# CSS + Elgar = magic



## NoamL

Edward Elgar, Serenade For Strings in E Minor, Op. 20, Movement II (Larghetto) 

performed by Cinematic Studio Strings.


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## Sebastianmu

Sounds great!


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## lux

While (on a personal standpoint) I feel the shortest notes leave some space for improvements (like at 4.21) and I would love to hear a larger hall and a deeper reverb mix, I think this is quite a nice showcase for CSS, which shows a great potential, some passages sound very lyrical to me. It's definitely on my purchase list

Cool work!


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## gwillimw

Sorcery! It's a testament to this library (and the mockup) that it sounds so rich and nuanced in a relatively dry mix. I can see myself buying the whole Cinematic Studio orchestra if the others are this brilliant. *wallet spontaneously combusts*


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## devonmyles

gwillimw said:


> Sorcery! It's a testament to this library (and the mockup) that it sounds so rich and nuanced in a relatively dry mix. I can see myself buying the whole Cinematic Studio orchestra if the others are this brilliant. *wallet spontaneously combusts*



I agree.
This mock up has a real period sound,
kind of like an early radio broadcast recording. Nicely done.


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## gwillimw

Dear S-is-G: I'd suggest you follow along with a score. There is a significant amount of rubato throughout this mockup - I'd say almost every phrase.

You should know that suggesting somebody used a notation program for a mockup implies a huge lack of nuance in CC automation (dynamics, phrasing, legato transitions), since it is next to impossible to do so in notation software. If you really think that's the case, then just say it. I'm guessing that most people would disagree. This mockup, to my ears, is constantly shifting in subtle dynamics and phrasing, utilizing the new legato system, which basically can't be done in notation programs. Have you ever heard a mockup played in Sibelius or Finale using VIs sound comparable to this quality? I certainly haven't.

Here's a link to the score: 
http://imslp.org/wiki/Serenade_for_String_Orchestra,_Op.20_(Elgar,_Edward)


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## Silence-is-Golden

Hi gwillimw,

If my questions come accross as suggesting anything other then the overal quality in Noaml's work of this Elgar's piece I stand corrected.
@NoamL : if you also read it as such then I apologize and will take more care in phrasing my responses.
My intention was to suggest the same small detail improvements I also use upon my own music/ renderings.

To state it clearly; nothing but full acknowledgements of the fantastic work done here by NoamL.

Lastly: as I do not work from a notation program I do not know what is possible regarding its possibilities. I only know several forum members who work on it afterwards in their DAW.
And because I work with LASS the 'humanising' aspect by sometimes deliberately creating small timing offsets, especially in the divisi options create a more lifelike experience for me.
These small changes is what I was suggesting, and yes: it is nitpicking, but certainly not a diminishment of his achievement.


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## OleJoergensen

It sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing.


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## NoamL

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

I did a small *writeup* of the piece / *review* of CSS from a string player perspective but first, all the project files (Logic, Finale, MIDI) can be downloaded here:

*Elgar Project Dropbox*


*Method: *I notated the piece in Finale, exported the MIDI to Logic, created a tempo map, then drew the CC data & fine-tuned the notes. The whole piece is "drawn" not "played." so @Silence-is-Golden and @gwillimw you were both right 

*Why Elgar?* my main goal was to push CSS to its limits with a piece of classical music that poses many challenges. There are still some bits that stick out to me as "sample-y" - certainly those detache short notes that @lux pointed out bug me as well. But overall I'm kind of amazed at how CSS rose to the challenge. Don't be deceived, this is a very difficult piece for samples! And I wouldn't really dare trying this piece with LASS, which I previously considered the most realistic & raw string library available.

*Why this mix?* it's CSS out of the box (Close -0db, Mid -0, Far -6dB) with 66% built in reverb. Because I wanted to showcase the out of the box sound I did not add an external reverb or EQ.




So now, below are my thoughts about CSS as an (ex-)cellist 



*CSS in a nutshell: this is the best string library on the market today.* It's so deep, so real, so human and so emotional.

*Tip #1: DON'T FIDDLE THE MOD WHEEL!* How's that for counter intuitive advice!?! But it's true. Check out the climax of the Elgar again (3:42). Can you hear the modwheel action? Trick question. There isn't any!







Alex Wallbank has succeeded in capturing the most expressive and human string notes I've heard in a sample library. Just holding a single note is interesting and emotional. This is very different from certain other libraries where you essentially need to draw in "musicianship curves" to get a note or phrase to sound musical.

Of course there is CC1 action all over this piece, but think of CC1 as more of a dynamics & balancing tool than a phrasing tool. When the score actually has hairpins, cresc/dim, then I push CC1 hard, but the rest of the time I'm content to let the sections sit at a relatively constant CC1 level.

Before I got CSS, just from listening to the demos I had a concern that the dynamic range was too limited. That is not the case.

*Tip #2: DO twiddle the data for every note!* There's no free lunch, where CSS saves you effort on the modwheel, it creates a ton of work fiddling note velocities, starts and stops. There is no universal solution to the sample pre-roll problem especially if you are using a fluid tempo map (see tip #4). You simply have to listen and adjust every note. Worth it though in the end!

*Tip #3: You can emulate divisi, but it's a pain:* one of the challenges of this Elgar piece is the constant divisi writing (speaking of which, I can't wait for Cinematic Studio Solo Strings so I can do the Tallis  ) With LASS, divisi is a breeze, so that was one of the big pains of switching to CSS. Unfortunately there is no "real" divisi in this library. I found that you can get a passable emulation by riding CC11. So the violas play at CC11 = 127, then when they go divisi it's two separate instances of the violas each playing at CC11 = 64. If there were three sections you'd divide by three (CC11 = 42). This way you mitigate the "amazing shrinking/growing string section" effect familiar to users of old libraries like EWQLSO. Check out the Logic project if this is unclear to you.

*Tip#4: Use a tempo map:* Here is what the tempo looks like for this project:






IMO this is necessary work if you want to get the most out of CSS. You can't get an expressive performance with a robotic tempo. Drawing a good tempo map by hand is hard, though. Try singing or playing your piece without referencing any kind of click. Then import that recording into your project and draw a tempo map that lines up the click to your performance. This at least is a good starting point.

*Tip #5: seven and a half types of legato*: because of the simple UI people have been concerned that this is a feature poor library. It's not. There are many ways to try any passage, they are just under the hood. The library comes with traditional overlapping legato in 3 speeds (controlled by velocity), plus portamento. There is a marcato legato (which has the option of a spiccato overlay). There are also rebow samples (triggered when you repeat a note with the sustain pedal on), and finally there is the option to just have notes abutting but not overlapping, which triggers a "new bow" sample for each note. Any one of these 7 legato types might be the best for a particular passage or transition, you just have to audition them.

*Tip #6: A library with "real" bowing... *The rebow and new bow sounds are so distinctly and deliciously real, and yet work perfectly alongside the legato transitions. So instead of just using legato throughout (creating the typical 'endless bow' effect) some bow changes can really spice up the mockup. Problem is, then you lose the legato transitions. So I like to emphasize the bow changes on slow-moving lines (like the quarter note bass & cello lines in this piece) that wouldn't benefit from expressive legato transitions anyway.

*...and "real" left hand simulation: *Another thing you can do is simulate left hand slides. A string player can cover a major 3rd (on each string) with their hand. When playing a lyrical or solo passage - especially anything above the staff - players often use a single string to keep a consistent tone. Therefore, to reach all the notes they must shift their hands up and down the string. This is audible, especially if the hand must move a large distance (a fifth or more) in a single leap. It's also especially audible in high passages. Don’t get me wrong, professional musicians practice thousands of hours to nail these passages smoothly and musically, but adding some strain and uncertainty can really enhance a mockup.

Take the high cello soli passage in the middle of the Elgar. The colored lines show how the cellists would probably "break down" the passage.






Here is one way of mocking it up:






but by using the legato speeds, we can simulate the cellists moving their hands up and down the A string:






See if you can hear the difference.



it's another subtle thing that adds realism across the piece.

*Tip #7: the vibrato issue:* Yes, the vibrato is too wide and expressive for contemporary scoring. It's definitely an "older Hollywood" kinda technique which is probably why you get a "period sound" feel from it, @devonmyles . I have found that turning CC2 down to 40 or 50 (globally across your entire session - no need to fiddle with it) creates a very nice contemporary tone. The problem is, with the CC2 bug, you can't really use this for legato melodies. Hopefully the CC2 bug will be fixed soon.

*OMG CAN YOU BELIEVE A WHOLE ORCHESTRA IS COMING?* Yeah, it's a must buy for me at this point. Even if Berlin Brass / Century Brass etc turn out to be great _too_, I just don't see how I can turn down buying CSB and CSW that were recorded in the same room, same calibre of players, sampling philosophy etc.

Well done to Alex & everyone at Cinematic Studio and I cannot wait for the next libraries!!


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## Silence-is-Golden

Well NoamL, there are many people who do library reviews which can be seen on youtube channels.
But I believe you just set the standard of how to review a library: put it through its paces by a competent player / musician like yourself. And see what it can actually do.

After reading all your findings and suggestions I have just named this library my top of the list.
And indeed, great thinking: what I enjoy about LASS is the divisi's but when later this year Cinematic solo strings appear, hopefully as good as this CSS is (because clearly more developers come with solo strings and it's not an easy job to do well and comprehensive enough in terms of articulations)then that can be used as a replacement for divisi's.

If you have LASS, have you tried a layering/combination or is the sound too far apart when you actually hear them together?
I do use (by the great help of another forum member) use a good eq setting on LASS (and in the reverb as well) that enables to get a nice smoother sounds from LASS.Anyhow....that derailing your post.

I don't know what everyone else thinks but this is a terrific post! You should ask Alex for some commission 

I will download the Logic file and see (later when I have time) what LASS sounds like with it.

NB: the tempo map that I use for mockups looks eventually also in a similar fashion.

Edit: I did hear on your soundcloud that you have LASS. no need for my LASS renditions.


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## devonmyles

Thanks for the review NoamL, very useful.


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## NoamL

Silence-is-Golden said:


> If you have LASS, have you tried a layering/combination or is the sound too far apart when you actually hear them together?



Great question. I would not think to combine these two libraries because LASS is already the biggest string library on the market. Combined with CSS it would be 49 violins, 19 violas 16 cellos and 13 basses, truly a massive group!

I also would not think to add just the A sections or First Chairs from LASS to CSS (nor a chamber library like Sable, for instance). If I wanted a more detailed/intimate sound I would just push up the close mics. @jeremiahpena demonstrated this very well in a piece that uses only the close mics:



IMO this is one of the most "you can hear the individual players & their character" libraries ever released. (LASS, Sable, Bohemian Violin etc. are also great at this of course!) So, I don't think you need to layer in any kind of first-chair-enhancing library to make CSS better at that.

Basically CSS and LASS are very much in the same corner of the ring already; they both emphasize rawness, realism and human imperfection/character; so there is not much character to be gained by combining them.

I _*would*_ be interested in exploring to see if there's another library one can layer in to make CSS sound slightly bigger and weightier - Berlin Strings for instance? _*or*_ to add a HIGHLY "soundtrack-mixed" feeling to the tone - Soaring Strings or Cinestrings or CS2 could work for this role? My thought is that if you put CSS up against a library like HWB or HZ01 in a track, the strings will sound a little too small and too real.


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## jonnybutter

Thanks for doing and sharing this Noam! Very interesting and helpful. Great work, btw!


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## desert

NoamL - I want to read more of your reviews! That was so insightful!

Hope you post more comparisons


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## jeremiahpena

NoamL said:


> IMO this is one of the most "you can hear the individual players & their character" libraries ever released. (LASS, Sable, Bohemian Violin etc. are also great at this of course!) So, I don't think you need to layer in any kind of first-chair-enhancing library to make CSS better at that.


Completely agree with this. There is a live feel to CSS that I don't hear in many other string libraries. You can write an exposed legato string line completely on its own, and it can sound expressive and real (well, 90% there). I don't dare do a lone legato line with Hollywood Strings or Albion. It doesn't sound good enough.



NoamL said:


> I _*would*_ be interested in exploring to see if there's another library one can layer in to make CSS sound slightly bigger and weightier - Berlin Strings for instance? _*or*_ to add a HIGHLY "soundtrack-mixed" feeling to the tone - Soaring Strings or Cinestrings or CS2 could work for this role? My thought is that if you put CSS up against a library like HWB or HZ01 in a track, the strings will sound a little too small and too real.


There's probably some good libraries to layer for a bigger tone, but I actually think that CSS can deliver a big soundtrack sound alone, although it definitely needs a high EQ boost to stand up to the brightness of other libraries. I have a scoring project that needed big action stuff, huge choirs, loud brass, percussion, etc. I had a template with CSS and Hollywood Strings loaded up, but found I didn't need HWS whatsoever, CSS managed just fine on its own (and sounds quite nice alongside HWB).


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## Silence-is-Golden

NoamL said:


> Soaring Strings or Cinestrings or CS2 could work for this role?


Interesting findings regarding CSS, also from jeremiahpena.

The notions of smaller & bigger sounding is I think also determined by need and taste.
Allthough LASS has quite the string 'numbers' it can sound ( to me) smaller then it is. Obviously more so when only 1 or 2 of the divisi sections are used you can get a 'chamber string' like sound.

You have probably seen the thread but here: http://vi-control.net/community/threads/css-vs-soaring-strings.54733/#post-3988757

.....especially dogdad sees CSS with SS as a great combo.

This thread has caused serious desire for acquiring CSS.
(Patience, patience my young Jedi...)

PS: as a side note: I know many have experienced this but LASS is sometimes a bit to 'humanised' in its tuning.
Playing the cello's as a section in the higher registers is sometimes a bit too 'human'. Likewise so more in the LASS sordinos. Then also the violas have some intonations that are hard to overcome.


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## Ashermusic

NoamL said:


> 1. IMO this is one of the most "you can hear the individual players & their character" libraries ever released.
> 
> 2, My thought is that if you put CSS up against a library like HWB or HZ01 in a track, the strings will sound a little too small and too real.



1. Yes.

2. Yes.

CSS and HS sound great together. The problem is that the workflow is _so_ different.


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## NoamL

jeremiahpena said:


> There's probably some good libraries to layer for a bigger tone, but I actually think that CSS can deliver a big soundtrack sound alone, although it definitely needs a high EQ boost to stand up to the brightness of other libraries. I have a scoring project that needed big action stuff, huge choirs, loud brass, percussion, etc. I had a template with CSS and Hollywood Strings loaded up, but found I didn't need HWS whatsoever, CSS managed just fine on its own (and sounds quite nice alongside HWB).



Good to know, Jeremiah!

Whereabouts are you boosting EQ, 12-15k or so?

I think that eventually when the brass and winds come out, I will do some template balancing exercises against my favorite filmscores. And maybe publish a few EQ profiles. I think CSO has the most exciting "orchestra in a box" potential since HWO was announced years ago.



Ashermusic said:


> CSS and HS sound great together. The problem is that the workflow is _so_ different.



Yeah, the sample preroll thing. Makes me wonder if the brass and winds will have the same approach or if that is just for strings? PS did your review come out yet?


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## galactic orange

NoamL said:


> *OMG CAN YOU BELIEVE A WHOLE ORCHESTRA IS COMING?* Yeah, it's a must buy for me at this point. Even if Berlin Brass / Century Brass etc turn out to be great _too_, I just don't see how I can turn down buying CSB and CSW that were recorded in the same room, same calibre of players, sampling philosophy etc.
> 
> Well done to Alex & everyone at Cinematic Studio and I cannot wait for the next libraries!!



NoamL: Your review sold me on CSS. Thank you for going into detail on the rebow and new bow techniques. This the kind of implementation I'm looking for in a string library. Purchasing today.

I'm holding off brass, woodwinds, and percussion purchases until I've heard Alex and the team's offerings. But the wait is so long (especially for percussion!).


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## Ashermusic

NoamL said:


> PS did your review come out yet?



Not yet.


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## col

Thanks for the insight NoamL . Great work.


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## JF

NoamL, 
This also sold me on the library. Using your mixer settings as we speak. Thanks for the info!


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## jononotbono

Thank you for this and thank you for sharing your Midi Magic!


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## calebfaith

Wow that was great. Thanks for sharing!


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## Niel

I must be dreaming. 

It sounds too good to be true.


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## JeremyWiebe

Fantastic mock-up!


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## JasonTse

NoamL said:


> Thank you for the kind words everyone.
> 
> I did a small *writeup* of the piece / *review* of CSS from a string player perspective but first, all the project files (Logic, Finale, MIDI) can be downloaded here:
> 
> *Elgar Project Dropbox*
> 
> 
> *Method: *I notated the piece in Finale, exported the MIDI to Logic, created a tempo map, then drew the CC data & fine-tuned the notes. The whole piece is "drawn" not "played." so @Silence-is-Golden and @gwillimw you were both right
> 
> *Why Elgar?* my main goal was to push CSS to its limits with a piece of classical music that poses many challenges. There are still some bits that stick out to me as "sample-y" - certainly those detache short notes that @lux pointed out bug me as well. But overall I'm kind of amazed at how CSS rose to the challenge. Don't be deceived, this is a very difficult piece for samples! And I wouldn't really dare trying this piece with LASS, which I previously considered the most realistic & raw string library available.
> 
> *Why this mix?* it's CSS out of the box (Close -0db, Mid -0, Far -6dB) with 66% built in reverb. Because I wanted to showcase the out of the box sound I did not add an external reverb or EQ.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So now, below are my thoughts about CSS as an (ex-)cellist
> 
> 
> 
> *CSS in a nutshell: this is the best string library on the market today.* It's so deep, so real, so human and so emotional.
> 
> *Tip #1: DON'T FIDDLE THE MOD WHEEL!* How's that for counter intuitive advice!?! But it's true. Check out the climax of the Elgar again (3:42). Can you hear the modwheel action? Trick question. There isn't any!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alex Wallbank has succeeded in capturing the most expressive and human string notes I've heard in a sample library. Just holding a single note is interesting and emotional. This is very different from certain other libraries where you essentially need to draw in "musicianship curves" to get a note or phrase to sound musical.
> 
> Of course there is CC1 action all over this piece, but think of CC1 as more of a dynamics & balancing tool than a phrasing tool. When the score actually has hairpins, cresc/dim, then I push CC1 hard, but the rest of the time I'm content to let the sections sit at a relatively constant CC1 level.
> 
> Before I got CSS, just from listening to the demos I had a concern that the dynamic range was too limited. That is not the case.
> 
> *Tip #2: DO twiddle the data for every note!* There's no free lunch, where CSS saves you effort on the modwheel, it creates a ton of work fiddling note velocities, starts and stops. There is no universal solution to the sample pre-roll problem especially if you are using a fluid tempo map (see tip #4). You simply have to listen and adjust every note. Worth it though in the end!
> 
> *Tip #3: You can emulate divisi, but it's a pain:* one of the challenges of this Elgar piece is the constant divisi writing (speaking of which, I can't wait for Cinematic Studio Solo Strings so I can do the Tallis  ) With LASS, divisi is a breeze, so that was one of the big pains of switching to CSS. Unfortunately there is no "real" divisi in this library. I found that you can get a passable emulation by riding CC11. So the violas play at CC11 = 127, then when they go divisi it's two separate instances of the violas each playing at CC11 = 64. If there were three sections you'd divide by three (CC11 = 42). This way you mitigate the "amazing shrinking/growing string section" effect familiar to users of old libraries like EWQLSO. Check out the Logic project if this is unclear to you.
> 
> *Tip#4: Use a tempo map:* Here is what the tempo looks like for this project:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMO this is necessary work if you want to get the most out of CSS. You can't get an expressive performance with a robotic tempo. Drawing a good tempo map by hand is hard, though. Try singing or playing your piece without referencing any kind of click. Then import that recording into your project and draw a tempo map that lines up the click to your performance. This at least is a good starting point.
> 
> *Tip #5: seven and a half types of legato*: because of the simple UI people have been concerned that this is a feature poor library. It's not. There are many ways to try any passage, they are just under the hood. The library comes with traditional overlapping legato in 3 speeds (controlled by velocity), plus portamento. There is a marcato legato (which has the option of a spiccato overlay). There are also rebow samples (triggered when you repeat a note with the sustain pedal on), and finally there is the option to just have notes abutting but not overlapping, which triggers a "new bow" sample for each note. Any one of these 7 legato types might be the best for a particular passage or transition, you just have to audition them.
> 
> *Tip #6: A library with "real" bowing... *The rebow and new bow sounds are so distinctly and deliciously real, and yet work perfectly alongside the legato transitions. So instead of just using legato throughout (creating the typical 'endless bow' effect) some bow changes can really spice up the mockup. Problem is, then you lose the legato transitions. So I like to emphasize the bow changes on slow-moving lines (like the quarter note bass & cello lines in this piece) that wouldn't benefit from expressive legato transitions anyway.
> 
> *...and "real" left hand simulation: *Another thing you can do is simulate left hand slides. A string player can cover a major 3rd (on each string) with their hand. When playing a lyrical or solo passage - especially anything above the staff - players often use a single string to keep a consistent tone. Therefore, to reach all the notes they must shift their hands up and down the string. This is audible, especially if the hand must move a large distance (a fifth or more) in a single leap. It's also especially audible in high passages. Don’t get me wrong, professional musicians practice thousands of hours to nail these passages smoothly and musically, but adding some strain and uncertainty can really enhance a mockup.
> 
> Take the high cello soli passage in the middle of the Elgar. The colored lines show how the cellists would probably "break down" the passage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is one way of mocking it up:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but by using the legato speeds, we can simulate the cellists moving their hands up and down the A string:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See if you can hear the difference.
> 
> 
> 
> it's another subtle thing that adds realism across the piece.
> 
> *Tip #7: the vibrato issue:* Yes, the vibrato is too wide and expressive for contemporary scoring. It's definitely an "older Hollywood" kinda technique which is probably why you get a "period sound" feel from it, @devonmyles . I have found that turning CC2 down to 40 or 50 (globally across your entire session - no need to fiddle with it) creates a very nice contemporary tone. The problem is, with the CC2 bug, you can't really use this for legato melodies. Hopefully the CC2 bug will be fixed soon.
> 
> *OMG CAN YOU BELIEVE A WHOLE ORCHESTRA IS COMING?* Yeah, it's a must buy for me at this point. Even if Berlin Brass / Century Brass etc turn out to be great _too_, I just don't see how I can turn down buying CSB and CSW that were recorded in the same room, same calibre of players, sampling philosophy etc.
> 
> Well done to Alex & everyone at Cinematic Studio and I cannot wait for the next libraries!!






Hi NoamL! This is a wonderful post on CSS! I learned quite a bit from it as I'm a CSS user as well and it's great to be able to see how other adapt to the work flow of the library. Would it be possible for you to repost that link on Dropbox? It has expired and I would really love to check out the Logic Pro X file you posted. Keep up the great work!


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## NoamL

Hi @JasonTse, thanks for the kind words! The project is back online in the Dropbox.


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## JasonTse

Thanks a lot NoamL! I look forward to learning from your project!


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## AdamSold

Nice sequencies, and lighty sound, congrats!


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## NoamL

I've had a sequel to this project in the works for a while where I wanted to take my approach with CSS to the next level and include the whole orchestra. Partially I was waiting for the other Cinematic Studio sections to come out (haha, no luck there!), and partially I was too busy with real work... Well I finally had time between projects this August  So here is CSS + Williams = Magic.


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## artomatic

Hi there. Does anyone have a midi copy of the Elgar Project? I asked Noam about it today and suggested I ask here since he doesn't have it any longer due to a HD crash. Would really appreciate it. Thanks!


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## ctsai89

ok now i'm actually waitin for CSSS + elgar = magic. Yeeee


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## NoamL

Haha, there's no way that CSSS's cello can play the Elgar concerto! But someone out there should definitely do "CSS+CSSS+Tallis = Magic!"

BTW, if anyone does have the project files, please upload them or send them to me. Thanks so much


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## LamaRose

NoamL said:


> But someone out there should definitely do "CSS+CSSS+Tallis = Magic!"



I don't have CSS, but Vaughan Williams always comes to mind when I hear this library. Great mockups and info for future reference!


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## Vik

NoamL said:


> BTW, if anyone does have the project files, please upload them or send them to me. Thanks so much


I just came across this thread again – thanks for sharing your insights. Do you have the project files now, Noam? I still have them on my drive if you need them.


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## NoamL

Thanks @Vik ! You can post them here and I'll download them, & so can anyone else who wants to take a look. Elgar's piece is in the public domain.


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## Vik

Here you go!


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## TintoL

NoamL said:


> Edward Elgar, Serenade For Strings in E Minor, Op. 20, Movement II (Larghetto)
> 
> performed by Cinematic Studio Strings.



Speechless and hats off. This mockup is incredible. !!!!

After 5 years or so, do you still use CSS as much? do you still consider it to be the highest bar?


Great work....


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## NoamL

TintoL said:


> Speechless and hats off. This mockup is incredible. !!!!
> 
> After 5 years or so, do you still use CSS as much? do you still consider it to be the highest bar?
> 
> 
> Great work....


Thank you. Yes I use it at every opportunity but other folks have made great mockups with other libraries too!


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## jneebz

NoamL said:


> Thank you. Yes I use it at every opportunity but other folks have made great mockups with other libraries too!


BTW, good to see you here!


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## TintoL

NoamL said:


> Thank you. Yes I use it at every opportunity but other folks have made great mockups with other libraries too!


Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

I think you mentioned that you are barely touching the wheel for dynamics and keeping it more or less flat. How then did you achieved such expressions? are dynamics partially build in to CSS?


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