# A quick comparison: Joshua Bell Violin and Chris Hein Italian Violin



## Lassi Tani (Sep 27, 2017)

A quick comparison between Embertone's Joshua Bell violin and Chris Hein's Italian violin. Made this rough sketch today, and there are of course things to improve in the mockup, but it's more about the sound differences, and how the different violins play.

I have to say that I like both a lot. They are different, and both sound great. Joshua Bell has a clear, bright sound, but still warm, and Chris Hein has a mellow, warm sound.

I had to use different articulations with Chris Hein's violin to make it sound more expressive. With Joshua Bell, I didn't switch the articulation from the sustain at all, just used CC1 and velocity. The playability in Joshua Bell violin is the best I've seen so far.

I think you can guess, which one is Joshua Bell violin and which one is Chris Hein's violin, and I'm sure you recognize the music


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## Lassi Tani (Sep 27, 2017)

Bump. Comments?


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## Paul T McGraw (Sep 27, 2017)

Your track sounds great. I actually preferred the violin heard in the second half of the track, but not sure which one that is. Do I correctly infer that the first half is the Embertone and the second half is the Chris Hein? My preference was mainly based on the tone quality. The violin first heard had too much of the bow "hiss" for my taste. But I suppose it is all just personal preference. Both sound great.


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## Lassi Tani (Sep 27, 2017)

Thanks! Yes, the second one is Chris Hein. Yeah I agree both sounds great, but a bit different. Joshua Bell has more bow hiss than Chris Hein. And I think Chris Hein sounds more intense in loud dynamics than Joshua Bell's violin, but Joshua Bell has a very delicate sound.


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## col (Sep 29, 2017)

The JB can take big eq cut around 2.9 - 3 k and sound quite different but still very nice. Takes out that bow noise and makes for a nice mellow fiddle.


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jul 6, 2018)

i really want JB for the interface and playability, but the CH sounds so sweet compared.


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## J-M (Jul 6, 2018)

Ok, that's it. I think it's time to buy CH Solo strings. I'll wait for Spitfire's solo strings release, listen and watch, but will probably end up with CH. That sweet 2-1 deal at BestService...


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jul 6, 2018)

MrLinssi said:


> Ok, that's it. I think it's time to buy CH Solo strings. I'll wait for Spitfire's solo strings release, listen and watch, but will probably end up with CH. That sweet 2-1 deal at BestService...



Yep

I've agonized over it.

But i'm gonna be grabbin' me some fine Hein later today.


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jul 6, 2018)

bought CH Solo Strings Extended Complete.

aaand

scene.


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## J-M (Jul 6, 2018)

Zoot_Rollo said:


> bought CH Solo Strings Extended Complete.
> 
> aaand
> 
> scene.



I'll probably join the camp in six more days...


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## ism (Jul 6, 2018)

Paul T McGraw said:


> Your track sounds great. I actually preferred the violin heard in the second half of the track, but not sure which one that is. Do I correctly infer that the first half is the Embertone and the second half is the Chris Hein? My preference was mainly based on the tone quality. The violin first heard had too much of the bow "hiss" for my taste. But I suppose it is all just personal preference. Both sound great.



What exactly is "Bow hiss"?


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jul 6, 2018)

MrLinssi said:


> I'll probably join the camp in six more days...



under the wire.

i'm done until Black Friday!



right?



<taps mic> hello?


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## Paul T McGraw (Jul 6, 2018)

ism said:


> What exactly is "Bow hiss"?



The violin, viola, cello and bass produce their musical tone based on the vibrations of the string, which is set in motion by the bow (or plucking). However, as the bow is moving across the string it also creates a "hiss" based on the physical contact of the bow with the string. This scrapping noise is not part of the musical note and is usually considered an undesirable but unavoidable artifact. Some artists, like those 2 cello guys, actually try to maximize bow hiss, at the price of wearing out bow hair for several bows per concert. Most players try to minimize the bow hiss and for them, the bow hair can last several years. For most artists, unless you are very close to them you will not hear any bow hiss at all in a performance. At most, you will hear a crunch on a loud marcato attack.


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## OleJoergensen (Jul 6, 2018)

Both sounds nice. I have jB violin too but I think it is not that easy to use. Sometimes the sound is “jumpy”... the volume.
The music is Sibelius, I think. It is a wonderful composition.
Thank you for sharing.


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## Alex Niedt (Jul 7, 2018)

Hein sounds massively more realistic. From the samples I've heard, I actually don't quite understand the hype of the Joshua Bell violin. Maybe it's because I play violin, but it sounds super fake, to me.


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## Lassi Tani (Jul 7, 2018)

Thank you guys! 



Alex Niedt said:


> Hein sounds massively more realistic. From the samples I've heard, I actually don't quite understand the hype of the Joshua Bell violin. Maybe it's because I play violin, but it sounds super fake, to me.



That's true, CH Violin has a lovely, rich and warmer sound than JB Violin. Both are have great playability, but I like CH Violin sound more.


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## Lassi Tani (Jul 7, 2018)

OleJoergensen said:


> Both sounds nice. I have jB violin too but I think it is not that easy to use. Sometimes the sound is “jumpy”... the volume.
> The music is Sibelius, I think. It is a wonderful composition.
> Thank you for sharing.



Thank you! Yes you're right, it's his violin concerto.


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## col (Jul 7, 2018)

Alex Niedt said:


> Maybe it's because I play violin, but it sounds super fake, to me.


So as a violin player which sampled violins do you use and recommend ?


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## Alex Niedt (Jul 8, 2018)

col said:


> So as a violin player which sampled violins do you use and recommend ?


I haven't heard anything beat the Hein yet.


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## Casiquire (Jul 8, 2018)

My guess regarding the JB violin is that it includes so much detail and nuance that it winds up being a mixed blessing. The less you know about actually *playing* a violin, the better it sounds because of all the extra detail distracting your ear. The more you play yourself, the more you hear that these details are inaccurate and they wind up sounding unconvincing. I'm not a good enough violin player to be able to pick up on this myself, but I definitely do hear volume jumps all over the place and an overall uneven and choppy sound compared to others. This can probably be fixed with programming, and then my ears would likely be fooled as well.


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## Gerbil (Jul 8, 2018)

The thing is, I would never in a million years want to listen to a whole piece of lengthy music performed by either. It's such a difficult instrument to emulate that neither are particularly good. This isn't just a criticism of these two, it applies to every sampled/virtual solo string instrument I've ever heard or played.

I do find something rather ugly in the sound and vibrato of the Chris Hein violin. It is better than v1 though which I own. It's like it's been filtered; the JB is much more natural. But both can give an acceptable impression of the instrument and I know the CH is really well thought out, programmed and playable.


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## Vik (Jul 8, 2018)

sekkosiki said:


> A quick comparison between Embertone's Joshua Bell violin and Chris Hein's Italian violin. Made this rough sketch today...


I know the intensions are good, but nevertheless - and with all due respect - I don't think "rough sketch" or "quick comparisons" are valid ways to test or compare sampled violins, since a solo violin is one of the most difficult instruments to make a virtual version of. 

Having seen some YT-clips showing what this VIs can do (like the two below), I don't think rough sketches possible can offer any of them any justice.


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## Zoot_Rollo (Jul 8, 2018)

BUY BOTH!


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