# How can you know two libraries will sound good together?



## Catsimus (Dec 31, 2020)

Hello,

This may be a very newbie question, but it's something I don't fully get and I'm very eager to learn more about. I'm going to give two hypothetical situations since I'm not really sure which one will apply to me yet. I'm using/learning on/experimenting with freebies (and one nice string library) right now, and my options are either to invest in a proper full orchestra and grow from there, or use composer cloud. But I digress. I'll be faced with the same question regardless of which path I choose.

Situation one: I'm using a full orchestra library but a part of it, let's say woodwinds, sucks. I want to get a woodwinds library and I'm not sure if the one I like will sound good with my full orchestra library.

Situation two: I'm using composer cloud but decide to start buying libraries I like so I can phase out monthly payments. I have XYZ strings library and love it, so now I want to get brass. After listening to demos and walkthroughs, I find that ABC brass suits my taste/need. How would I know ABC and XYZ can work together?

So the main questions are: How do you know if libraries will sound good together? Is it a matter of trial and error, or can you actually know before purchasing? Do you listen to specific things like reverb when you're listening to walkthroughs? Do you look for specs like room size and type? Or does it all not matter and you can fix it in production?

Any advice/opinions/comments is much appreciated!


----------



## mybadmemory (Dec 31, 2020)

I think many over analyze this topic a little. Nearly all music regardless of genre uses samples, recordings, synths, and sounds recorded in a bunch of different places mixed together. That’s what EQs, compressors, reverbs, and mixing is for.

That said, libraries recorded in the same space obviously makes this easier and requires less. If you only buy libraries recorded in the same room the mixing needs will be less than if you try to blend a bunch of different ones together.

Besides the actual sound, recording, room tone, wetness, etc, there’s also things like general workflow differences that might make sticking with one coherent orchestra or developer easier. But most people end with a bunch of different ones regardless.


----------



## mybadmemory (Dec 31, 2020)

But generally, if you want a wet sound, you can use both wet and dry libraries mixed together just with different amounts of reverb to match the wetness. If you want a drier sound however, you’d better stay away from the wetter libraries.


----------



## mybadmemory (Dec 31, 2020)

Check out the last section of this video: “Can you mix and match?”


----------



## Catsimus (Dec 31, 2020)

Thanks for your response! I just finished listening to the FF IV arrangement in your signature and I have to say I really enjoyed it!



mybadmemory said:


> I think many over analyze this topic a little.


This is something I'm very guilty of, and not just for this topic haha.




mybadmemory said:


> Besides the actual sound, recording, room tone, wetness, etc, there’s also things like general workflow differences that might make sticking with one coherent orchestra or developer easier. But most people end with a bunch of different ones regardless.





mybadmemory said:


> But generally, if you want a wet sound, you can use both wet and dry libraries mixed together just with different amounts of reverb to match the wetness. If you want a drier sound however, you’d better stay away from the wetter libraries.


Makes sense! 



mybadmemory said:


> Check out the last section of this video: “Can you mix and match?”



Thanks! I will definitely watch this.


----------



## AudioLoco (Dec 31, 2020)

If you are aiming for super super pure classical feel this might be an issue worth tackeling.
If you manage to have one library with everything it surely helps (Spitfire Symphonic or Berlin everything are the main options I guess). I have the Spitfire one and can't be happier.

Having said that, for "cinematic" orchestral I tend to agree with mybadmemory about over-analyzation of this topic. 
With the right room mic balancing inside patches, a bit of common reverb and some bus compression, usually things, at the end, manage to feel "right" and gelled. (in my opinion)

Music made with sampled instruments is short recordings of real instruments played in a sequence, it is such a pure illusion we create. Being recorded in the same room does help, but not such a deal breaker in my opinion.

Most people here i am guessing, mix and match libraries all the time.


----------



## mybadmemory (Dec 31, 2020)

I have libraries from Cinesamples, Orchestral Tools, Audio Imperia, and Spitfire. I do prefer to mix them as little as possible for any given song, and to stay within one developer for as along as I can, only reaching outside when I hit a brick wall so to speak, but this is not primarily because of sound, room, wetness, but rather because of differences in workflow, velocity responses, timing/pre-roll/sample start/legato behaviour etc. To me switching back and forth feels like context switching that takes me out of the flow, but in pure terms of sound, I think they're all reasonably compatible with some tweaks. 

Just a happy hobbyist though. Totally understand if people on a higher level than myself, that are really trying to reach the top level of cohesiveness and believability think these things matter more than I do!


----------

