their beta of Afflatus a few weeks back. I can't give details aside from what George mentioned in his video. They sent me an NFR in return for my review which at this point, will be more of a walk through and talking about how this library has changed my workflow (more to come soon). What I can say is...
> 
> Polyphonic Legato - This is not a gimmick. Most companies that promote this feature haven't really perfected the concept of being able to play polyphonic lines with the ability to write counterpoint in one pass without issue. They have already demonstrated they can do with with their previous choir libraries (re; Arva & Freyja). This library surpasses what is available outside of Strezov's programming, at least from my perspective. You can simply perform your parts in live without trouble or extra midi programming. It just works and I love it.
> 
> Auto-Divisi - Yes. Again, this isn't a gimmick. This isn't a new concept and those of you familiar with LASS understand what this means. However, Strezov has made it far more user friendly and like the polyphonic legato, it just works. You can truly hear the difference in the size of the sections when utilizing this feature so listen carefully when Strezov releases their walk through.
> 
> Again, I can't go into details of the content but what George has said in his announcement is very true. There isn't anything like this on the market. It's less about creating a workhorse string library like Cinematic Studio Strings and more about the characteristic of the string performances themselves. Afflatus covers a wide range of styles that are, quite frankly, missing in all of the major string libraries on the market. I honestly can't wait to cover this on my channel and share more. Once the walk-through video or videos are released, I will share some more user thoughts. Keep an eye on their social media and youtube channel for more information.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> C



...shit


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## NoamL

jaketanner said:


> Still confused...so it's NOT phrase based...so it's based off performances like Performance Samples? Is this a completely user playable library, or are we stuck with "certain" phrases and passages? Still very unclear here..Hate when a company is so vague about what it is exactly that they are selling.








what we can see:

multisampled (notes, not phrases)
3 mic positions: Close, Decca, Hall 

on board reverb
looks like a Metropolis Ark style pre-orchestrated "High" and "Low" (+ "Mid"?) ensembles, not V1/V2/Va/Vc/Cb
instruments are based on "playing styles," this one is called "Psychatto" (Psycho + spiccato?)
menus on the right look like: "Legato" "Overlap" "Releases" "Divisi"
About 32 musicians in the video (possibly 8/8/6/6/4 ?), that would make it a "studio strings" category library like CSS, Berlin, Spitfire Studio Strings.
now entering the magical* Realm of Speculation:*

230 MB for one instrument with no keyswitch / articulation menu in sight on the GUI. IMO that strongly suggests the same sampling approach as the Musical Sampling (Adventure Strings / Adventure Brass) series.
true divisi (actually recording fractions of the ensemble, like LASS) doesn't seem super likely with these RAM dimensions. Scripted divisi seems more likely
note that the 230 MB has to account for 3 mics, because you can't load a single full mix (like the full mix in CSS or the stereo mixes in Mural, etc).


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## SoNowWhat?

The Darris said:


> I should admit something here. Strezov Sampling sent me early access to their beta of Afflatus a few weeks back. I can't give details aside from what George mentioned in his video. They sent me an NFR in return for my review which at this point, will be more of a walk through and talking about how this library has changed my workflow (more to come soon). What I can say is...
> 
> Polyphonic Legato - This is not a gimmick. Most companies that promote this feature haven't really perfected the concept of being able to play polyphonic lines with the ability to write counterpoint in one pass without issue. They have already demonstrated they can do with with their previous choir libraries (re; Arva & Freyja). This library surpasses what is available outside of Strezov's programming, at least from my perspective. You can simply perform your parts in live without trouble or extra midi programming. It just works and I love it.
> 
> Auto-Divisi - Yes. Again, this isn't a gimmick. This isn't a new concept and those of you familiar with LASS understand what this means. However, Strezov has made it far more user friendly and like the polyphonic legato, it just works. You can truly hear the difference in the size of the sections when utilizing this feature so listen carefully when Strezov releases their walk through.
> 
> Again, I can't go into details of the content but what George has said in his announcement is very true. There isn't anything like this on the market. It's less about creating a workhorse string library like Cinematic Studio Strings and more about the characteristic of the string performances themselves. Afflatus covers a wide range of styles that are, quite frankly, missing in all of the major string libraries on the market. I honestly can't wait to cover this on my channel and share more. Once the walk-through video or videos are released, I will share some more user thoughts. Keep an eye on their social media and youtube channel for more information.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> C


Damn it Chris!

Damn it George!!




prodigalson said:


> ...shit


you said it buddy.


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## The Darris

Casiquire said:


> By divisi, I hope they mean LASS-style actual separate sections and not that when you play a chord it simply splits it amongst Vln I - II Vla Vc DB. Anyway the sound in that trailer is absolutely fantastic!


All I will say is that it's not like LASS and it's not exactly like what you think here. It's practical, from a performance and orchestration perspective. Strezov really tried to go for a simple versus super complex divisi setup. Like I said, it just works. I don't know how George will approach the walk through videos but I hope he does a nice dry example of using the divisi feature to demonstrate how effective it is. I think you will all like it a lot. 

-C


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## zimm83

jaketanner said:


> Still confused...so it's NOT phrase based...so it's based off performances like Performance Samples? Is this a completely user playable library, or are we stuck with "certain" phrases and passages? Still very unclear here..Hate when a company is so vague about what it is exactly that they are selling.


Oh Man.....poly leg and divisi !!!!!! Waiting for the walkthrough !!!!


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## babylonwaves

jaketanner said:


> Still confused...so it's NOT phrase based...so it's based off performances like Performance Samples? Is this a completely user playable library, or are we stuck with "certain" phrases and passages? Still very unclear here..Hate when a company is so vague about what it is exactly that they are selling.


why don't you just wait until they sell it ?


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## lucor

I wouldn't pay too much attention to the "performances, not samples" part, it's probably just marketing talk. Also notice how George said that they've always done this with all their libraries, and AFAIK none of them are phrase based but mostly good old traditional multi-sampled instruments.
Anyway, this sounds fantastic and I'm looking forward to hear more!


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## bap_la_so_1

Kontakt player please please please


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## Nao Gam

lucor said:


> I wouldn't pay too much attention to the "performances, not samples" part, it's probably just marketing talk. Also notice how George said that they've always done this with all their libraries, and AFAIK none of them are phrase based but mostly good old traditional multi-sampled instruments.
> Anyway, this sounds fantastic and I'm looking forward to hear more!


It's not marketing talk, it makes a difference in details like attack & dynamics consistency and bow pressure, when musicians are in the flow they're more likely to play uniformly. The devil's in the details!


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## Daniel James

Fuck me that sounds amazing! nice one lads 

-DJ


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## lucor

Nao Gam said:


> It's not marketing talk, it makes a difference in details like attack & dynamics consistency and bow pressure, when musicians are in the flow they're more likely to play uniformly. The devil's in the details!


If we're talking about extracting samples from an actual performance like Performance Samples and Musical Sampling do, yes of course. But we don't know if that's what he's talking about, and the fact that he said they've always done this, makes me doubt that he does. I think he just means that their musicians always put their soul and an actual 'performance' in each note, but that's something that every developer claims.
But it is totally pointless to discuss this at the moment as long as we don't know anything more. As I said I'm just very excited and hope to hear more very soon.


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## zolhof

NoamL said:


> what we can see:
> 
> multisampled (notes, not phrases)
> 3 mic positions: Close, Decca, Hall
> 
> on board reverb
> looks like a Metropolis Ark style pre-orchestrated "High" and "Low" (+ "Mid"?) ensembles, not V1/V2/Va/Vc/Cb
> instruments are based on "playing styles," this one is called "Psychatto" (Psycho + spiccato?)
> menus on the right look like: "Legato" "Overlap" "Releases" "Divisi"
> About 32 musicians in the video (possibly 8/8/6/6/4 ?), that would make it a "studio strings" category library like CSS, Berlin, Spitfire Studio Strings.
> now entering the magical* Realm of Speculation:*
> 
> 230 MB for one instrument with no keyswitch / articulation menu in sight on the GUI. IMO that strongly suggests the same sampling approach as the Musical Sampling (Adventure Strings / Adventure Brass) series.
> true divisi (actually recording fractions of the ensemble, like LASS) doesn't seem super likely with these RAM dimensions. Scripted divisi seems more likely
> note that the 230 MB has to account for 3 mics, because you can't load a single full mix (like the full mix in CSS or the stereo mixes in Mural, etc).



That's the quality detective work I've signed up for! :emoji_mag_right:


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## Simon Ravn

Interesting! Hope there'll be demos and walktroughs soon. If the sound and playability is good (hard to judge from the teaser, although some moments sound quite nice), this could be a very cool release!


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## Rob Elliott

The Darris said:


> I should admit something here. Strezov Sampling sent me early access to their beta of Afflatus a few weeks back. I can't give details aside from what George mentioned in his video. They sent me an NFR in return for my review which at this point, will be more of a walk through and talking about how this library has changed my workflow (more to come soon). What I can say is...
> 
> Polyphonic Legato - This is not a gimmick. Most companies that promote this feature haven't really perfected the concept of being able to play polyphonic lines with the ability to write counterpoint in one pass without issue. They have already demonstrated they can do with with their previous choir libraries (re; Arva & Freyja). This library surpasses what is available outside of Strezov's programming, at least from my perspective. You can simply perform your parts in live without trouble or extra midi programming. It just works and I love it.
> 
> Auto-Divisi - Yes. Again, this isn't a gimmick. This isn't a new concept and those of you familiar with LASS understand what this means. However, Strezov has made it far more user friendly and like the polyphonic legato, it just works. You can truly hear the difference in the size of the sections when utilizing this feature so listen carefully when Strezov releases their walk through.
> 
> Again, I can't go into details of the content but what George has said in his announcement is very true. There isn't anything like this on the market. It's less about creating a workhorse string library like Cinematic Studio Strings and more about the characteristic of the string performances themselves. Afflatus covers a wide range of styles that are, quite frankly, missing in all of the major string libraries on the market. I honestly can't wait to cover this on my channel and share more. Once the walk-through video or videos are released, I will share some more user thoughts. Keep an eye on their social media and youtube channel for more information.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> C




Thanks for the sneak peek into what on the surface sounds good. The divisi and poly legato features for sure are appealing. Can you tell us how the 'legato' sounds - particularly BEFORE the apex of the sample. While it gives many grief about CSS's offset issues - I personally think it is its strength - in what is achieved in the final performance. Hope like heck all these samples are not 'cut-off' to make it easy to perform (ok if most of your mockups are to be performed by live sessions - but the reality is just the opposite for me.)

Very encouraging upcoming release.


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## jaketanner

babylonwaves said:


> why don't you just wait until they sell it ?



Why bother with an obscure tease? I hate when a company does that...it's either full disclosure, or keep it a secret until you are ready...or at the very least, make it very clear what it is that we should be waiting for...just seems like a game. Most companies do it, and drives me nuts.


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## Consona

These teasers are nice but I need to see walkthroughs and review videos.


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## Rap-sody

Really beautiful.


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## Mystic

Well count me in to watch where this one goes. That sounds incredible.


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## The Darris

Rob Elliott said:


> Thanks for the sneak peek into what on the surface sounds good. The divisi and poly legato features for sure are appealing. Can you tell us how the 'legato' sounds - particularly BEFORE the apex of the sample. While it gives many grief about CSS's offset issues - I personally think it is its strength - in what is achieved in the final performance. Hope like heck all these samples are not 'cut-off' to make it easy to perform (ok if most of your mockups are to be performed by live sessions - but the reality is just the opposite for me.)
> 
> Very encouraging upcoming release.


I can't really go into specifics because it would reveal too much. Best to wait for the walk through. I will say that since using the Beta, they've been refining key points of the library. Even so, I didn't have issue with the legato transitions. They felt smooth and connected, as they are meant to be. I will say this, you won't have to worry about a performance lag like some other libraries. This one is very responsive. 

-C


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## Rob Elliott

The Darris said:


> I can't really go into specifics because it would reveal too much. Best to wait for the walk through. I will say that since using the Beta, they've been refining key points of the library. Even so, I didn't have issue with the legato transitions. They felt smooth and connected, as they are meant to be. I will say this, you won't have to worry about a performance lag like some other libraries. This one is very responsive.
> 
> -C


Ok thanks - totally understand the NDA.


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## NoamL

Really nice demo. Sounds like CSS but a bit brighter and more overtly "retro" in playing style.


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## prodigalson

NoamL said:


> Really nice demo. Sounds like CSS but a bit brighter and more overtly "retro" in playing style.




wow, incredibly expressive without sounding over the top. and less vibrato than CSS thankfully


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## Michael Antrum

Bloody Hell, that sounds good. I thought I was done with any new libraries for quite some time, but the tone of those strings.....




​


Daniel James said:


> Fuck me that sounds amazing



What he said.


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## JonSolo

This sounds amazing. One of the reasons I go back to Hollywood Strings over CSS is the level of vibrato in CSS. This could change that for me.

On the list...


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## Rob Elliott

This D'Amour demo - IMPRESSIVE. Come on walk-thru. I am betting LATE Nov release. Dang - perfect for a project in hand. Yea this second demo is what sells me. I love that is not swimming in verb so I can hear the detail. Personal taste for me on this sort of material - I'd cut (gentle Q) at 4K 1-2 db - I bet it takes to various EQ curves well (nicely recorded samples from the sound of it.).


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## Zoot_Rollo

prodigalson said:


> wow, incredibly expressive without sounding over the top. and less vibrato than CSS thankfully



i've been hoping for something to come along to sidestep CSS.

watching!


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## Consona

Still need more lively composition to be able to judge. I posted this somewhere here already but I want to hear this the kind of demos:


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## zimm83

Rob Elliott said:


> This D'Amour demo - IMPRESSIVE. Come on walk-thru. I am betting LATE Nov release. Dang - perfect for a project in hand. Yea this second demo is what sells me. I love that is not swimming in verb so I can hear the detail. Personal taste for me on this sort of material - I'd cut (gentle Q) at 4K 1-2 db - I bet it takes to various EQ curves well (nicely recorded ss from the sound of it.).


Hoping for late October...late Nov not good ...BF!!!


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## Rob Elliott

zimm83 said:


> Hoping for late October...late Nov not good ...BF!!!


site says 'Nov release' (prolly late) :(


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## zimm83

Rob Elliott said:


> site says 'Nov release' (prolly late) :(


Ah ok thanks...Hoping early November...


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## leon chevalier

Consona said:


> Still need more lively composition to be able to judge. I posted this somewhere here already but this the kind of demos I want to hear:



Thanks Consona for reminding me that I've to learn to work with what I already have instead of looking for greener grass !


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## Nicola74

... I don't need another strings library, I do't need another strings library, I d't need another strings library, I 't need another strings library, I need another strings library...ouch!


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## Hanu_H

Nicola74 said:


> ... I don't need another strings library, I do't need another strings library, I d't need another strings library, I 't need another strings library, I need another strings library...ouch!


You got it wrong mate. It should be...I don't need another string library, I don need another string library, I do need another string library. You get to the conclusion faster. :D

-Hannes


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## Nicola74

Hanu_H said:


> You got it wrong mate. It should be...I don't need another string library, I don need another string library, I do need another string library. You get to the conclusion faster. :D
> 
> -Hannes


 but, you know, "repetita iuvant".
Ok from the beginning...I do need another...ouch!!


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## camelot

Woah, that demo is incredible. I cant hear anything that would indicate samples to me. This sounds so very real to me. I totally love this type of string sound and yes, gratefully less vibrato than CSS.


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## artomatic

NoamL said:


>





So gorgeous!
This will probably be my last strings library.
(Okay, in 2018!)


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## Hanu_H

Here's a midi playthrough of it: 

-Hannes


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## Zoot_Rollo

Hanu_H said:


> Here's a midi playthrough of it:
> 
> -Hannes




oh my goodness.


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## Rob Elliott

Hanu_H said:


> Here's a midi playthrough of it:
> 
> -Hannes



Thanks for posting Hannes. Of course this starts and stops with solid writing and arranging of the three sections...BUT...I am struck by how little AFTER THAT.... is done to achieve the sound. Hats off to this achievement. Well done to the developer.


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## Zoot_Rollo

Rob Elliott said:


> Thanks for posting Hannes. Of course this starts and stops with solid writing and arranging of the three sections...BUT...I am struck by how little AFTER THAT.... is done to achieve the sound. Hats off to this achievement. Well done to the developer.



indeed.

just got my third m.2 2tb prepping for the next month.

good things come to those who wait.

high hopes with this one.


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## Jonas Hallstrom

I wasn't considering a new strings library... But now I'm tempted.


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## NoamL

yeah this is seriously impressive.

very natural sounding 2 part and 3 part divisi, with everything handled in engine. And unlike my guess, they have actually recorded each of the 5 string sections separately.


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## sostenuto

NoamL said:


> yeah this is seriously impressive.
> 
> very natural sounding 2 part and 3 part divisi, with everything handled in engine. And unlike my guess, they have actually recorded each of the 5 string sections separately.



Makes me 'keep my _Strings_ powder dry' …..  ( but it's getting really dry  )


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## brenneisen

NoamL said:


> with everything handled in engine.



what do you mean?


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## Hanu_H

I think it's not going to be a traditional library. Maybe it has many different string patches recorded for certain purpose. One for gentle(Scene D'Amour), one for aggressive, etc. I might be totally wrong but that's the vibe I have got from the teasers.

-Hannes


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## Ihnoc

Hanu_H said:


> Here's a midi playthrough of it:
> 
> -Hannes




Sounds very nice. More interested in the fact that this patch was marked as 'Legato' suggesting some other articulation patches or whathaveyou. I'm not leaping from my chair until I see my usual 3 requirements for libraries:

CC1 controlled dynamics for shorts
Every articulation present for every section
Mutes
I am confused by this demo though from an arrangement perspective; me personally I wouldn't divide the 2nd violins into 3 like this, but put two voices on the 2nd violins, push the third voice to the violas and have the celli take the viola line. Does that make sense? Am I missing something? Is there some balancing thought to this that I should know? Or is that the point, that dividing one of these sections into 3 with the library is possible and sounds good...


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## SoNowWhat?

sostenuto said:


> Makes me 'keep my _Strings_ powder dry' …..  ( but it's getting really dry  )


Have you tried adding reverb?


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## Rob Elliott

Hanu_H said:


> I think it's not going to be a traditional library. Maybe it has many different string patches recorded for certain purpose. One for gentle(Scene D'Amour), one for aggressive, etc. I might be totally wrong but that's the vibe I have got from the teasers.
> 
> -Hannes


I agree - which, me thinks is cool. Will it handle EVERY mock-up? Of course not. What string library really does (which is why we all have so many string libraries... :(


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## JEPA

this is what i was waiting for as i've heard 8Dio's ISS announced.. then i was "disappointed" by the sound.. But Strezov has nailed it right, my goodness i want to know the price...


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## Hanu_H

Rob Elliott said:


> I agree - which, me thinks is cool. Will it handle EVERY mock-up? Of course not. What string library really does (which is why we all have so many string libraries... :(


Yes, I like the idea as well. I already have enough normal string libraries and I've lately been drawn into more specialized things. Only thing that I am considered is the price. If there is a lot of different recordings the costs might get high quickly.

-Hannes


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## NoamL

brenneisen said:


> what do you mean?



Let's say you have a sample of 8 violins. If you play two notes at the same time it sounds like 16 violins; it'll sound too "massive" and also slightly too loud. A workaround is to simply lower the volume (not dynamics) of each note. That's what I do when writing divisi with CSS, using Expression (CC11). However, the expression has to go back to 100% when the instruments go back to unison.

Now as another example, if you have true divisi sections recorded, like LASS, then you can assign Violin-A (4 players) and Violin-B (4 players) to different notes. But then, the notes are on separate MIDI regions and when the violins play unison again you need to load the third NKI for Violins-Total (8 players).

Yet this engine is handling parts that move from unison to divisi and back again pretty flawlessly. Notice the first violins going from unison to div a2 at 0:43 for instance.

The engine must be keeping track of the number of simultaneous notes, and either doing the volume trick, or triggering the right size divisi sample.

BTW if they really recorded divisi a2 (or a3!) for every section then I would guess this library is gonna be more expensive than CSS. More like Spitfire or OT level costs.


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## Rob Elliott

Yep - I think the 'costs' of producing these sort of specialized libraries are a bit high - hence the price it likely will be. Not for everyone but if it does 'its thing' exceptionally well - which this has the making to in fact do..... many will pay the piper.


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## Goldie Zwecker

Hanu_H said:


> Here's a midi playthrough of it:
> 
> -Hannes



Perhaps i have some problem with my hearing, but to me it sounds nice, nothing more. There are some bits that sound "artificial" and not very realistic. I'm not hearing anything groundbreaking, different or "better" than spitfire, Orchestral tools etc, in terms of realism (obviously they are different in "color", but what i mean is that this doesn't sound more realistic than the others. Even less, actually).


----------



## Consona

NoamL said:


> Let's say you have a sample of 8 violins. If you play two notes at the same time it sounds like 16 violins


It kinda doesn't. Sampled instruments do not act like real ones. When I have a 6 horns patch and play a chord, it doesn't sound like 18 players are playing.


----------



## Hanu_H

Another playthrough video. Now with minimalist strings.



-Hannes


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Hanu_H said:


> Another playthrough video. Now with minimalist strings.
> 
> 
> 
> -Hannes



Now that's more like it!


----------



## NoamL

The ensemble playing styles:

"Barbaric"
"Christmas"
"Contemporary"
"Ensemble Shorts"
"Heroine"
"Le Sacre"
"Lush"
"Minimalist" (featured in demo 2)
"Pop"
"Psychatto"
"Quartet Sfz"
"Red Army"
"Roof Chase"
"Shark Strings" :emoji_swimmer:
"The Mouse"
"Undercover"
"Vintage" (featured in demo 1?)


----------



## StrezovSampling

NoamL said:


> ....



Good catch, but that's just the ensembles, not the individual sections we recorded. Demo 1 doesn't feature the Vintage Strings and there is way more content in the library than this list might suggest.


----------



## Wolf68

Hanu_H said:


> Another playthrough video. Now with minimalist strings.
> 
> 
> 
> -Hannes




that part from 01:04-01:38 was pure sugar!


----------



## NoamL

StrezovSampling said:


> Good catch, but that's just the ensembles, not the individual sections we recorded. Demo 1 doesn't feature the Vintage Strings and there is way more content in the library than this list might suggest.



Wow!


----------



## Casiquire

I


Consona said:


> It kinda doesn't. Sampled instruments do not act like real ones. When I have a 6 horns patch and play a chord, it doesn't sound like 18 players are playing.



I have to disagree. There's a big difference in the sound of an ensemble multiplied versus actually divided.


----------



## 667

Great job George (and team!) I love what I'm hearing so far.


----------



## ism

If the other styles are as convincing as the first two demos, it's a compelling notion to be able to dial in a style. Very curious to see what's actually happening here.


----------



## zimm83

StrezovSampling said:


> Good catch, but that's just the ensembles, not the individual sections we recorded. Demo 1 doesn't feature the Vintage Strings and there is way more content in the library than this list might suggest.


Even More intrigued........What is this library??? One for me of course!!!!!!


----------



## JGRaynaud

I'll just make a little copy paste of the latest post I made in another topic about this library, since I thought it was the main thread about Afflatus and it seems i was wrong.. Sorry I don't know if this kind of copy-paste are allowed or not on the forum..

Since I had the occasion to play with the library a lot (I made the teaser music and the first midi walkthrough cues), I had to say a few words about it.

The library is in my opinion really good, designed to write efficiently and easily, without wasting too much time working on little details everywhere to make it sound good (the polyphonic legatos with automatic divisi are really simple to use)

Some patches you haven't really heard yet (there is more content than you expect) really blow my mind and fill the gaps the other libraries have. I actually think the library has been designed first to fill all these gaps instead of competing with other libraries , then in a second time they sampled the regular articulations we find pretty much in every string library.


----------



## sostenuto

Still without 'full' top tier Strings lib …. (many useful bits and pieces).
Afflatus announcement, and comments here, have me excited that this could be it.


----------



## Consona

Casiquire said:


> I have to disagree. There's a big difference in the sound of an ensemble multiplied versus actually divided.


But there's also a big difference between 2 or 6 horns or 12 horns sampled as section. Do you have Cinebrass? Play a chord with the 6 horns patch and one tone with the 12 horns patch. Actually no matter how many keys you press, the 6 horns patch won't never sound like 12 horns, so this theory of "3 notes of 12 violions = 36 violions playing" is nonsensical.

Of course divisi will sound different, but you are not producing sound of +- 40 violins while playing chords, it doesn't work like that.


----------



## midiman

Consona said:


> But there's also a big difference between 2 or 6 horns or 12 horns sampled as section. Do you have Cinebrass? Play a chord with the 6 horns patch and one tone with the 12 horns patch. Actually no matter how many notes you press, the 6 horns patch won't never sound like 12 horns, so this theory of "3 notes of 12 violions = 36 violions playing" is nonsensical.
> 
> Of course divisi will sound different, but you are not producing sound of +- 40 violins while playing chords, it doesn't work like that.




I agree completely. The Mathematics of acoustics and sampling are not linear like that. It is a very complex thing actually. So the theory of "3 notes of 12 violins = 36 violins playing" is nonsensical, because it just does not sound like that. The sampling world is a different realm to the live acoustic world, and ultimately the ears are the best judge when making stacking decisions. If it sounds good, that is what matters.


----------



## rottoy

Hanu_H said:


> Another playthrough video. Now with minimalist strings.
> 
> 
> 
> -Hannes



I'm in love with the sound of these strings. C'est l'amour.


----------



## Casiquire

Consona said:


> But there's also a big difference between 2 or 6 horns or 12 horns sampled as section. Do you have Cinebrass? Play a chord with the 6 horns patch and one tone with the 12 horns patch. Actually no matter how many keys you press, the 6 horns patch won't never sound like 12 horns, so this theory of "3 notes of 12 violions = 36 violions playing" is nonsensical.
> 
> Of course divisi will sound different, but you are not producing sound of +- 40 violins while playing chords, it doesn't work like that.



I agree with you there, that's why crossfading works in practice. But a chord played with a 12 horns patch sounds less natural than a chord played with two. Is that basically what you're saying and I'm just misunderstanding?


----------



## The Darris

midiman said:


> I agree completely. The Mathematics of acoustics and sampling are not linear like that. It is a very complex thing actually. So the theory of "3 notes of 12 violins = 36 violins playing" is nonsensical, because it just does not sound like that. The sampling world is a different realm to the live acoustic world, and ultimately the ears are the best judge when making stacking decisions. If it sounds good, that is what matters.


Yes, that's why the approach taken with this library is to emulate the concept of a thicker section splitting which will then create a slightly thinner sound because the you are now using sampled from a smaller section. The one aspect, at least that I've found while reviewing this library, is that the volume balance of divisi to full is 2:1 so you can play two notes of the divisi line and get the same volume when playing one note of the full section. Now, anything past that and the complexities that you are describing here come into play. As I've said a few times already, the approach here is about keeping it simple and user friendly. This isn't Orchestral Strings Simulator 2018. You need to still use some common sense when writing with this library but because they kept things simple, it's far easier to create something that sounds great without much work. 

I tested the divisi of this library by mocking up the first few pages of And Birds Are Still by Takashi Yoshimatsu. As you can see, the 1st Violins are split into 4 parts with a lot of doubled notes. This library can create this sound very easily but..but..you can't really get the nuances of that many parts split out due to note stacking. So, I wouldn't recommend going past 2-3 split notes because you will start to hit the synth sound we've all discovered when playing a violin section like an Organ (Although, this library does hold up better than most when played this way which says a lot). Despite that, this library can easily go from playing a full section at 5 voices (v1, v2, vla, vlc, cb) and split out to 9 voices very easily without losing a realistic balance. But, divisi writing is something you have to learn. It's not just simply splitting sections for the sake of it. It's the most useful in certain circumstances that comes with practice and listening to other composers who've done it well. 

We've seen how it works in Afflatus now. CC64 (Sustain Pedal) triggers the divisi section of the patch you are playing and this can be programmed to another CC if you'd like. So, performing with it is simple. Even if you don't understand how to effectively use divisi sections in your compositions, at least you can do one thing very easily. Go from playing a full section to a half sized section all within one patch with one simple push of a sustain pedal. The differences between the two are very noticeable and it can honestly add a lot of depth to a lead line when used properly. If anything, you have two sizes of sections with the same functionality to write with so the depth of this library is already pretty vast when you think of sonic characteristics of that alone. 

I hope that sheds a bit of light on the practical applications of the divisi feature in this library. 

Cheers,

Chris


----------



## AlexanderSchiborr

how is it with swirling string lines, runs, fast paced stress parts, unorthodox string writing melodic lines, so I speak of some real bogus writing where live strings shine and most samples just are meh... Any chance some demos cover this? Also bigger intervallic melody lines, hornerish like arrpegiating figures with bigger intervalls and faster tempo? Just curious..Thats something what I would like to see covered..


----------



## SoNowWhat?

StrezovSampling said:


> Good catch, but that's just the ensembles, not the individual sections we recorded. Demo 1 doesn't feature the Vintage Strings and there is way more content in the library than this list might suggest.


Holy four-letter-word Batman!!

Ok. Now I’m really, REALLY interested to see this released. And if the rest of the orchestra sounds as good, oh my goodness. I’m wondering will this be Strings, Woods, Brass only? Maybe Perc? Maybe choir?! Not expecting an answer George, just rhetorical questions.


----------



## Rob Elliott

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> how is it with swirling string lines, runs, fast paced stress parts, unorthodox string writing melodic lines, so I speak of some real bogus writing where live strings shine and most samples just are meh... Any chance some demos cover this? Also bigger intervallic melody lines, hornerish like arrpegiating figures with bigger intervalls and faster tempo? Just curious..Thats something what I would like to see covered..



Love to be proven wrong of course but from the vids/demos heard to date - it might struggle with most of this. Hence, the many libraries owned - BUT - loved to be shut down and proven wrong (with what might be a hasty evaluation.)


----------



## Hanu_H

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> how is it with swirling string lines, runs, fast paced stress parts, unorthodox string writing melodic lines, so I speak of some real bogus writing where live strings shine and most samples just are meh... Any chance some demos cover this? Also bigger intervallic melody lines, hornerish like arrpegiating figures with bigger intervalls and faster tempo? Just curious..Thats something what I would like to see covered..


If you look at the names of the ensemble patches that NoamL posted, there might be something for fast lines at least.

"Barbaric"
"Christmas"
"Contemporary"
"Ensemble Shorts"
"Heroine"
"Le Sacre"
"Lush"
"Minimalist" (featured in demo 2)
"Pop"
"Psychatto"
"Quartet Sfz"
"Red Army"
"Roof Chase"
"Shark Strings" :emoji_swimmer:
"The Mouse"
"Undercover"
"Vintage" (featured in demo 1?)

-Hannes


----------



## Tinesaeriel

I am so, so, _so _close to diving into this library full-tilt. 

From the demos and walkthroughs, I think it sounds outstanding, with a really gorgeous tone, and the programming is on point; I actually think the legatos here are pretty fine. For me, they're somewhere between CSS and Hollywood Strings, Hollywood being my second favorite strings library after CSS. I guess I'm just spoiled by how good the legato in CSS is (delay notwithstanding), so this library has a lot to live up to, but from the "Snowfall" demo, it seems to be doing really well in that regard! 

I'll have to hear how the other sections/styles/playing style patches(?) perform before I can really put my finger on it, but so far, I'm really loving what I'm hearing, and I can't wait to hear more. I absolutely love that this library has less vibrato than CSS, as that's one of the things I usually go to Hollywood Strings for whenever I want a break from CSS. 

Now, right now, I'm watching this release very closely, but there's one thing that would get me to instantly decide to buy the library: good string runs. Namely, runs that you can program in the notes yourself in the MIDI region. This is the main reason I keep Hollywood Strings around; the 1st Violins and Celli Repetitions Runs patch are absolutely the best virtual strings runs that I have, and if this library can come close to, match, or surpass that level, then it's an instant buy. 

I guess we'll see! Can't wait to hear and see more either way!

-Adam/Tines


----------



## midiman

The Darris said:


> Yes, that's why the approach taken with this library is to emulate the concept of a thicker section splitting which will then create a slightly thinner sound because the you are now using sampled from a smaller section. The one aspect, at least that I've found while reviewing this library, is that the volume balance of divisi to full is 2:1 so you can play two notes of the divisi line and get the same volume when playing one note of the full section. Now, anything past that and the complexities that you are describing here come into play. As I've said a few times already, the approach here is about keeping it simple and user friendly. This isn't Orchestral Strings Simulator 2018. You need to still use some common sense when writing with this library but because they kept things simple, it's far easier to create something that sounds great without much work.
> 
> I tested the divisi of this library by mocking up the first few pages of And Birds Are Still by Takashi Yoshimatsu. As you can see, the 1st Violins are split into 4 parts with a lot of doubled notes. This library can create this sound very easily but..but..you can't really get the nuances of that many parts split out due to note stacking. So, I wouldn't recommend going past 2-3 split notes because you will start to hit the synth sound we've all discovered when playing a violin section like an Organ (Although, this library does hold up better than most when played this way which says a lot). Despite that, this library can easily go from playing a full section at 5 voices (v1, v2, vla, vlc, cb) and split out to 9 voices very easily without losing a realistic balance. But, divisi writing is something you have to learn. It's not just simply splitting sections for the sake of it. It's the most useful in certain circumstances that comes with practice and listening to other composers who've done it well.
> 
> We've seen how it works in Afflatus now. CC64 (Sustain Pedal) triggers the divisi section of the patch you are playing and this can be programmed to another CC if you'd like. So, performing with it is simple. Even if you don't understand how to effectively use divisi sections in your compositions, at least you can do one thing very easily. Go from playing a full section to a half sized section all within one patch with one simple push of a sustain pedal. The differences between the two are very noticeable and it can honestly add a lot of depth to a lead line when used properly. If anything, you have two sizes of sections with the same functionality to write with so the depth of this library is already pretty vast when you think of sonic characteristics of that alone.
> 
> I hope that sheds a bit of light on the practical applications of the divisi feature in this library.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Chris



Chris, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful message. I think the divisi functionally that Afflatus gives us a great addition in terms of having different sizes, and I will certainly be buying this library.
Just to be clear, in my post I was in no way whatsoever putting down this divisi option in Afflatus, because having the option to use divisi with the pedal when doing chords is a nice option for sure.
I was just opposed to the idea that several people have that playing 3 notes of 12 violins equals 36 violins - That is all. But I am all for finding alternative solutions to come closer to what a live section sounds like, and when playing chords, using divisi seems like a great option in some cases. Having said that, I have tried other libraries that used divisi, and I must admit that it never sounded like real divisi in a room. Somehow in a room, even when you use divisi the sound is still pretty rich, whereas on libraries I heard, the sound can become a bit harsher and more strident. But I look forward to trying the feature out, and in my option what I heard so hard of Afflatus, I will most probably buy the library, if price in adequate. The multi polyphonic legato from the Strezov choirs was really excellent, so if it for sketching out quick ideas in polyphony, these strings may be the best in the market.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

I don't own any Strezov products, but i am impressed with their offerrings.

This one is pretty exciting.

Fun!!!


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Zoot_Rollo said:


> I don't own any Strezov products, but i am impressed with their offerrings.
> 
> This one is pretty exciting.
> 
> Fun!!!


I do and I love them (the ones I have). 
Of course YMMV, and staying objective as possible but I do like very much what I'm hearing so far from this library. Want to see more yet (and a few posters have suggested this above).


----------



## JanR

midiman said:


> I agree completely. The Mathematics of acoustics and sampling are not linear like that. It is a very complex thing actually. So the theory of "3 notes of 12 violins = 36 violins playing" is nonsensical, because it just does not sound like that. The sampling world is a different realm to the live acoustic world, and ultimately the ears are the best judge when making stacking decisions. If it sounds good, that is what matters.


I agree here, playing sampled instruments is not about math but all about timbre. Playing 12 solo violins together will still sound like 12 solo violins and will not have the timbre of a section playing together. Same goes for different section sizes, it doesn’t change the timbre no matter how many notes you play simultaneously.
Even when combining libraries. Alex Pfeffer posted once a Strings test and asked people what it was, because he was working on something new. I swore it was CSS just like a lot of other people. Some people thought it was a new string library. Turns out it was 4 existing libraries stacked together. Still sounded like normal size section..


----------



## samplestuff

New Video

From what I can tell so far:

-Minimal Strings has 6 Violins plus divisi
-Scene d'amour has 5 Violins
-Babaric Strings = Col Legno with Sticks
-Avantgarde Strings = 40 String Ensemble


Happy Halloween everyone!


----------



## Oliver

i have to say i am very impressed!
i am glad that i didnt buy any big libraries the last days, so that i can actually buy this one!

haunting, beautiful and great!


----------



## Rob Elliott

Please, please provide a walkthrough showing us what is in fact in the library so that we can access if it compliments the tools we already own. Looking forward to it.


----------



## Strezov

Yes, walkthroughs will be out in the next few days - as we're posting those quick playthroughs we're also finishing the NKS implementation of the library.


----------



## Rob Elliott

Great news George on the walkthrus. Thanks.


----------



## mcpepe

I don't have any string library. Do you think this will be a good library to start? I know we dont have all the info, but it seems this library cover various styles. But we have not seen some articulations as pizzicato or tremolos.


----------



## NoamL

Honestly the "Le Sacre" patch is not amazing me with its legato transitions & release tails. Maybe it sounds better with slower playing? I'm curious what that patch is all about because when I think of TROS I think about the woodwinds, especially the odd winds like alto flute and eb clarinet.

Looking past the "Le Sacre" patch though this demo shows off some really nice bitey staccatos and truly unique avante-garde articulations. And what's impressive is the avante-garde clusters and bends aren't "one shots" or "evos" imported in from another library, they fit with everything else AND actually sound like they were recorded in situ AND they are deeply controllable. The Avante Garde Stacs sound particularly great.


----------



## Rob Elliott

NoamL said:


> Honestly the "Le Sacre" patch is not amazing me with its legato transitions & release tails. Maybe it sounds better with slower playing? I'm curious what that patch is all about because when I think of TROS I think about the woodwinds, especially the odd winds like alto flute and eb clarinet.
> 
> Looking past the "Le Sacre" patch though this demo shows off some really nice bitey staccatos and truly unique avante-garde articulations. And what's impressive is the avante-garde clusters and bends aren't "one shots" or "evos" imported in from another library, they fit with everything else AND actually sound like they were recorded in situ AND they are deeply controllable. The Avante Garde Stacs sound particularly great.


I would agree with the plusses PAST the patch legato transitions transgressions  - besides that there is some good stuff going on here.


----------



## artomatic

Just release it already!


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

artomatic said:


> Just release it already!


Well, we're gonna need more info. Content, size, price, articulations etc.


----------



## JGRaynaud

mcpepe said:


> But we have not seen some articulations as pizzicato or tremolos.


Not in the midi walkthroughs, but you can hear tremolos and some pizzicato in the teaser music.


NoamL said:


> Honestly the "Le Sacre" patch is not amazing me with its legato transitions & release tails.



Le Sacre is not a legato patch so it's normal


----------



## Jack Weaver

So NoamL.....

Are we likely to get a Thanos-type Logic fix for this library's timing issues? 

Yes, Thanos is magnificent and Beyond portends well. 

.


----------



## NoamL

Jack Weaver said:


> So NoamL.....
> 
> Are we likely to get a Thanos-type Logic fix for this library's timing issues?
> 
> Yes, Thanos is magnificent and Beyond portends well.
> 
> .



Don't think you'll need it!

Looking carefully at the 2nd demo the notes are all budged before the beat by the same distance. So just put a negative track delay on there and it should be fine.


----------



## Strezov

Note to self - never post a track right after Jean-Gabriel and Nathan ))

Le Sacre doesn't have legatos. It is actually a tenuto shorts patch with adaptive releases and old-school vibrato. And as far as legato - we tried to capture different speeds too, so for instance the minimalist strings are the slowest of all patches.

Tomorrow I'll start with the walkthroughs, I promise


----------



## artinro

Strezov said:


> Note to self - never post a track right after Jean-Gabriel and Nathan ))
> 
> Le Sacre doesn't have legatos. It is actually a tenuto shorts patch with adaptive releases and old-school vibrato. And as far as legato - we tried to capture different speeds too, so for instance the minimalist strings are the slowest of all patches.
> 
> Tomorrow I'll start with the walkthroughs, I promise



Great news, George. Very much looking foward to your walkthrough!


----------



## Emmanuel Rousseau

Strezov said:


> Note to self - never post a track right after Jean-Gabriel and Nathan ))
> 
> Le Sacre doesn't have legatos. It is actually a tenuto shorts patch with adaptive releases and old-school vibrato. And as far as legato - we tried to capture different speeds too, so for instance the minimalist strings are the slowest of all patches.
> 
> Tomorrow I'll start with the walkthroughs, I promise



George, please don't take my comment for yourself in case you did ! That really wasn't my point


----------



## NoamL

Same from me! I'm definitely looking forward to the walkthroughs


----------



## Leo

Strezov said:


> Note to self - never post a track right after Jean-Gabriel and Nathan ))
> 
> Le Sacre doesn't have legatos. It is actually a tenuto shorts patch with adaptive releases and old-school vibrato. And as far as legato - we tried to capture different speeds too, so for instance the minimalist strings are the slowest of all patches.
> 
> Tomorrow I'll start with the walkthroughs, I promise


George, I enjoy your track very much! Is fresh, and sound from your new library is just great.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Goldie Zwecker said:


> Well, we're gonna need more info. price, etc.



would you pay...






?


----------



## JEPA

please don't rush.. take your time! do it the best string library ever!


----------



## Consona

Just yesterday my dentist told me my new tooth will cost me more than I have on my bank account, just when something like this library appears. F***ing hell.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Consona said:


> Just yesterday my dentist told me my new tooth will cost me more than I have on my bank account, just when something like this library appears. F***ing hell.


Yeah. I can relate. Not at this specific time but had similar prior experience. 

But it wasn’t a dentist. 

Ok, so my experience was completely different and I have no idea why I brought it up in the first place.


----------



## Consona

The important thing is, you can relate.


----------



## Random Guy

I would think that this library is going to be around $399 or more.


----------



## mcpepe

Please! Make it available for Kontakt Player!


----------



## Emmanuel Rousseau

mcpepe said:


> Please! Make it available for Kontakt Player!


----------



## mcpepe

whitewasteland said:


>


Great!


----------



## Heledir

Sections Walkthrough: 


Sounds rather good to me.


----------



## erica-grace

Heledir said:


> Sections Walkthrough:
> 
> 
> Sounds rather good to me.




This sounds really good. 

I just don't know of this offers me something that I don't already have.


----------



## dhlkid

How much will it be


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

at first blush, sounds good to me as well.

fast shorts?

in the market - watching.


----------



## star.keys

There is some emotion baked into the samples... Watching this space


----------



## samplestuff

I think the price point will be about €399 for the introductory pricing and €549 after that period.


----------



## NoamL

It looks like the main library is 12/10/8/8/6 with half size divisi sections (the "Chamber Strings" patches - except no divisi for basses).

Very nice sound and convincing legato transitions. Dynamic range seems fairly limited. Polyphonic legato looks amazing! And the minimalist strings (especially the glassy, cold harmonics) are a great sound.

I'll guess between $400 and $800 for the price... this is going to be quite a bit larger than CSS in sample size I think. Check out the RAM impact when the full+divisi legatos are loaded.


----------



## Hanu_H

I really like the sound and the idea, but I am getting a bit worried about the price. I am not sure if I am ready to pay 400€ or more on a string library with only basic articulations for most sections. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all to record so many different styles and sizes and put them together. I am sure everyone will find their favorite and soon they'll wish more articulations for that. Love how the spiccatos sound though! More walkthroughs please.

-Hannes


----------



## LamaRose

That walkthrough was impressive.


----------



## Fry777

In the YouTube comment section of this video, George answered that the lib would be sold within the usual price range for their product line. Their most expensive lib is like 350-400$ I suppose ?


----------



## Saxer

I really like the idea of different playing styles and section sizes of the same players in the same room. I like the sound too, especially the chamber sized sections.


----------



## Ihnoc

Being honest, I am a little deflated now. I appreciate the sordino emulation not being on those recorded specifically with sordino, but why isn't it on _all_ the other patches? The divisi is amazing but isn't carried through all the patches. The scene d'amour recordings are lovely, but are only violins and violas. I've become a real stickler for consistency, especially in string libraries and it's this kind of thing that turns me off.

Having said that, these are some wonderful augmentations to other libraries - perhaps that is the point; this isn't a core string library, this is an addition to something you already own (CSS comes to mind) for specific moments and colours. I especially like the sound of the violas throughout.


----------



## alfred tapscott

c'mon!. People already complaining...It seems to me it's got a ton of options and they tried to cover lots of ground. 

I'm all after being friendly and quick, my young years of nerd programming went past some time ago...and seems this can get decent results without loosing an afternoon programming some counterpoint, wanna know more!. 

Also see how does it deal with the delay on the legato transitions, etc...I will many times end up recording real guys so I need to keep things quantized, and it's hard to make it sound real on many libraries, adventure strings have that great option of humanizing notes that are quantized...let's see how real this can sound without much midi tweaking!

Good job Strezov!


----------



## Eptesicus

Sounds quite good. Not the most convincing legato. However, this might be because it is seemingly quite a dry library from what i can hear in that walkthrough. Some external reverb may spice it up and make the legato sound more natural.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

The viola sounds very nice.

Viola is becoming my new fave of the quartet.


----------



## Sid Francis

Yes, the violas sound really good and that is rare!


----------



## Lionel Schmitt

It sounds great overall, and great features! Polyphonic legato is something that is highly appreciate.

But... a lot of the samples have just a little bit to little vibrato for me. Mostly talking about the violins. Just a bit... I'm very particular about this - and I'd rather have to much vibrato than to little. I would've thought the "lush violins" kick in with more "soaring" vibrato...
Funnily I find the Minimal Strings section (love those!) to have the best amount of vibrato, not too much not to little. That of course also takes in consideration the dynamic range. They're for lower dynamics and I prefer less vibrato on lower layers.

I'll also jump on the violas appreciation boat, they sound great. In many sample libraries I don't like them so much...


----------



## Casiquire

alfred tapscott said:


> c'mon!. People already complaining...



Well that does sound like us, doesn't it lol

Truth be told I see the complaints and they're perfectly valid, but if you feel that way then it isn't the library for you. It's that simple, the library is designed for some particular tasks and sounds and no library is perfect for everyone. This sounds great to my ears!


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Casiquire said:


> Well that does sound like us, doesn't it lol
> 
> Truth be told I see the complaints and they're perfectly valid, but if you feel that way then it isn't the library for you. It's that simple, the library is designed for some particular tasks and sounds and no library is perfect for everyone. This sounds great to my ears!



i've been looking for a supplemental ensemble library with V1 and V2 that sounds good.

the limited divisi and probably limited fast run capability is OK with me.

depending on the price, could be just the thing.


----------



## Hanu_H

I am not really complaining just saying what I think. I still might buy this if the price is right and rest of the library sounds good to me.

-Hannes


----------



## Lionel Schmitt




----------



## Zoot_Rollo

DarkestShadow said:


>




oh my.


----------



## Lionel Schmitt

The audio problems on the Avantgarde demos will be fixed ASAP, according to Strezov Sampling.

Meanwhile, turn down the volume around 5:45.


----------



## samplestuff

https://www.strezov-sampling.com/products/view/afflatus-chapter-I-strings.html

It has been released! 

€649.00 intro. €799.00 regular price.


----------



## NoamL

$738 and $908 for Americans.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Ark 2

Afflatus

Ark 2

Afflatus


----------



## samplestuff

https://www.strezov-sampling.com/data/uploads/products/67b5f1fbbb96adfdf374a7b527e5f976.pdf

PDF


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Well...I know George said there would be crossgrade pricing for Strezov customers so, I hope I get something or that’s really out of my budget range at the moment. Categorically NOT a reflection on the product or Strezov or whether I think it’s worth it.


----------



## Lionel Schmitt

Demos here! 


Scene D'Amour (Undressed) - the title makes me smile a bit haha 
And Jean Cedric Raynaglio


----------



## sostenuto

714.51 USD even for possible Crossgrade …. 

_Imogen Heap luvs Macabre Solo Strings …. Budget will handle that _

Stress & GAS now gone. C'mon BlkFri !!


----------



## samplestuff

SoNowWhat? said:


> Well...I know George said there would be crossgrade pricing for Strezov customers so, I hope I get something or that’s really out of my budget range at the moment. Categorically NOT a reflection on the product or Strezov or whether I think it’s worth it.



*Crossgrade Discounts available upon Login*
*
Someone mentioned that it was €629 with the crossgrade.*


----------



## zimm83

Zoot_Rollo said:


> Ark 2
> 
> Afflatus
> 
> Ark 2
> 
> Afflatus


+1


----------



## samplestuff

DarkestShadow said:


> Demos here!
> 
> 
> Scene D'Amour (Undressed) - the title makes me smile a bit haha
> And Jean Cedric Raynaglio




You mean demo? 

I think it doesn't load the whole list.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

samplestuff said:


> https://www.strezov-sampling.com/data/uploads/products/67b5f1fbbb96adfdf374a7b527e5f976.pdf
> 
> PDF



not disappointed!


----------



## NoamL

my guess was pretty accurate for better or worse.

65 GB installed on disk (compare with CSS @35GB, or Adventure Strings at just 3 GB)
$740 intro price going to $900 at the end of the month (real price is in Euros so that may change) - comparable to current price of Berlin Strings at $950, or LASS 2.5 which was on perpetual "sales" for most of 2017 at $700-$900.
the amount of articulations & patches is huge. This is definitely worth the price if you have a blank slate. I think it will be a tougher choice for those of us who already own lots of libraries.


----------



## Bill the Lesser

That's well out of my "buy on spec" range, which is about $400. If a job comes along that's a good fit for the lib, then it's worth even the "normal" price. Otherwise not. 

It's a gorgeous sounding lib with an impressive sound all neatly bundled up in a single package, and of course the demos invoke an awesome promise. But I can with some effort reach most of that through stuff I already have, and the sound is far removed from what my few paying clients ask of me. Unfortunately what I like and what I'm asked to do are in a minor second relationship for the near future.


(Sorry, I'm feeling rational today. I'll get over it.)


----------



## cola2410

Vintage Strings patch in the Ensembles demo - this is what I've never heard before from any strings library, no question for me.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Bill the Lesser said:


> ...Unfortunately what I like and what I'm asked to do are in a minor second relationship for the near future.
> 
> 
> (Sorry, I'm felling rational today. I'll get over it.)


I can relate to this in my day job too. And I can relate generally to the last bit. It will pass.


----------



## erica-grace

NoamL said:


> $740 intro price going to $900 at the end of the month (real price is in Euros so that may change) -



That $900 is more like $960-970. The price you see on those exchange websites is not what you actually pay as an individual. Only if you are a bank doing a huge transaction.


----------



## Lionel Schmitt

samplestuff said:


> You mean demo?
> 
> I think it doesn't load the whole list.



Yea...  Evil website this...


----------



## JEPA

i think nobody is doubting if Strezov Sampling deserve or has the right to put this price to the library, in my opinion this library is worth the price... BUT business strategies for the average customer would be something affordable just near Black Friday or Christmas... Some are calling for modular or just like Spitfire with Studio Session Strings with two options, core and advanced


----------



## prodigalson

Im usually not one to complain about pricing of a library. I feel like if it's something worth having, it's something worth paying for and also understand the costs and time that go into libraries like this. However, I can't help but wonder if it was a mistake for them to price it this high. I, personally, unfortunately am an easy target most of the time and I'm out at this price point. Not because I think it's objectively too expensive but simply because after watching the walkthroughs I just can't help but feel like I can get close enough to these sounds with what I currently have that I can't justify $700. Now, if it was priced just $200 cheaper I think I'd be all in. And there's where I wonder the mistake is on their part. Of course, $500 is arguably less than it's objectively worth but if they tripled their sales at $500, they could double their gross.

I'm sure George and his team have done the math and worked out what they think is the sweet spot for this library and I may well be (and hope I am) wrong. But like I said...I'm a relatively easy target and I'm out...


----------



## quantum7

Dang, too $ rich for my blood.....and I just spent nearly $8k on a Moog, btw. I have too many killer string libs to fork out that kind of moola for yet another, but I do wish Strezov much success their fine library!


----------



## Hanu_H

Sounds amazing and there is a lot of great content, but the price is just too much for me at the moment. I was a bit afraid that the price would be something like this when I saw the first walkthrough video. It's just really hard to combine so many different section sizes and moods in a one huge library with a cheap price. I think it would have been better to leave some of the sections out and record more articulations for the main ones to make it more comprehensive. Maybe some day, with a good deal, I will buy it. Strezov is a great developer and I really want to hear what they will do with brass and woodwinds...

-Hannes


----------



## Bill the Lesser

prodigalson said:


> Im usually not one to complain about pricing of a library. I feel like if it's something worth having, it's something worth paying for and also understand the costs and time that go into libraries like this. However, I can't help but wonder if it was a mistake for them to price it this high. I, personally, unfortunately am an easy target most of the time and I'm out at this price point. Not because I think it's objectively too expensive but simply because after watching the walkthroughs I just can't help but feel like I can get close enough to these sounds with what I currently have that I can't justify $700. Now, if it was priced just $200 cheaper I think I'd be all in. And there's where I wonder the mistake is on their part. Of course, $500 is arguably less than it's objectively worth but if they tripled their sales at $500, they could double their gross.
> 
> I'm sure George and his team have done the math and worked out what they think is the sweet spot for this library and I may well be (and hope I am) wrong. But like I said...I'm a relatively easy target and I'm out...


That's very well stated, thanks. I think it's important for the likes of us to push back politely but firmly when we feel pushed out.

I can't find numbers on VI purchases, but it's worth noting that the musical instrument market in the US is very nearly $2,000,000,000. That's "billion" with a "b." That makes me suspicious that the market for software instruments must be at least a few tens of millions. Does anybody have hard numbers? I know the numbers of people visiting sites like this is very large indeed, we are not in anything like a tiny, niche market.

I think the famous Economics 101 "price/profit" bell curve could inflect a whole lot lower than anyone suspects when applied to VIs. We're seeing some inkling of that from Spitfire, NI, and others that spend a lot of time mucking around in, and appealing to, the passionate-amateur and pro-summer markets that are becoming a much larger part of the user base. The Black Friday phenomenon also supports that...the pros buy during the year, but the real sales come at the end of the year. That's a nice price-supporting conceit, I guess, but may not be in the best interest of any of the parties involved.


----------



## FinGael

I'm out too. Too much for my suffering wallet (already decided to buy it after watching the walkthroughs...)

Congrats for a great sounding library. I really like the concept and the versatility, and hopefully am able to buy it some day.


----------



## Mike Fox

Fry777 said:


> In the YouTube comment section of this video, George answered that the lib would be sold within the usual price range for their product line. Their most expensive lib is like 350-400$ I suppose ?


So much for that. I definitely won't be buying now.

What's crazy is that this is only Chapter 1. I can only imagine what the cost will be for the complete set.


----------



## gjelul

Sounds good!

However, I am out. Expensive for another addition to the rest of the string libraries I have. Had it been something like $499 or similiar it would have - maybe - push me over the fence.

Nice collection though for somoene looking to expand their string libraries.


----------



## Wolf68

I am out, too. That Price is crazy.


----------



## Mason

Wolf68 said:


> I am out, too. That Price is crazy.



It's not exactly crazy when you think about:
Berlin Strings: €840.- + expansions for €918 = €1758
Spitfire Symphonic Strings: €799


----------



## MillsMixx

Listening back to the ensemble video it's a beautiful library but I have to agree that this is something I can't afford as well so I'm out too. Not saying it's not worth it, just I can't afford it in one go.

I own pretty much all the other Strezov libraries, all their choirs, Balkan Ethnic Orchestra, etc and my crossgrade discount with intro price offer is still 675.00 USD.

I'm thinking that's the lowest it will ever be, something I would never be able to justify, but man, hats off to some superb sounding strings!


----------



## Hanu_H

Mason said:


> It's not exactly crazy when you think about:
> Berlin Strings: €840.- + expansions for €918 = €1758
> Spitfire Symphonic Strings: €799


I think the problem is that even if Afflatus has a lot of content, it doesn't have the different articulations that Berlin Strings, Spitfire, etc, has. Because of that it's more of an addon library than a bread and butter library. I think there is a lot of nice sounds but also a lot of patches I would not use. And some of the patches cover same kind of ground. With a cheaper price, I would buy it and use it side by side with my other string libraries, but with this price...not possible. And if you look at Berlin Strings articulation list, you can't really compare them...

-Hannes


----------



## Pontus Rufelt

Hans Zimmer Strings is roughly 640 Euros (excluding VAT). The pricing for Afflatus is not in any way out of this world or unheard of. It's very reasonable if you ask me.


----------



## Hanu_H

Pontus Rufelt said:


> Hans Zimmer Strings is roughly 640 Euros (excluding VAT). The pricing for Afflatus is not in any way out of this world or unheard of. It's very reasonable if you ask me.


It all depens. I think Hans Zimmer Strings are way overpriced as well. If you take the name out of it, it leaves you a decent library with limited articulations and usability. Both have great sound, no arguing there. But compared to the competition, I think they are overpriced.

-Hannes


----------



## Mike Fox

Mason said:


> It's not exactly crazy when you think about:
> Berlin Strings: €840.- + expansions for €918 = €1758
> Spitfire Symphonic Strings: €799


Sample libraries are only worth what people will pay for them. The majority of comments thus far seem to be echoing the same thing: Afflatus is too expensive. I'm not sure If I've ever read a thread on here that developed such a significant influx of trending comments upon the release of a new library (HZ strings maybe?), especially a string library.

Regardless, Afflatus is a beautiful sounding library, and probably will be worth the price for some.


----------



## Pontus Rufelt

I'd love for things to be cheaper, but these things cost A LOT to develop. The Spitfire Studio Strings are cheaper but don't offer such a multitude of genre-inspired styles of legato, shorts etc. Hans Zimmer Strings has one legato and one type of normal short. All of this considered, I think it's very reasonable pricing.


----------



## Mason

Mike Fox said:


> Sample libraries are only worth what people will pay for them. The majority of comments thus far seem to be echoing the same thing: Afflatus is too expensive. I'm not sure If I've ever read a thread on here that developed such a significant influx of trending comments upon the release of a new library (HZ strings maybe?), especially a string library.
> 
> Regardless, Afflatus is a beautiful sounding library, and probably will be worth the price for some.



I’m not considering this library myself much because of the price and because I have so many string libraries. But I’m not saying it’s crazy or unreasonable.


----------



## NoamL

Hanu_H said:


> I think the problem is that even if Afflatus has a lot of content, it doesn't have the different articulations that Berlin Strings, Spitfire, etc, has. Because of that it's more of an addon library than a bread and butter library. I think there is a lot of nice sounds but also a lot of patches I would not use. And some of the patches cover same kind of ground. With a cheaper price, I would buy it and use it side by side with my other string libraries, but with this price...not possible. And if you look at Berlin Strings articulation list, you can't really compare them...
> 
> -Hannes



No, I think there's a communication/branding problem here.

As an example, just looking at the main library someone might think "well didn't they record col legnos?" they did, it's just called "Barbaric Strings" in the Ensembles folder. They even recorded col legnos in octaves _and_ col legnos in unison with spiccatos. What doesn't make sense to do is record col legnos divisi and separately for each string section, so they didn't do that, so it looks like col legno is "missing" from the main library even though it's not. 

This library actually has more variations of short-note articulations than either Spitfire Symphonic Strings or Cinematic Studio Strings. It has about eight from what I can see. It's just that they're spread across different folders and instrument playing style names.

Now you could argue that the library is less cohesive than e.g. CSS because the different short note articulations are all recorded with varying sizes of ensembles. But I think they are quite cohesive, it all sounds like the same musicians in the same space, and the ensemble size is _part_ of achieving the playing style. For example for light, brushed short strings you probably want a smaller ensemble, so the "Heroine" Strings are recorded with a 22 piece ensemble. For big epic tenutos and marcatos there's the "Red Army" 50 piece string ensemble.

No argument from me about the price, it's still quite high, but I think people are still under-rating what they _get_ for the price.

I think this library will work fine for anyone as a bread & butter starting strings library. I look at the articulation list in CSS and I see it all matched in Afflatus. Slow legato, check. Medium legato, portamento, pizzicato, several lengths of short notes, harmonics, tremolo, trills, all check. All that I really miss from Afflatus in this regard is a patch for very fast string lines, and that doesn't seem to be part of the design.


----------



## Pontus Rufelt

NoamL said:


> No, I think there's a communication/branding problem here.
> 
> As an example, just looking at the main library someone might think "well didn't they record col legnos?" they did, it's just called "Barbaric Strings" in the Ensembles folder. They even recorded col legnos in octaves _and_ col legnos in unison with spiccatos.
> 
> This library actually has more variations of short-note articulations than either Spitfire Symphonic Strings or Cinematic Studio Strings. It has about eight from what I can see. It's just that they're spread across different folders and instrument playing style names.
> 
> Now you could argue that the library is less cohesive than e.g. CSS because the different short note articulations are all recorded with varying sizes of ensembles. But I think they are quite cohesive, it all sounds like the same musicians in the same space, and the ensemble size is _part_ of achieving the playing style. For example for light, brushed short strings you probably want a smaller ensemble, so the "Heroine" Strings are recorded with a 22 piece ensemble. For big epic tenutos and marcatos there's the "Red Army" 50 piece string ensemble.
> 
> No argument from me about the price, it's still quite high, but I think people are still under-rating what they _get_ for the price.



This. 

It looks like this library does a lot of things that other libraries don't, or don't do very well, too. I love the focus on capturing different styles/genres rather than trying to make an all-encompassing library. Really fills in a lot of blanks instead of being "another string library".


----------



## Mike Fox

Pontus Rufelt said:


> This.
> 
> It looks like this library does a lot of things that other libraries don't, or don't do very well, too. I love the focus on capturing different styles/genres rather than trying to make an all-encompassing library. Really fills in a lot of blanks instead of being "another string library".


That's what I also love about the library. The horror aspects are just awesome.


----------



## Casiquire

I agree that this library is worth the price, but they should provide "steps" up to the full library. That's how I worked up to LASS Full, three hundred bucks at a time. Much easier to justify to myself despite not being any better at all mathematically or logically


----------



## Mike Fox

Mason said:


> I’m not considering this library myself much because of the price and because I have so many string libraries. But I’m not saying it’s crazy or unreasonable.


Generally speaking I definitely don't think the price is crazy either, but it would be crazy for me to spend that kind of money on it. I just wouldn't be able to justify it.


----------



## Mike Fox

Casiquire said:


> I agree that this library is worth the price, but they should provide "steps" up to the full library. That's how I worked up to LASS Full, three hundred bucks at a time. Much easier to justify to myself despite not being any better at all mathematically or logically


I think they already did, because this is "Chapter 1" (unless the other Chapters will be different orchestra sections). I know what you mean though. I would loved to have seen different sections of this library for sale.


----------



## artomatic

NoamL said:


> All that I really miss from Afflatus in this regard is a patch for very fast string lines, and that doesn't seem to be part of the design.




Portamemto is missing. Quite essential, especially when using the vintage patches (ala Henry Mancini) and Scene d' Amour, etc.


----------



## AlexanderSchiborr

Hm, the price is going so more the the premium pricing section here for me and while I have no complain about the price I feel the library is just for me too specific and doesn´t cover things which I find at that price reasonable to have also articulation wise. I like the sound of the library but just for my personal taste the whole concept seems to me too specific aimed to specific writing instead of using it in order to handle it like classic concept string library (eg. thinking of Berlin Strings, or Spitfire symphonic strings). I had a few question regarding in how agile the library is and listening to all the demos so far tells me: you have to stick to certain styles and ways for what the library is designed for though that is cool it is just personally for me also a bit limiting at the same time. I remembered that I asked if the library can also do faster stuff and I got no answer in the other thread whatsoever.


----------



## Craig Sharmat

My guess is eventually like 8dio did who also took a stylistic approach to strings is an add-on for fast strings will probably be added at some point. 8dio's initial strings could not handle fast lines but Agitato answered that.


----------



## Mystic

I can't complain much about the price. Part of me is happy we're seeing more "premium" products coming into the field that will end up being more exclusive to the professional crowd. I think this thing covers a lot of ground for specific sounds that other libraries haven't.

I'm still debating. It's going to be this or Ark 4 for me this year but Ark hasn't been confirmed at this point and they just released a huge library.


----------



## NoamL

artomatic said:


> Portamemto is missing. Quite essential, especially when using the vintage patches (ala Henry Mancini) and Scene d' Amour, etc.



imo portamento & col legno are the least essential among articulations that VI people seem to consider "essential" but your mileage may vary


----------



## Michael Antrum

I think the issue here is that most of us contributing to this thread already own a fairly comprehensive collection of string libraries, and so the pricing of this new library becomes problematic for many when they look down the left hand side of their copy of Kontakt and see how many string libraries they already own, and consider what they can achieve with what they already have.

Has anyone noticed how a certain other company has been offering a range of low priced 'specialist' string libraries in the £ 200-300 price range - and at that cost these libraries start to become an impulse purchase. At the current price, even the introductory price, this new library is a more of a carefully considered purchase.

Is it worth the money ? Well that's for everyone to judge for themselves, but I'm sure that a tremendous amount of skill and care went into its creation, and at the end fo the day, the market will decide.

But it sure does sound very nice indeed.


----------



## Pontus Rufelt

Been playing around with it now for a while. Definitely impressed. The variety of shorts alone makes it worth the price. Pulls off a lot of passages that aren't easily done with more traditional libraries and that is worth a lot.


----------



## zimm83

Pontus Rufelt said:


> Been playing around with it now for a while. Definitely impressed. The variety of shorts alone makes it worth the price. Pulls off a lot of passages that aren't easily done with more traditional libraries and that is worth a lot.


And the polylegato and divisi are worth the price.


----------



## Nicola74

Pontus Rufelt said:


> Been playing around with it now for a while. Definitely impressed. The variety of shorts alone makes it worth the price. Pulls off a lot of passages that aren't easily done with more traditional libraries and that is worth a lot.


How is the dynamic range of the legato patches with modulation wheel? Is it possible to use breath controller instead mod. wheel?


----------



## Leo

"*I Have a Dream*"
and now I have one good news and one bad news.
good news - Strezov realizing a great library..................


----------



## Nicola74

Leo said:


> "*I Have a Dream*"
> and now I have one good news and one bad news.
> good news - Strezov realizing a great library..................


Suspance...


----------



## Leo

Nicola74 said:


> Suspance...


bad news: again I will be poor


----------



## zimm83

Leo said:


> bad news: again I will be poor


ME too but i must buy this because of the sound and the polylegato. Apart from LAss and SSStrings , no lib had poly legatos. Now THIS one has it and the auto divisi.
I've been waiting for that for years (didn't want to buy LAss or SSstrings....cause of .....).
But i will go for this one. New concept. And fabulous sound.


----------



## alfred tapscott

Just a couple questions for the ones who pulled the trigger 

Can anybody say how does it deal with the delayed legato response? I mean...can we quantize and just delay the whole track and the begginings and mid-legato sections will sound more or less on place?. CSS and the rest will have a much bigger delay in the transitions than the begginings, and for us that record real orch after and we need starts and ends of notes quantized for later orchestration it's an issue if not. 

I believe very fast legato melodies still are not possible. 

And also...what about the quiet parts?. I hear a lot of loud stuff, but do the really subtle ppp things work nice?. 

And last one...can the spicattos work very fast? I hear more of a heavier stac feel in the demos than really agile spic lines. Maybe I am mistaken and missed some of them...

Thank you very much! I'm very much looking forward to it


----------



## Drundfunk

Well the price is pretty steep indeed. In the end I've given up trying to understand this. The market itself is way too confusing lately. First you have all these sales where you get a lot of things for a fraction of the original price, and even then you realize some of it is way too overpriced to begin with. Then you have releases of libraries which are amazing and seem to be more than reasonably priced (Genesis? How did that price even happen?). And then you have libraries where the price point is way too high to be attractive, and you can only hope that the developer actually makes their money back. Well sound is great, so I wish them the very best, but just looking at my list of string libraries.....Guess I'll just use those


----------



## procreative

Putting the price aside for one moment, one thing I am struggling with is how you could manage using this library practically?

It seems generally many of the patches are standalone with little switching between articulations and it generally seems to consist of Sustain/Legato variations.

To me it seems lacking some way of creating a master patch (think Capsule) and I worry that with so much material (first world problems...) writing with this would require deep knowledge of what is in there and some kind of idea of the approach you want to ensure you pick the right patch.

Especially as many are named as themes, which on the surface sounds clever but relies on getting the meanings.

It sounds very good, the price is high but only if you are comparing against what you have. Adding First Chairs does improve the value a lot however.

I suspect the main cause of discomfort for many was the reference to pricing being on par with other titles by them. BTW the crossgrade only saves about €15 from what I can see (but maybe that is a permanent saving vs just during intro).


----------



## Sovereign

I looked at the articulation list and the legatos/sustains mostly have two dynamics at best and no legato repetition samples either? That's somewhat of a disappointment for me at least to be honest.


----------



## StrezovSampling

procreative said:


> I suspect the main cause of discomfort for many was the reference to pricing being on par with other titles by them. BTW the crossgrade only saves about €15 from what I can see (but maybe that is a permanent saving vs just during intro).



It's a permanent discount. The more products you own from us the less it costs. We think this is a fair approach and way better than regular sales. Same thing when you own Wotan and want to buy Freyja for example. It will automatically reduce the price if you are logged into your account.


----------



## procreative

StrezovSampling said:


> It's a permanent discount. The more products you own from us the less it costs. We think this is a fair approach and way better than regular sales. Same thing when you own Wotan and want to buy Freyja for example. It will automatically reduce the price if you are logged into your account.



On the subject of articulations/styles, is there any likelihood of some way to group bowings? I appreciate there may be scripting/sample group technicalities, but making Kontakt multis can be as much of a pain.

I am still on the fence, but more from a usefulness perspective. There is a lot of great features and some lovely stuff in here. But it does come across like the majority is in the Legato realm.

That makes i more niche somehow and makes the cost more relevant. Especially for those with many strings libraries already. But its a tough one as it is still an amazing sounding library!


----------



## Consona

From the walkthroughs I gathered that there's so much niche stuff I'd most probably never use, plus I think there will be some special and interesting short articulations in SI's Hyperion Elements that will have intro price like $100-150, and I think even the full version will start around $200-250, so...

More so I believe @Soundiron Team could make a specialized weird articulations strings library accompaniment to their Hyperion line (in case that stuff is not in the full lib already, since in the teaser videos we could hear those Herrmann spiccati already) that could again has the intro prize like, dunno, $100-150 max? I mean Hyperion Micro was $40, 6 articulations with multiple dyn layers and RRs, nuff said...


----------



## AdamAlake

StrezovSampling said:


> way better than regular sales



I would take a limited time 40% discount over a permanent 20 euro discount any day to be honest.


----------



## sostenuto

Amen !!! Several other string and other pricey Intros out there recently, with BlkFri couple weeks away.
I applaud the Provider, but this is not a 'simple' offering to sort, much like SF_EWC, and some others.
Still hesitant now, but would have invested -40% Intro, after very early impressions.

SF_ Chamber Strings is in comparable price range, is one of top BlkFri targets, and fully expect something close to 40% promo.


----------



## Saxer

I had only 10 minutes to try the library before I had to leave but I can already say: sounds great and the lush legatos are very playable. Slow, fast and really fast!


----------



## procreative

AdamAlake said:


> I would take a limited time 40% discount over a permanent 20 euro discount any day to be honest.



Except that is an incorrect statement, sure during intro the discount is fairly small, but when it goes to full price of €799 the crossgrade price will still be somewhere from €580-629 depending what you own of theirs.


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## The Darris

AdamAlake said:


> I would take a limited time 40% discount over a permanent 20 euro discount any day to be honest.


It's about customer loyalty, not just a huge invitation to buy in. Some developers prefer to reward their returning customers whilst others prefer to draw them in. These cross grades stack with the more libraries you own so for those incredibly loyal customers, I think you can end up getting this for 550 euros which would be over 30% off retail which is pretty generous for a new product. 

I've been around in the sampling industry long enough to see developers start with this type of program and migrate to another program and in the process, they ended up hurting their loyal customers. So, to avoid that, I would expect Strezov Sampling isn't planning on changing their intro-pricing/cross grading system because they have built up a pretty loyal customer base of composers. I have reviewed and bought libraries from Strezov since they've been around and I can say that their focus has always been about creating something that fills the gaps in this industry and not with sub par software but with something that pushes the envelop of what has been done and they do it better, (re; Polyphonic True Legato, Divisi, their Syllabuilder Engine, etc). They don't release a library and move on. They continue to record and update their libraries with new and free content (re; Wotan's last update with Polyphonic Legato patches. Legato sampling costs a lot of money to make and program. They did this free of charge to existing customers.) So yeah, I'd honestly prefer them to continue on their current loyalty program because their customers will continue to benefit later down the road at any time, not just during an intro sale. 

As far as the pricing goes and those who are peeved about how much it costs. Well, too bad I guess. Libraries that deliver playable concepts that have been gimmicks for the majority of the "workhorse" libraries out there has become a reality with Afflatus. Orchestral Tools, CineSamples, Cinematic Sampling, Spitfire Audio, etc have not been able to produce a remotely playable/programmable Polyphonic Legato engine that sounds great with little to no effort. Strezov Sampling HAS! They did it in 2016 with Freyja. Since then they've refined it with what is now in Afflatus. So, for me, Afflatus is in a whole other league since there is literally nothing on a market that comes close to what is offered here. You can't just compare this to Symphobia on the surface. It goes deeper than that. You can't compare it to Berlin Strings or CSS because it goes deeper than that. Sure, it's not a basic, conventional sound set that you'd find from one of the aforementioned developers because that's the point. This is something NEW. It's not been done like this in the past and new things have a cost. I'm certainly lucky enough to have received an NFR for this library but I'd pay the full price if I didn't. The library is going to become a staple in my template over the new few weeks as I reassess my virtual orchestra needs for my job. I'm still working on the review but hope to get it out soon for those interested. If you have any specific questions you'd like me to answer or demonstrate in my review, please let me know asap so that I can include them in the video. I know this is an expensive set of sounds and I'd like to be as informative as I can for ya'lls to make your decisions on whether or not you should get this library.

Cheers,

Chris


----------



## SoNowWhat?

procreative said:


> Except that is an incorrect statement, sure during intro the discount is fairly small, but when it goes to full price of €799 the crossgrade price will still be somewhere from €580-629 depending what you own of theirs.


Is that correct? The cross-grade pricing showing in my account will remain unchanged once intro pricing ends? If so, that changes everything (well, pretty much) and I better understand the pricing decisions now.

Would be good to hear more from those that have taken the plunge. @The Darris I’d like to see some examples of rapid passages (legato and otherwise) if you can. Thanks Chris, always enjoy your walk-through reviews.


----------



## sostenuto

Only matters to each potential purchaser. No way this Library is close to my consideration at this price, with this little broad exposure. If it proves to be in a class with other top offerings, in this cost range, then it deserves success. 
I applaud and respect early-adopters, especially at this price point. Will be watching attentively from now until early 2019.


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## LamaRose

Pontus Rufelt said:


> I'd love for things to be cheaper, but these things cost A LOT to develop.



All the more reason developers should be more mindful of marketing/price to ensure that they recoup their initial invested production costs. As others have stated, this is a great sounding library, but I would hate to own stock in it at this point.


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## re-peat

I would reorganize, rename and reprogram quite a few things in Afflatus, but if this isn’t a truly remarkable treasure chest of very useful stringsounds, covering a really broad expressive range, I don’t know what is.

While familiarizing yourself with what you’ve just purchased, you soon realize that the words ‘Afflatus’ and ‘expensive’ should *never* be used in the same sentence, unless you throw the word ‘not’ in there as well. This library, in other words, is very friendly priced. Somewhat regrettably for the developer perhaps, that’s an insight that only comes to those who have bought it.

But like I said: in my opinion, it could do with a few changes — some on the surface, some under the hood — and its already considerable value would increase much further still, I firmly believe, if the developer would give the user at least some options to tweak the contents as well as offer some control over how the samples respond to midi-input. All my misgivings regarding Afflatus have to do with that aspect of the library. Beyond that, I’m entirely satisfied with it.

_


----------



## erica-grace

re-peat said:


> I would reorganize, rename and reprogram quite a few things in Afflatus, but if this isn’t a truly remarkable treasure chest of very useful stringsounds, covering a really broad expressive range, I don’t know what is.
> 
> While familiarizing yourself with what you’ve just purchased, you soon realize that the words ‘Afflatus’ and ‘expensive’ should *never* be used in the same sentence, unless you throw the word ‘not’ in there as well. This library, in other words, is very friendly priced. Somewhat regrettably for the developer perhaps, that’s an insight that only comes to those who have bought it.
> 
> But like I said: in my opinion, it could do with a few changes — some on the surface, some under the hood — and its already considerable value would increase much further still, I firmly believe, if the developer would give the user at least some options to tweak the contents as well as offer some control over how the samples respond to midi-input. All my misgivings regarding Afflatus have to do with that aspect of the library. Beyond that, I’m entirely satisfied with it.



Seems like you should be a SS beta tester!


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## Atarion Music

Hmm, been watching this thread in between work and all. I missed when the price came out but in-between my procrastination, I've read every single comment up till now. 

Here's my input. With black Friday and Cyber Monday right around the corner I have to say, this was awkward timing to release such a library. 2 weeks earlier and I'd be 16 grand richer and my as well as other's impulses would have taken hold. But who's to say it hasn't already am I right? I mean, Although VI-control may be one of the biggest, it isn't the only place where businesses, composers and bedroom producers gather for their VI news. With that being said, I wonder if it would be possible to take Chapter:1 Afflatus and BIU? (Break it up)

Have a core ensemble library with all the ensemble Nki's, disperse the Violins, Viola, Cellos and bass into sectional Libs. Of course the pricing would have to rise, by how much? I don't know, only Strezov-Sampling would know how much additional fees would be needed/wanted for the creation of the individual sections. But here's two reasons right off the top of my head, 

1. The extra work needed to BIU in the first place. 

2. To award the individuals who bought it now, as-well as those who will buy it outright at €799 in the future. It assures that those who purchase the entire collection at once will always receive the better deal. 

I don't know the structure of how Afflatus was made so I'm not even sure this would be possible but it's PROBABLY unlikely, but it's definitely an approach I'd consider moving forward tho. 

Will there be brass, winds and percussion?


SR.AM


----------



## Strezov

Sorry for the quick reply, a bit hectic these days. We haven't though of breaking the library modularly, not sure how that could be arranged with Native Instruments. As you know we have to pay a sum for serial numbers. It is safe to say that we probably won't do it for the time being.

Our idea to reward early-grabbers would be with the extra content. We are throwing in ideas right now and it will most likely be more than scene d'amour celli and first chairs. Even thinking of doing a public poll - we are still going through emails with suggestions, etc - our support guy is replying to emails and adding libraries for xgrade for 14-hour workdays. He's stacked on beer though so don't worry  So we will definitely give out more information in the following days.

As with the other chapters, I believe I've written it here somewhere, the idea for other chapters would be woodwinds/saxes, brass, keys and mallets, choirs (we have great ideas for that too based on Sulyllabuilder and divisi), plucked strings.

Percussion... we would give out some info about that soon too.


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## Lionel Schmitt

re-peat said:


> I would reorganize, rename and reprogram quite a few things in Afflatus, but if this isn’t a truly remarkable treasure chest of very useful stringsounds, covering a really broad expressive range, I don’t know what is.
> 
> While familiarizing yourself with what you’ve just purchased, you soon realize that the words ‘Afflatus’ and ‘expensive’ should *never* be used in the same sentence, unless you throw the word ‘not’ in there as well. This library, in other words, is very friendly priced. Somewhat regrettably for the developer perhaps, that’s an insight that only comes to those who have bought it.
> 
> But like I said: in my opinion, it could do with a few changes — some on the surface, some under the hood — and its already considerable value would increase much further still, I firmly believe, if the developer would give the user at least some options to tweak the contents as well as offer some control over how the samples respond to midi-input. All my misgivings regarding Afflatus have to do with that aspect of the library. Beyond that, I’m entirely satisfied with it.
> 
> _


Well, most people don't seem to be saying that it's not worth the price, but rather simply that the price is high.
That's a different statement.
I think everyone who disagrees that 700 - 900$$ is a lot of money simply has too much of it! :D

Even though a lot of content and possibilities are included that could justify the price, it would still be on the higher end if I would make a price chart with all big string libraries on it.
So, I don't really understand people who speak about a VERY friendly pricing... It's definitely expensive - a lot money (that many will not have to spare any time soon), whether the content makes up for it or not.
Ecologically produced and high quality food is also expensive. A claim that doesn't mean the price isn't justified. Two different things. 

You also have to consider that everyone was expecting the library to be priced similarly to other Strezov products, based on their comments. So, not so much higher. 
If the actual price is twice what you expected that doesn't help. If everyone would've been prepared for a rather high price you probably wouldn't have all these comments upon release saying "wow, really? I'm out..." and so on...


----------



## Atarion Music

Strezov said:


> Sorry for the quick reply, a bit hectic these days. We haven't though of breaking the library modularly, not sure how that could be arranged with Native Instruments. As you know we have to pay a sum for serial numbers. It is safe to say that we probably won't do it for the time being.
> 
> Our idea to reward early-grabbers would be with the extra content. We are throwing in ideas right now and it will most likely be more than scene d'amour celli and first chairs. Even thinking of doing a public poll - we are still going through emails with suggestions, etc - our support guy is replying to emails and adding libraries for xgrade for 14-hour workdays. He's stacked on beer though so don't worry  So we will definitely give out more information in the following days.
> 
> As with the other chapters, I believe I've written it here somewhere, the idea for other chapters would be woodwinds/saxes, brass, keys and mallets, choirs (we have great ideas for that too based on Sulyllabuilder and divisi), plucked strings.
> 
> Percussion... we would give out some info about that soon too.





(Sorry for the quick reply, a bit hectic these days. We haven't though of breaking the library modularly, not sure how that could be arranged with Native Instruments. As you know we have to pay a sum for serial numbers. It is safe to say that we probably won't do it for the time being.)

LOL I looked over to my partner and we both laughed out-loud, I can't believe that I forgot to add the expenses of the great beast NI. But the quick response is great, especially for me. I kinda figured there was something I didn't take into account, just couldn't put my finger on it. Either way, I already have plans to pick Afflatus up. It's a library unlike any in my current arsenal. As for you other guys/gals, no one reading can say I didn't try for you. 

(As with the other chapters, I believe I've written it here somewhere, the idea for other chapters would be woodwinds/saxes, brass, keys and mallets, choirs (we have great ideas for that too based on Sulyllabuilder and divisi), plucked strings.)

Yes, I do remember seeing something like that now that you mentioned it. I think I came across it a couple days ago. I'm looking forward to that choir, just yesterday I purchased one from a company that I'd rather not name here....But I will say, i'm still looking. A builder and divisi would be half of what I'm needing at the moment. 

And as for percussion, I'm looking for something detailed and huge sounding like your Taikos X3M's but with a wide variety of instruments and all with that Strezov vibe attached. I'll be awaiting that fateful day you guys announce that one lol.


----------



## fiestared

DarkestShadow said:


> Well, most people don't seem to be saying that it's not worth the price, but rather simply that the price is high.
> That's a different statement.
> I think everyone who disagrees that 700 - 900$$ is a lot of money simply has too much of it! :D
> 
> Even though a lot of content and possibilities are included that could justify the price, it would still be on the higher end if I would make a price chart with all big string libraries on it.
> So, I don't really understand people who speak about a VERY friendly pricing... It's definitely expensive - a lot money (that many will not have to spare any time soon), whether the content makes up for it or not.
> Ecologically produced and high quality food is also expensive. A claim that doesn't mean the price isn't justified. Two different things.
> 
> You also have to consider that everyone was expecting the library to be priced similarly to other Strezov products, based on their comments. So, not so much higher.
> If the actual price is twice what you expected that doesn't help. If everyone would've been prepared for a rather high price you probably wouldn't have all these comments upon release saying "wow, really? I'm out..." and so on...


Exactly my words ! This library seems to be "a new step ahead " for sampling, we all want it, I've said my brick wall is $399, but not for a lib this innovative, we're in a different category, so my prob is very simple, I love the lib, George is a very talented guy, but I have not the $ for it right now...


----------



## procreative

Back to the actual library, I had another listen to the walkthroughs. Maybe its just my ears, but the Divisi sounds drier, like its using close Mics only compared to the full section.

Is it just me, or have they employed the same technique Hollywood Strings did to get Divisi?

Regarding the rest of the material, I personally dont think the price is not worth it. Its more a question of whether the cost can be justified based on what your needs are and what else you already have that crosses over.

Usability is my main concern if you wish to switch styles within a piece as there are so many separate patches with quite esoteric names that it starts to feel like a compilation album of a variety of libraries.


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## Goldie Zwecker

I totally get that it fills the gap where other libraries lack. Question is how well it will blend with other libraries. Let's say i'm using spitfire symphonic and chamber strings - and then use Afflatus for a certain task, passage or whatever. I think people will instantly notice it had a different timbre, different amount of recorded players, in a different space etc. Wouldn't it sound strange?


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## Mike Fox

Goldie Zwecker said:


> I totally get that it fills the gap where other libraries lack. Question is how well it will blend with other libraries. Let's say i'm using spitfire symphonic and chamber strings - and then use Afflatus for a certain task, passage or whatever. I think people will instantly notice it had a different timbre, different amount of recorded players, in a different space etc. Wouldn't it sound strange?


Nature of the beast. Every library I buy usually requires some blending work, and some are more difficult than others. The dryer the library, and the more mic positions available the easier it is to blend. Afflatus is fortunately on the dryer side, and includes multiple mic positions, so I actually think it would be pretty easy to blend, imho.


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## JGRaynaud

Goldie Zwecker said:


> I totally get that it fills the gap where other libraries lack. Question is how well it will blend with other libraries. Let's say i'm using spitfire symphonic and chamber strings - and then use Afflatus for a certain task, passage or whatever. I think people will instantly notice it had a different timbre, different amount of recorded players, in a different space etc. Wouldn't it sound strange?



Since I had Afflatus for a while, testing it since the pre-alpha pacthes, I had the opportunity to use it in a bunch of soundtracks with several other string libraries. For me it usually blends well. It can be a bit agressive out of the box compared to some other string libraries, but depending of the libraries you want it to blend with, you just need to lower some decibels on the close mic (to have a less agressive sound) and add a reverb (one for all the afflatus patches is enough) and everything works well after that


----------



## JonSolo

Just an additional personal perspective-

My budget is a bit limited for the rest of the year. While this impacts my ability to purchase this library now, it is by NO MEANS a reflection of how I feel about this library, its pricing, or Strezov libraries in general.

Every purchase I have made from Strezov EXCEEDED my expections! Their approach to sampling is unique, and their engines are enjoyable, and typically, a breeze to use. Balkan was a complete side-swiped victory. I have used it countless times with sounds that I cannot find elsewhere. Rhodope 2 was the perfect "alternative" choir I needed on two projects, and it sat perfectly in the mix, as well as being intuitive.

I expect one day in the near future I will be able to get Afflatus, and while it will hit my pocketbook (Inflatus? heh) it will bring so much more to my productions and creativity, as well as help my workflow as Strezov products have done in the past. 

Meanwhile, I am hoping for some BF deals on some of their other libraries. Either way, this is one company that does have me hooked.


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## Consona

fiestared said:


> Exactly my words ! This library seems to be "a new step ahead " for sampling, we all want it, I've said my brick wall is $399, but not for a lib this innovative, we're in a different category, so my prob is very simple, I love the lib, George is a very talented guy, but I have not the $ for it right now...



There's one thing 8dio's Adagio has tought me. When somebody comes with something "new and not sampled before" and whatever, there's no need to rush to buy it since in a year there will be similar and better options for the same thing anyway, and fairly often it will be way cheaper. And if not, nothing's stopping you from buying the original ground-breaking library later.


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## fiestared

Consona said:


> There's one thing 8dio's Adagio has tought me. When somebody comes with something "new and not sampled before" and whatever, there's no need to rush to buy it since in a year there will be similar and better options for the same thing anyway, and fairly often it will be way cheaper. And if not, nothing's stopping you from buying the original ground-breaking library later.


You're right, I totally agree with you, thanks to remind me this law of the technology... I remember when I had my first synth a Mini Moog that I bought an arm and a leg, later there was lots of options for at least half price... so, wait and see.


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## JGRaynaud

Consona said:


> There's one thing 8dio's Adagio has tought me. When somebody comes with something "new and not sampled before" and whatever, there's no need to rush to buy it since in a year there will be similar and better options for the same thing anyway, and fairly often it will be way cheaper. And if not, nothing's stopping you from buying the original ground-breaking library later.



Mmmm... Strezov Sampling has the polyphonic legato on their libraries for more than 2 years (Freyja, Arva, Wotan), and I didn't see any competitor who made this after all this time. Since now it's with the auto divisi added, I guess you'll wait for a long time before a competitor do the same. Considering the amount of recording it takes to do that ( so a looot of recording sessions and tests), I would be surprised if it costs less than Afflatus


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## Nicola74

How is the dynamic range, expecially in legato patches? The old, but gold, VSL Orchestral Strings has only 2 dynamic layer, but I am happy about the range, from pp to ff, with only a minimum of expression used...


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## Consona

modiel said:


> Mmmm... Strezov Sampling has the polyphonic legato on their libraries for more than 2 years (Freyja, Arva, Wotan), and I didn't see any competitor who made this after all this time.


Spitfire? CineSamples? Just from the top of my head. But I don't use poly legatos anyway, so...



modiel said:


> Since now it's with the auto divisi added, I guess you'll wait for a long time before a competitor do the same.


Honestly, another absolutely useless feature as far as I'm concerned.



modiel said:


> Considering the amount of recording it takes to do that ( so a looot of recording sessions and tests), I would be surprised if it costs less than Afflatus


I believe that but at this point that brings nothing needful to my table. What it can do is inspire other developers to make similar libraries with features I'd consider worth paying for.

If things Afflatus offers appeal to you then great, have fun with it.  What made me interested were those various short articulations, which are rather small part of such an expensive and niche (I really don't need strings combined with ethnic instruments and such) library, so...

And if there isn't any similar library for people that want the stuff Afflatus offers, then like I've said, they can buy it any time, no problem.


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## artomatic

Consona said:


> There's one thing 8dio's Adagio has tought me. When somebody comes with something "new and not sampled before" and whatever, there's no need to rush to buy it since in a year there will be similar and better options for the same thing anyway, and fairly often it will be way cheaper. And if not, nothing's stopping you from buying the original ground-breaking library later.




Indeed. But in the end, it's all about the sound for me.


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## The Darris

procreative said:


> Back to the actual library, I had another listen to the walkthroughs. Maybe its just my ears, but the Divisi sounds drier, like its using close Mics only compared to the full section.
> 
> Is it just me, or have they employed the same technique Hollywood Strings did to get Divisi?


This is the reality of how sound works. The size of the sections and how loud they play will effect the amount of air moving in a room which will literally reflect how much reverberation will happen. 3 players playing at piano is quieter and move less air than 6 players thus you get a sense of a more intimate or in your case, "dryer," sound. There are many ways to compensate for this like asking the smaller sections to play their dynamics louder than written to match that of the larger sections but then you lose the realistic expectations of what a true pianissimo or fortissimo really is with an ensemble of that size.

I haven't asked @Strezov as to how they recorded the divisi but my guess, having been working with the library for a while now, is that the half sections were the front desks and the full ensemble includes the desks further back. This would make sense in that you hear what sounds like a closer sound since only the front section is playing. I hope that all makes sense.

Best,

Chris


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## Strezov

The Darris said:


> I haven't asked @Strezov as to how they recorded the divisi but my guess, having been working with the library for a while now, is that the half sections were the front desks and the full ensemble includes the desks further back. This would make sense in that you hear what sounds like a closer sound since only the front section is playing. I hope that all makes sense.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Chris


Yep, it's as simple as that. It's another session though (so different day cause we wouldn't be able to do the material in just one day) so preamp levels are slightly different. Sorry for missing this - thanks Chris!


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## reutunes

@The Darris Doing God's work, as ever.


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## JGRaynaud

Consona said:


> Spitfire? CineSamples? Just from the top of my head. But I don't use poly legatos anyway, so...



You should try the polyphonic legato of Freyja, Wotan or Afflatus and you'll understand the difference immediately. It works smoothly without any problem, no artefacts due to the several changes of voices at the same time, with no limitation of the number of voices, and the script is well made, unlike many other trys of polyphonic legatos by other sampling companies. Plus the fact that you can have the auto divisi at the same time (even if you don't care) make it way more realistic in the end and appealing for a lot of people.



Consona said:


> I believe that but at this point that brings nothing needful to my table. What it can do is inspire other developers to make similar libraries with features I'd consider worth paying for.



If they are inspired by this kind of stuff, their libraries would be as expensive as this one or more expensive, because they'll need at least the same amount of time and of money to produce the library. Anyway, if you don't find the library interesting for you because of the kind of stuff you find in it.. well that's probably that it's not designed for the way you work and your workflow, and i can understand that


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## Hanu_H

Consona said:


> Spitfire? CineSamples? Just from the top of my head. But I don't use poly legatos anyway, so...


Yeah, that's my problem as well. I don't normally use polyphonic legato's, so for me it's only usable for sketching. And if I need a lot of divisi writing, I just use LASS. I think that's mostly the reason why many developers don't do it. It costs a lot to record everything many times, and you can already get decent results in the sample world without true divisi. But I also understand and appreciate the path Strezov has taken with this library. I might be more interested in the brass and woodwinds with the same concept. I also want to say it once more...I really like the sound and some of the articulations are just phenomenal.

-Hannes


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## tav.one

I was really looking forward to buying this one in 2018, will do in 2019 or during the next sale.
(I hope SS has sales, this will be my first library from them)


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## SoNowWhat?

@Strezov , George can you advise if crossgrade price (that I see in my account) will change when intro pricing ends or does it stay the same regardless of when I buy? I (sort of) asked this earlier but it might have been missed or not realised as a question. Thank you.


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## Rob Elliott

tav.one said:


> I was really looking forward to buying this one in 2018, will do in 2019 or during the next sale.
> (I hope SS has sales, this will be my first library from them)


I personally don't see SS doing a sale on this in 2019 (not even for black Fri a year from now), but rather adding 'free' content to what is already there to make it even MORE IRRESTIBLE.


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## chapbot

Spent the past two days using Afflatus in a pop track. Here are some observations:

I really like this company - I read somewhere they try to do minimal processing on their samples to preserve realism. I feel some of my libraries are so over-processed they start sounding fake - not so with these strings.

I would describe Afflatus as "charming." Beautiful tone with interesting and innovative patches. This is what I hoped Spitfire Studio would sound like (and unfortunately that library will sit unused on my SSD until SF deems it worthy to update it with better scripting.)

Afflatus is on the dry side, although not totally so, but dry enough for my pop tracks. It sounds like close mics are mono and are for providing detail to the decca and/or hall mics. I'm currently using a mix with faders at +2 close, 0 decca, no hall, reverb off.

They're nimble and playability is very good. Viola Chamber seems a tiny bit out of tune on some notes as I played it in but it seems to hide among the rest of the strings in the mix (can you program Kontakt yourself to adjust tuning?)

However, for my pop purposes, I'm not liking Afflatus by themselves (maybe not quite aggressive enough) - but they blend _fantastically_ with VSL. For legatos I get the quick, precise response from VSL with the warm realism of the Afflatus Chamber patches. Previously I've been blending VSL with LASS but now prefer the refined tone of Afflatus for blending.

The shorts are my new favorites of all my libraries and I'm using the Roofchase patch blended with VSL chamber spiccatos.

Now on to the big topic: pricing. On the other thread I was way off on my prediction of $299 lol! Now that I've seen the content, they are of course worth much more than $299. Afflatus with intro price and discount cost me $751.53, and the regular price at the current exchange rate would be $905.86. I feel this is overpriced, and here's why:

For comparison, Spitfire Studio is $499 and for all the problems does have a ton of patches specifically for string production. I also like the tone of Spitfire Studio so if they can work on their legatos (and add a performance patch) I might start using it.

Afflatus, at nearly twice the price, has far fewer patches, and many of these are quirky things I'd never use in a million years. On occasion I use portamento and will miss it. The "Pads" patch, while cool, is a lot of content I don't want or need, and it really could be a stand-alone library for $99. I feel like I've paid for quite a bit in Afflatus I'll never use (I predict I'll use just individual chambers, lush, minimals and shorts.)

As I said before, I really like the company and I really like Afflatus. I'm not mad I just spent $751.53 but I might be a little irritated if I had spent $905.86  Plus, I'm excited about the upcoming update with first chairs.

And remember, my needs are specifically for pop - I'm using my strings in mixes with drums, bass, keyboards and electric guitars. Those doing symphonic mockups / cinematic might be over-the-moon with Afflatus and have no reservations whatsoever.

In summary, if you're depressed about not being able to afford Afflatus right now, don't be. While it is a lovely library you'll get by just fine with what you have - and perhaps you'll snag a great deal on it when it will probably go sale in the future.


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## Replika

Maybe it's me but as a sales plan going forward today, it seems counter intuitive to charge 800 euros today assuming that it cost that much to make and the price is fair and then add more content later that costs the company more money but then you keep the price the same? Maybe the price could be lower now instead? Perhaps the target audience is different and the company has chosen to sell Ferrari's and Lamborghini's instead of Volkswagens or BMW's. Sigh... I wish I could afford a Lamborghini.... 

Inflated Prices for Affluent People = AFFLATUS


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## Mike Fox

chapbot said:


> Spent the past two days using Afflatus in a pop track. Here are some observations:
> 
> I really like this company - I read somewhere they try to do minimal processing on their samples to preserve realism. I feel some of my libraries are so over-processed they start sounding fake - not so with these strings.
> 
> I would describe Afflatus as "charming." Beautiful tone with interesting and innovative patches. This is what I hoped Spitfire Studio would sound like (and unfortunately that library will sit unused on my SSD until SF deems it worthy to update it with better scripting.)
> 
> Afflatus is on the dry side, although not totally so, but dry enough for my pop tracks. It sounds like close mics are mono and are for providing detail to the decca and/or hall mics. I'm currently using a mix with faders at +2 close, 0 decca, no hall, reverb off.
> 
> They're nimble and playability is very good. Viola Chamber seems a tiny bit out of tune on some notes as I played it in but it seems to hide among the rest of the strings in the mix (can you program Kontakt yourself to adjust tuning?)
> 
> However, for my pop purposes, I'm not liking Afflatus by themselves (maybe not quite aggressive enough) - but they blend _fantastically_ with VSL. For legatos I get the quick, precise response from VSL with the warm realism of the Afflatus Chamber patches. Previously I've been blending VSL with LASS but now prefer the refined tone of Afflatus for blending.
> 
> The shorts are my new favorites of all my libraries and I'm using the Roofchase patch blended with VSL chamber spiccatos.
> 
> Now on to the big topic: pricing. On the other thread I was way off on my prediction of $299 lol! Now that I've seen the content, they are of course worth much more than $299. Afflatus with intro price and discount cost me $751.53, and the regular price at the current exchange rate would be $905.86. I feel this is overpriced, and here's why:
> 
> For comparison, Spitfire Studio is $499 and for all the problems does have a ton of patches specifically for string production. I also like the tone of Spitfire Studio so if they can work on their legatos (and add a performance patch) I might start using it.
> 
> Afflatus, at nearly twice the price, has far fewer patches, and many of these are quirky things I'd never use in a million years. On occasion I use portamento and will miss it. The "Pads" patch, while cool, is a lot of content I don't want or need, and it really could be a stand-alone library for $99. I feel like I've paid for quite a bit in Afflatus I'll never use (I predict I'll use just individual chambers, lush, minimals and shorts.)
> 
> As I said before, I really like the company and I really like Afflatus. I'm not mad I just spent $751.53 but I might be a little irritated if I had spent $905.86  Plus, I'm excited about the upcoming update with first chairs.
> 
> And remember, my needs are specifically for pop - I'm using my strings in mixes with drums, bass, keyboards and electric guitars. Those doing symphonic mockups / cinematic might be over-the-moon with Afflatus and have no reservations whatsoever.
> 
> In summary, if you're depressed about not being able to afford Afflatus right now, don't be. While it is a lovely library you'll get by just fine with what you have - and perhaps you'll snag a great deal on it when it will probably go sale in the future.


Great review! Love the fact that you haven't been blinded by the honeymoon phase.


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## HelixK

chapbot said:


> Spent the past two days using Afflatus in a pop track. Here are some observations:
> 
> I really like this company - I read somewhere they try to do minimal processing on their samples to preserve realism. I feel some of my libraries are so over-processed they start sounding fake - not so with these strings.
> 
> I would describe Afflatus as "charming." Beautiful tone with interesting and innovative patches. This is what I hoped Spitfire Studio would sound like (and unfortunately that library will sit unused on my SSD until SF deems it worthy to update it with better scripting.)
> 
> Afflatus is on the dry side, although not totally so, but dry enough for my pop tracks. It sounds like close mics are mono and are for providing detail to the decca and/or hall mics. I'm currently using a mix with faders at +2 close, 0 decca, no hall, reverb off.
> 
> They're nimble and playability is very good. Viola Chamber seems a tiny bit out of tune on some notes as I played it in but it seems to hide among the rest of the strings in the mix (can you program Kontakt yourself to adjust tuning?)
> 
> However, for my pop purposes, I'm not liking Afflatus by themselves (maybe not quite aggressive enough) - but they blend _fantastically_ with VSL. For legatos I get the quick, precise response from VSL with the warm realism of the Afflatus Chamber patches. Previously I've been blending VSL with LASS but now prefer the refined tone of Afflatus for blending.
> 
> The shorts are my new favorites of all my libraries and I'm using the Roofchase patch blended with VSL chamber spiccatos.
> 
> Now on to the big topic: pricing. On the other thread I was way off on my prediction of $299 lol! Now that I've seen the content, they are of course worth much more than $299. Afflatus with intro price and discount cost me $751.53, and the regular price at the current exchange rate would be $905.86. I feel this is overpriced, and here's why:
> 
> For comparison, Spitfire Studio is $499 and for all the problems does have a ton of patches specifically for string production. I also like the tone of Spitfire Studio so if they can work on their legatos (and add a performance patch) I might start using it.
> 
> Afflatus, at nearly twice the price, has far fewer patches, and many of these are quirky things I'd never use in a million years. On occasion I use portamento and will miss it. The "Pads" patch, while cool, is a lot of content I don't want or need, and it really could be a stand-alone library for $99. I feel like I've paid for quite a bit in Afflatus I'll never use (I predict I'll use just individual chambers, lush, minimals and shorts.)
> 
> As I said before, I really like the company and I really like Afflatus. I'm not mad I just spent $751.53 but I might be a little irritated if I had spent $905.86  Plus, I'm excited about the upcoming update with first chairs.
> 
> And remember, my needs are specifically for pop - I'm using my strings in mixes with drums, bass, keyboards and electric guitars. Those doing symphonic mockups / cinematic might be over-the-moon with Afflatus and have no reservations whatsoever.
> 
> In summary, if you're depressed about not being able to afford Afflatus right now, don't be. While it is a lovely library you'll get by just fine with what you have - and perhaps you'll snag a great deal on it when it will probably go sale in the future.



I just joined to say thank you! What other string libraries are you using?

While I appreciate the comments from the Strezov staff and reviewers, I was wondering if anyone other than chapbot bought Aflatus yet and could post some examples. I'm curious about how well it blends with other libraries like Berlin Strings, Cinematic Studio Strings and Intimate Studio Strings. I can get Berlin and CSS to sound very close to the walkthrough examples. Like indistinguishable close.

So I don't know if I'm just GASing or if there's actually any real value for me in Aflatus other than the experimental patches that I wouldn't use that frequently, if ever. I feel this library is too specific and does things that I can do with my current samples. If anything Afflatus made me fall in love again with what I have. Am I tripping? Never cared about poly legato and auto-divisi is great but not €650 great.

I can't believe after all this expectation we don't have more users commenting. If you pulled the trigger please speak your mind like chap here.

Thanks


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## HelixK

Another quick question: Someone else asked about writing convincing fast parts (runs, arpeggios) and didn't get an answer or I couldn't find one. Is it possible?


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## chapbot

HelixK said:


> I just joined to say thank you! What other string libraries are you using?


For pop I had always used LASS with Hein solo strings to give it more life, but I'm getting a little ear-fatigue with it so sometimes use VSL chamber. I got 8dio Intimate and have posted tons of quickie demos buried somewhere on that post, but don't need it (it seems more suited to indie/quircky stuff) BUT I love the Intimate runs and longs, and these happen to match terrifically with my current blend of VSL and Afflatus.


HelixK said:


> So I don't know if I'm just GASing or if there's actually any real value for me in Aflatus other than the experimental patches that I wouldn't use that frequently, if ever.


If it were $499, $599 I'd say maybe but at $900 I'd say no way. You have great libraries.


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## chapbot

Here's a raw mix of the pop track I was talking about - no effects whatsoever. I added the acoustic guitar on the Blend mix for context (it's a Christmas carol.) You'll hear how nice Afflatus sounds by itself but it isn't solidly on the grid like VSL, which is on the grid but not as warm and fuzzy.

Full Blend: Afflatus + VSL legatos, Roofchase patch + VSL chamber spiccato, 8dio Intimate runs

[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/fullblend-mp3.16294/][/AUDIOPLUS]

Afflatus: v, va and cello chamber patches (no hall mic, no reverb)

[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/afflatus-mp3.16295/][/AUDIOPLUS]

VSL: vienna symphony violins, vienna chamber va, vienna chamber c

[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/vsl-mp3.16296/][/AUDIOPLUS]

[AUDIOPLUS=https://www.vi-control.net/community/attachments/fullblend-mp3.16294/][/AUDIOPLUS]

[AUDIOPLUS=https://www.vi-control.net/community/attachments/afflatus-mp3.16295/][/AUDIOPLUS]

[AUDIOPLUS=https://www.vi-control.net/community/attachments/vsl-mp3.16296/][/AUDIOPLUS]


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## Eloy

*I am going to bed.......after 6 hours of Afflatus.... exhaustion.*

Afflatus does legato (2 or 3 notes at a time - slow to medium speed) ensembles great. It goes into Soaring Strings territory and then some (lots more colors-and goes into Auddict Angel strings territory too). It is not a stand alone library - there are lots of missing articulations (CSS has more articulations but Afflatus has the legato variations) - it’s a library that is all over the place - but what it does it does great. It mixes well with VSL using the close mic position and putting Afflatus in MIR Pro. I would say it is the legato (so many style/choices) that you wanted Synchron Strings to be - but never was (except fast legato - Adventure Strings works for that). The Spiccato patches are fun and varied. The detache longs ( tenutos) are beautiful. The basses and cellos single patches are especially good. The Experimental patches can add a lot to a piece - but again they are missing articulations to be complete. It sounds good with OT (put it in Teldex room) but out of place with Spitfire. I could not get it to work with a breath controller (sent an email to Strezov) which is illogical because you have split keyboard sounds (lower keyboard velocity control - higher keyboard mod control - would be good for live if you could use an expression pedal or breath controller). The FX is Ok - but not at Dark Matter level.

*Is it worth the money?* That all depends on what you have, what holes you want filled (and how much your willing to pay) or how obsessed you are. I always ask myself ......_how do I want to fill my life between now and death?_ ....... so...... I paid (604 euros/$707 US dollars) .......I am sure many of you will too.
Eloy


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## chapbot

Eloy said:


> it’s a library that is all over the place - but what it does it does great.


haha well said!


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## Mike Fox

Eloy said:


> The FX is Ok - but not at Dark Matter level.



Nothing is.


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## AlexanderSchiborr

HelixK said:


> Another quick question: Someone else asked about writing convincing fast parts (runs, arpeggios) and didn't get an answer or I couldn't find one. Is it possible?



Yeah, it was me. No, this library seems not to cover those aspects, I asked already twice in that regards, but my question was either not seen or simply ignored? So that´s also a form of answering my question and so I guess the library probably doesn´t any of that stuff which is fine.. However I will pass on that library because I allready have a great arsenal and don´t see any point for me personally to spent another 800 Dollars on a library which imo misses essentiell stuff, just imo. While I like some patches there too, I am with a big questionmark about the general design aspect of this library (the more of the walkthrough I see)The majority of the patches feel to me like "play and fun"- time patches but not to be useable to do classic serious specific filmscoring (with having freedom in choice, color and orchestration). Though still: they sound great and if someone is just for the sake of sound..man they sound beautiful, definitey. But like for me I like libraries where you dont´write music to the design concept and strenghtes of the library but the music you would like to write with. Not sure if that is possible with Afflatus (just for me) concerning my own style and choice of how I write music. I guess you have a bit to adapt the concept of the library in order to get the most out of it, just simply for me, I am afraid that would not work because the patches dictates their form of usage..


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## Goldie Zwecker

Eloy said:


> It sounds good with OT (put it in Teldex room) but out of place with Spitfire.


As someone who is heavily invested in spitfire, this kind of answers my former question. That's what i thought i heard while listening to the demos. It's something inherent in the timbre itself and not just the space each library was recorded in.


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## Mike Fox

Goldie Zwecker said:


> As someone who is heavily invested in spitfire, this kind of answers my former question. That's what i thought i heard while listening to the demos. It's something inherent in the timbre itself and not just the space each library was recorded in.


 Any string library you buy is going to have a different timbre, even the different string offerings from Spitfire have a different sound from one to the next.

I do see what you're saying though. Some strings can sound radically different than others, which can make the task of blending a challenging one.

With that said, i think it's good to have different types of strings for different types of writing, and I think that's where people will get the most value from Afflatus.


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## HelixK

chapbot said:


> Here's a raw mix of the pop track I was talking about - no effects whatsoever. I added the acoustic guitar on the Blend mix for context (it's a Christmas carol.) You'll hear how nice Afflatus sounds by itself but it isn't solidly on the grid like VSL, which is on the grid but not as warm and fuzzy.
> 
> Full Blend: Afflatus + VSL legatos, Roofchase patch + VSL chamber spiccato, 8dio Intimate runs
> 
> [AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/fullblend-mp3.16294/][/AUDIOPLUS]
> 
> Afflatus: v, va and cello chamber patches (no hall mic, no reverb)
> 
> [AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/afflatus-mp3.16295/][/AUDIOPLUS]
> 
> VSL: vienna symphony violins, vienna chamber va, vienna chamber c
> 
> [AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/vsl-mp3.16296/][/AUDIOPLUS]



Thanks for the audios. I hear a little of that dreadful sucking effect in Afflatus and a heck lot in VSL. Is this VSL out of the box or could you make the legatos better? They blend so well though, I wasn't expecting that. VSL still sounds great on its own and it's a particular sound I don't have in my palette. Synchron strings?


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## HelixK

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> Yeah, it was me. No, this library seems not to cover those aspects, I asked already twice in that regards, but my question was either not seen or simply ignored? So that´s also a form of answering my question and so I guess the library probably doesn´t any of that stuff which is fine.. However I will pass on that library because I allready have a great arsenal and don´t see any point for me personally to spent another 800 Dollars on a library which imo misses essentiell stuff, just imo. While I like some patches there too, I am with a big questionmark about the general design aspect of this library (the more of the walkthrough I see)The majority of the patches feel to me like "play and fun"- time patches but not to be useable to do classic serious specific filmscoring (with having freedom in choice, color and orchestration). Though still: they sound great and if someone is just for the sake of sound..man they sound beautiful, definitey. But like for me I like libraries where you dont´write music to the design concept and strenghtes of the library but the music you would like to write with. Not sure if that is possible with Afflatus (just for me) concerning my own style and choice of how I write music. I guess you have a bit to adapt the concept of the library in order to get the most out of it, just simply for me, I am afraid that would not work because the patches dictates their form of usage..



You make excellent points. Yes, it's a lot of money but in the past, I have paid two or three times that amount in libraries that are now sold for 300 bucks. Yikes. That was 10 years ago and the sample industry changed a lot. Afflatus is gorgeous out of the box and seems to be a no effort kind of library. That has some value attached but $900 value? In 2019? I don't think so. The more I hear opinions and audios the more I'm convinced it's a niche library that can't cover much ground, no matter how hard they try to push this thematic approach.

From the walkthrough and demos, I heard minimalistic, soaring and lush that I would effectively use. There's a lot more I'd expect at this high price range, other than random ethnic combos and a bunch of pads. Lumina did that, and there I say better, years ago for a fraction of the price. It didn't offer poly legato or divisi but the thematic content was spot on and very useful to this day. You can score virtually any gig with that library alone. Can you do that with Afflatus?

Another downer I'm observing is the technical aspect. Seems unpractical to have unconventional patch names. Also lots of requests for basic MIDI implementation I'd expect from an expensive library aimed at professionals. I can't use a wind controller or sustain pedal, really? In all fairness, they are going to fix in updates but how simple stuff like that was overlooked during development is beyond me.

Sounds like I'm beating the library too hard. I could write an essay on how beautiful Afflatus sounds and I'm still undecided despite all the shortcomings.

I also heard that Soundiron and Audiobro are going to hit the market with their nextgen strings. That's something to consider before committing to ANY library.


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## JGRaynaud

Since I see a lot of people curious to know if the library is easy to use and can be used for other stuff than just a niche sound.. Here is a little test I made for fun. Just spent one hour and a half on it, so you can hear how it sounds in such a short amount of time.
No external library here, just afflatus (choirs, and other stuff are made with the experimental section.. Angelic strings, Indian Strings etc)


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## Mike Fox

HelixK said:


> You make excellent points. Yes, it's a lot of money but in the past, I have paid two or three times that amount in libraries that are now sold for 300 bucks. Yikes. That was 10 years ago and the sample industry changed a lot. Afflatus is gorgeous out of the box and seems to be a no effort kind of library. That has some value attached but $900 value? In 2019? I don't think so. The more I hear opinions and audios the more I'm convinced it's a niche library that can't cover much ground, no matter how hard they try to push this thematic approach.
> 
> From the walkthrough and demos, I heard minimalistic, soaring and lush that I would effectively use. There's a lot more I'd expect at this high price range, other than random ethnic combos and a bunch of pads. Lumina did that, and there I say better, years ago for a fraction of the price. It didn't offer poly legato or divisi but the thematic content was spot on and very useful to this day. You can score virtually any gig with that library alone. Can you do that with Afflatus?
> 
> Another downer I'm observing is the technical aspect. Seems unpractical to have unconventional patch names. Also lots of requests for basic MIDI implementation I'd expect from an expensive library aimed at professionals. I can't use a wind controller or sustain pedal, really? In all fairness, they are going to fix in updates but how simple stuff like that was overlooked during development is beyond me.
> 
> Sounds like I'm beating the library too hard. I could write an essay on how beautiful Afflatus sounds and I'm still undecided despite all the shortcomings.
> 
> I also heard that Soundiron and Audiobro are going to hit the market with their nextgen strings. That's something to consider before committing to ANY library.


Well said. ProjectSAM pioneered these kinds of ensemble libraries, and are undisputed in that department, though Afflatus' strings sound a bit better!

After watching the walkthrough videos several times, reading people's comments, and carefully looking over the patches, I'm starting to wonder if Afflatus really is overpriced. I'm just not sure there is enough content for it to merit its price tag.

If Afflatus had other sections like the Symphobia and Ark series do, or was released 10 years ago, it would be a different story. I don't think the cost of Afflatus takes into consideration today's competition. Hell, when you compare Hollywood Strings and Afflatus in terms of content, quality, and price, something seems very off.

As a side note, I don't think I've seen so many people make similar comments about the price of a library before. That kinda says something. And I can't help but wonder if they would make more money on Afflatus by lowering the price a bit. Seems like more people would bite. If it were $200 cheaper, I'd be all over it, and I don't think I'm the only one.


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## HelixK

modiel said:


> Since I see a lot of people curious to know if the library is easy to use and can be used for other stuff than just a niche sound.. Here is a little test I made for fun. Just spent one hour and a half on it, so you can hear how it sounds in such a short amount of time.
> No external library here, just afflatus (choirs, and other stuff are made with the experimental section.. Angelic strings, Indian Strings etc)




That sounds great, very appreciated! Lovely theme but nothing out of the ordinary. Anyone with Composer Cloud and a bit of skill could do the same. Not trying to diminish your work please don't take it like that but you gotta admit that this is simple stuff to pull out. Soundwise that's Metropolis Ark 2 camp and MA2 does it better in my opinion.

Could you please show us something in the style of Prokofiev or Herrmann? When I read the announcement and those two names were mentioned I was expecting to hear something big and extravagant but all demos are the exact opposite. Not that my briefs require me to write like Prokofiev but I was led to believe that I would have the set of tools necessary to do so with Affaltus.
Thanks


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## JGRaynaud

HelixK said:


> Anyone with Composer Cloud and a bit of skill could do the same.



Haha I made this example just to show it's not just a niche library and can do normal stuff so it makes sense to say another library could do that. I just showed it also compete at this level :D Still I wanted to show how easy it can sound in a short amount of time. The time I spend doing mockups is something essential for me since I have to work fast and that's something I value a lot.



HelixK said:


> Could you please show us something in the style of Prokofiev or Herrmann? When I read the announcement and those two names were mentioned I was expecting to hear something big and extravagant but all demos are the exact opposite. Not that my briefs require me to write like Prokofiev but I was led to believe that I would have the set of tools necessary to do so with Affaltus.
> Thanks



Ha sorry, I'm not affiliated to Strezov Sampling, I was just part of the demo writers team so I can't really spend more time to show the content of the library, since I have to focus on other works..

The Scene d'Amour demo has been made with the Scene d'Amour patches.. Just imagine how this scene from Herrmann's Vertigo score would sound with a proper recording today.. By the way, if you pay attention to the name of the cue I guess you'll understand where Strezov Sampling found their inspiration for these patches, and why they mentioned a Herrmann sound in the library


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## HelixK

modiel said:


> Haha I made this example just to show it's not just a niche library and can do normal stuff so it makes sense to say another library could do that. I just showed it also compete at this level :D Still I wanted to show how easy it can sound in a short amount of time. The time I spend doing mockups is something essential for me since I have to work fast and that's something I value a lot.



I really appreciate your little test and I'm well aware Afflatus can do this in a heartbeat, the Eflman team must be in heaven... don't tell Vienna!!! My reaction was to the fact that it's something already covered in the walkthrough and demos, I'm in the impression that Afflatus is like a three or four trick pony. For $900 I'd expect a lot more varied content.



modiel said:


> Ha sorry, I'm not affiliated to Strezov Sampling, I was just part of the demo writers team so I can't really spend more time to show the content of the library, since I have to focus on other works..



Fair enough, I thought you worked for Strezov as you mentioned in another post that you were using the library since pre-alpha or something. I won't make more absurd requests, sorry!


----------



## Erick - BVA

HelixK said:


> Could you please show us something in the style of Prokofiev or Herrmann? When I read the announcement and those two names were mentioned I was expecting to hear something big and extravagant but all demos are the exact opposite. Not that my briefs require me to write like Prokofiev but I was led to believe that I would have the set of tools necessary to do so with Affaltus.
> Thanks



I don't think all of their music is big and extravagant. The Citizen Kane soundtrack for instance, is fairly subtle and understated. Any even extravagant scores like Psycho or Vertigo have their quiet and minimalistic moments.



modiel said:


> Haha I made this example just to show it's not just a niche library and can do normal stuff so it makes sense to say another library could do that. I just showed it also compete at this level :D Still I wanted to show how easy it can sound in a short amount of time. The time I spend doing mockups is something essential for me since I have to work fast and that's something I value a lot.
> 
> 
> 
> Ha sorry, I'm not affiliated to Strezov Sampling, I was just part of the demo writers team so I can't really spend more time to show the content of the library, since I have to focus on other works..
> 
> The Scene d'Amour demo has been made with the Scene d'Amour patches.. Just imagine how this scene from Herrmann's Vertigo score would sound with a proper recording today.. By the way, if you pay attention to the name of the cue I guess you'll understand where Strezov Sampling found their inspiration for these patches, and why they mentioned a Herrmann sound in the library




And I hear a lot of Wagner's Triston and Isolde in this soundtrack. I recognized the similarities even before I read about it somewhere. This is a great example of emulation without plagiarism. And just as Strezov Sampling was inspired by Herrmann, maybe they weren't seeking to straight copy him. I could be wrong.


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## LamaRose

I nicked Strezov earlier about the price... but that was for me, personally, as a non-working composer. If I was working full time, I'd snap this up. Not sure where the "niche" tag came in, but that's kinda laughable if you take the time to listen to the library... this is definitely a workhorse that covers a lot of ground, imho.


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## HelixK

Sibelius19 said:


> I don't think all of their music is big and extravagant. The Citizen Kane soundtrack for instance, is fairly subtle and understated. Any even extravagant scores like Psycho or Vertigo have their quiet and minimalistic moments.
> 
> 
> 
> And I hear a lot of Wagner's Triston and Isolde in this soundtrack. I recognized the similarities even before I read about it somewhere. This is a great example of emulation without plagiarism. And just as Strezov Sampling was inspired by Herrmann, maybe they weren't seeking to straight copy him. I could be wrong.



Great points, maybe I've read it all wrong. It's a personal thing but when you think Prokofiev or Herrmann do you instantly think minimalistic? It didn't even cross my mind. Same as Mancini and no portamento. Afflatus does small and intimate like no library but other than the shorts it mostly seems to be different shades of intimate.


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## Land of Missing Parts

Sounds great and I want it, but out of my price range.

I would be more amenable if Strezov allowed resales, but alas he currently does not.


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## Cory Pelizzari

Thought I'd chuck this in here.


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## Ganvai

Honestly guys, considering the amount of patches you have in this, the amount of great and uncommon ensembles and just the plain number of samples this library has, it's kinda hard to call it overpriced. The Strezov Samplign guys have put in a lot of hard work into this library and as I love natural, authentic sounding strings, I have to say that there is not one string lib out there that can deliver this quality in sound at the moment.

Maybe people feel a bit confused about a lib that doesn't hit all the standard beats every other string lib does, but guys, you already have this. This is a product that is dedicated to deliver a very authentic string sound and man does it deliver on that point.


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## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Great review! Overall, beautiful sounding library. I'm a little concerned about those Psychatto Strings. At 4:15 it sounded like they were struggling to play on beat. Were they recorded on time to the grid, or did you free hand it? I've seen this problem arise when round robins don't start at exactly the same time. Just hoping it doesn't suffer from that since that's a huge deciding factor for me.


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## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Great review! Overall, beautiful sounding library. I'm a little concerned about those Psychatto Strings. At 4:15 it sounded like they were struggling to play on beat. Were they recorded on time to the grid, or did you free hand it? I've seen this problem arise when round robins don't start at exactly the same time. Just hoping it doesn't suffer from that since that's a huge deciding factor for me.


I played everything live, so there's a bit of ham fist in there as I'm not even playing to a click, and I always have my latency up to save CPU power. Those staccatos are in fact tight to play.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I played everything live, so there's a bit of ham fist in there as I'm not even playing to a click, and I always have my latency up to save CPU power. Those staccatos are in fact tight to play.


Nice! Happy to hear that! I do a lot of modern horror music, so It seems like I'm always doing those fast bass/celli ostinato lines for tense cues, but some string libraries I have just can't keep up, while others can. LASS is really good at this, but I'm always looking for something different, and I REALLY like the sound of Afflatus.

Thanks again for the review! It seems like the people who have purchased and played this library are overall quite happy with it, which makes me want to pull the trigger. 

Btw, just subscribed.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Nice! Happy to hear that! I do a lot of modern horror music, so It seems like I'm always doing those fast bass/celli ostinato lines for tense cues, but some string libraries I have just can't keep up, while others can. LASS is really good at this, but I'm always looking for something different, and I REALLY like the sound of Afflatus.
> 
> Thanks again for the review! It seems like the people who have purchased and played this library are overall quite happy with it, which makes me want to pull the trigger.
> 
> Btw, just subscribed.


If you write horror music those cluster shorts and sustains will jump right into your tracks. Thanks for the sub!


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> If you write horror music those cluster shorts and sustains will jump right into your tracks. Thanks for the sub!


Right?! Those Avantgarde sustains are insane! I would probably use the sh$! out of those!


----------



## Erick - BVA

HelixK said:


> Great points, maybe I've read it all wrong. It's a personal thing but when you think Prokofiev or Herrmann do you instantly think minimalistic? It didn't even cross my mind. Same as Mancini and no portamento. Afflatus does small and intimate like no library but other than the shorts it mostly seems to be different shades of intimate.]



I don't necessarily mean minimalism as a genre, but just "minimal"

This part (link below) is like something out of Debussy's "Nuage," with its rather static chord movements --no resolution, tension etc. Just floating between different intervals creating a strange atmosphere. It also kind of reminds of Philip Glass --who was considered a minimalist composer.



I'm not as familiar with Prokofiev. But many of the patches do seem somewhat extravagent. Maybe when combined with one another something "bigger" can be acheived.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Btw, in regards to your comment at 18:57, Orchestral Tools does have the Berlin EXP E SFX library.


----------



## Hanu_H

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Honestly. I think that your review represents this library in a better light than anything else I've heard before. Good job!

-Hannes


----------



## Leo

@Cory Pelizzari great review, thanks a lot!


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Brilliant! Love your reviews Cory. Always honest. So glad you were able to cover this one.


----------



## axb312

Overpriced...like most other Strezov libraries...wonder when this company is going to get with the times....


----------



## Simon Ravn

I am still on the fence, unfortunately. I hear some phasing like issues, weird hissing noises (e.g. on the cellos), stereo perspective issues (samples jumping all over the place), and the sound seems inconsistent between patches/sections which I can see would be a big annoyance - like many patches sound "old", like a pillow has been pulled over the sound, completely lacking air. I have Strezovs first little string library, Cornucopia, where I always thought the sound was a stylistic choice. But now with this I am not so sure.... maybe it's more a cultural, traditional thing making it sound like that. And possibly some mics that aren't up to the task of capturing all the detail and clarity which should be present in strings.

At half the price I would buy it anyway, because there IS stuff that I really like when I hear it (the shorts, the shark strings patch for example), but even after the walkthroughs and reviews coming out I just remain with a somewhat confused picture of what the library is and how it sounds.

I think I'll grab it at a sale at sometime, and at that time I hope I'll be bitching about why I didn't buy it now


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Btw, in regards to your comment at 18:57, Orchestral Tools does have the Berlin EXP E SFX library.





Simon Ravn said:


> I am still on the fence, unfortunately. I hear some phasing like issues, weird hissing noises (e.g. on the cellos), stereo perspective issues (samples jumping all over the place), and the sound seems inconsistent between patches/sections which I can see would be a big annoyance - like many patches sound "old", like a pillow has been pulled over the sound, completely lacking air. I have Strezovs first little string library, Cornucopia, where I always thought the sound was a stylistic choice. But now with this I am not so sure.... maybe it's more a cultural, traditional thing making it sound like that. And possibly some mics that aren't up to the task of capturing all the detail and clarity which should be present in strings.
> 
> At half the price I would buy it anyway, because there IS stuff that I really like when I hear it (the shorts, the shark strings patch for example), but even after the walkthroughs and reviews coming out I just remain with a somewhat confused picture of what the library is and how it sounds.
> 
> I think I'll grab it at a sale at sometime, and at that time I hope I'll be bitching about why I didn't buy it now


I understand where you're coming from. From using the library personally non stop for the last 20 hours I can positively say there are no phase, hiss or image issues apart from what you would hear in a real live recording (many samples were taken from performances). The difference in sound and "old" tone you heard was most likely the flautando and sordino string patches (the "Vintage" strings patches), which are meant to sound slightly different from the rest of the legato styles, and as for the image, I was switching between divisi and full a lot in all of the individual section patches. Most notable is the switch from middle to slightly right in the violas Lush KS patch. Either way I understand that with a price tag that high people's suspicion and critical ears will be on high alert.


----------



## Simon Ravn

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I understand where you're coming from. From using the library personally non stop for the last 20 hours I can positively say there are no phase, hiss or image issues apart from what you would hear in a real live recording (many samples were taken from performances). The difference in sound and "old" tone you heard was most likely the flautando and sordino string patches (the "Vintage" strings patches), which are meant to sound slightly different from the rest of the legato styles, and as for the image, I was switching between divisi and full a lot in all of the individual section patches. Most notable is the switch from middle to slightly right in the violas Lush KS patch. Either way I understand that with a price tag that high people's suspicion and critical ears will be on high alert.



Hey Cory. Good that you are happy with them. But what I meant with the "old" sound isn't the sordinos or flautandos, just the regular sections, especially the divisi ones I believe. And I am not talking about recording hiss, it seems more to be a result of mic placement (e.g. for cellos that I mentioned) and other technical decisions leading to these unwanted artifacts. And regarding the stereo-perspective change + phasing I heard that in the non-Soundcloud version of "Pictures of you" (one of the official demos) as well.

So as I said... at the current pricetag I am not willing to shell out for it with the chance of hardly ever using it because of these issues. But with a 50% sale or something in the future, no problem.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Simon Ravn said:


> Hey Cory. Good that you are happy with them. But what I meant with the "old" sound isn't the sordinos or flautandos, just the regular sections, especially the divisi ones I believe. And I am not talking about recording hiss, it seems more to be a result of mic placement (e.g. for cellos that I mentioned) and other technical decisions leading to these unwanted artifacts. And regarding the stereo-perspective change + phasing I heard that in the non-Soundcloud version of "Pictures of you" (one of the official demos) as well.
> 
> So as I said... at the current pricetag I am not willing to shell out for it with the chance of hardly ever using it because of these issues. But with a 50% sale or something in the future, no problem.


Ha, you make it sound like they're good enough for little old me but not enough for you. I get what you're saying though, no problems. It's just easier for me to make a call on it because I have the luxury of going into the samples myself and checking everything - not something everyone else has considering the price, so I got lucky. I honestly really do love the library though. Best thing I've used since CSS and Chamber Strings.


----------



## Simon Ravn

Hi Cory. No I didn't mean it that way. Just possibly that I have noticed these things in specific demos that you might not have heard or found problematic. I love CSS even though it's a little "muffled" in tone - it still has a very open and smooth tone. And many of Strezov's demos certainly sound very good musically, I just have a problem with the recordings which seem to suffer from some issues that I mentioned. But as you say, you have sat down with it yourself, so you should be able to better judge how it holds up against CSS and other libraries.


----------



## Casiquire

I thought I heard stereo issues too until I realized it was divisi switching


----------



## midiman

Hanu_H said:


> Honestly. I think that your review represents this library in a better light than anything else I've heard before. Good job!
> 
> -Hannes



I agree! I was thinking a lot about whether to buy or not... Saw this review and had no more doubts and purchased immediately, with no fear. Thanks @Cory Pelizzari for an excellent review that really shows how musical, realistic and even "buttery" these strings sound. Downloaded yesterday and I'm getting ready to trying them out.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

midiman said:


> I agree! I was thinking a lot about whether to buy or not... Saw this review and had no more doubts and purchased immediately, with no fear. Thanks @Cory Pelizzari for an excellent review that really shows how musical, realistic and even "buttery" these strings sound. Downloaded yesterday and I'm getting ready to trying them out.


Please report back. Would love to hear your thoughts (while I check the couch for loose change ).


----------



## Mike Fox

After careful consideration, I've decided not to purchase Afflatus for the time being. I love all of the patches, but I have way too many string libraries that can already cover the things I like about it. The Avant-garde sustains are fantastic, but I can do similar things with Evo Grid 1. The playable cluster shorts sound great, but Ark 3 has me covered in that department. All of that factors into my personal perception of this library's value, and there just isn't enough reason for me to spend $700 (while it's on sale) for another string library. If this library was $200 cheaper, I'd pull the trigger.

Also, with Black Friday right around the corner, and ProjectSAM releasing an orchestral library next year, I may be better off waiting things out.

In the meantime, I congratulate Strezov Sampling for creating such a beautiful sounding library. I wish them the very best of luck and success, and hope that everyone who buys Afflatus will compose some awesome music with it!


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Mike Fox said:


> The Avant-garde sustains are fantastic, but I can do similar things with Evo Grid 1.



hmmm.


----------



## 667

I will buy this eventually, but with exchange it's $1000. I already have Albion I/II/III/IV/V, SCS, VSL DS, HS, Adagio, and other small ones such as Cornucopia 1 & 2, the ones included in Kontakt Ultimate, and good old EWQLSO. It's just a bit silly to buy more strings even if they sound as great as these ones do. I really believe in the workflow. I am astounded by the sound. Such realistic, emotional, playable performances. What an achievement! I wish I could support it just based on the high quality of the release. But I straight up do not have $1000 in my budget for more strings. I just don't.

Congrats again to GS/Strezov team regardless!!!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

667 said:


> I will buy this eventually, but with exchange it's $1000. I already have Albion I/II/III/IV/V, SCS, VSL DS, HS, Adagio, and other small ones such as Cornucopia 1 & 2, the ones included in Kontakt Ultimate, and good old EWQLSO. It's just a bit silly to buy more strings even if they sound as great as these ones do. I really believe in the workflow. I am astounded by the sound. Such realistic, emotional, playable performances. What an achievement! I wish I could support it just based on the high quality of the release. But I straight up do not have $1000 in my budget for more strings. I just don't.
> 
> Congrats again to GS/Strezov team regardless!!!


Convert it to Australian and it's $1300. We love living here.


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

I'm kind of conflicted here. Trying to understand how does this library stand or blend with my other libraries. Trying to understand whether this presumes to bring new timbres and articulations to the table - or presume to be a library that does what other libraries do, but does it better. 
I have spitfire symhonic strings, chamber strings, bernard hermann, tundra, orchestral swarms, sonuscore the orchestra, several sonokinetic phrase libraries, novo and its expansions. 
Do i go the Afflatus route? And then what? Would what i have be redundant to an extent? At least the bread and butter spitfire strings?
Or is it better to go for other tastes and colors, such as Olafur evolutions etc?
Btw, i have an edu discount and some loyalty discount so afflatus would cost me €624 now or after the intro price phase.


----------



## amorphosynthesis

667 said:


> I wish I could support it just based on the high quality of the release. But I straight up do not have $1000 in my budget for more strings


I guess as a strings 'consumer'...I would pull the trigger right away if there was a kind of...let's say modular way to purchase the whole library(such as...eg by sections or any other way to divide the library)!!!!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

amorphosynthesis said:


> I guess as a strings 'consumer'...I would pull the trigger right away if there was a kind of...let's say modular way to purchase the whole library(such as...eg by sections or any other way to divide the library)!!!!


Whenever I run into a pricey library I want that doesn't have a la carte, I pretend to buy different sections for fractions of the overall cost by sending the money to a savings account every couple of weeks, then when I've "bought" all the sections, I take the money and drop it on the library.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Goldie Zwecker said:


> I'm kind of conflicted here. Trying to understand how does this library stand or blend with my other libraries. Trying to understand whether this presumes to bring new timbres and articulations to the table - or presume to be a library that does what other libraries do, but does it better.
> I have spitfire symhonic strings, chamber strings, bernard hermann, tundra, orchestral swarms, sonuscore the orchestra, several sonokinetic phrase libraries, novo and its expansions.
> Do i go the Afflatus route? And then what? Would what i have be redundant to an extent? At least the bread and butter spitfire strings?
> Or is it better to go for other tastes and colors, such as Olafur evolutions etc?
> Btw, i have an edu discount and some loyalty discount so afflatus would cost me €624 now or after the intro price phase.


Keep everything you have and use everything you can. Afflatus is just another tool in a composer's belt, and combining different libraries isn't a bad thing at all as you can get a custom sound that way. I know there's always this part of you that wants to stick to certain "formats" or styles, but once you break out of that and use the libraries for the song rather than the song for the libraries, a whole world opens up for signature textures. For example I've mixed CS Strings with Chamber Strings and Chamber Orchestra 2 along with Omnisphere and Cryptar. Whatever works for the song is the only thing that matters. (btw in the outro song I made I used a synth patch from Aeon, a bass from Juggernaut and a Drums of the Deep 2 patch, which I then mixed together with some EQ to fit)


----------



## zimm83

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Keep everything you have and use everything you can. Afflatus is just another tool in a composer's belt, and combining different libraries isn't a bad thing at all as you can get a custom sound that way. I know there's always this part of you that wants to stick to certain "formats" or styles, but once you break out of that and use the libraries for the song rather than the song for the libraries, a whole world opens up for signature textures. For example I've mixed CS Strings with Chamber Strings and Chamber Orchestra 2 along with Omnisphere and Cryptar. Whatever works for the song is the only thing that matters. (btw in the outro song I made I used a synth patch from Aeon, a bass from Juggernaut and a Drums of the Deep 2 patch, which I then mixed together with some EQ to fit)


Totally loved your walkthrough. Sooooo good.
The new line theme : played live. Same as the original...the tone...the chords...thanks to polylegato. 
Totally bluffed. Thanks.


----------



## Mike Fox

@Cory Pelizzari Any way you'd be willing to link a midi file for the first piece in your review?


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> @Cory Pelizzari Any way you'd be willing to link a midi file for the first piece in your review?


Sure thing.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eka1vnaymqjz958/CP_Afflatus.mid?dl=0


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Sure thing.
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/eka1vnaymqjz958/CP_Afflatus.mid?dl=0


Thanks a ton!!!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Thanks a ton!!!


I have to thank you, because you just gave me an idea for another video and sharing MIDI files...


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I have to thank you, because you just gave me an idea for another video and sharing MIDI files...


Nice! I'll keep an eye out.


----------



## midiman

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I have to thank you, because you just gave me an idea for another video and sharing MIDI files...



@Cory Pelizzari Your review was the deciding last thing for me to buy afflatus, and I am SOOOO happy I did. Often libraries are measured in a very technical way, whether they can do "this" or "that", and how successful they are at achieving the bread and butter and so on. After 15 minutes with this library under my fingers I knew this was on a complete different territory from other string libraries, and all of a sudden any early guilt associated with buying another string library when I have already so many, the guilt was completely gone, cause I knew I needed these sounds badly and would be using them for a very very long time. The Polyphonic legato is amazing, and feels so natural. That alone is a milestone in string libraries. I know some people will say that LASS and others have done it, but not in this way, and with this ease of use. Just play with the Minimalist Patch or the Scene D'amour patch and you will know you have a winner on your hands. Just those two patches alone with the polyphonic legato would make this library a must buy. But there is so much more content! Amazing value. And sure, some poeple will say, "well I don't want to pay for pads" or specialty sounds with limited uses, like some of the patches on the experimental folder etc. Well, think of that as additional free content. I would buy this for the main sections patches and ensemble patches. Those alone for me are worth the price tag of the library. The rest of the content is wonderful additional stuff that you get on top. And I sure appreciate having that content which addresses specific dramatic needs for different types of films. I love this concept of naming patches inspired by films or certain moods. It is so intuitive. I hope Strezov continues this in future libraries. I feel they produced string sounds with very high standards and a very artistic concept, of creating playing styles that have been used in very successful scores, therefore when you play these patches it really sets you on a creative path, and gives you a very picturesque association based on the way the samples sound. Having said that, I think for instance the Minimalist patches can be used on so many styles and contexts. That patch is so versatile. Specially if you combine it with other section patches to play a melodic lines in a certain way. Scene D'amour patches also very versatile. They sound great on a bunch of contexts.
In one phrase this is what I think: Inspiring, musical, Sample-gold, no-regrets, Strings-on-steroids,
must-have-string-library for the professional composer. Drop the mic.


----------



## artomatic

I was truly shocked when the price was announced. I guess my expectation was it was going to be comparable to Strezov's highest priced library (posted somewhere here).

But alas, after seeing and hearing all the demos, walkthroughs and reviews, I couldn't resist any longer.

I simply love what George accomplished. Passionate, inspiring, sumptuous patches. Gorgeous, instant results out of the box.
The Afflatus sound was definitely missing from my collection of string libraries.

Thank you and congratulations, @Strezov for filling this gap. Most likely my go-to string library from here on for most of what I do.

One of, if not the best purchase I've made this year.

I guess I'll be standing on the sidelines this Black Friday!


----------



## awaey

No Money No Honey No Afflatus,,,


----------



## Leo

hmm my Black Friday is almost over too, just now downloading (part 12 from 20). My tenth major purchase in this year


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Keep everything you have and use everything you can. Afflatus is just another tool in a composer's belt, and combining different libraries isn't a bad thing at all as you can get a custom sound that way. I know there's always this part of you that wants to stick to certain "formats" or styles, but once you break out of that and use the libraries for the song rather than the song for the libraries, a whole world opens up for signature textures. For example I've mixed CS Strings with Chamber Strings and Chamber Orchestra 2 along with Omnisphere and Cryptar. Whatever works for the song is the only thing that matters. (btw in the outro song I made I used a synth patch from Aeon, a bass from Juggernaut and a Drums of the Deep 2 patch, which I then mixed together with some EQ to fit)


Thanks for your insights. I'm indeed very impressed by the library, but i have the advantage of enjoying the educational and loyalty discount - so i don't need to rush and buy it before the intro price ends. I'll have the same price two or five months from now just as well. 
I just bought Tundra and Bernard Herman toolkit a couple of weeks ago and haven't yet scratched the surface so i think i'll take it slow. Guess more demos will pop up, meanwhile.


----------



## zimm83

Hy, one question ...can't we pay via credit card on Strezov site ???
I see paypal....but don't have paypal....
Thanks.


----------



## Mucusman

zimm83 said:


> Hy, one question ...can't we pay via credit card on Strezov site ???
> I see paypal....but don't have paypal....



You should be able to pay by credit card _within _the Paypal portal.


----------



## zimm83

Mucusman said:


> You should be able to pay by credit card _within _the Paypal portal.


Ah ok thank you!!!


----------



## JonSolo

Time and Space has it, and I can get it for $645 usd. Looks like they got the exchange covered. YMMV.


----------



## Hanu_H

JonSolo said:


> Time and Space has it, and I can get it for $645 usd. Looks like they got the exchange covered. YMMV.


Yeah what is this, I can get it for 649.02€ inc VAT? It's 24% cheaper than buying from Strezov...

-Hannes


----------



## Craig Sharmat

my guess is it is a misprint or TS screwed up, if one was thinking of jumping on this, now might be the time before someone realizes what happened.


----------



## sostenuto

Craig Sharmat said:


> my guess is it is a misprint or TS screwed up, if one was thinking of jumping on this, now might be the time before someone realizes what happened.


T+S shows $649. in Account /Basket right now …. 
Nobody here to restrain my impulsive tremors ….. haaallpp !!


----------



## Mike Fox

JonSolo said:


> Time and Space has it, and I can get it for $645 usd. Looks like they got the exchange covered. YMMV.


Bought it. For that price, I couldn't resist.


----------



## MillsMixx

JonSolo said:


> Time and Space has it, and I can get it for $645 usd. Looks like they got the exchange covered. YMMV.



Yeah I saw that too!
Unfortunately I'm thinking we won't get the crossgrade discount through time+space if we own other Strezov libraries. Don't crossgrade offers only work on the Strezov site...anyone know?


----------



## NoamL

Hanu_H said:


> Yeah what is this, I can get it for 649.02€ inc VAT? It's 24% cheaper than buying from Strezov...
> 
> -Hannes



If it sounds too good to be true...


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

sostenuto said:


> T+S shows $649. in Account /Basket right now ….
> Nobody here to restrain my impulsive tremors ….. haaallpp !!


I'm not sure why Time and Space would be able to cover the difference, but do know that Strezov gets undercut on sites like that, along with every other developer on 3rd party sites (like Best Service, Big Fish Audio etc). You absolutely have the right to buy it, as long as you're okay with giving money to Time and Space rather than to the ones who created it. It's a tricky subject for a lot of developers to be honest, so it's ultimately up to the customer to decide if they'd rather support the developer or get a good deal...


----------



## artomatic

Oh well, my Afflatus patches will sound much more expensive than your Time and Space less-expensive Afflatus!


----------



## Mike Fox

Update...

Bought it from Time + Space. They emailed me a serial, which said it was invalid when I typed it in on the Strezov website, but for whatever reason, it showed up under My Products, but it's actually a different serial number than the one time/space emailed me. Screwy. Anyway, It worked, and I'm currently downloading it. At $649, I really didn't want to pass it up.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Jack Weaver said:


> Thanks Craig!
> 
> Purchase confirmed.
> 
> .


After some research I just found out that Time and Space incorrectly voided the VAT, so the price is in fact a mistake and must be changed ASAP. Not very kosher.


----------



## erica-grace

Cory Pelizzari said:


> but do know that Strezov gets undercut on sites like that,



It's not undercutting when the developer allows T&S to sell it. Which obviously is what is happening here. T&S, Best Service, Big Fish Audio etc cant sell these products without getting permission/license keys from the developer.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I'm not sure why Time and Space would be able to cover the difference, but do know that Strezov gets undercut on sites like that, along with every other developer on 3rd party sites (like Best Service, Big Fish Audio etc). You absolutely have the right to buy it, as long as you're okay with giving money to Time and Space rather than to the ones who created it. It's a tricky subject for a lot of developers to be honest, so it's ultimately up to the customer to decide if they'd rather support the developer or get a good deal...


But don't the developers get most of that money? I thought developers sold their products on 3rd party websites for the sake of extra promotion? Isn't it a "you scratch my back, and i'll scratch yours" type of scenario between the 3rd party and developer?


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

erica-grace said:


> It's not undercutting when the developer allows T&S to sell it. Which obviously is what is happening here. T&S, Best Service, Big Fish Audio etc cant sell these products without getting permission/license keys from the developer.


What happens is 3rd party developers get a cut for advertising - which is why if a person knows the developer's site and can buy it from there, they may as well if they're keen to support the developer. It's ultimately up to the customer, but most developers obviously prefer direct sales. In this case though Strezov has been undercut do to the VAT error.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> But don't the developers get most of that money? I thought developers sold their products on 3rd party websites for the sake of extra promotion? Isn't it a "you scratch my back, and i'll scratch yours" type of scenario between the 3rd party and developer?


Yes, Time and Space gets a cut for promotion, but it's generally a good idea for a customer who already knows the provider to support them directly. It's totally up to you though.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

MillsMixx said:


> Yeah I saw that too!
> Unfortunately I'm thinking we won't get the crossgrade discount through time+space if we own other Strezov libraries. Don't crossgrade offers only work on the Strezov site...anyone know?


Yes they only work on the site when buying a library from the site. If you've bought something from a 3rd party developer it still gets added to your Strezov account, but if you were to say buy another library from a 3rd party developer later, you'll be paying the vanilla price rather than the crossgrade you'd get if you logged into your Strezov account.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Yes, Time and Space gets a cut for promotion, but it's generally a good idea for a customer who already knows the provider to support them directly. It's totally up to you though.


I know what you're saying, but I really can't agree with you. I only know Strezov on a consumer level, which means I have to do what's best for me as an honest consumer, just like how they have to do what's best for them as a business. Charging $799 for Afflatus is a great example of that. They aren't a charity, and knowing that they're completely fine with me purchasing their products through a 3rd party developer is good enough for me. Hell, it's their idea! Aside from the recent pricing mistake, developers aren't being undercut at the hand of 3rd party websites.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> I know what you're saying, but I really can't agree with you. I only know Strezov on a consumer level, which means I have to do what's best for me as an honest consumer, just like how they have to do what's best for them as a business. Charging $799 for Afflatus is a great example of that. They aren't a charity, and knowing that they're completely fine with me purchasing their products through a 3rd party developer is good enough for me. Hell, it's their idea! Aside from the recent pricing mistake, developers aren't being undercut at the hand of 3rd party websites.


The pricing mistake is the reason you got a good deal. 3rd parties must still charge the same price as the developer normally, so there's no reason to buy from them any other time if you can buy from the developer, you see? The only difference this time was the VAT mistake, so you got lucky.

PS - When I said undercut I wasn't inferring that 3rd parties are stealing money from developers, I was saying that they take a promotional cut from the sales. It's fine for getting new customers, but for customers who already know the developer it becomes pointless to buy the same product at the same price from a 3rd party because the promotional cut will just take money from the developer for no reason at that point. I didn't know that at first, but now that I know, I always buy directly from the developer if the price is the same.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> The pricing mistake is the reason you got a good deal. 3rd parties must still charge the same price as the developer normally, so there's no reason to buy from them any other time if you can buy from the developer, you see? The only difference this time was the VAT mistake, so you got lucky.


If the price is the same, then sure, it makes sense to buy directly from the developer. Keep in mind though that certain 3rd parties offer discount codes, and "add to the cart" discounts (JRR Shop, for example) which is a reason to not buy directly if you want to save some money, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Me benefiting from a pricing mistake has absolutely nothing to do with my main argument (it was damn fluke), unless you are saying that another reason why people shouldn't buy from 3rd parties is because of mistakes like these, but then I'd really have to disagree! 

Oh, and just for the record, I'd welcome a reverse on the transaction if Strezov feels that undercut, because right now I'm getting the impression that i was in the wrong somehow.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> If the price is the same, then sure, it makes sense to buy directly from the developer. Keep in mind though that certain 3rd parties offer discount codes, and "add to the cart" discounts (JRR Shop, for example) which is a reason to not buy directly if you want to save some money, and there's nothing wrong with that.
> 
> Me benefiting from a pricing mistake has absolutely nothing to do with my main argument (it was damn fluke), unless you are saying that another reason why people shouldn't buy from 3rd parties is because of mistakes like these, but then I'd really have to disagree!
> 
> Oh, and just for the record, I'd welcome a reverse on the transaction if Strezov feels that undercut.


That's what I was saying, you got lucky.

Flash sales are fine to take advantage of. I've bought from Audio Plugin Deals and VST Buzz in the past and it's saved me heaps of money on libraries I found were not that great in the end.

And like I said, the libraries are normally the same price on both sites, so it's always best to support the devs in that case.


----------



## Craig Sharmat

just for the record I bought from Strezov, but i don't see a problem going for a good price if made available.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Craig Sharmat said:


> just for the record I bought from Strezov, but i don't see a problem going for a good price if made available.


It's not a problem for the customer, we have the right to take advantage of a good deal - it's a problem for Time and Space for the VAT error. I just thought everyone would like to know if it was in fact a mistake or a legitimate deal.


----------



## MillsMixx

I keep noticing the USD to euro is going up a little more each day I wait.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> It's not a problem for the customer, we have the right to take advantage of a good deal - it's a problem for Time and Space for the VAT error. I just thought everyone would like to know if it was in fact a mistake or a legitimate deal.


Cory, you're losing me man. On one hand you say that consumers should buy directly from the developer, and on the other, you say we have the right to take advantage of a good deal.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

MillsMixx said:


> I keep noticing the USD to euro is going up a little more each day I wait.


I lament the days when the Australian dollar was stronger than the American dollar... and I could buy CDs for 3 bucks.


----------



## JEPA

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I always buy directly from the developer if the price is the same.



if the price is the same!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Cory, you're losing me man. On one hand you say that consumers should buy directly from the developer, and on the other, you say we have the right to take advantage of a good deal.


Okay, here's what I mean:

Normally 3rd party prices and developer prices are the same. When that is the case, always support the developer.

When there's a flash sale, and you can get it for cheap, why not take advantage of that.

In this case, T+S has incorrectly voided the VAT, so the deal isn't legitimate and will be taken down very soon - you got in just before that, so you're lucky.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

JEPA said:


> if the price is the same!


Yes, if the price is the same. That's exactly what I said in regards to general library buying on any given day when the price is the same.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Okay, here's what I mean:
> 
> Normally 3rd party prices and developer prices are the same. When that is the case, always support the developer.
> 
> When there's a flash sale, and you can get it for cheap, why not take advantage of that.
> 
> In this case, T+S has incorrectly voided the VAT, so the deal isn't legitimate and will be taken down very soon - you got in just before that, so you're lucky.


I don't have a problem with that, except you keep telling me that I got lucky, like I should be feeling some sort of guilt or something. Or am i reading too deep into this?


----------



## zolhof

Mike Fox said:


> I don't have a problem with that, except you keep telling me that I got lucky, like I should be feeling some sort of guilt or something.



You shouldn't! So back to Afflatus, since you were sitting on the fence this entire time, please let us know your thoughts after you spend some quality time with the library.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> I don't have a problem with that, except you keep telling me that I got lucky, like I should be feeling some sort of guilt or something.


You did get lucky! That doesn't mean you have to feel guilty, it's just something that rarely happens and you happened to catch it out of a bunch of people who didn't. You haven't cost Strezov any money - they'll be reimbursed out of TS's pocket, which is their fault for making the mistake in the first place.


----------



## JEPA

no errors! they say "save up to 19%"
https://www.timespace.com/products/strezkov-afflatus-chapter-1-strings

*Strezov Sampling Afflatus Chapter 1 - Strings*
*Thematic string collection of modern minimalist to golden age and lush epic string ensembles*







OUR PRICE:

€649.02 inc. VAT
€799.00 Inc. VAT
€540.85 exc. VAT

Taxes (VAT) will be calculated based on delivery address at checkout.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

zolhof said:


> You shouldn't! So back to Afflatus, since you were sitting on the fence this entire time, please let us know your thoughts after you spend some quality time with the library.


Yes, more perspectives would be good.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

JEPA said:


> no errors! they say "save up to 19%"
> 
> *Strezov Sampling Afflatus Chapter 1 - Strings*
> *Thematic string collection of modern minimalist to golden age and lush epic string ensembles*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OUR PRICE:
> 
> €649.02 inc. VAT
> €799.00 Inc. VAT
> €540.85 exc. VAT
> 
> Taxes (VAT) will be calculated based on delivery address at checkout.


Uh-Oh... That means it was premeditated... This is not good.

Someone's going to get fired...


----------



## Mike Fox

zolhof said:


> You shouldn't! So back to Afflatus, since you were sitting on the fence this entire time, please let us know your thoughts after you spend some quality time with the library.


Thanks, and will do! Ironically, the whole time I was thinking, "Man, if that exchange rate wasn't there...", so I guess it strangely worked out.


----------



## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> You did get lucky! That doesn't mean you have to feel guilty, it's just something that rarely happens and you happened to catch it out of a bunch of people who didn't. You haven't cost Strezov any money - they'll be reimbursed out of TS's pocket, which is their fault for making the mistake in the first place.


Thanks for clarifying.


----------



## JEPA

Afflatus off the fresh VI-Control Newsletter... just noticed.. (but don't start a drama please!)


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

JEPA said:


> Afflatus off the fresh VI-Control Newsletter... just noticed.. (but don't start a drama please!)


Yeah I noticed that too...


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

JEPA said:


> no errors! they say "save up to 19%"
> https://www.timespace.com/products/strezkov-afflatus-chapter-1-strings
> 
> *Strezov Sampling Afflatus Chapter 1 - Strings*
> *Thematic string collection of modern minimalist to golden age and lush epic string ensembles*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OUR PRICE:
> 
> €649.02 inc. VAT
> €799.00 Inc. VAT
> €540.85 exc. VAT
> 
> Taxes (VAT) will be calculated based on delivery address at checkout.


Aaaand the sale is removed.


----------



## sostenuto

Marketing makes up a major part of many top, legitimate company budgets.
Each company chooses how much to impact their total costs with their Marketing commitment..
I am more than a bit put-off by posts here from one gaining my increasing respect and trust.
There seems to be notable misunderstanding about the role and proper compensation for source creators/providers and their choices of marketing outlets.
Bottom line … for me … this library is not even close to being an essential addition. To save 'real' dollars with T+S has almost pushed me over the top. 
If arguments here suggest that I am just one step away from 'pirated' software, then I can easily pass on T+S offer and not purchase Afflatus until much later.

Baarrff !


----------



## JEPA

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Uh-Oh... That means it was premeditated... This is not good.
> 
> Someone's going to get fired...



i think so, because they posted this:





curious about who's gonna get fired..


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

JEPA said:


> i think so, because they posted this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> curious about who's gonna get fired..


Yeah pretty much.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

sostenuto said:


> Marketing makes up a major part of many top, legitimate company budgets.
> Each company chooses how much to impact their total costs with their Marketing commitment..
> I am more than a bit put-off by posts here from one gaining my increasing respect and trust.
> There seems to be notable misunderstanding about the role and proper compensation for source creators/providers and their choices of marketing outlets.
> Bottom line … for me … this library is not even close to being an essential addition. To save 'real' dollars with T+S has almost pushed me over the top.
> If arguments here suggest that I am just one step away from 'pirated' software, then I can easily pass on T+S offer and not purchase until much later.
> Baarrff !


Not exactly sure what the opening of that comment was getting at, but I've made it pretty clear on this thread that buying from the developer is best when the price is the same, unless you're a new customer perusing TS for example, while getting a good deal when it's available is recommended. TS has done wrong by Strezov this time and the sale has been removed as of 10 minutes ago.


----------



## LamaRose

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I lament the days when the Australian dollar was stronger than the American dollar... and I could buy CDs for 3 bucks.



The good news is that it's a race to the bottom for all fiat currencies... parity is on the horizon... but what's a CD?


----------



## sostenuto

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Not exactly sure what the opening of that comment was getting at, but I've made it pretty clear on this thread that buying from the developer is best when the price is the same, unless you're a new customer perusing TS for example, while getting a good deal when it's available is recommended. TS has done wrong by Strezov this time and the sale has been removed as of 10 minutes ago.



Just checked and noted this usd price increase. T+S has lost credibility quickly, and net loss for Strezov Afflatus sale..
My opening comment was related to 'trust' (highly misplaced) that there is a relationship among many Providers and multiple 3rd Pty outlets. In this case there are clearly some 'misdeeds' and T+S loses my confidence.
Kudos to VI-C and this Thread for providing global transparency to these seemingly minor transgressions.

Regards


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

LamaRose said:


> but what's a CD?


Lmfao.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Mike Fox said:


> Thanks, and will do! Ironically, the whole time I was thinking, "Man, if that exchange rate wasn't there...", so I guess it strangely worked out.


Would love to hear your thoughts when you get a chance to try it. Does this mean no Forzo? 
I'm aware that I'm pretty much already sold on this but there is no budget for it right now. #sadface.

Is it correct that crossgrade prices remain unchanged after intro period ends? If so, then I have a pretty decent discounted price waiting for me when I do get the money together. Thanks @Strezov @StrezovSampling


----------



## Mike Fox

SoNowWhat? said:


> Would love to hear your thoughts when you get a chance to try it. Does this mean no Forzo?
> I'm aware that I'm pretty much already sold on this but there is no budget for it right now. #sadface.
> 
> Is it correct that crossgrade prices remain unchanged after intro period ends? If so, then I have a pretty decent discounted price waiting for me when I do get the money together. Thanks @Strezov @StrezovSampling


I've only tried the Psychatto Strings thus far (because that was one of the reasons I bought the library), and all I gotta say is that i would pay $100 (at least) for this patch alone! I can't tell you how many times I've tried creating custom patches to sound like this. These are seriously going to be my new go-to for shorts. More to come...

I'm pretty sure I'll still get Novo and Forzo. I'll just pay the price for it all later, lol!


----------



## Mike Fox

I think I'm actually going to do a screencast/walkthrough video for this library. Not that Cory didn't hit it out of the park (because he did!), but just so everyone can see my stupid happy face when I play this library.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> I think I'm actually going to do a screencast/walkthrough video for this library. Not that Corey didn't hit it out of the park (because he did!), but just so everyone can see my stupid happy face when I play this library.


Do it!


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Mike Fox said:


> I've only tried the Psychatto Strings thus far (because that was one of the reasons I bought the library), and all I gotta say is that i would pay $100 (at least) for this patch alone! I can't tell you how many times I've tried creating custom patches to sound like this. These are seriously going to be my new go-to for shorts. More to come...
> 
> I'm pretty sure I'll still get Novo and Forzo. I'll just pay the price for it all later, lol!





Mike Fox said:


> I think I'm actually going to do a screencast/walkthrough video for this library. Not that Corey didn't hit it out of the park (because he did!), but just so everyone can see my stupid happy face when I play this library.


oh bugger...I'm going to get this aren't I. 



...


----------



## MillsMixx

SoNowWhat? said:


> Is it correct that crossgrade prices remain unchanged after intro period ends? @Strezov @StrezovSampling



if you're a cross-grader you won't get the intro price anymore after it goes up of course, but the crossgrade rates are permanent. It's worth pointing out that only the "early grabbers" will receive all the upcoming updates for the library for free.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

MillsMixx said:


> if you're a cross-grader you won't get the intro price anymore after it goes up of course, but the crossgrade rates are permanent. It's worth pointing out that only the "early grabbers" will receive all the upcoming updates for the library for free.


Ahhhh, very good. Thank you for reminding me about that.


----------



## MillsMixx

I'm considering picking this up if there's no discount on Ark 4,
and yes good news for us cross-graders keeping the rates permanent. Now if you're a cross-dresser, well, who knows. We haven't heard from Strezov about that yet.


----------



## Casiquire

I don't get what all the guilt here is about. Developers set their terms when they sell with other vendors, it's not like they're blindsided. They sell to the vendor for a price, then it's the vendor's choice how much profit they want to make, keeping in mind how much the manufacturer himself is selling it for. Want to sell it way cheaper? Cool, it's coming out of their own profits, not the manufacturer's. Give it away for free, for all I care.


----------



## Strezov

Casiquire said:


> I don't get what all the guilt here is about. Developers set their terms when they sell with other vendors, it's not like they're blindsided. They sell to the vendor for a price, then it's the vendor's choice how much profit they want to make, keeping in mind how much the manufacturer himself is selling it for. Want to sell it way cheaper? Cool, it's coming out of their own profits, not the manufacturer's. Give it away for free, for all I care.


Unless it stated otherwise in the contract )))) Well, they messed up this time. Everyone makes mistakes, I do hope no one gets fires from this. And yes, distributors take large cuts - can't give out details (NDA). Whoever managed to get lucky - enjoy the library  you COULD spread some love if you liked them sounds, ha ha


----------



## samplestuff

I wish I was one of the lucky ones


----------



## sostenuto

Seems fuzzy now given posts about planned enhancements.
Has Stezov specifically indicated these Updates will not be provided to purchasers from contracted outlets, such as Time + Space? Has this been made clear anywhere _ officially ?

I aborted T+S _ Afflatus purchase based on posts here. 
No problem, massive stuff coming over next weeks. 
Seems like another sale would have been a good thing for all concerned tho.
Likely not for me, or some others, if Updates will not be provided as for those purchasing from Strezov directly.


----------



## JonSolo

Time and Space is trusted and true. They have been around for a long time. Products purchased from them are registered directly with the manufacturer, so you always have access to downloads and updates direct from dev, in this case Strezov.

It shows in your Strezov account and will no doubt count toward future discounts if they continue down this path.

I even purchased Komplete 12 Collectors box from them and they gave me the serial early and shipped my HD to me with no issue, and I saved a ton of money over going to NI. Everything works just fine.

This simply comes down to if you want the library and want to save some money, at least in the US due to the currency exchange rate. Even with the changed price you might get some savings.

Grats to everyone who grabbed it!


----------



## Strezov

I'm not sure I understood right. All updates will be automatically hooked up to your user profile - you'll just need to redownload (we will try to make it in such a way that you only need to download the update files, not the entire library). I also have to address the elephant in the room of course - that being the price after Q1 2018 when we introduce new content. Really conflicted here about that and actually considering making a poll among Afflatus users later on - but there should be some way of thanking early grabbers. It is still way too early to tell - neot before seeing and hearing the new patches (scene d'amour celli recording this weekend!!!! keep your fingers crossed). Just FYI, by first calculations we have 62.5 hours of recording session time for the bonus patches. OK, maybe I got carried away with the material... some of it might end up in my custom toolset... some of it (if it's good) will further be added to the list. Not sure if you guys fancy blogs? We can write a few words around the sessions, *maybe* share some footage?


----------



## The Darris

Strezov said:


> I'm not sure I understood right. All updates will be automatically hooked up to your user profile - you'll just need to redownload (we will try to make it in such a way that you only need to download the update files, not the entire library). I also have to address the elephant in the room of course - that being the price after Q1 2018 when we introduce new content. Really conflicted here about that and actually considering making a poll among Afflatus users later on - but there should be some way of thanking early grabbers. It is still way too early to tell - neot before seeing and hearing the new patches (scene d'amour celli recording this weekend!!!! keep your fingers crossed). Just FYI, by first calculations we have 62.5 hours of recording session time for the bonus patches. OK, maybe I got carried away with the material... some of it might end up in my custom toolset... some of it (if it's good) will further be added to the list. Not sure if you guys fancy blogs? We can write a few words around the sessions, *maybe* share some footage?


re; Pricing.

You already offered an intro price as well as additional discounts for users of your other products. Honestly, I think that's fair enough to charge whatever you think is necessary moving forward after the content update. However, I would say that most companies usually just set the price and leave it and offer free updates regardless of content. The only time I've seen a price change or charge to existing users or non-users would be if you re-recorded the entire range and had to redo a contract with Native Instruments for the licenses, thus those devs charged a premium to upgrade to the new libraries that basically covered the licensing fees. But, this of course is kept secret so it's just speculation if those devs still priced the cross-grades in a way that made money off of existing users of the other libraries. 

What I don't care for is when a developer does a pre-order or early adopter price scheme and before all the published content is officially released, they re-brand it and charge less than what owners originally paid for the original product. That sucks. So, just don't sell it cheaper than what everyone who bought day one paid for until you deem it necessary to bring the price down. I'd say, 2 years is a minimum but that's just me. I wouldn't fault you if you never brought the price down. It's a solid library and worth the price of admission, based on my first hand experience. But, it is priced in a way that excludes others like hobbyists or younger composers whom don't have the income or work that would justify making such a large purchase, to which I tell them, save your money. We all have our own justification for how much we are willing to pay for a product but that's on us, not the developers. Anyway, food for thought. 

Best,

Chris


----------



## fiestared

Cory Pelizzari said:


> After some research I just found out that Time and Space incorrectly voided the VAT, so the price is in fact a mistake and must be changed ASAP. Not very kosher.


I am really questioning myself about your posts ?


----------



## Leo

@Strezov so I hope that it is still true what you promised, that first chair and d'amoure cellos will be free for early birds...
*Additional content (Scene d' Amour Celli and First Chairs) available Q1 2019 as a free update for all registered users. *-- from yours site
https://www.strezov-sampling.com/products/view/afflatus-chapter-I-strings.html


----------



## Strezov

Oh you can bet on that!!! 110%.


----------



## Fry777

Are there any melodic demo tracks using the chamber strings of this lib ?


----------



## Leo

just finishing two projects on this weekend, but in next weeks, I guess I'll have more time to do some demo from this outstanding library, to which I fell in love. 
Please do also tenutos for d' Amour cello. Love smooth, kind of chamber sound, vi and va are first-class, and to my surprise, is even much better like my lovely ARK2.


----------



## Leo

I have one supplication, have possibility a kind of legato on same note...


----------



## Strezov

There is - if you press the same key very fast (repetition) you will have "bow change" or repeating the same note.


----------



## Leo

I was used to it sustain pedal (I know here is not work in this way) thanks for tip.
Yeah it is work now!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Fry777 said:


> Are there any melodic demo tracks using the chamber strings of this lib ?


You can hear the divisi sections in my video, but I should probably make a specific demo for you to hear if no one else has already done it.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

fiestared said:


> I am really questioning myself about your posts ?


The TS sale was taken down because it obviously wasn't kosher.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

sostenuto said:


> Seems fuzzy now given posts about planned enhancements.
> Has Stezov specifically indicated these Updates will not be provided to purchasers from contracted outlets, such as Time + Space? Has this been made clear anywhere _ officially ?
> 
> I aborted T+S _ Afflatus purchase based on posts here.
> No problem, massive stuff coming over next weeks.
> Seems like another sale would have been a good thing for all concerned tho.
> Likely not for me, or some others, if Updates will not be provided as for those purchasing from Strezov directly.


I see no reason why the updates won't be applied to a person's Strezov account even if they bought from TS. Perhaps ask Strezov directly, but I'm certain anyone buying the library now will get the updates no matter where they purchase it from.


----------



## procreative

They definitely do, my purchase of Macabre Solo Strings was from T&S and they added that to my User Account thus giving me a Crossgrade price.

Saw that T&S price, nearly got in there, dithered too long and now it seems it was a cock-up... f**k it...

Thats the price of prcorastination, but even at intro price... very tempting.


----------



## prodigalson

@Strezov could you please clarify something that I read somewhere regarding the cross-grade price? I think I read that it is permanent. Does that mean that the current absolute price for cross-graders is permanent or the percentage discount is permanent?


----------



## sostenuto

prodigalson said:


> @Strezov could you please clarify something that I read somewhere regarding the cross-grade price? I think I read that it is permanent. Does that mean that the current absolute price for cross-graders is permanent or the percentage discount is permanent?



Also, (_long Thread_) ….. was the '_Crossgrade_' amount posted? Was considering Macbre Strings earlier, and Crossgrade to Afflatus may help. Of course, Afflatus now raises concerns if it offers content which
could cover for Macabre Strings ?


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

JEPA said:


> no errors! they say "save up to 19%"
> https://www.timespace.com/products/strezkov-afflatus-chapter-1-strings
> 
> *Strezov Sampling Afflatus Chapter 1 - Strings*
> *Thematic string collection of modern minimalist to golden age and lush epic string ensembles*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OUR PRICE:
> 
> €649.02 inc. VAT
> €799.00 Inc. VAT
> €540.85 exc. VAT
> 
> Taxes (VAT) will be calculated based on delivery address at checkout.


I have no idea what you're talking about. Here i am on the T & S page, and it says $729.
Since i'm from Israel i believe i'm not suppose to pay any VAT. I've entered my correct address, but nothing changed. What am i missing?


----------



## StrezovSampling

prodigalson said:


> @Strezov could you please clarify something that I read somewhere regarding the cross-grade price? I think I read that it is permanent. Does that mean that the current absolute price for cross-graders is permanent or the percentage discount is permanent?



The crossgrade discounts are permanent and are added on top of active discounts from sales like the intro pricing offer (-150€). Once the intro price expires the price will go back to the normal retail price minus the crossgrade discounts for owners of other Strezov Sampling products.


----------



## prodigalson

StrezovSampling said:


> The crossgrade discounts are permanent and are added on top of active discounts from sales like the intro pricing offer (-150€). Once the intro price expires the price will go back to the normal retail price minus the crossgrade discounts for owners of other Strezov Sampling products.



Thanks, sorry if I'm not understanding but I guess my question is if my crossgrade discount currently is e634 (a 2.3% discount off e649). Will the crossgrade discount after the intro price expires be e634 still or 2.3% off e799?


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

prodigalson said:


> Thanks, sorry if I'm not understanding but I guess my question is if my crossgrade discount currently is e634 (a 2.3% discount off e649). Will the crossgrade discount after the intro price expires be e634 still or 2.3% off e799?


I'd like to know that as well, as my price is also currently e634.


----------



## StrezovSampling

prodigalson said:


> Thanks, sorry if I'm not understanding but I guess my question is if my crossgrade discount currently is e634 (a 2.3% discount off e649). Will the crossgrade discount after the intro price expires be e634 still or 2.3% off e799?



It will be applied at the full price so 2,3% (or whatever your crossgrade discount is) off 799€.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Goldie Zwecker said:


> I have no idea what you're talking about. Here i am on the T & S page, and it says $729.
> Since i'm from Israel i believe i'm not suppose to pay any VAT. I've entered my correct address, but nothing changed. What am i missing?


The sale was taken down. TS was undercutting Strezov.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

StrezovSampling said:


> It will be applied at the full price so 2,3% (or whatever your crossgrade discount is) off 799€.


What's the maximum crossgrade discount, if for example one owned all of Strezov's libraries except Afflatus?


----------



## Thorsten Meyer

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I'd like to know that as well, as my price is also currently e634.


The price depends on your existing libraries. It shows in my account up as €589.00 which will be plus VAT if purchased.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Thorsten Meyer said:


> The price depends on your existing libraries. It shows in my account up as €589.00 which will be plus VAT if purchased.


Yes, I think people are also curious about their crossgrade price once the intro price ends. Obviously a 4% discount for example will remove a larger chunk off the e799 than the intro price, so that has to be taken into account.


----------



## AlexanderSchiborr

if that library could do some fast agile stuff I would have pulled the trigger, but man, you cannot have everything.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> if that library could do some fast agile stuff I would have pulled the trigger, but man, you cannot have everything.


It can go a lot faster than I showed in the video, but I'm not sure exactly what kind of speed or movement you're wanting so I could put up an example track if you'd like and you can go from there.


----------



## AlexanderSchiborr

Cory Pelizzari said:


> It can go a lot faster than I showed in the video, but I'm not sure exactly what kind of speed or movement you're wanting so I could put up an example track if you'd like and you can go from there.



Well, lets say those things like ostinato medium tempo legato arrpegiated figures? And maybe runs? Would it be possible if you try that out and post a short example? Needs not to be long. I asked that question, I don´t know..a couple of times..and I didn´t got any answer to that..I mean..sure thats not everything but according to the premium price section here I would like to know certain things, also because I couldn´t hear anything in the demo or the walkthroughs..thanks.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

sostenuto said:


> Also, (_long Thread_) ….. was the '_Crossgrade_' amount posted? Was considering Macbre Strings earlier, and Crossgrade to Afflatus may help. Of course, Afflatus now raises concerns if it offers content which
> could cover for Macabre Strings ?


With the first chairs being added I'd say they'll likely be similar to Macabre but not as dark or slow moving. I still love Macabre though, it's my ol' reliable when I want some emotion or raw feeling.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> Well, lets say those things like ostinato medium tempo legato arrpegiated figures? And maybe runs? Would it be possible if you try that out and post a short example? Needs not to be long. I asked that question, I don´t know..a couple of times..and I didn´t got any answer to that..I mean..sure thats not everything but according to the premium price section here I would like to know certain things, also because I couldn´t hear anything in the demo or the walkthroughs..thanks.


These are just the Chamber violin, then cello, then viola performing by hand exposed. It can't pull off crazy stunts as you can hear, but it's adequate for a decent range of stuff.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uoqvrh08fygw3um/Afflatus Quick Legato Example.mp3?dl=0


----------



## prodigalson

StrezovSampling said:


> It will be applied at the full price so 2,3% (or whatever your crossgrade discount is) off 799€.



gotcha. thanks


----------



## star.keys

I have hardly scratched the surface of this library and can already tell you guys that most of my spitfire libs are going to get deleted, they sound just lifeless to me my ears now in comparison with Afflatus (how far can a poorly programmed library hide behind the hyped sound of a church anyway) 

I just wish Strezov provides some fast legato patches in the future


----------



## artomatic

I do wish Scene, Minimal and Lush patches included portamento...


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

star.keys said:


> I have hardly scratched the surface of this library and can already tell you guys that most of my spitfire libs are going to get deleted, they sound just lifeless to me my ears now in comparison with Afflatus (how far can a poorly programmed library hide behind the hyped sound of a church anyway)
> 
> I just wish Strezov provides some fast legato patches in the future


Check out my post further up where I posted a short track showing the legato played fast.


----------



## StrezovSampling

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> Well, lets say those things like ostinato medium tempo legato arrpegiated figures? And maybe runs? Would it be possible if you try that out and post a short example? Needs not to be long. I asked that question, I don´t know..a couple of times..and I didn´t got any answer to that..I mean..sure thats not everything but according to the premium price section here I would like to know certain things, also because I couldn´t hear anything in the demo or the walkthroughs..thanks.



Hey Alexander,

Afflatus has very agile legato as Cory's example also showcases. In addition to that it can also perform some runs with proper midi tweaking.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

artomatic said:


> I do wish Scene, Minimal and Lush patches included portamento...


Yeah. I decided to get around that by using Macabre layered in for large transitions, or CS Solos for close transitions.


----------



## MillsMixx

There's been a lot of confusion about the price after the intro expires. 
Honestly with the full cost at 799 euro I could only buy this library during the intro discount anyway and only because I have crossgrades. 
It's worth the full price I'm sure but just referring to my own budget.
So now it's a waiting game to see if anything else strikes a fancy for Black Friday next week. 
Orchestral Tools could _seal the deal_ if Ark 2 is not gonna be on sale, or a 'generous' sale like 30% or more since it too is so expensive. In the mean time the Euro to US convert keeps creeping higher.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Yes, I think people are also curious about their crossgrade price once the intro price ends. Obviously a 4% discount for example will remove a larger chunk off the e799 than the intro price, so that has to be taken into account.


Yes, but even factoring that in it’s not in the order of €150 so with that clarification the intro offer is going to be hard to beat if one is interested in the library.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Yeah. I decided to get around that by using Macabre layered in for large transitions, or CS Solos for close transitions.


And are you happy with how Afflatus layers with CSSS?
I did something similar to get around no legato in Forzo by layering with Berlin Brass.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

SoNowWhat? said:


> And are you happy with how Afflatus layers with CSSS?
> I did something similar to get around no legato in Forzo by layering with Berlin Brass.


I'm happy with the results, although I'd still prefer Afflatus portamento because the Sofia sound is quite nice...


----------



## NoamL

StrezovSampling said:


> Hey Alexander,
> 
> Afflatus has very agile legato as Cory's example also showcases. In addition to that it can also perform some runs with proper midi tweaking.




wow

this demo is incredible.


----------



## chapbot

star.keys said:


> I just wish Strezov provides some fast legato patches in the future


Yes!!!!


----------



## kilfir

I flinched…. 

I love the "grit" of that library. It is one of the best out there. For years, i was looking for "that" sound i had in my head. 

From Sonic Implants Strings to the Berlin Strings [i have them all] without forgetting Spitfire, VSL, 8Dio & Kirk Hunter ones i also bought, i was never totally please or satisfy in some way.

This time i am blown away by the Strezov Afflatus Strings. Presence, presence, air, air. Really inspirational. [through my Barefoot MM35]

Finally, i am totally please. 

PS. By the way this library works well layered with the Spitfire Albion V Tundra library.


----------



## sostenuto

Can't wait for 2nd Coming _ Part Two ......


----------



## galactic orange

I've only listened to the first demo and three minutes of the walkthrough. That's because if I hear more of what this library sounds like then it's game over for my wallet. ::sigh:: I guess I'll give it a listen this weekend and possibly be broke by Monday.


----------



## zimm83

sostenuto said:


> Can't wait for 2nd Coming _ Part Two ......


???


----------



## zimm83

kilfir said:


> I flinched….
> 
> I love the "grit" of that library. It is one of the best out there. For years, i was looking for "that" sound i had in my head.
> 
> From Sonic Implants Strings to the Berlin Strings [i have them all] without forgetting Spitfire, VSL, 8Dio & Kirk Hunter ones i also bought, i was never totally please or satisfy in some way.
> 
> This time i am blown away by the Strezov Afflatus Strings. Presence, presence, air, air. Really inspirational. [through my Barefoot MM35]
> 
> Finally, i am totally please.
> 
> PS. By the way this library works well layered with the Spitfire Albion V Tundra library.


Even better than Berlin? Waouh.....


----------



## zimm83

Leo said:


> just finishing two projects on this weekend, but in next weeks, I guess I'll have more time to do some demo from this outstanding library, to which I fell in love.
> Please do also tenutos for d' Amour cello. Love smooth, kind of chamber sound, vi and va are first-class, and to my surprise, is even much better like my lovely ARK2.


So better than Ma2 legatos... Waouh. I will have to compare the walkthroughs..


----------



## zimm83

Strezov said:


> I'm not sure I understood right. All updates will be automatically hooked up to your user profile - you'll just need to redownload (we will try to make it in such a way that you only need to download the update files, not the entire library). I also have to address the elephant in the room of course - that being the price after Q1 2018 when we introduce new content. Really conflicted here about that and actually considering making a poll among Afflatus users later on - but there should be some way of thanking early grabbers. It is still way too early to tell - neot before seeing and hearing the new patches (scene d'amour celli recording this weekend!!!! keep your fingers crossed). Just FYI, by first calculations we have 62.5 hours of recording session time for the bonus patches. OK, maybe I got carried away with the material... some of it might end up in my custom toolset... some of it (if it's good) will further be added to the list. Not sure if you guys fancy blogs? We can write a few words around the sessions, *maybe* share some footage?


So in Q1 2019 you will add a quartet with poly legato????
Oh man....And cello scene amour?
Waouhhhhh...And other things i suppose?
That's .....wonderful. Simply wonderful. And....free!!!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

zimm83 said:


> ???


Brass and woodwinds expected. That's why Afflatus Strings is called part one. Not sure if they could pull off a percussion Afflatus... We have the X3M libraries for that kind of thing at the moment.


----------



## zimm83

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Brass and woodwinds expected. That's why Afflatus Strings is called part one. Not sure if they could pull off a percussion Afflatus... We have the X3M libraries for that kind of thing at the moment.


Ah ok thanks!


----------



## alfred tapscott

purchased a couple of days ago...

I'm sorry to say I'm about to throw away most of what's on my template. This sounds amazing, it's really easy to use, and can cover most anything I need on strings. People say they miss stuff...Come on, you've got almost every "normal" thing strings do, and in many ways and different ensembles... If you're really into esoteric col leg tratto stuff...we'll ok, go somewhere else...but I can just say, congratulations @Strezov...you just bet to the ground all the big developers. 

It's just sad that it's becoming more and more difficult to justify using real orchestra for many things. But it's what's coming...can't fight it


----------



## sostenuto

alfred tapscott said:


> purchased a couple of days ago... ****
> *** If you're really into esoteric col leg tratto stuff...we'll ok, go somewhere else...but I can just say, congratulations @Strezov...you just bet to the ground all the big developers.
> 
> It's just sad that it's becoming more and more difficult to justify using real orchestra for many things. But it's what's coming...can't fight it



_Stated nicely._ Other similar comments over recent times, but _ _for me_ _ this resonated. 
Will need to think even harder about BlkFri 'real orchestra' deals …. as this trend continues.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

I got a request to post a track and midi of the freehand Shawshank theme I played in my video with the Vintage Violas & Cellos patch switched out for Chamber patches. The divisi section from the vintage patch is actually smaller than the chamber section, but I've showcased the chamber section here anyway. What you hear is the celli chamber patch and the violins 1 chamber patch to give a wider image, with the close and decca mics active:

Track - https://www.dropbox.com/s/exgaz4zbxu6nz61/Afflatus_Chamber_Example.mp3?dl=0
Midi - https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbisjztj652lpip/CP_Shawshank_Freehand_Afflatus.mid?dl=0


----------



## Leo

zimm83 said:


> So better than Ma2 legatos... Waouh. I will have to compare the walkthroughs..


from walkthroughs you do not know or hear real legato (mean in single line), on next week I can do very quick comparison between ARK2 vs Afflatus..


----------



## Strezov

Conducting at the moment, so will have to be brief (it OK, we are in a break) --- live musicians can never be replaced. The soul that's added to the music.... once you get a feel of it, you will never go back. My 0.02$


----------



## Lionel Schmitt

Strezov said:


> Conducting at the moment, so will have to be brief (it OK, we are in a break) --- live musicians can never be replaced. The soul that's added to the music.... once you get a feel of it, you will never go back. My 0.02$


Yes! 
I notice how I more and more appreciate live performances... it get's me immediately, especially with strings.
The breath, flow and expression just cannot be matched with samples. Even for simple legato lines.

And there are still enough unplayable things... agile stuff that just can't be done with samples convincingly.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Strezov said:


> Conducting at the moment, so will have to be brief (it OK, we are in a break) --- live musicians can never be replaced. The soul that's added to the music.... once you get a feel of it, you will never go back. My 0.02$


Wasn't that the whole inspiration for Afflatus in the first place?


----------



## zimm83

Leo said:


> from walkthroughs you do not know or hear real legato (mean in single line), on next week I can do very quick comparison between ARK2 vs Afflatus..


Yeah . Great. Thanks.


----------



## Bill the Lesser

Was considering Afflatus for a few moments recently, then I went back and listened to
Secrets of the Forest by Anne Van Duyvenvoorde here:

http://www.soundsonline.com/hollywood-orchestra

With all due respect, I can't think of a single "niche" VI, or even a combination of them, that could do that any better, or possibly even as good. If I'm going to really crack this orchestral nut, I'm going to do it the old fashioned way. And yes I know it does show evidence of being a sample library, but it's samples done as an instrument in itself, and while listening to it I do not feel aesthetically cheated in any way...it's a gorgeous piece. Concerto for PC and Sample Files, how cool is that? But that's how I am.


----------



## Erick - BVA

Bill the Lesser said:


> Was considering Afflatus for a few moments recently, then I went back and listened to
> Secrets of the Forest by Anne Van Duyvenvoorde here:
> 
> http://www.soundsonline.com/hollywood-orchestra
> 
> With all due respect, I can't think of a single "niche" VI, or even a combination of them, that could do that any better, or possibly even as good. If I'm going to really crack this orchestral nut, I'm going to do it the old fashioned way. And yes I know it does show evidence of being a sample library, but it's samples done as an instrument in itself, and while listening to it I do not feel aesthetically cheated in any way...it's a gorgeous piece. Concerto for PC and Sample Files, how cool is that? But that's how I am.


I hear a lot of instruments in the demo. It also seems somewhat generic --which isn't a bad thing. I just don't think Afflatus is really trying to do this. It seems to be covering ground that other libraries haven't. Secrets of the Forest is very pleasant for sure. But there is a character and life in the Afflatus demos which I have not heard anywhere else. I'm not trying to change your mind though. I just think you're comparing apples to oranges.


----------



## Thorsten Meyer

Full Review here:
*Afflatus Chapter I Strings by STREZOV Review*
By Cory Pelizzari - Friday, 16 November 2018
https://www.strongmocha.com/2018/11/16/afflatus-chapter-i-strings-by-strezov-review/


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Wonderful vid. I have to admit that I cracked up at 18:24. I kid you not - my lady leaned in the door and blew a raspberry at me for a laugh, just as you were saying “And that my friends is the sound of a flatus”.


----------



## alfred tapscott

Strezov said:


> Conducting at the moment, so will have to be brief (it OK, we are in a break) --- live musicians can never be replaced. The soul that's added to the music.... once you get a feel of it, you will never go back. My 0.02$


I did around 20 movies and tvshows this year, and approx. Half of them with real orchestra.

It’s a different thing, I’m not questioning the musicianship and what real guys can bring to a production, but, in modern scoring, between the electronic stuff, the hans-like music that doesn’t really need much real orchestra (worked at remote control for a while so know how they do it there. I could talk about 150k $ projects done using samples and no real orchestra) and projects under 40k $ or so where budget might be constrained..adding how samples are starting to sound...it’s getting harder and harder to fit the real orchestra in the whole picture.

Sorry, didn’t want to go offtopic, my intention was to congratulate @Strezov for the amazing job. 

By the way, for the moment, besides some small tuning issues in some patches, my only request would be to have cc11 control volume also in short articulations as all the other libraries do, so it’s consistent for all the library. Using cc7 is not good if you wat to keep free the kontakt faders.


----------



## Strezov

Yes, before the big update we'll introduce some new features and requests, among which is CC#11 for shorts. Hopefully very soon. 

As for the offtopic, I'll continue it a bit ) @Cory Pelizzari - the inspiration indeed comes from live players, etc., but our intention was never to replace the musicians, just give out tools that will help you sculpt ideas. I personally encourage everyone to record music - even if it is a solo violin. We have recorded so much choirs these past two years from people using Storm Choir in the mockup and wanting to replace it with the real deal (sometimes - even request to get the same singers!). 

As for today's production standards - @alfred tapscott I understand your point of view. However, I think that our job as composers should be to try and educate our clients how important this is. Because I can see on a daily basis how ad agencies, productions companies, etc. throw away cash for rentals, camera equipments, make-up, etc. etc. IMO they can't make the actual difference (but will always FEEL it!!!) so they need to be educated.


----------



## alfred tapscott

Strezov said:


> Yes, before the big update we'll introduce some new features and requests, among which is CC#11 for shorts. Hopefully very soon.
> 
> As for the offtopic, I'll continue it a bit ) @Cory Pelizzari - the inspiration indeed comes from live players, etc., but our intention was never to replace the musicians, just give out tools that will help you sculpt ideas. I personally encourage everyone to record music - even if it is a solo violin. We have recorded so much choirs these past two years from people using Storm Choir in the mockup and wanting to replace it with the real deal (sometimes - even request to get the same singers!).
> 
> As for today's production standards - @alfred tapscott I understand your point of view. However, I think that our job as composers should be to try and educate our clients how important this is. Because I can see on a daily basis how ad agencies, productions companies, etc. throw away cash for rentals, camera equipments, make-up, etc. etc. IMO they can't make the actual difference (but will always FEEL it!!!) so they need to be educated.


Absolutely, I hope scoring remains the fun and final step of our jobs as much as possible!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> Wonderful vid. I have to admit that I cracked up at 18:24. I kid you not - my lady leaned in the door and blew a raspberry at me for a laugh, just as you were saying “And that my friends is the sound of a flatus”.


I knew someone was going to pick up on that at some point.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Strezov said:


> Yes, before the big update we'll introduce some new features and requests, among which is CC#11 for shorts. Hopefully very soon.
> 
> As for the offtopic, I'll continue it a bit ) @Cory Pelizzari - the inspiration indeed comes from live players, etc., but our intention was never to replace the musicians, just give out tools that will help you sculpt ideas. I personally encourage everyone to record music - even if it is a solo violin. We have recorded so much choirs these past two years from people using Storm Choir in the mockup and wanting to replace it with the real deal (sometimes - even request to get the same singers!).
> 
> As for today's production standards - @alfred tapscott I understand your point of view. However, I think that our job as composers should be to try and educate our clients how important this is. Because I can see on a daily basis how ad agencies, productions companies, etc. throw away cash for rentals, camera equipments, make-up, etc. etc. IMO they can't make the actual difference (but will always FEEL it!!!) so they need to be educated.


I hate to be a downer but you're undermining your entire company and its income by enforcing this point - as well as us composers who don't have the money or the privilege of recording with live musicians. It's not prudent to drive a point home that would inevitably cause us composers to feel lacking, as though we are missing out on something crucial by doing what we do and that in some way what we do isn't "real" enough.

I back my thoughts up with the fact that some of the greatest and most inspiring works were made with game chips, synthesizers, mellotrons and other elements that are not essentially "real". There are thousands of songs that would not sound the same or good at all with a live recorded orchestra, and to devalue the wonders of these designed and produced sounds is not becoming of a true artist.

We are not artists because we ask an orchestra to perform, we are not artists because we yearn to capture some esoteric essence of a live player - we are artists because we create what we can, when we can, however we can, regardless of what means we use to make our dreams and ideas a reality that others can hear. Like the roar of thunder or the humming of radio static, art exists in everything and it is our responsibility as composers to show others that beauty, however real or synthetic that beauty may be.

I say this with respect and no ill intent or anger, so make of it what you will.


----------



## axb312

Any chance Strezov is listening to feedback and would consider lowering the price of this library?


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I knew someone was going to pick up on that at some point.


I saw the funny side of this library’s name from the moment I saw it, but the perfect timing of your narration and my woman’s raspberry was more than I could bear.


----------



## Strezov

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I hate to be a downer but you're undermining your entire company and its income by enforcing this point - as well as us composers who don't have the money or the privilege of recording with live musicians. It's not prudent to drive a point home that would inevitably cause us composers to feel lacking, as though we are missing out on something crucial by doing what we do and that in some way what we do isn't "real" enough.
> 
> I back my thoughts up with the fact that some of the greatest and most inspiring works were made with game chips, synthesizers, mellotrons and other elements that are not essentially "real". There are thousands of songs that would not sound the same or good at all with a live recorded orchestra, and to devalue the wonders of these designed and produced sounds is not becoming of a true artist.
> 
> We are not artists because we ask an orchestra to perform, we are not artists because we yearn to capture some esoteric essence of a live player - we are artists because we create what we can, when we can, however we can, regardless of what means we use to make our dreams and ideas a reality that others can hear. Like the roar of thunder or the humming of radio static, art exists in everything and it is our responsibility as composers to show others that beauty, however real or synthetic that beauty may be.
> 
> I say this with respect and no ill intent or anger, so make of it what you will.


No, Cory, absolutely no offense taken at all! I would like to clarify that it's not about making it real or not - it's mostly about human connection and collaboration. I wrote 120 minutes of music with Moogs this year  I think we are essentially speaking the same thing, just wanted to point out that we are making creative tools and NOT trying to kill off the live musician - as I'm sure it's what all developers are doing.

As for the price - it is of course based on investments but even if we felt like lowering it that wouldn't be right for everyone who supported us in the intro.


----------



## JEPA

i have made outstanding music with General Midi stock sounds!  
happy weekend everyone!


----------



## SoundChris

Well I got Afflatus now and am really impressed a lot . So many very useful patches and ultra inspiring stuff. IMO the price is high but also totally justified. Recording, editing, programming and finally offering so much material costs a lot of time and effort I guess. There is so much content which I badly wanted for years now and special articulations that I didnt have yet for all kinds of special situations (and I really got a lot of string libraries in my studio - like CSS, CS2, EWQL Hollywood Strings Diamond, CineStrings Solo, Embertone Solo Strings and Joshua Bell, Strezov´s Cornucopia 1, 2 and Macabre, AudioModeling Strings Bundle, 8Dio Agitato Bundle & Cage, EWQL Symphonic Orchestra, MusicalSampling Soaring and Adventure Strings, VIRharmonic Bohemian Cello, ProjectSAM Animator, EWQL Silk´s Persian String Ensemble, Sonokinetic Vivace, Capriccio and Sultan Strings, NI Session Strings 2 & Action Strings, OT Berlin Strings First Chairs, Spitfire Albion and other stuff). Its funny that people dont seem to have a problem to purchase and insanely praise products that give you very little content with very limited articulations and options while they get upset that a product like Afflatus which really gives so many different articulations and which works in so many different situations. I think people always should see it in relation. Then there is the fact that Also there are companies out there which can just release any shit possible and people get excited and insane just because "company X makes a choir!!!!" or "OMG the Instrument has got the name of a really famous hollywood composer!!!" What counts for me is what I get and what it enables me to do - and of course if the product inspires me to compose music. And Afflatus is absolutely able to do so. Inspiring products are (unfortunately) quite rare these days. The last ones which come to my mind which totally inspired me were embertone´s Josh Bell and Walker Steinway 1955, Arturia´s V-Collection, Strezov´s Wotan & Freyja, Tarilonte´s ERA and Forest Kingdom 2 and the Brass and Winds by AudioModeling / SampleModeling aswell as Ilya Efimov´s Les Paul Guitar. You play around with one of these and its just inspiring - you instantly get loads of musical ideas and feel encouraged and excited to see what comes next in your composition. Dont know if you guys understand what I mean. But that is what I love most when playing with virutal instruments. And now it is Afflatus which inspires me 

Long story short: For me the reasons why Afflatus is one of my best grabs since a long time are these:
1. A lot of content that I didnt have before for certain styles I always wanted to compose in
2. The Poly Legato - feature which is an extremely valuable time-saver
3. The Inspiration-Aspect...
4. The fact that you can be very flexible with the divisi / ensemble combinations
5. The fact that you have got the strings recorded together with other instruments (winds, ethnic stuff, choir etc.) which just sounds great out of the box and expands my palette and opportunities
6. The sound. I LOVE the lush sound and dont understand the folks here claiming it would sound "old" or that there would be problems within the recordings. I think it is a good mix of patches that sounds well in classical orchestral works (Le Sacre... I just can say: Strawinsky would be proud of you @Strezov !). The minimal patches or also the d´Amour patches ... just beautiful. If this really sounds old - well then I aditt that like it :D 

I am really looking forward to soo the upcoming updates and new patches - and of course also the new installments of the Afflatus series in the future!


----------



## Welldone

The more I hear and read about Afflatus, the more I‘m thinking about getting it. The quality and the price-tag are gearded towards professionals. I hardly get any money out of my music (which is fine).

Out of curiosity: Are there people, who bought the library, who are not gaining their main income through music? (I don’t like the term hobbyist.) What‘s your opinion about the library?


----------



## SoundChris

Welldone said:


> The more I hear and read about Afflatus, the more I‘m thinking about getting it. The quality and the price-tag are gearded towards professionals. I hardly get any money out of my music (which is fine).
> 
> Out of curiosity: Are there people, who bought the library, who are not gaining their main income through music? (I don’t like the term hobbyist.) What‘s your opinion about the library?


I gain my main income through my lawyer job. I am doing music "just" as an quite ambitious and enthusiastic hobby. Sometimes I earn something but most of the time the offers are just too badly paid or the expectations totally unrealistic so that I finally decided to do it for passion and only invest the time in music jobs if the project is a lot of fun or interests me - or if the payment is at least reasonable. I guess many of you folks out there do know well what I mean


----------



## Welldone

Thanks for the insight. I‘m excactly in the same position (I‘m also a lawyer .

Did you treat yourself to Afflatus?

EDIT When I asked, if you treated yourself to Afflatus, I had overlooked your review of it. Thanks a lot for your concise report that helps me make my decision.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

SoundChris said:


> Inspiring products are (unfortunately) quite rare these days. The last ones which come to my mind which totally inspired me were embertone´s Josh Bell and Walker Steinway 1955, Arturia´s V-Collection, Strezov´s Wotan & Freyja, Tarilonte´s ERA and Forest Kingdom 2 and the Brass and Winds by AudioModeling / SampleModeling aswell as Ilya Efimov´s Les Paul Guitar. You play around with one of these and its just inspiring - you instantly get loads of musical ideas and feel encouraged and excited to see what comes next in your composition. Dont know if you guys understand what I mean. But that is what I love most when playing with virutal instruments. And now it is Afflatus which inspires me


I know exactly what you mean. And FWIW, you’ve captured several of the libraries that I would place in exactly that class: Josh Bell, Walker 1955, Freyja/Wotan and I’d add Emo Cello, and Time Macro to that list too. The only thing that I find truly disturbing about your post is that it means I’ll have to round up some extra monies.


----------



## artomatic

SoundChris said:


> Well I got Afflatus now and am really impressed a lot . So many very useful patches and ultra inspiring stuff. IMO the price is high but also totally justified. Recording, editing, programming and finally offering so much material costs a lot of time and effort I guess. There is so much content which I badly wanted for years now and special articulations that I didnt have yet for all kinds of special situations (and I really got a lot of string libraries in my studio - like CSS, CS2, EWQL Hollywood Strings Diamond, CineStrings Solo, Embertone Solo Strings and Joshua Bell, Strezov´s Cornucopia 1, 2 and Macabre, AudioModeling Strings Bundle, 8Dio Agitato Bundle & Cage, EWQL Symphonic Orchestra, MusicalSampling Soaring and Adventure Strings, VIRharmonic Bohemian Cello, ProjectSAM Animator, EWQL Silk´s Persian String Ensemble, Sonokinetic Vivace, Capriccio and Sultan Strings, NI Session Strings 2 & Action Strings, OT Berlin Strings First Chairs, Spitfire Albion and other stuff). Its funny that people dont seem to have a problem to purchase and insanely praise products that give you very little content with very limited articulations and options while they get upset that a product like Afflatus which really gives so many different articulations and which works in so many different situations. I think people always should see it in relation. Then there is the fact that Also there are companies out there which can just release any shit possible and people get excited and insane just because "company X makes a choir!!!!" or "OMG the Instrument has got the name of a really famous hollywood composer!!!" What counts for me is what I get and what it enables me to do - and of course if the product inspires me to compose music. And Afflatus is absolutely able to do so. Inspiring products are (unfortunately) quite rare these days. The last ones which come to my mind which totally inspired me were embertone´s Josh Bell and Walker Steinway 1955, Arturia´s V-Collection, Strezov´s Wotan & Freyja, Tarilonte´s ERA and Forest Kingdom 2 and the Brass and Winds by AudioModeling / SampleModeling aswell as Ilya Efimov´s Les Paul Guitar. You play around with one of these and its just inspiring - you instantly get loads of musical ideas and feel encouraged and excited to see what comes next in your composition. Dont know if you guys understand what I mean. But that is what I love most when playing with virutal instruments. And now it is Afflatus which inspires me
> 
> Long story short: For me the reasons why Afflatus is one of my best grabs since a long time are these:
> 1. A lot of content that I didnt have before for certain styles I always wanted to compose in
> 2. The Poly Legato - feature which is an extremely valuable time-saver
> 3. The Inspiration-Aspect...
> 4. The fact that you can be very flexible with the divisi / ensemble combinations
> 5. The fact that you have got the strings recorded together with other instruments (winds, ethnic stuff, choir etc.) which just sounds great out of the box and expands my palette and opportunities
> 6. The sound. I LOVE the lush sound and dont understand the folks here claiming it would sound "old" or that there would be problems within the recordings. I think it is a good mix of patches that sounds well in classical orchestral works (Le Sacre... I just can say: Strawinsky would be proud of you @Strezov !). The minimal patches or also the d´Amour patches ... just beautiful. If this really sounds old - well then I aditt that like it :D
> 
> I am really looking forward to soo the upcoming updates and new patches - and of course also the new installments of the Afflatus series in the future!





I purchased HZS and have rarely used it.

With the same price tag, Afflatus Strings have already dominated my template!


----------



## SoNowWhat?

For those that have purchased can I ask;
What is the consistency of sound like across the different nki’s? Can you change from one to another and maintain the sense of the same group playing but in a different style or number? Or doesn’t it work that way?

And in the same vein how does the use of divisi affect the consistency of sound? 

I’ve watched the videos but it’s not always clear (compared to actually having the library under fingers) based on previous experience.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

SoNowWhat? said:


> For those that have purchased can I ask;
> What is the consistency of sound like across the different nki’s? Can you change from one to another and maintain the sense of the same group playing but in a different style or number? Or doesn’t it work that way?
> 
> And in the same vein how does the use of divisi affect the consistency of sound?
> 
> I’ve watched the videos but it’s not always clear (compared to actually having the library under fingers) based on previous experience.


It's pretty darn consistent to be honest. If you check an earlier post of mine on this thread you can hear one of the examples in my video being played with different patches. If you would like any specific comparison made I'd be happy to post an example.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

Cory Pelizzari said:


> It's pretty darn consistent to be honest. If you check an earlier post of mine on this thread you can hear one of the examples in my video being played with different patches. If you would like any specific comparison made I'd be happy to post an example.


Thanks Cory. I’ll go back and listen and put some thought to examples I might want to hear.


----------



## Mucusman

sostenuto said:


> How would you view adding Afflatus before these others ?



I own Spitfire's Albion ONE, Tundra, and Chamber Strings, and was planning on getting Cinematic Studio Strings this Black Friday sale, based on the overwhelming love for that "basic" string library. However, Afflatus took my money instead (I never saw it coming!). From my initial tests using Afflatus, I think Afflatus is more than adequate to handle most of the use I have for a string library. 

There are some great string patches in Albion V Tundra that I'll still turn to, but apart from these, Afflatus looks to have what I need. The grit and life in the attacks of the short articulation patches are amazing. There are some echos of this in some Albion ONE patches, but Afflatus trumps them in my opinion. 

I for one took a financial stretch buying Afflatus; it is more than 2x that I expect CSS to cost in a few days. But I don't regret my choice. I agree with many others who have already spoken of the "life" in the library, the inspirational nature of the tools within it. 

For me, Audiobro's Genesis and Strezov's Afflatus are my libraries of the year that not only sound fantastic, but inspire. 

Someone earlier asked about how any hobbiest who has purchased this views Afflatus. That would be me. I don't make a dime off of my music. I write for the love of it. Yes, it was a significant outlay. But I have no regrets. It's a tool, one I intend to enjoy using for quite a while to come.


----------



## sostenuto

Mucusman said:


> I own Spitfire's Albion ONE and Tundra, and was planning on getting Cinematic Studio Strings this Black Friday sale, based on the overwhelming love for that "basic" string library. However, Afflatus took my money instead (I never saw it coming!). From my initial tests using Afflatus, I think Afflatus is more than adequate to handle most of the use I have for a string library.
> 
> There are some great string patches in Albion V Tundra that I'll still turn to, but apart from these, Afflatus looks to have what I need. The grit and life in the attacks of the short articulation patches are amazing. There are some echos of this in some Albion ONE patches, but Afflatus trumps them in my opinion.
> 
> I for one took a financial stretch buying Afflatus; it is more than 2x that I expect CSS to cost in a few days. But I don't regret my choice. I agree with many others who have already spoken of the "life" in the library, the inspirational nature of the tools within it.
> 
> For me, Audiobro's Genesis and Strezov's Afflatus are my libraries of the year that not only sound fantastic, but inspire.
> 
> Someone earlier asked about how any hobbiest who has purchased this views Afflatus. That would be me. I don't make a dime off of my music. I write for the love of it. Yes, it was a significant outlay. But I have no regrets. It's a tool, one I intend to enjoy using for quite a while to come.



Incredible post, my friend. So many interested individuals, coming a this from so many very different perspectives ………
I have agonized /procrastinated for so long, over which 'core /full' String library. Not so much cost, but trying to sort what may fit my future, 'undefined' interests best.
Berlin Strings, Spitfire _ Symphony Strings, LASS Full 2.5, CSS /CS2, LASS Full 2.5 …….. all in the mix for this BlkFri purchase.

Boring, and not so helpful, for me to list many fine Libs already used; but none are a 'Core' String library. Afflatus is almost 'too-good-to-be-true' introduction, so close to BlkFri promos.

Audiobro Genesis is likely my remaining choice in 2018 (other than Afflatus).

Your Afflatus experience is really cool. Maybe only remaining, nagging alternatives (to Afflatus) is now LASS.


----------



## sostenuto

Strezov site seems to indicate only 'shipment' of disc source material. T+S indicates DNLD. 
Is this correct ??


----------



## Mucusman

sostenuto said:


> Strezov site seems to indicate only 'shipment' of disc source material. T+S indicates DNLD.
> Is this correct ??



I purchased from Time and Space. I was issued a token to redeem on Strezov's site, where I was given download links. 

It was a smooth process.


----------



## Erick - BVA

I need to be candid here. I was planning to wait for sales on Spitfire libraries (British Composer Toolkit being one of them), and perhaps "The Orchestra" by Best Service/Sonuscore, and maybe something from Sonokinetic. I was not expecting to spend this much money on anything, or any group of products. But there was something about Afflatus that made me abandon all of my former plans. I picked it up. It even compelled me to upgrade to SSD because my HDD couldn't handle the patches (yet more money to spend). But the patches I could play were inspiring to say the least. I have no words to describe for you the glee I felt playing Avante Garde strings using the sustain pedal. I have never experienced anything quite like that. It seems hyperbolic but I feel like it's the equivalent of getting a chance to race in a formula one car, as opposed to a street car. It feels different than anything I've played. So even if I may not end up using every patch, I still get a feeling it was well worth it --I'll get a better picture once I get my SSD up and running.


----------



## Welldone

> Someone earlier asked about how any hobbiest who has purchased this views Afflatus. That would be me. I don't make a dime off of my music. I write for the love of it. Yes, it was a significant outlay. But I have no regrets. It's a tool, one I intend to enjoy using for quite a while to come.



That someone was me. Thanks for your insight about the library that helps me make my decision.


----------



## zimm83

One suggestion for the future update. Some ostinatos would be really cool. Just an idea for Strezov Sampling. Thanks.


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Mucusman said:


> I own Spitfire's Albion ONE, Tundra, and Chamber Strings, and was planning on getting Cinematic Studio Strings this Black Friday sale, based on the overwhelming love for that "basic" string library. However, Afflatus took my money instead (I never saw it coming!). From my initial tests using Afflatus, I think Afflatus is more than adequate to handle most of the use I have for a string library.
> 
> There are some great string patches in Albion V Tundra that I'll still turn to, but apart from these, Afflatus looks to have what I need. The grit and life in the attacks of the short articulation patches are amazing. There are some echos of this in some Albion ONE patches, but Afflatus trumps them in my opinion.


Afflatus sounds amazing. Still, it's an addition and not a replacement - and of course depends on what libraries we're talking about. For example Tundra can't really be replaced (or even compared) to Afflatus as does Albion One. First, they are both more than just string libraries. They also have brass, winds, percussion, loops, hybrid pads etc. We can discuss the string section within albion or ark - but that's about it. 
Also, there are some very specific libraries with a very niche sound that Afflatus doesn't cover so they don't overlap. Tundra is an example that contains - in the string section - very unique articulations that aren't covered by any other library for that matter. The Bernard Hermman toolkit is another example. 
The interesting questions are indeed how Afflatus compares to spitfire's symphonic strings and chamber strings. I think in the case of at least chamber strings - they are still not "threatened" (for lack of better words) because it's focused on a smaller ensemble vs the 50 piece string section of afflatus, and has way more articulations. So they may compliment each other rather than compete. As for symphonic strings - i'll need to hear a bit more.


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Sibelius19 said:


> I need to be candid here. I was planning to wait for sales on Spitfire libraries (British Composer Toolkit being one of them), and perhaps "The Orchestra" by Best Service/Sonuscore


I wouldn't give up the idea of "The Orchestra" as it doesn't really conflict with Afflatus (apart from $$  )
The Orchestra is more about composition ideas and making "mini arrangements" involving multiple instruments interacting. So, when you get the chance - go for it. It's really inspiring.


----------



## zimm83

zimm83 said:


> One suggestion for the future update. Some ostinatos would be really cool. Just an idea for Strezov Sampling. Thanks.


And also for the firstchairs, a little portamento option (on high velocity...).
Just another suggestion....


----------



## Strezov

Noted, thanks!


----------



## Mucusman

Goldie Zwecker said:


> Afflatus sounds amazing. Still, it's an addition and not a replacement - and of course depends on what libraries we're talking about. For example Tundra can't really be replaced (or even compared) to Afflatus as does Albion One. First, they are both more than just string libraries. They also have brass, winds, percussion, loops, hybrid pads etc. We can discuss the string section within albion or ark - but that's about it.



Agreed. When I compared Afflatus to Albion ONE, I only had in mind the _string _portion of Albion ONE. And no, I'm not planning on removing Chamber Strings from my hard drive, or Tunda. Each library has its strengths and weaknesses, and certain bits that they excel in above and beyond anything else. However, I do believe I'll be turning to my other string libraries a lot _less _now that I have Afflatus. That was my point. 

I've come to trust the collective wisdom of the fine men and women here on VI-Control. There will always be diverse opinions on every library, but when I find overwhelming satisfaction with a particular library -- and I can see that this library fits the style of music I write -- I find that if I purchase that library, I am not disappointed. 

Resources for most of us are limited; we can't enjoy every new library that comes out. By saying yes to one library, we say no to one or more others. 

I have a quote saved at the bottom of a document I keep on VST libraries I'm interested in that I've found insightful. It helped me most when I just starting out in the VST world (having used hardware synths before that), and continues to help me, though I have not always succeeded in holding to it. I can't find the attribution, but here's the quote:

I'd buy one top quality component at a time rather than think a few hundred dollars will get you every area of an orchestra (well, it will, but none of them will be top quality). So I'd start with strings & percussion, then look at some brass. By that time you'll know where you're heading with your music and know whether to expand into woodwind, more percussion, world instruments, or perhaps some specialized solo instruments like the violin or cello... BUY WELL OR BUY TWICE.​


----------



## lp59burst

So... if I buy it from Strezov's site directly I have to pay PayPal's less than optimal exchange rates plus my bank cards foreign currency fee which pretty much negates my um... , €30 crossgrade discount for owning Freyja/Wotan/Arva.

If I buy from T&S I don't get my um...  (), €30 crossgrade discount for owning Freyja/Wotan/Arva but, no fees because they accept USD via Amazon pay...

I think my math is correct...

Wish I was paying attention to this thread on Wednesday last...


----------



## AxEbel

Really love the sound of this library and probabbly going to invest in it soon but has there been any mention of the following Chapters like Brass and when they can be expected? Just cant wait to hear what they do with brass...


----------



## SoNowWhat?

lp59burst said:


> So... if I buy it from Strezov's site directly I have to pay PayPal's less than optimal exchange rates plus my bank cards foreign currency fee which pretty much negates my um... , €30 crossgrade discount for owning Freyja/Wotan/Arva.
> 
> If I buy from T&S I don't get my um...  (), €30 crossgrade discount for owning Freyja/Wotan/Arva but, no fees because they accept USD via Amazon pay...
> 
> I think my math is correct...
> 
> Wish I was paying attention to this thread on Wednesday last...


Don’t quote me (I haven’t done it yet) but I’m pretty sure somebody else posted that you have the option to pay via credit card (direct), rather than use PayPal account when you select pay with PayPal. Am I correct in thinking all payments go through PayPal on Strezov site?


----------



## MillsMixx

SoNowWhat? said:


> Am I correct in thinking all payments go through PayPal on Strezov site?



From my experience with Strezov purchases...Yes
I don't believe there's another option as far a s I know.


----------



## artomatic

SoNowWhat? said:


> Don’t quote me (I haven’t done it yet) but I’m pretty sure somebody else posted that you have the option to pay via credit card (direct), rather than use PayPal account when you select pay with PayPal. Am I correct in thinking all payments go through PayPal on Strezov site?




I paid with my cc (Amex) via PayPal.


----------



## Simon Ravn

So many raving reviews inhere, it's hard to resist even with the reservations I have about it. 

Any small demos/snippets you who love it so much could post to help me make a decision?


----------



## Mucusman

Simon Ravn said:


> Any small demos/snippets you who love it so much could post to help me make a decision?



Here you go. Out of the box stock sounds with no other processing, FX, reverb, etc.



I tried to highlight some of the uniquenesses (at least for me) inherent in this library. 

Patches used:
1. Ensemble Shorts Divisi + Middle East Strings (0:00 - 0:20)
2. Contemporary Strings + Impressionist Violins 1 (0:21 - 0:30)
3. Minimalist Strings Legato + Impressionist Violins 1 (0:31 - 0:54)


----------



## Erick - BVA

A combonination of Lush, Minimalist, Le Sacre and Scene D'amour (in various string combinations). Lots of layers. Probably not the most "realistic" arrangement, but what the hey. Everything heard is from Afflatus.


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## artomatic

...and a short, out-of-the-box demo with the built-in verb, no processing.
I wish portamento was available.

Patches: Scene D'Amour, Minimalist and Lush


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## Simon Ravn

Hi guys, thank you very much for your efforts! I still hear the issues I heard in the first demos. I don't want/need these now, will pick them up at a later sale...  Thanks anyway.


----------



## Grilled Cheese

I’d love to hear from anyone who has had the chance to use both CSS and Afflatus already:
Comparitive strengths and weaknesses.
Tone.
Playability.
Realism.
Expressiveness.
In particular I’m also curious about dynamics and how well each library presents itself at pp levels.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Got a Black Friday decision to make!


----------



## HelixK

chrispire said:


> I’d love to hear from anyone who has had the chance to use both CSS and Afflatus already:
> Comparitive strengths and weaknesses.
> Tone.
> Playability.
> Realism.
> Expressiveness.
> In particular I’m also curious about dynamics and how well each library presents itself at pp levels.
> 
> Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Got a Black Friday decision to make!



I have CSS+CSSS, Century Strings, Spitfire Symphonic Strings, 8Dio Intimate Strings and Berlin Strings. If Strezov Sampling sends me a copy of Afflatus I'll gladly do a comparison video for you


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> I’d love to hear from anyone who has had the chance to use both CSS and Afflatus already:
> Comparitive strengths and weaknesses.
> Tone.
> Playability.
> Realism.
> Expressiveness.
> In particular I’m also curious about dynamics and how well each library presents itself at pp levels.
> 
> Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Got a Black Friday decision to make!


Tone - CS has a bold classical/cinematic sound whereas Afflatus has an opulent retro cinematic sound.

Playability - CS takes a lot of practice, whereas Afflatus is user friendly and has time saving polyphonic legato and divisi switching.

Realism - both sound real in their own way, CS sounding more traditional and Afflatus sounding more like a 70's scoring session.

Expressiveness - both libraries are very expressive, with CS having a strong molto vibrato and Afflatus having different styles of progressive vibrato.

Dynamics-wise, Afflatus is designed so that the pp dynamics have plenty of volume, plus the sordino and flautando really puts the spotlight on soft passages. CS is more classical in that regard, where the pp dynamics are quiet and understated.

Basically, CS is for hardcore composers and arrangers looking for a disciplined yet expressive scoring stage sound. Afflatus is for all out expression, variety and a much warmer sound.


----------



## Leo

So yeah guys!
here is my little test or battle ARK2 VS Afflatus for violins.


OT ARK2 vs Strezov sampling Afflatus.
Moderate tempo, melody from Kilar famous soundtrack Dracula.
Ark2 plays Hi str legato (romantic) vs Afflatus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together)
I have to say that this test was very STRESSFUL for the OT Ark2. Strezov have very elegant legato transition and definition in tone.
No processing, just little touch from my Lexicon PCM 92 (Med hall) for both libs. Playing live without editing. Internal Afflatus reverb disabled.
edit: Afflatus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together wrong -just 9 violins 5+4)


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Hi Everyone,

I purchased Afflatus and I'm very happy with it. It really offers some great patches and has a lot of options for different scenarios.

The only thing that seems a bit off to me is the legato transitions. It sounds like you can hear the end of the first note or the start of the next note a little too much, where as some other libraries like Chamber Strings or Cinematic Studio Strings seem to blend between the notes more.

I've attached a link for you to download some examples.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m90ckiu7f5pndx8/Legato.rar?dl=0

What does everyone think?


----------



## artinro

Benjamin Duk said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I purchased Afflatus and I'm very happy with it. It really offers some great patches and has a lot of options for different scenarios.
> 
> The only thing that seems a bit off to me is the legato transitions. It sounds like you can hear the end of the first note or the start of the next note a little too much, where as some other libraries like Chamber Strings or Cinematic Studio Strings seem to blend between the notes more.
> 
> I've attached a link for you to download some examples.
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/m90ckiu7f5pndx8/Legato.rar?dl=0
> 
> What does everyone think?



If you turn off “overlap” whenever you’re not using the polyphonic legato, this problem disappears for monophonic lines.


----------



## Benjamin Duk

artinro said:


> If you turn off “overlap” whenever you’re not using the polyphonic legato, this problem disappears for monophonic lines.



I've tried it without the overlap and doesn't make that much of a difference. It helps, but there is still a strong initial stab from the first new note or like a sucking sound. Hard to explain.

Overall, love the library, but the legato transitions need some work.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Leo said:


> So yeah guys!
> here is my little test or battle ARK2 VS Afflatus for violins.
> 
> 
> OT ARK2 vs Strezov sampling Afflautus.
> Moderate melody from Killar famous soundtrack Dracula.
> Ark2 plays Hi str legato (romantic) vs Afflautus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together)
> I have to say that this test was very STRESS for the OT Ark2. Strezov have very elegant legato transition and definition in tone.
> No processing, just little touch from my Lexicon PCM 92 (Med hall) for both libs. Playing live without editing. Internal Afflatus reverb disabled.





that's an ear-opener for Ark 2.


----------



## rottoy

Leo said:


> So yeah guys!
> here is my little test or battle ARK2 VS Afflatus for violins.
> 
> 
> OT ARK2 vs Strezov sampling Afflautus.
> Moderate melody from Killar famous soundtrack Dracula.
> Ark2 plays Hi str legato (romantic) vs Afflautus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together)
> I have to say that this test was very STRESS for the OT Ark2. Strezov have very elegant legato transition and definition in tone.
> No processing, just little touch from my Lexicon PCM 92 (Med hall) for both libs. Playing live without editing. Internal Afflatus reverb disabled.



Ark2 makes the melody sound awkward, while Afflatus pulls it off nigh effortlessly! 
Fun test and a great choice of score, I love Kilar’s ”Dracula”.


----------



## Rob Elliott

Benjamin Duk said:


> I've tried it without the overlap and doesn't make that much of a difference. It helps, but there is still a strong initial stab from the first new note or like a sucking sound. Hard to explain.
> 
> Overall, love the library, but the legato transitions need some work.


I would agree with this assessment and I am sure George and team will address if in future updates. I think it is exaggerated with the slow legato patches like 'minimalistic' - because the 'start' of the sample blooms slowly - hence the sucking sound from note to note on anything med to somewhat faster tempo.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Rob Elliott said:


> I would agree with this assessment and I am sure George and team will address if in future updates. I think it is exaggerated with the slow legato patches like 'minimalistic' - because the 'start' of the sample blooms slowly - hence the sucking sound from note to note on anything med to somewhat faster tempo.



I am on the fence with a few other libs, but Afflatus is leading at the moment (especially after the Ark 2 comparison).

hints of upcoming other libs temper a bit - but alas, vapor.

reassuringly, it seems the Strezov team is all about support and refinement.

and this IS "Chapter 1".

i have 6 days.


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Rob Elliott said:


> I would agree with this assessment and I am sure George and team will address if in future updates. I think it is exaggerated with the slow legato patches like 'minimalistic' - because the 'start' of the sample blooms slowly - hence the sucking sound from note to note on anything med to somewhat faster tempo.



Yes this is exactly what I mean, you just explained it better :D

I have emailed the Strezov team and they are aware of it. They are even going to look into the Scene d'Amour based on my feedback. They really do seem like a team that is listening and trying to make the best and most usable library out there, which is appreciated. For me this is just an algorithm tweak as the library itself sounds great. The tone and expressiveness of it is different to other libraries. It is very cinematic sounding.

It was mentioned previously but in some cases you just turn down the close mic and it then blends nicely with CSS. I really like the versatility of this library.
I do find that you need to play adjust the Modulation and Expression curves a bit more than others, but once you get the right combination it's awesome.


----------



## Symfoniq

I think this library is a game-changer.

I needed another string library like I needed a hole in my head (or wallet). But the polyphonic legato with divisi is something special. So is the tone.

Afflatus has become my default sketching library, and will probably also become my primary string library overall.

The announced update will only make a great library even better.

Resist if you can.

But you probably shouldn't.


----------



## Leo

OK here is very quick technical demo for fast run, again ARK2 vs Afflatus.
Same presets as before...


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Leo said:


> OK here is very quick technical demo for fast run, again ARK2 vs Afflatus.
> Same presets as before...




What Afflatus patch are you running in this demo? Scene d'Amour?


----------



## Leo

Benjamin Duk said:


> What Afflatus patch are you running in this demo? Scene d'Amour?


yeah same presets, Scene d'Amour vi1 (5violins) and vi2 (4 violins)


----------



## StrezovSampling

Leo said:


> yeah same presets, Scene d'Amour vi1 (5violins) and vi2 (4 violins)



While Afflatus doesn't have dedicated fast legato recorded yet, you should be able to get even better results by using the lush strings.


----------



## Leo

StrezovSampling said:


> While Afflatus doesn't have dedicated fast legato recorded yet, you should be able to get even better results by using the lush strings.


yeah maybe, but I love Scene d'Amour sooo much! I'm sorry that the library did not come out earlier.
I just finished a Christmas fairy tale (low budget movie) and was not a budget for an orchestra...but with this I could be less worried with mix.


----------



## Mike Fox

@StrezovSampling 

I absolutely love the Trailer Basses patch! Are there any plans for recording Trailer patches for the other string sections?


----------



## Mike Fox

Leo said:


> OK here is very quick technical demo for fast run, again ARK2 vs Afflatus.
> Same presets as before...



I'd take Afflatus just based off the tone and room sound alone. There seems to be more definition, and less noise as well.


----------



## Strezov

Mike Fox said:


> @StrezovSampling
> 
> I absolutely love the Trailer Basses patch! Are there any plans for recording Trailer patches for the other string sections?


Actually, the Trailer basses are made up from all other sections, combined with the ordinary basses. For Q1 2019 we don't plan on adding other material (except for a few goodie that - *if results are good *- we'll add a couple of new Experimental patches). 

However, I have to say, our idea would be to add a little something for each of the chapters. So - some strings with the woods, some strings+woods with the brass, etc.


----------



## Brendon Williams

Here's the demo I wrote for Afflatus, mainly using the d'amour patches (and the lush patches with simulated sordino for the cello and bass sections). It's so inspiring working with this library!


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Strezov said:


> Actually, the Trailer basses are made up from all other sections, combined with the ordinary basses. For Q1 2019 we don't plan on adding other material (except for a few goodie that - *if results are good *- we'll add a couple of new Experimental patches).
> 
> However, I have to say, our idea would be to add a little something for each of the chapters. So - some strings with the woods, some strings+woods with the brass, etc.



I absolutely love this idea. Orchestral Tools does this for their Inspire series. If each section is recorded separately it would be awesome to get a mix fader for each section so you can turn up or down the Brass and Woodwinds in the mix.


----------



## Mike Fox

Strezov said:


> Actually, the Trailer basses are made up from all other sections, combined with the ordinary basses. For Q1 2019 we don't plan on adding other material (except for a few goodie that - *if results are good *- we'll add a couple of new Experimental patches).
> 
> However, I have to say, our idea would be to add a little something for each of the chapters. So - some strings with the woods, some strings+woods with the brass, etc.


Thanks for the response! Are you saying that the Trailer Basses are just made from stacking other patches from the library together? If so, which ones?


----------



## Francis Bourre

Brendon Williams said:


> Here's the demo I wrote for Afflatus, mainly using the d'amour patches (and the lush patches with simulated sordino for the cello and bass sections). It's so inspiring working with this library!



This demo is purely amazing, thanks for sharing it with us.


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Not really complaining - but it seems most of the demos really sound amazing - yet for some reason 90% of the time people go for the Scene d'Amour patch, while this library has tons of other stuff to offer which i'm also curious to hear what users will do with. 
So is it that the rest is less interesting or for some other reason people are more drawn to the Scene d'Amour patch or something else...?!


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Strezov said:


> Actually, the Trailer basses are made up from all other sections, combined with the ordinary basses. For Q1 2019 we don't plan on adding other material



except these, yes?

https://www.strezov-sampling.com/article/bf2018.html?fbclid=IwAR0HhnP8TbcyUbPIE_eFc2BFWFbO_BiDLzm0gX9Yx9AFeJc0mEUriWEfdok


----------



## Strezov

Mike Fox said:


> Thanks for the response! Are you saying that the Trailer Basses are just made from stacking other patches from the library together? If so, which ones?


Lush strings. It's not just stacking, but basically revolves around that idea. So I suppose if we stacked basses with violins things would sound a bit in the comedy sector  

@Goldie Zwecker - I personally love the minimalist strings more, use the Lush strings in most generic concepts and Red Army + Psychatto are all over my latest tracks. 

@Zoot_Rollo - yes, except the stuff that's included in the newsletter. As a matter of fact we're working on the scene d'amour celli and I plan on giving a short snippet next week (*pre-beta version of course!*)


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Strezov said:


> Lush strings. It's not just stacking, but basically revolves around that idea. So I suppose if we stacked basses with violins things would sound a bit in the comedy sector
> 
> @Goldie Zwecker - I personally love the minimalist strings more, use the Lush strings in most generic concepts and Red Army + Psychatto are all over my latest tracks.
> 
> @Zoot_Rollo - yes, except the stuff that's included in the newsletter. As a matter of fact we're working on the scene d'amour celli and I plan on giving a short snippet next week (*pre-beta version of course!*)



@Strezov - Will the first chair update feature any Portamento?


----------



## Goldie Zwecker

Strezov said:


> Lush strings. It's not just stacking, but basically revolves around that idea. So I suppose if we stacked basses with violins things would sound a bit in the comedy sector
> 
> @Goldie Zwecker - I personally love the minimalist strings more, use the Lush strings in most generic concepts and Red Army + Psychatto are all over my latest tracks.
> 
> @Zoot_Rollo - yes, except the stuff that's included in the newsletter. As a matter of fact we're working on the scene d'amour celli and I plan on giving a short snippet next week (*pre-beta version of course!*)


I'm certain that you personally etc...
But i'm interested in hearing about this aspect from users. I'm sure you love your creation.


----------



## Strezov

Benjamin Duk said:


> @Strezov - Will the first chair update feature any Portamento?


Yes.


----------



## zimm83

Strezov said:


> Yes.


FANTASTIC.


----------



## HelixK

Leo said:


> So yeah guys!
> here is my little test or battle ARK2 VS Afflatus for violins.
> 
> 
> OT ARK2 vs Strezov sampling Afflatus.
> Moderate tempo, melody from Kilar famous soundtrack Dracula.
> Ark2 plays Hi str legato (romantic) vs Afflatus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together)
> I have to say that this test was very STRESSFUL for the OT Ark2. Strezov have very elegant legato transition and definition in tone.
> No processing, just little touch from my Lexicon PCM 92 (Med hall) for both libs. Playing live without editing. Internal Afflatus reverb disabled.
> edit: Afflatus 1.and 2. Violins (10 together wrong -just 9 violins 5+4)




That does not present MA2 in a very good light. Did you copy+paste the same midi from Afflatus to Weddigen? Sounds like it. I played the same melody and got much cleaner results. Your CC1 is the culprit, the Weddigen strings work better with smoother lines. Yours is jumping all over the place.

This test showcases how playable Afflatus is compared to other libraries that require more finesse out of the box


----------



## Saxer

Goldie Zwecker said:


> So is it that the rest is less interesting or for some other reason people are more drawn to the Scene d'Amour patch or something else...?!


The d'Amour patches are the first I tried too. Just because I couldn't do those intense melody playing with samples ever before. But there's still a lot to explore. Great library!


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Strezov said:


> Yes.



Awesome!


----------



## Mike Fox

Goldie Zwecker said:


> Not really complaining - but it seems most of the demos really sound amazing - yet for some reason 90% of the time people go for the Scene d'Amour patch, while this library has tons of other stuff to offer which i'm also curious to hear what users will do with.
> So is it that the rest is less interesting or for some other reason people are more drawn to the Scene d'Amour patch or something else...?!


I think people are using the Scene d'Amour patches a lot, because it's something people have wanted for so long. 

The rest of the library is just as awesome. Personally, the Psychatto, and Avantgarde patches are my favorites.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Mike Fox said:


> I think people are using the Scene d'Amour patches a lot, because it's something people have wanted for so long.
> 
> The rest of the library is just as awesome. Personally, the Psychatto, and Avantgarde patches are my favorites.



what is it about the Scene d'Amour patch that people have wanted for so long?


----------



## Mike Fox

Zoot_Rollo said:


> what is it about the Scene d'Amour patch that people have wanted for so long?


I probably shouldn't speak for others, but for me, it's the combination of the overall tone, and the playability. The Scene d'Amour patch is like a book that you can't put down. Then again, so is the entire library.


----------



## Erick - BVA

Zoot_Rollo said:


> what is it about the Scene d'Amour patch that people have wanted for so long?


I think it's such a smooth and subtle legato (not exaggerated transitions) that it's capable of some pretty fast, convincing legato lines.

I've been working building custom multis using various patches --sometimes even using other sample libraries. Can't wait to show some audio examples. Busy with thanksgiving and other family stuff. May be 2 weeks before I'm able to post anything..


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Brendon Williams said:


> Here's the demo I wrote for Afflatus, mainly using the d'amour patches (and the lush patches with simulated sordino for the cello and bass sections). It's so inspiring working with this library!



Phwoar


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Mike Fox said:


> I probably shouldn't speak for others, but for me, it's the combination of the overall tone, and the playability. The Scene d'Amour patch is like a book that you can't put down. Then again, so is the entire library.



i'm reading currently reading Junkie by William Burroughs.

like that?


----------



## Mike Fox

Zoot_Rollo said:


> i'm reading currently reading Junkie by William Burroughs.
> 
> like that?



More like House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Mike Fox said:


> More like House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.



making room on my nightstand.


----------



## Mike Fox

Zoot_Rollo said:


> making room on my nightstand.


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Tone - CS has a bold classical/cinematic sound whereas Afflatus has an opulent retro cinematic sound.
> 
> Playability - CS takes a lot of practice, whereas Afflatus is user friendly and has time saving polyphonic legato and divisi switching.
> 
> Realism - both sound real in their own way, CS sounding more traditional and Afflatus sounding more like a 70's scoring session.
> 
> Expressiveness - both libraries are very expressive, with CS having a strong molto vibrato and Afflatus having different styles of progressive vibrato.
> 
> Dynamics-wise, Afflatus is designed so that the pp dynamics have plenty of volume, plus the sordino and flautando really puts the spotlight on soft passages. CS is more classical in that regard, where the pp dynamics are quiet and understated.
> 
> Basically, CS is for hardcore composers and arrangers looking for a disciplined yet expressive scoring stage sound. Afflatus is for all out expression, variety and a much warmer sound.


Thank you Cory. That’s a very clear and succinct explanation that confirms much of what I suspected.

The tone of Afflatus is what’s got me drooling more than anything. It sounds more lush than CSS but without smearing or sounding synthy like some libraries (even some of the best ones) do. Would you say that’s a fair assessment?

The realism and expression that CSS offers is very attractive and I think it’s an extraordinary overall accomplishment, but ‘oh that Afflatus tone and space’. If I can get that tone without sacrificing realism then I think I’m in.

(BTW I haven’t used either library yet, but that will change this week).


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Mike Fox said:


>



and if House of Leaves is your licked finger in the breeze for Afflatus,

it's a must buy.


----------



## Mike Fox

Zoot_Rollo said:


> and if House of Leaves is your licked finger in the breeze for Afflatus,
> 
> it's a must buy.


Indeed!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> Thank you Cory. That’s a very clear and succinct explanation that confirms much of what I suspected.
> 
> The tone of Afflatus is what’s got me drooling more than anything. It sounds more lush than CSS but without smearing or sounding synthy like some libraries (even some of the best ones) do. Would you say that’s a fair assessment?
> 
> The realism and expression that CSS offers is very attractive and I think it’s an extraordinary overall accomplishment, but ‘oh that Afflatus tone and space’. If I can get that tone without sacrificing realism then I think I’m in.
> 
> (BTW I haven’t used either library yet, but that will change this week).


Afflatus has realism indeed, and it's a more "imperfect" or "live" realism than CS's disciplined sound. Afflatus just kind of breathes and sings.


----------



## Mike Fox

chrispire said:


> Thank you Cory. That’s a very clear and succinct explanation that confirms much of what I suspected.
> 
> The tone of Afflatus is what’s got me drooling more than anything. It sounds more lush than CSS but without smearing or sounding synthy like some libraries (even some of the best ones) do. Would you say that’s a fair assessment?
> 
> The realism and expression that CSS offers is very attractive and I think it’s an extraordinary overall accomplishment, but ‘oh that Afflatus tone and space’. If I can get that tone without sacrificing realism then I think I’m in.
> 
> (BTW I haven’t used either library yet, but that will change this week).


I have both. I'll also add that Afflatus is far more versatile!


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Afflatus has realism indeed, and it's a more "imperfect" or "live" realism than CS's disciplined sound. Afflatus just kind of breathes and sings.




CSS never did it for me - i didn't jump on that bandwagon.

I was leaning toward Ark 2 to fill in the gap between my Ark 1 & 3.

From this thread and all the great video demos and walk-throughs, Afflatus may win out.

A 3 day trek into the Olympic National Park should shaman a decision.


----------



## Mike Fox

Zoot_Rollo said:


> CSS never did it for me - i didn't jump on that bandwagon.
> 
> I was leaning toward Ark 2 to fill in the gap between my Ark 1 & 3.
> 
> From this thread and all the great video demos and walk-throughs, Afflatus may win out.
> 
> A 3 day trek into the Olympic National Park should shaman a decision.


I could never get into CSS either. CS2, on the other hand, will always be may go-to for lush, big sounding strings.


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Afflatus has realism indeed, and it's a more "imperfect" or "live" realism than CS's disciplined sound. Afflatus just kind of breathes and sings.


Good description. 
Oh well, here goes another $1,000 AUD.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> Good description.
> Oh well, here goes another $1,000 AUD.


We all love living in Australia. The exchange rates are great.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

chrispire said:


> Good description.
> Oh well, here goes another $1,000 AUD.



that may trump my shaman approach.


----------



## Leo

HelixK said:


> That does not present MA2 in a very good light. Did you copy+paste the same midi from Afflatus to Weddigen? Sounds like it. I played the same melody and got much cleaner results. Your CC1 is the culprit, the Weddigen strings work better with smoother lines. Yours is jumping all over the place.
> 
> This test showcases how playable Afflatus is compared to other libraries that require more finesse out of the box


yes of course, both examples are out of the box with my minimal effort (almost 0). When you compose almost every day, you are tired constantly editing samples. If I really wanted to shine Ark2 it is of course possible, but with harder editing even when rendering wave files. And this cost a time that is more and more rare to me. 
This illustration shows playability without DJ cc1. Ark2 is of course still valuable library.
I bought it for a full price and I do not regret it. Still is on my TOP 5 libs.
Scene d'Amour patch is unique because sounds almost chamber, with lot of lyrical character (like you read the story), but have not molto vib. Sound have definition and still breathing..almost like entire life.


----------



## HelixK

Leo said:


> yes of course, both examples are out of the box with my minimal effort (almost 0). When you compose almost every day, you are tired constantly editing samples. If I really wanted to shine Ark2 it is of course possible, but with harder editing even when rendering wave files. And this cost a time that is more and more rare to me.
> This illustration shows playability without DJ cc1. Ark2 is of course still valuable library.
> I bought it for a full price and I do not regret it. Still is on my TOP 5 libs.
> Scene d'Amour patch is unique because sounds almost chamber, with lot of lyrical character (like you read the story), but have not molto vib. Sound have definition and still breathing..almost like entire life.



I got it chief! Just pointing out that those bumps in dynamics are not representative of the Weddigen strings out of the box. It takes almost no effort to ride the modwheel in a manner that will give you great results with Ark2 strings. Just a matter of getting used to it, they are different instruments after all


----------



## Brendon Williams

Francis Bourre said:


> This demo is purely amazing, thanks for sharing it with us.



Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!



chrispire said:


> Phwoar



Haha, thanks!


----------



## jonathanparham

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Thought I'd chuck this in here.



Thanks. Another good feature of whats in the library.


----------



## Ihnoc

Strezov said:


> Yes, before the big update we'll introduce some new features and requests, among which is CC#11 for shorts. Hopefully very soon.



This and the con sordino emulation on other patches makes the library substantially more inviting for me. Thank you for considering and implementing these features.


----------



## Benjamin Duk

Ihnoc said:


> This and the con sordino emulation on other patches makes the library substantially more inviting for me. Thank you for considering and implementing these features.



Exactly. I think all the updates and Strezov listening to customer feedback is great.

The only 2 things I wish it had are Slurred legato and a vibrato control.


----------



## Mike Fox

Benjamin Duk said:


> Exactly. I think all the updates and Strezov listening to customer feedback is great.
> 
> The only 2 things I wish it had are Slurred legato and a vibrato control.


Vibrato control gets my vote!


----------



## Robert Jason

zimm83 said:


> +1 Super trailer, really. But what is it ? An orchestra ? Phrase based library? One library ? 4 libraries ?? One section release per month , per year??? Thanks.
> But beautiful trailer, sounds , pictures and Mister Strezov, the sampling King !!!
> Are all the instruments in the soundtrack from this library-ies ???
> They sound.......stunning and fabulous ...


This is music making of the highest order. Though a _wee bit_ derivative musically...well, what _isn't(?).._ the performances and recording is beyond 1st class...IMO. I envy those who will have the opportunity to utilize what is offered here...and in the future. I'm just a lowly Songwriter/Producer. Have at it, Composers!!!


----------



## Welldone

When I first saw the price of Afflatus, I thought that I could never justify the purchase. I now took the plunge and I‘m very happy I did!

I already own Spitfire Chamber Strings, Tundra and Soaring Strings. These libraries are great and will complement Afflatus well. But I have to say that Afflatus beats all the other string libraries I have used hands down concering musicality and playability. Playing it feels like actually working with a string ensemble and not like playing string sounds from a keyboard. I quickly came up with musical ideas I didn‘t have with other string libraries. When you play to the strenghts of Afflatus, it really shines! 

My decision to buy Afflatus was also influenced by the communication of George and his team, especially on this forum. I feel reassured when a developer has such an open ear for his costumers. What a class act.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Welldone said:


> When I first saw the price of Afflatus, I thought that I could never justify the purchase. I now took the plunge and I‘m very happy I did!
> 
> I already own Spitfire Chamber Strings, Tundra and Soaring Strings. These libraries are great and will complement Afflatus well. But I have to say that Afflatus beats all the other string libraries I have used hands down concering musicality and playability. Playing it feels like actually working with a string ensemble and not like playing string sounds from a keyboard. I quickly came up with musical ideas I didn‘t have with other string libraries. When you play to the strenghts of Afflatus, it really shines!
> 
> My decision to buy Afflatus was also influenced by the communication of George and his team, especially on this forum. I feel reassured when a developer has such an open ear for his costumers. What a class act.


That about sums it up. I've been going through all the patches again and again, and seeing how there's different chamber ensembles, full ensembles and divisi sections it feels like there's multiple libraries in there.


----------



## Zoot_Rollo

sigh


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Downloading now.


----------



## Welldone

In the Scene d'Amour Viola Legato patch, I hear something strange in two samples (the highest E and F): It sounds as if one of the three violas plays a wrong pitch at the beginning of the note and the quickly adjusts by raising it. Can someone confirm this?


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Welldone said:


> In the Scene d'Amour Viola Legato patch, I hear something strange in two samples (the highest E and F): It sounds as if one of the three violas plays a wrong pitch at the beginning of the note and the quickly adjusts by raising it. Can someone confirm this?


I can confirm, although it's not a pitch problem, it's the bow scraping another string during the stroke.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> Downloading now (in rural Australia with a piddly 5 megabit connection.  Bring on the NBN).


Rural Australia is where many Americans think all Australians live.


----------



## sostenuto

Not a few years back sitting in Sydney Opera House for Romeo & Juliet. 
Earlier lobster dinner and horse-drawn cart to performance …. luv *rural* Australia !


----------



## erica-grace

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Rural Australia is where many Americans think all Australians live.



No - *all *Americans think all Australians live in rural Australia.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> QUOTE="erica-grace, post: 4310891, member: 11645"]No - *all *Americans think all Australians live in rural Australia.





chrispire said:


> The irony is that even though I spent most my life in the suburbs of Melbourne, I now live in that Australian cliche. There are literally kangaroos, kookaburras and koalas in my garden at this moment.



Kangaroos. Yum. Good for people who prefer less fatty steak or sausages. Yes, America, we eat our national emblem.


----------



## sostenuto

Aahh ! That's what's on the barbie .....


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Kangaroos. Yum. Good for people who prefer less fatty steak or sausages. Yes, America, we eat our national emblem.


And every American I know who’s tried kangaroo has loved it.

Crikey this drifted off topic quickly. Sorry everyone!


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> And every American I know who’s tried kangaroo has loved it.
> 
> Crikey this drifted off topic quickly. Sorry everyone!


Crikey mate. Struth, fair dinkum. I could use some noggin loaf.


----------



## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Crikey mate. Struth, fair dinkum. I could use some noggin loaf.


You’ve out-Aussie’d me. I don’t even know what noggin loaf is.

(And I haven’t eaten any kangaroo for years).


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> You’ve out-Aussie’d me. I don’t even know what noggin loaf is.
> 
> (And I haven’t eaten any kangaroo for years).


A while back some farmers used to call devon noggin loaf.


----------



## Mystic

Okay, now I'm mad. You guys are not only making me jealous over this library, you're making me really miss Australia. Double whammy.


----------



## Conor

I love those "minimalist" sections.

Any chance they'll be available a la carte in the future?


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Conor Brace Music said:


> I love those "minimalist" sections.
> 
> Any chance they'll be available a la carte in the future?


Because Afflatus is a Kontakt Player library none of the sections can be sold separately without having to hand over money to NI for extra serials.


----------



## Mike Fox

chrispire said:


> The irony is that even though I spent most my life in the suburbs of Melbourne, I now live in that Australian cliche. There are literally kangaroos, kookaburras and koalas in my garden at this moment.


Wow. That scenery is beautiful...Scene d'Amour beautiful!

Ok. No more dad jokes from me.

Seriously though, this is what my backyard currently looks like. Wanna trade?


----------



## Vik

I added this library to the string library poll in the end of October, but haven't listened to the walkthroughs until now. The tone of some of these presets is exactly the way I like it - the violas, for instance, sound incredible.


----------



## SoNowWhat?

chrispire said:


> The irony is that even though I spent most my life in the suburbs of Melbourne, I now live in that Australian cliche. There are literally kangaroos, kookaburras and koalas in my garden at this moment.


Have you moved to Wilson's Promontory or even further afield from Melbourne?

edit - sorry getting OT.


----------



## ionian

chapbot said:


> Afflatus, at nearly twice the price, has far fewer patches, and many of these are quirky things I'd never use in a million years. On occasion I use portamento and will miss it. The "Pads" patch, while cool, is a lot of content I don't want or need, and it really could be a stand-alone library for $99. I feel like I've paid for quite a bit in Afflatus I'll never use (I predict I'll use just individual chambers, lush, minimals and shorts.)



I appreciate this post - I work in the same field and I've been hovering on Afflatus for the past three days, even my finger at times twitching over the "add to cart" button but I've been following the old musician's adage - "When in doubt, lay out". The demos sound fantastic, but primarily working in the pop field, and often on larger budget projects where the VI strings do get replaced by real strings, I was having a really hard time reconciling how great the library sounded versus the nagging feeling that there's a lot of stuff there I would never use.

It's hard to get that perspective here because so many people lean on the trailer/orchestral/game side of things where everything always sounds like a John Williams extravaganza. I'm thrilled to see a post from someone who took the plunge AND works in the pop field as well. 

As amazing as Afflatus sounds, I just found it a whole lot easier to take a pass and put my money towards something that I'll get more mileage out of.


----------



## chapbot

ionian said:


> I appreciate this post - I work in the same field and I've been hovering on Afflatus for the past three days, even my finger at times twitching over the "add to cart" button but I've been following the old musician's adage - "When in doubt, lay out". The demos sound fantastic, but primarily working in the pop field, and often on larger budget projects where the VI strings do get replaced by real strings, I was having a really hard time reconciling how great the library sounded versus the nagging feeling that there's a lot of stuff there I would never use.
> 
> It's hard to get that perspective here because so many people lean on the trailer/orchestral/game side of things where everything always sounds like a John Williams extravaganza. I'm thrilled to see a post from someone who took the plunge AND works in the pop field as well.
> 
> As amazing as Afflatus sounds, I just found it a whole lot easier to take a pass and put my money towards something that I'll get more mileage out of.


Glad my post was of help. An update: after getting to the mixing stage I have found Aff is just not working in my pop track, even with layering, so I've switched back to Spitfire Studio Strings.


----------



## Vadium

Hi! Owners of Afflatus, could you make a simple rebow example for violins and cello section, like a first part of this:

[AUDIOPLUS=https://vi-control.net/community/attachments/dimension-strings-rebow-example-mp3.16630/][/AUDIOPLUS]


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

chapbot said:


> Glad my post was of help. An update: after getting to the mixing stage I have found Aff is just not working in my pop track, even with layering, so I've switched back to Spitfire Studio Strings.


Afflatus ain't no pop library. Session Strings Pro 2, Adventure Strings or Studio Strings is more suited to that kind of thing. If you're a pop producer, it's best to avoid these kinds of lush film score-style string libraries. The same goes for film score-style producers in the opposite regard.


----------



## Vik

I've only had an hour or so with this library, and while it doesn't have portamento, a dedicated vibrato control, or velocity control of note attacks, I'm very happy with what I've heard so far. I'm glad I contacted Strezov for a review copy of this library, both because it sounds really good, it has divisi options and polyphonic legato, but most of all because it's rather modular. And since I'm totally new to this Afflatus, I have a question about the modularity of this lib: can someone confirm that this is correct (using the main 4 viola presets as an example):

• Lush Violas KS (8 violas + divisi), with a choice of using full section only only, half section only or both.
So this is essentially two different 4 voice sections.

• Chamber violas (4 violas). I guess this is one of the 4 voice sections that are used in the preset above. 

• Minimalist Violas legato (4 violas plus divisi, which also can be played polyphonically or monophonically), in other words: two different 2-voice sections, which can be used with or without the divisi option. 

• Scene d'Amour Violas legato (3 violas)

With these recordings (4+4+2+2+3), one can configure Kontakt to play:

2 voices (although that isn't something one would want)
3 voices
4 voices (as in 2+2), or using either of the 4-voice samplings
5 voices (as in 3+2)
6 voices (as in 4 + 2), in various combinations
7 voices (as in 4+3), in various combinations
8 voices (as in 4+4 or 4+2+2) in various combinations
9 voices (as in 4+2+3) in various combinations
10 voices (as in 4+4+2 (in various combinations)
11 voices (as in 4+4+3) in various combinations
12 voices (as in 4+4+2+2)
...and so on, all the way up to 15 unique voices. 

(I assume that the above is correct, but again - please correct me if I'm wrong?) 

Generally, this library doesn't have as many control options as for instance Berlin Strings, but it's a lot more configurable than most libraries when it comes to deciding section sizes; an option I've missed in several other libraries I have.


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## HelixK

chapbot said:


> Glad my post was of help. An update: after getting to the mixing stage I have found Aff is just not working in my pop track, even with layering, so I've switched back to Spitfire Studio Strings.



How about this one https://8dio.com/instrument/intimate-studio-strings/ $178 on sale until 11/30.


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## Cory Pelizzari

Vik said:


> I've only had an hour or so with this library, and while it doesn't have portamento, a dedicated vibrato control, or velocity control of note attacks, I'm very happy with what I've heard so far. I'm glad I contacted Strezov for a review copy of this library, both because it sounds really good, it has divisi options and polyphonic legato, but most of all because it's rather modular. And since I'm totally new to this Afflatus, I have a question about the modularity of this lib: can someone confirm that this is correct (using the main 4 viola presets as an example):
> 
> • Lush Violas KS (8 violas + divisi), with a choice of using full section only only, half section only or both.
> So this is essentially two different 4 voice sections.
> 
> • Chamber violas (4 violas). I guess this is one of the 4 voice sections that are used in the preset above.
> 
> • Minimalist Violas legato (4 violas plus divisi, which also can be played polyphonically or monophonically), in other words: two different 2-voice sections, which can be used with or without the divisi option.
> 
> • Scene d'Amour Violas legato (3 violas)
> 
> With these recordings (4+4+2+2+3), one can configure Kontakt to play:
> 
> 2 voices (although that isn't something one would want)
> 3 voices
> 4 voices (as in 2+2), or using either of the 4-voice samplings
> 5 voices (as in 3+2)
> 6 voices (as in 4 + 2), in various combinations
> 7 voices (as in 4+3), in various combinations
> 8 voices (as in 4+4 or 4+2+2) in various combinations
> 9 voices (as in 4+2+3) in various combinations
> 10 voices (as in 4+4+2 (in various combinations)
> 11 voices (as in 4+4+3) in various combinations
> 12 voices (as in 4+4+2+2)
> ...and so on, all the way up to 15 unique voices.
> 
> (I assume that the above is correct, but again - please correct me if I'm wrong?)
> 
> Generally, this library doesn't have as many control options as for instance Berlin Strings, but it's a lot more configurable than most libraries when it comes to deciding section sizes; an option I've missed in several other libraries I have.


Yep. One of the reasons I love the library.


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## Cory Pelizzari

HelixK said:


> How about this one https://8dio.com/instrument/intimate-studio-strings/ $178 on sale until 11/30.


Seems like a solid choice. Just be careful with 8Dio because their legato programming and stereo width has been a problem in the past for solo strings. I don't have this one so I can't say whether or not it's well scripted.


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## Grilled Cheese

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Basically, CSS is for hardcore composers and arrangers looking for a disciplined yet expressive scoring stage sound. Afflatus is for all out expression, variety and a much warmer sound.


As a new owner of Afflatus I can attest to this. It’s definitely organic, expressive and lush and it does offer a lot of variety. It’s full bodied with plenty of room and air. It seems brighter now that I’m playing it, more so than in the demos. Funny how your perception changes when you finally get ‘hands on’.

I’m still getting to know it and though I’m enjoying it a lot, by itself it won’t give me everything I’m looking for (no single library can) so I ended up buying CSS as well.

I thought your use of the word “disciplined” to describe CSS was very apt by the way.

With two new libraries to enjoy, Afflatus first chairs coming as a free expansion, and CSB not far away, I’m swimming in VI goodness.

(Edit - I do wish that Afflatus had portamento though).


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## reids

@Cory Pelizzari Hi Cory, so now that you have Afflatus, what other ensemble string libraries do you still use? Have you found that it replaces (for the most part) other symphonic string libraries you own? Interested to hear more of your thoughts on this and whether you find yourself still needing to pull on other string libraries to cover for any areas that may be lacking or not as well defined in Afflatus. Thanks again for doing a walk through of it.


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## chapbot

HelixK said:


> How about this one https://8dio.com/instrument/intimate-studio-strings/ $178 on sale until 11/30.


You can find a bunch of my soundclips for this buried somewhere on the thread  I like them at $178, I would not like them at $299. I'm using the gimmicky patches though, the runs are terrific and timed to your DAW and I like the swells.


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## Cory Pelizzari

reids said:


> @Cory Pelizzari Hi Cory, so now that you have Afflatus, what other ensemble string libraries do you still use? Have you found that it replaces (for the most part) other symphonic string libraries you own? Interested to hear more of your thoughts on this and whether you find yourself still needing to pull on other string libraries to cover for any areas that may be lacking or not as well defined in Afflatus. Thanks again for doing a walk through of it.


Adagio is pretty much obsolete for me now along with libraries like LASS and Symphony Series Strings, and Hollywood Strings, as those libraries are more of a pain to use/mix than is necessary.

Right now, my folder consists of these string libraries - Afflatus, Trailer Strings, Soaring Strings, Cinematic Studio Strings, Macabre, Con Moto (which is still yet to be completed), the legacy Spitfire Solo Strings, Chamber Strings, Vertigo Strings, the strings from Chamber Orchestra 2 and Hybrid Scoring Strings. So here's the deal:

The following libraries are there just for the sake of being there - Trailer Strings, Soaring Strings, and Spitfire Solo Strings. I really don't know what I'm going to do with them.

These libraries I keep for layering or experimental work - Vertigo Strings, Hybrid Scoring Strings and Chamber Orchestra 2. I always like to have something off the beaten path to make my sound unique.

These are my primaries for covering majority work - Cinematic Studio Strings (and solos), Afflatus, Macabre, and when it's completed, Con Moto for more classical sounding melodies. These libraries meet me half way and can be relied on for efficiency and sound.

Meanwhile, Chamber Strings (just the Jake Jackson mic mixes) sits behind the door, where I'm keeping it just incase I want sul pont legatos or alternate spiccatos. Plus I just can't bring myself to abandon it because I paid so much damn money for the thing and I try to use it wherever it fits so I can get my miles out of it... I find the dark sound dictates what kind of texture the track has, so in the past I've layered it with CSS to lighten it up. You can hear an example of this in the following track:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zhq15e79lx23ys4/The Princess' Medley.wav?dl=0


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## reids

@Cory Pelizzari Just had a listen. Great demo, Cory. Thumbs up! Are there any other string libraries you want to get with the current string libraries out in the market or do you feel like you have all that you need in your current setup and with Afflatus? I dont have the spitfire stuff yet for strings and trying to learn more on Afflatus. But your insight and explanation have been helpful. Wondering for some suggestions for getting all the strings areas covered well (symphonic, chamber, and solos).


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## MillsMixx

Cory I'm surprised you don't have Cornucopia Strings 2. It's one of my favorite string libraries from Strezov and has the vintage tone much like Afflatus does, and it has 2 new True Polyphonic Legato Ensembles high strings/low strings that play in octaves.


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## Cory Pelizzari

reids said:


> @Cory Pelizzari Just had a listen. Great demo, Cory. Thumbs up! Are there any other string libraries you want to get with the current string libraries out in the market or do you feel like you have all that you need in your current setup and with Afflatus? I dont have the spitfire stuff yet for strings and trying to learn more on Afflatus. But your insight and explanation have been helpful. Wondering for some suggestions for getting all the strings areas covered well (symphonic, chamber, and solos).


Afflatus, CSS & CSSS, Macabre and Con Moto pretty much covers everything for me with symphonic, chamber, solo and expressive stuff. I'm not really interested in any other string libraries that are currently out because they all essentially do the same thing but in different ways. For complex writing I simply use CSS & CSSS and perform each note live to get exactly what I want (using solo strings for detail in the 16th and 32nd notes works wonders), with a bit of marcato, sforzando and keyswitching to get in the finer details. For more sweeping stuff, Afflatus and friends does the job. Because I don't mockup classical notation, and because I rely more heavily on my own playing rather than programming and letting the library do the thinking, I'm not in need of more elaborate libraries like Dimension Strings or Berlin Strings for example. A string library will really have to pull of something unique (like Afflatus has) for me to really commit to anything else at this point.


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## Cory Pelizzari

MillsMixx said:


> Cory I'm surprised you don't have Cornucopia Strings 2. It's one of my favorite string libraries from Strezov and has the vintage tone much like Afflatus does, and it has 2 new True Polyphonic Legato Ensembles high strings/low strings that play in octaves.


I never made the leap because I always figured it was an "old" library with limited capabilities. I am more interested now though... Just need to locate some spare funds!


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## Grilled Cheese

A little more time spent with this library and I'm enjoying the tone and vibe of it more and more.
It's really satisfying and inspiring to be able to switch between ensembles and instrument groups of different sizes. The relatively short list of patches (compared to the long list of articulations we're often accustomed to) belies just how wide a variety of expression is on offer.

It might not be a huge-GB library, or a library with extensive articulations to choose from, but it's very powerful and ultimately, a lot of fun.

On the downside - and these are very minor downsides - I would still love some portamento and the option for niente (I quite like controlling expression and volume with my mod wheel just to keep things quick and easy sometimes). Also, I have huge muscle memory for sustain = pedal. I keep pressing my right foot down only to discover that it's a divisi pedal now. It's a good idea, but I kind of want my sustain pedal too. Hmmm...perhaps two pedals?


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## Cory Pelizzari

chrispire said:


> A little more time spent with this library and I'm enjoying the tone and vibe of it more and more.
> It's really satisfying and inspiring to be able to switch between ensembles and instrument groups of different sizes. The relatively short list of patches (compared to the long list of articulations we're often accustomed to) belies just how wide a variety of expression is on offer.
> 
> It might not be a huge-GB library, or a library with extensive articulations to choose from, but it's very powerful and ultimately, a lot of fun.
> 
> On the downside - and these are very minor downsides - I would still love some portamento and the option for niente (I quite like controlling expression and volume with my mod wheel just to keep things quick and easy sometimes). Also, I have huge muscle memory for sustain = pedal. I keep pressing my right foot down only to discover that it's a divisi pedal now. It's a good idea, but I kind of want my sustain pedal too. Hmmm...perhaps two pedals?


You could also link CC11 to CC1, or if you're lazy like me, turn down the mic positions and midi learn the volume slider to CC1, which is essentially the same thing.


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## AlexanderSchiborr

writing a new track (will be a longer motif development exercise), built a new template 2 days ago and used some stuff from the Afflatus strings here. maybe for those who are still on the fence:


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## TheSigillite

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> writing a new track (will be a longer motif development exercise), built a new template 2 days ago and used some stuff from the Afflatus strings here. maybe for those who are still on the fence:




very nice. I can here the starchild in there as well. Definitely great to see a motif shared and developed this way. Look forward to the next revision.


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## MaxOctane

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> writing a new track (will be a longer motif development exercise), built a new template 2 days ago and used some stuff from the Afflatus strings here. maybe for those who are still on the fence:




Sounds great. Any chance of posting the isolated strings?


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## cadenzajon

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> writing a new track (will be a longer motif development exercise), built a new template 2 days ago and used some stuff from the Afflatus strings here.



You had been reluctant earlier in this thread to jump for Afflatus due to the lack of fast legatos, but it sounds like you've decided to go for it after all. Now that you've had it under your fingers, are you finding that this is a significant shortcoming? And is this a feature that @Strezov has mentioned as being in a future update? (It was hinted at by someone but I couldn't find the initial reference.)

This is the sole issue that's holding me back, I am really looking for a string lib that can yield realistic runs & quick fingered string gestures. In every other respect, Afflatus seems to be leading the pack.


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## Lex

Good evening everyone. 

Finally found some time to play around with Afflatus, and made a little thing.

https://bit.ly/2L0rDGd

alex


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## ScoreFace

I took some first steps with Afflatus and I have a very good first impression. The strings sound really great and very realistic in orchestral context as well as in Trailer tracks.

The special Ensembles enrich my sound palette and are fun to play with. Even the Pharao Strings sound good in a full arrangement, even if I don‘t like the naked sound. It seems better to use it in lower ranges.

The polyphonic legato works well for me and I guess the leg strings will replace Berlin Strings in my setup.

Much money, but I think it is worth the price! At least the sale price


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## Daniel

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> writing a new track (will be a longer motif development exercise), built a new template 2 days ago and used some stuff from the Afflatus strings here. maybe for those who are still on the fence:






Lex said:


> Good evening everyone.
> 
> Finally found some time to play around with Afflatus, and made a little thing.
> 
> https://bit.ly/2L0rDGd
> 
> alex



I like both tracks. May I know, did you using just ensemble patch (I mean using chord) or separate tracks (V1, VA, CL, DB)?


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## AlexanderSchiborr

Daniel said:


> I like both tracks. May I know, did you using just ensemble patch (I mean using chord) or separate tracks (V1, VA, CL, DB)?


Sure, I used here: 
Violins 1 and 2 and the Violas fo the sordino d´maour strings, and the lush strings for the Violoncellos and Doublebass.


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## Daniel

AlexanderSchiborr said:


> Sure, I used here:
> Violins 1 and 2 and the Violas fo the sordino d´maour strings, and the lush strings for the Violoncellos and Doublebass.



Thank you, Alexander.


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## Henning

Lex said:


> Good evening everyone.
> 
> Finally found some time to play around with Afflatus, and made a little thing.
> 
> https://bit.ly/2L0rDGd
> 
> alex


This is really beautiful! Love the dynamics. It's really hard to hear that these are samples.


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## Lex

Daniel said:


> I like both tracks. May I know, did you using just ensemble patch (I mean using chord) or separate tracks (V1, VA, CL, DB)?


Daniel, I have used the following:

1. Minimalist Strings Legato 

2. Chamber Violins II

3. Lush Basses

4. Minimalist Violins II legato

5. Chamber Violins I

6. Vintage Violins 1 & 2

I have used all 3 mics flat, no additional EQ, and I have switched off the reverb in Afflatus and ran all the strings through one instance of Phoenixverb.

alex


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## Daniel

Lex said:


> Daniel, I have used the following:
> 
> 1. Minimalist Strings Legato
> 
> 2. Chamber Violins II
> 
> 3. Lush Basses
> 
> 4. Minimalist Violins II legato
> 
> 5. Chamber Violins I
> 
> 6. Vintage Violins 1 & 2
> 
> I have used all 3 mics flat, no additional EQ, and I have switched off the reverb in Afflatus and ran all the strings through one instance of Phoenixverb.
> 
> alex


Very nice, thank you, Alex.


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## Welldone

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I can confirm, although it's not a pitch problem, it's the bow scraping another string during the stroke.


Thanks for the explanation, Cory. Yesterday I informed the Strezov-team about this and this morning I got a reply that they will look into it and will try to offer a fix with the first update wave. Kudos to this attitude. It confirms my good impression about this developer who seems to really care.


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## ERIC VALETTE

I Just finished for fun a cover of "Across The Stars" (original by John Williams, for Star Wars franchise). Strings are 100 % Afflatus Strings and they sounds just great "out of the box" (no EQ added here, just reverb and three mics positions on).

Thanks for Strezov Sampling for this great library, there is really magic in these samples!


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## Mike Fox

ERIC VALETTE said:


> I Just finished for fun a cover of "Across The Stars" (original by John Williams, for Star Wars franchise). Strings are 100 % Afflatus Strings and they sounds just great "out of the box" (no EQ added here, just reverb and three mics positions on).
> 
> Thanks for Strezov Sampling for this great library, there is really magic in these samples!



Damn those strings sound good!

Now i gotta ask. Which patches did you use?


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## ERIC VALETTE

Mike Fox said:


> Damn those strings sound good!
> 
> Now i gotta ask. Which patches did you use?



Hi Mike,

Sure, I used :
- "Minimalists legato" patches (sections) between 00:00 and 00:55 (with divisi mode, when required),
- "Lush strings legato" patches (sections) between 00:56 and 02:32 and between 03:15 and the end (with divisi mode, when required),
- "Red Army Strings" ensemble patche (marcatos) layered with "Heroïne Strings" ensemble patche (staccatos) between 02:33 and 03:14... plus some pizz (cellos and basses, sections) and tremolos (Lush strings, sections) here and then... and thats all!


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## Benjamin Duk

FYI

Afflatus 1.1 is out:

https://www.strezov-sampling.com/article/afflatus-v1-1.html


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## Mike Fox

Just wanted to post my review, If that's ok...


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## Benjamin Duk

@Mike Fox @Strezov @StrezovSampling Hey nice review! I've got this library and really love it. It is so diverse in what it offers. It's like having multiple libraries in one.

- I do agree with you on wishing you had volume sliders for combination patches so you can decrease the Volume of a Choir to just have strings. Kind of like you have individual volume sliders in the PADS.

- Another thing I wish they had for the Ensemble patches like the minimalist ensemble patch (by far my favorite sounding one), is if there were volume sliders to switch off Cellos, or Violins like how Cinematic Studio Strings does their ensemble patches. This is so useful if you're finding that there's just too much bass coming from the bottom end so you can just switch off Cellos or Basses. 
If the ensemble patches had this, it would take it to another level.


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## Cory Pelizzari

Mike Fox said:


> Just wanted to post my review, If that's ok...



Good job!


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## Mike Fox

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Good job!


Thanks Cory!


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## Strezov

Love the review @Mike Fox - I hope you won't mind me stealing your idea of blending Red Army strings with Psychatto strings? That's something I'd personally use a lot - and never thought of this to be honest and it sounds really cool! 

@Benjamin Duk , I've added this to the To-Do list - but have to say that it's possible for some of the patches, not all of them. The reason for that is that we recorded most of the ensembles (80%) together in situ to get the authentic blend between the instruments. Remixing the library and remapping (and then going through NI for encoding, etc.) is something that is not on the table right now. The minimalist ensemble/lush ensemble/etc. are patches created from the individual content (also most of the experimentals too) so we can add built-in mixers there too. 

We also got two user requests/suggestions that are really nice - we're doing everything we can to implement those to the script and in my humble opinion this will increase the playability further. Fingers crossed we make it as good as possible - the only downside to this is that it slightly pushed Storm Choir 3 back... but to be honest I'd actually focus on this first (as a composer using strings all the time :D). Happy New Year's eve - hope you had a blast during the holidays. Santa brought me Assasin's Creed Origins and Odyssey (where we recorded bass profundo choirs) so I'll probably take a few days off...


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## cadenzajon

Benjamin Duk said:


> - Another thing I wish they had for the Ensemble patches like the minimalist ensemble patch (by far my favorite sounding one), is if there were volume sliders to switch off Cellos, or Violins like how Cinematic Studio Strings does their ensemble patches. This is so useful if you're finding that there's just too much bass coming from the bottom end so you can just switch off Cellos or Basses.
> If the ensemble patches had this, it would take it to another level.



I sent in a suggestion to @StrezovSampling for a related feature... I struggle with using the ensemble patches because all the notes are expressed at the same CC1 dynamic level, which means the accompaniment frequently overwhelms my melody line. For me, the ideal approach would be to have a "Velocity influence on dynamics" slider that would allow me to set a moderate amount by which CC1 levels would be tweaked per-note based on how hard I pressed the key. (I would certainly still want CC1 to be the primary source for dynamics but would like to be able to emphasize the melody a bit, or another voice in a particular passage, without having to split everything into individual tracks.)


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## Strezov

Yep, one of the things we are working on , fingers crossed. Great suggestion, thanks!


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## Benjamin Duk

Strezov said:


> Yep, one of the things we are working on , fingers crossed. Great suggestion, thanks!



Wow this would be awesome! This library just keeps getting better :D


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## Mike Fox

Strezov said:


> Love the review @Mike Fox - I hope you won't mind me stealing your idea of blending Red Army strings with Psychatto strings? That's something I'd personally use a lot - and never thought of this to be honest and it sounds really cool!
> 
> @Benjamin Duk , I've added this to the To-Do list - but have to say that it's possible for some of the patches, not all of them. The reason for that is that we recorded most of the ensembles (80%) together in situ to get the authentic blend between the instruments. Remixing the library and remapping (and then going through NI for encoding, etc.) is something that is not on the table right now. The minimalist ensemble/lush ensemble/etc. are patches created from the individual content (also most of the experimentals too) so we can add built-in mixers there too.
> 
> We also got two user requests/suggestions that are really nice - we're doing everything we can to implement those to the script and in my humble opinion this will increase the playability further. Fingers crossed we make it as good as possible - the only downside to this is that it slightly pushed Storm Choir 3 back... but to be honest I'd actually focus on this first (as a composer using strings all the time :D). Happy New Year's eve - hope you had a blast during the holidays. Santa brought me Assasin's Creed Origins and Odyssey (where we recorded bass profundo choirs) so I'll probably take a few days off...


Thank you very much George! That means a lot! 

Ironically, that string combo was something I experimented with after I finished all the audio snippets for the review. I liked the sound so much that I just had to go back and add it. Glad I did!


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## axb312

How does this library handle fast runs?


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## ag75

Has this library been on sale yet? Or any chances it will go on sale sometime this year? I don’t recall seeing a sale on this over the holidays. I really want this library.


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## Vik

axb312 said:


> How does this library handle fast runs?


I don't think there's a dedicated fast runs solution in there (yet?), but I made some examples a while ago to someone with a similar question. At least for now, this library works best for fast runs if it's not doo dry.


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## Benjamin Duk

ag75 said:


> Has this library been on sale yet? Or any chances it will go on sale sometime this year? I don’t recall seeing a sale on this over the holidays. I really want this library.



There was an introductory sale.


----------



## Cory Pelizzari

Benjamin Duk said:


> There was an introductory sale.


Yeah Strezov doesn't do seasonal sales. They do an intro sale and that's it usually.


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## MaxOctane

Cory Pelizzari said:


> Yeah Strezov doesn't do seasonal sales. They do an intro sale and that's it usually.



I've seen several sales, though. Maybe once products are older (Macabre, etc).


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## Cory Pelizzari

MaxOctane said:


> I've seen several sales, though. Maybe once products are older (Macabre, etc).


The older libraries yeah. I doubt Afflatus will fall under that category for quite some time though.


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## Hanu_H

I think Strezov doesn't do sales on a library before a year has passed from the release. And after that they might give you small discounts but nothing like the intro price.

-Hannes


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## artomatic

I find myself yearning for portamento more and more, especially on delicate passages.
I guess I'll have to layer them with another library that contains portamento...
But am I the only one who wishes for a portamento patch for this lovely library?


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## Cory Pelizzari

artomatic said:


> I find myself yearning for portamento more and more, especially on delicate passages.
> I guess I'll have to layer them with another library that contains portamento...
> But am I the only one who wishes for a portamento patch for this lovely library?


I think because of the sheer amount of stuff you can do with the library, and how lovely the legato already sounds, a lot of users simply don't think too much about portamento. Coming from libraries like Adagio though one would definitely notice the lack of the articulation. Practically though I don't use portamento much at all anymore except for solo strings. Which makes me wonder if the solos coming soon will have them...


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## soundmind

Cory Pelizzari said:


> I think because of the sheer amount of stuff you can do with the library, and how lovely the legato already sounds, a lot of users simply don't think too much about portamento. Coming from libraries like Adagio though one would definitely notice the lack of the articulation. Practically though I don't use portamento much at all anymore except for solo strings. Which makes me wonder if the solos coming soon will have them...


Not sure which thread it was in, but I remember reading George saying that the solos would have portamento.


----------

