# London Symphonic Strings for Kontakt - 40% Off First Violins OPENING SALE



## Aria Sounds (Jan 22, 2015)

We are happy to announce the first part of our London Symphonic Strings - The first violins section. (Click here to go to official page)

Demos:
http://soundcloud.com/playlists/74044100

Absolutely full of techniques, articulations, true legato patches with more than one type of legato, plus the first user-controllable slide/glissando patch (see video at the bottom), string percussive effects, experimental sounds, and much much more...

Articulations:

Sustained long notes, with interchangeable fingered and bowed true legato intervals, conveniently displayed as you play on the easy to read/use user interface, as well as four crossfadable dynamic layers beginning with a beautiful sounding soft pianissimo, up to a full and powerfull fortissimo.

Spiccato - Short notes, for all your essential driving string motifs, with 3x round robin with multi dynamic layers for up to six variations per note

Sordino sustained long notes, with crossfadable dynamic layers and true legato intervals

Molto Sul Ponticello - The raspy and hollow sound when players bow closer to the bridge, bringing less of the fundamental note out, and more of the naturally occuring harmonics. This patch also has crossfadable dynamic layers and true legato

Sordino Spiccato - Spiccato played with mutes on, 4x round robin variations with multi dynamic layers for up to eight variations per note.

Harmonics

Glissando/Slide - the first user controllable slow glissando patch to exist! Slide between any two notes with this new fantastic scripting technique without any synthesized or artificial pitch bending. 100% recorded genuine slide between notes. Higher velocity = faster slide. See Demo Video below.

Colle - Short note where players start with the bow on the string and lift off, causing a harsh scratch at the beginning of the note. With 4x round robin variations per note and multi dynamic layers, you have up to eight variations per note.

Martele - Intense, slightly longer detached notes using more of the bow. 2x round robin variations.

Pizzicato and Bartok pizz - Players pluck the strings, as well as "Bartok pizz" where the pluck is hard enough to cause the string to snap back against the fingerboard. 2x round robin per note, with three dynamic layers, for up to six variations per note.

Col Legno - striking the strings with the back, wooden side of the bow. 2x round robin variations per note.

"Violin Concerto" - Leading soloist playing loud with vibrato, over the rest of the section, who play softly with mutes. Yet another addition to the possible colour of sound you can give your score.

String SFX - Variety of string effects, clusters, percussive sounds, experimental sounds, noises, builds etc.

Tech specs:
Samples are 24 bit at 48000HZ wav files
4.8 GB of Content The full version of Kontakt 4 or above is required to run this software. It will not run on the free version of Kontakt player.

http://ariasounds.com/symphonic_strings_kontakt_orchestral_violin_1.html (http://ariasounds.com/symphonic_strings ... lin_1.html)

Glissando demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHTVOIb-w_A


----------



## hawpri (Jan 22, 2015)

Just so you know, the soundcloud playlist link doesn't work.


----------



## prodigalson (Jan 22, 2015)

wow, what a remarkable deal. I was just thinking the other day about wouldn't it be great to have a nice sounding library that could do user-defined glissandi a la the second movement of John Adams' Shaker Loops. 

I'm looking forward to see how well this library can do that effect!


----------



## Michael K. Bain (Jan 22, 2015)

Do you have a demo of the Violin Concerto articulation? Would love to hear it


----------



## amorphosynthesis (Jan 22, 2015)

or a naked demo..plz plz????
is the price a typo???


----------



## Rain†Man (Jan 22, 2015)

Listened to the demos at your site. very nice. how long before 2nd violins? Violas cellos and basses? Thank you


----------



## SeanM1960 (Jan 22, 2015)

Hi. A few questions.

When you say "London" strings - were these recorded at Abbey Road? If so, you should say so as this would be a huge selling point.

Your site seems to make no mention of the section sizes. Please tell us what they are.

I see there are sustains, but are there leagato transitions, as with all of the other major string library releases?

Thanks!


----------



## jleckie (Jan 22, 2015)

soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/aria-sounds


----------



## dariusofwest (Jan 22, 2015)

eally like the demos and....is that price the real one?


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 22, 2015)

Yes, more demos are in production and on the way


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 22, 2015)

Rain†Man @ Thu Jan 22 said:


> Listened to the demos at your site. very nice. how long before 2nd violins? Violas cellos and basses? Thank you[/quote
> We aim to have everything up before the end of February


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 22, 2015)

SeanM1960 @ Thu Jan 22 said:


> Hi. A few questions.
> 
> When you say "London" strings - were these recorded at Abbey Road? If so, you should say so as this would be a huge selling point.
> 
> ...



LSS is recorded with some of the finest London based string players, but not in Abbey Road. The section (in order v1, v2, vla, vc and basses) sizes, 12, 10, 7, 7, 4.


----------



## Sid Francis (Jan 22, 2015)

I also like the sound, would also be mostly interested in the "Concerto" patch and would need to hear the strings a bit more exposed and naked. A walkthrough perhaps? I own sooo many string libraries that even with the very affordable ones ( oh wow, yes  ) I have to take a long look first.


----------



## prodigalson (Jan 22, 2015)

I have to say that after my limited tinkering with the library the legato sordinos are worth the 30 pounds alone! They are very beautiful. Not to mention the glissando patch. While the gliss patch could do with a little script finessing (especially on the longer ones) having a user-controllable string glissando is really amazing. 

For the price, the library is a no-brainer


----------



## Anders Wall (Jan 22, 2015)

prodigalson @ Fri Jan 23 said:


> For the price, the library is a no-brainer



o/~ 

Can't wait for the other parts of this library.

@Aria Sounds.
Would love a smaller sections library.
Like a 4/4/3/3/1 (or 4/3/3/2/1)

Keep up the great work!

/Anders


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 23, 2015)

WallofSound @ Fri Jan 23 said:


> prodigalson @ Fri Jan 23 said:
> 
> 
> > For the price, the library is a no-brainer
> ...



After the LSS is out a smaller chamber style orchestra might be something we'll look into definitely!

Walk-through and more demos are on the way


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 24, 2015)

Naked "Adagio" demo played with sordino-legato patch:

https://soundcloud.com/aria-sounds/adag ... gato-naked


----------



## DDK (Jan 24, 2015)

The naked adagio demo is just the 1st vins???

When do u plan to put out the rest of the sections?

Any plans for do brass??


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 24, 2015)

eclipse @ Sat Jan 24 said:


> The naked adagio demo is just the 1st vins???
> 
> When do u plan to put out the rest of the sections?
> 
> Any plans for do brass??



Yes the naked adagio demo is just the 1st violins, played with the mute/"sordino legato" patch.

We aim (and probably will) release all the strings by the end of February.

And yes of course, brass will come shortly after.


----------



## EastWest Lurker (Jan 24, 2015)

Are you the same people who did London Orchestral Percussion years go?


----------



## Andrajas (Jan 24, 2015)

Seems nice! For how long will the discount be available?


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 24, 2015)

EastWest Lurker @ Sat Jan 24 said:


> Are you the same people who did London Orchestral Percussion years go?



Hi there, 
No I think it was "Big Fish Audio" who did the London percussion


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 24, 2015)

Andrajas @ Sat Jan 24 said:


> Seems nice! For how long will the discount be available?



Hi, the 40% off opening sale is until 11th February


----------



## EastWest Lurker (Jan 24, 2015)

Thanks for clarifying.


----------



## germancomponist (Jan 24, 2015)

Very cool!

Next year we can buy the greatet libs for one dollar... ?

Of what money do the musicians who did this recordings buy their lunch?


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 24, 2015)

germancomponist @ Sun Jan 25 said:


> Very cool!
> 
> Next year we can buy the greatet libs for one dollar... ?
> 
> Of what money do the musicians who did this recordings buy their lunch?



Hi there
They each earn royalties on each sale, most of us working here are primarily musicians as well, so of course we want to support the musicians who record with us


----------



## studioj (Jan 24, 2015)

impressed.


----------



## lowdown (Jan 25, 2015)

Very nice!
At that price I will be giving this a try.

The other Instruments on your site sound very nice,
at good sensible pricing as well. :D


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 25, 2015)

One more demo for LSS first violins with subtle harmonics at the beginning:

https://soundcloud.com/aria-sounds/lss- ... emo-clip-5


----------



## DDK (Jan 25, 2015)

Any chance of getting some basic articulations like trem and trills????


----------



## Maximvs (Jan 26, 2015)

eclipse @ Sun Jan 25 said:


> Any chance of getting some basic articulations like trem and trills????



I second this request... I find strange that you went all the way to record some great articulations but left out some very important and basic ones. I also hope to see all the already mentioned articulation for all the remaining sections and not just for the violins.

So far I really like the sound and look forward to hear the rest.

Best regards,

Max


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 26, 2015)

Massimo @ Mon Jan 26 said:


> eclipse @ Sun Jan 25 said:
> 
> 
> > Any chance of getting some basic articulations like trem and trills????
> ...



We wanted to get as much as we could - and focus on some less-available articulations. However we will definitely take this into consideration for the rest of the release, as well as a possibility for a free update to the first violins in the future


----------



## lowdown (Jan 26, 2015)

Aria Sounds @ Mon Jan 26 said:


> Massimo @ Mon Jan 26 said:
> 
> 
> > eclipse @ Sun Jan 25 said:
> ...



I downloaded yesterday, and yes, very nice and very usable.
But as above, the trills and trem would be very welcome as an update.
Looking forward to the other sections.


----------



## Maestro77 (Jan 26, 2015)

Sounds great. I'd love to see a quick video walk-through showing the actual GUI and how the instrument is organized.


----------



## tmm (Jan 26, 2015)

Do the sustained patches have regular MW dynamics control?


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 26, 2015)

Maestro77 @ Mon Jan 26 said:


> Sounds great. I'd love to see a quick video walk-through showing the actual GUI and how the instrument is organized.



Hi there, yes a walkthrough is coming very soon


----------



## Aria Sounds (Jan 26, 2015)

tmm @ Mon Jan 26 said:


> Do the sustained patches have regular MW dynamics control?



Dynamics are controlled via the expression wheel


----------



## kmlandre (Jan 26, 2015)

Here's a (very) short test piece for several (4) of the 1st Violin patches:

https://soundcloud.com/kmlandre/aria-1st-vln-test-very-quiet

l'm finding it to be pretty interesting - should fit in well with my other LSS based library and make for a little more obvious contrast between the other 2nd violins and the Aria 1st violins...

Kurt


----------



## Leandro Gardini (Jan 27, 2015)

I like the controllable glissando but is there a way we can attack and release it without going to a unisson?


----------



## WhiteNoiz (Jan 27, 2015)

leogardini @ Tue Jan 27 said:


> I like the controllable glissando but is there a way we can attack and release it without going to a unison?



That. It sounds quite strange the way it jumps into the sustain part. But I'm excited they've included these. This stuff is usually pre-recorded in phrases and very limited.

*@ Aria Sounds*
Since you seem to still be taking suggestions, please allow me to overwhelm you.  

Surely, those glissandi have got potential. Maybe you could make it so, if there's no sustained note following, it ends with the release tail of the last, closest note in the glide.

If there is one, then maybe you could crossfade the last release tail with the attack of the sustained note so you don't get that volume/attack bump.

A field where you could make a difference would be these playable effects. I'm talking about stuff like legato tremolos, short glissando risers/runs, tremolo risers, grace notes, stabs, brass pitch glides, detuning/sliding crescendos, pitch risers, dynamic trills, alternating speeds trills, trills to tremolo, sustain to tremolo, accented legato, grand detaché...

Here I have gathered a few examples for your reference:
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/gi3bo19 ... OrchFX.wav

Do you think I'd be able to pull slides such as those in the basses (mostly in the first half)? Is the glide's speed controllable or bound to tempo or fixed or something?

I understand these are quite specific (and quite demanding programming/budget-wise) and you'd focus on more typical articulations but it's just some options to consider.


----------



## lucky909091 (Jan 27, 2015)

Excuse my opinion, but until today I did not really like your libraries. :shock: 

Perhaps it was the imperfect demoing or the sound of the demos... 
Whatever it was, I don' t know.... :roll: 

But these demos of LSS and the sound of the sordino strings are so convincing that I MUST buy this library. =o 
Really well-done work, guys. 

The sordino-sound fits like butter into most of my existing arrangements and the glissando is a wonderful supplement for only 29 BP.
Perfect.

Besides, seems that you you sampled in 440 hz tune ?


----------



## kitekrazy (Jan 30, 2015)

So who bought this?


----------



## Chriss (Jan 31, 2015)

Just bought it. It could become a good library but at certain state it is not really worth more then the discount price.

-room information sounding too different between the patches
-still too wet even with only the close mics
-harmonics totally dry!!!
-legato notes have no release samples and break up into dryness after releasing note
-once touched mic sliders only go up but not down (latest Kontakt)

The overall/basic sound of legato and sordino is quiet promising but all these issues should be taken care of to become this library a serious one.


----------



## DDK (Jan 31, 2015)

I bought it but feel it needs a lot of work in the programing to be useful 
Some of the attacks are not even and the pizz have a strange thing going on at the top register, wired ringing 
I hope they will spend some time fixing and re programing so that it can come close to the other string libraries


----------



## SeattleComposer (Jan 31, 2015)

I bought. No regrets at this price, but will use primarily for layering.


----------



## MA-Simon (Feb 1, 2015)

Is it just me ore are all the patches set to cc11?

which is weird because every other library I use uses normal modwheel cc.


----------



## kmlandre (Feb 1, 2015)

MA-Simon @ Sun Feb 01 said:


> Is it just me ore are all the patches set to cc11?
> 
> which is weird because every other library I use uses normal modwheel cc.


Yes and no. Technically, "expression" controllers are supposed to be on CC11. But most people don't have/use an expression pedal, so CC1 does make more practical sense.

It's great for me, however, since my notation program uses CC11 for dynamic control by default. 

Looks like it's easy to change, though. It doesn't seem like any of the CC11 stuff is embedded in the scripting, so just switching it to CC1 in edit mode would work...

Kurt M. Landre'
https://www.SoundCloud.com/kmlandre


----------



## MA-Simon (Feb 2, 2015)

> Yes and no. Technically, "expression" controllers are supposed to be on CC11. But most people don't have/use an expression pedal, so CC1 does make more practical sense.


No. Expression for me is something different. Expression can be an EQ ore the volume, but dynamics should be on the mod wheel cc. Everything else is totally unusable for me.


----------



## d.healey (Feb 2, 2015)

Modulation wheel is traditionally for modulation, things like vibrato or LFOs. Expression pedal is for expression


----------



## kmlandre (Feb 2, 2015)

TotalComposure @ Mon Feb 02 said:


> Modulation wheel is traditionally for modulation, things like vibrato or LFOs. Expression pedal is for expression


Really? According to my admittedly extremely dim memory of the MIDI spec, I always thought things like dynamics modulation were intended to fall under expression.

I thought CC1 was intended for LFO/Filter/etc. type stuff...

But regardless, what would be best is if the patch offered a selectable CC channel. I wish more libraries in general did that...

Kurt


----------



## d.healey (Feb 2, 2015)

kmlandre @ Mon Feb 02 said:


> Really? According to my admittedly extremely dim memory of the MIDI spec, I always thought things like dynamics modulation were intended to fall under expression.
> 
> I thought CC1 was intended for LFO/Filter/etc. type stuff...



That's pretty much what I said, except I don't use the phrase "dynamics modulation" I just say expression because the idea of dynamic layers is a recent thing, the MIDI spec is kind of suggesting expression as a subordinate volume change to CC7.


----------



## kmlandre (Feb 2, 2015)

TotalComposure @ Mon Feb 02 said:


> That's pretty much what I said, except I don't use the phrase "dynamics modulation" I just say expression because the idea of dynamic layers is a recent thing, the MIDI spec is kind of suggesting expression as a subordinate volume change to CC7.


Yup. You're right - that's exactly what you said.

What really helps here is if I actually *READ* the post as written, instead of every 3rd word... :roll: 

Thx for the clarification. Someday, I'll be up to the task of becoming fully versed in the English language... 

Kurt


----------



## prodigalson (Feb 2, 2015)

> the MIDI spec is kind of suggesting expression as a subordinate volume change to CC7.



Exactly, that's the key point here that I think may be leading to confusion. CC11, or expression, is generally a strict overall level control (as a percentage of "volume", or CC7) 

Whereas, CC1 is (at least recently) generally used to crossfade between dynamic layers in orchestral libraries. So while that does correspond to a general change in loudness, it's actually a control over how loud the player is playing his instrument not a change in the strict output of the sample. So with CC1 you get timbre changes corresponding to natural adjustments in the samples recorded dynamic, whereas with CC11 you get an overall adjustment of the level of that sample.

Hence, why generally it is advised that both CC1 and CC11 be used to sculpt dynamic shading.


----------



## d.healey (Feb 2, 2015)

prodigalson @ Mon Feb 02 said:


> Hence, why generally it is advised that both CC1 and CC11 be used to sculpt dynamic shading.



An acoustic instrument's dynamics and volume are intrinsically linked, you can't play a trumpet at FF quietly. The timbre, dynamics, and the associated volume level of that dynamic are all part of creating an expressive performance.

The modern trend to allow individual control between dynamics and volume is not good for producing realistic virtual instruments. Volume, other than that created by the instrument at a given dynamic, is a mixing issue and should not be considered the expression of the instrument, however it could be considered a part of the emotion and drama of a piece and that's a task for creative mixing, just like working with real musicians.

When the MIDI spec was drawn up we didn't have multi layered sample libraries and it was more appropriate for the expression controller to act as a sub volume control, and this is still the case for instruments that are not multi-layered or for synths and similar electronic instruments.

Now the argument of CC1 vs CC11, or CC2 if you're using a wind/breath controller perhaps? The choice the user makes should be based on the controllers at his disposal and the ones he is familiar with and prefers to use. The choice for the developer is to follow the MIDI standard or to provide the ability for the user to customise the controller numbers used to interact with the instrument.

There is no right or wrong choice of controller for the user but there is for the developer. The MIDI standard does not provide a dynamic layers controller, the most appropriate one is arguably CC11 and it definitely isn't CC1 which has a very clear purpose. While I think the best option is to make an instrument customisable to fit in with a user's workflow the second best option is to follow the MIDI standard, unfortunately most libraries don't do this and everyone now assumes that CC1 should control dynamic layers.


----------



## Aria Sounds (Feb 5, 2015)

The update will allow you to choose whether its the Mod Wheel CC1 or Exp Wheel CC11 which controls the crossfading dynamic layers/dynamic


----------



## rdieters (Feb 7, 2015)

TotalComposure @ Tue Feb 03 said:


> Now the argument of CC1 vs CC11, or CC2 if you're using a wind/breath controller perhaps? The choice the user makes should be based on the controllers at his disposal and the ones he is familiar with and prefers to use. The choice for the developer is to follow the MIDI standard or to provide the ability for the user to customise the controller numbers used to interact with the instrument.
> 
> There is no right or wrong choice of controller for the user but there is for the developer. The MIDI standard does not provide a dynamic layers controller, the most appropriate one is arguably CC11 and it definitely isn't CC1 which has a very clear purpose. While I think the best option is to make an instrument customisable to fit in with a user's workflow the second best option is to follow the MIDI standard, unfortunately most libraries don't do this and everyone now assumes that CC1 should control dynamic layers.



I love being able to set up my TEControl breath controller to send any CC, or even aftertouch/pitchbend. Like this, I couldn't care less what CC the library developer chose. Instead I can just set up the breath controller to send it. Very handy.


----------

