# Buying cheaper libraries vs saving for more expensive ones



## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Hi everyone, I made my first post asking for help with my first library purchase last year but can't seem to login, so I'll have to use this account for now! Thanks to everyone who helped out back then. I decided to buy Jaeger in the end and have had an absolute blast using it and learning to compose. Since then I've bought BBC core and some choir libraries, so I feel like I've got a good base now to build on. 

I've decided the next big library I want is Era 2, but I've also been looking at getting a dedicated percussion library. I've seen a lot of people recommending damage 2 as a good percussion library. However as a student who's not studying music, I can't really justify the price at the moment, especially as I'm hoping Era 2 will go on sale soon. I've saved up some money for Black Friday and saw that Apocalypse percussion elements is on sale now for roughly £50. I know that in the world of vsti libraries this is relatively cheap (which is a bit intimidating!).

My question is would getting damage 2 in a year or two make Apocalypse elements obsolete? And in general is it a better practice to save up and buy more expensive libraries less often (like with buying instruments) or can cheaper libraries still usually offer some variety down the line? Cheers


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## from_theashes (Nov 18, 2021)

ILmusic said:


> My question is would getting damage 2 in a year or two make Apocalypse elements obsolete? And in general is it a better practice to save up and buy more expensive libraries less often (like with buying instruments) or can cheaper libraries still usually offer some variety down the line? Cheers


Short answer: yes!
I bought several „cheap“ percussion libraries before buying Damage 2. Since then, I use Damage 2 95% of the time and dont use the „cheap“ ones at all. So in the end, I should‘ve invested in Damage 2 from the beginning.
Spitfire “Hammers“ is another alternative for Damage 2… but not cheaper^^


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

from_theashes said:


> Short answer: yes!
> I bought several „cheap“ percussion libraries before buying Damage 2. Since then, I use Damage 2 95% of the time and dont use the „cheap“ ones at all. So in the end, I should‘ve invested in Damage 2 from the beginning.
> Spitfire “Hammers“ is another alternative for Damage 2… but not cheaperthat's what I'm worried might happen if I start getting smaller lib


Yeah that's what I'm worried will happen for me too, I don't really want to waste £50 if I won't be using it in a year, thanks for the reply!


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## Tim_Wells (Nov 18, 2021)

In my experience, it's much better to get a small number of "great" libraries, rather than a bunch of "good" ones. Of course, finding a great library isn't easy and is subjective. Those that are consistently praised over a long periods of time will clue you in.

It can be painful paying the extra $$ for a top tier library. It' very tempting to jump on these crazy sales. But in the long run, it saves money.

Of course, the exception is sometimes you find something really nice and useful for not a lot of money. For for some reason, the Indiginus Ukulele comes to mind. 

I say all this because I'm talking myself into buying Spitfire Chamber Strings.


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Tim_Wells said:


> In my experience, it's much better to get a small number of "great" libraries, rather than a bunch of "good" ones. Of course, finding a great library isn't easy and is subjective. Those that are consistently praised over a long periods of time will clue you in.
> 
> It can be painful paying the extra $$ for a top tier library. It' very tempting to jump on these crazy sales. But in the long run, it saves money.
> 
> ...


Haha yeah it is very tempting especially with so many people talking about how great these deals are. I'll have to keep a look out for useful libraries like the ukulele then, I like the idea of buying single instruments that I know would last a really long time


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## HM_Music (Nov 18, 2021)

I also created a similar thread recently choosing between Damage 2 and LAMP.
And still leaning towards LAMP, but all people seem to prefer Damage 2 and it's probably the best percussion library now, so if everything suits you from the demos, it's worth buying.
It's really better not to waste money on cheap libraries, and get the best ones right away. I bought a lot of cheap libraries, thinking that i can get along with them, and now I regret it.
I would save a lot of money if i bought what i want right away, rather than what is on sale at a higher discount.


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Thanks I'll check out your thread. To be honest I haven't heard much about LAMP so I'll have to look into it as well, but yeah it seems like most people seem to love Damage 2.


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## HM_Music (Nov 18, 2021)

I like Damage 2 better, but in the context of what I'm working on now, the LAMP fits the smallest bit more.
But, I made the decision that I will also buy Damage 2 later, because if I had to choose one library it would definitely be Damage 2.


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Ok that's great to hear, I think I'll hold off on getting anything for now then and start saving up for damage 2, thanks for the help!


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## Gerbil (Nov 18, 2021)

Tim_Wells said:


> It can be painful paying the extra $$ for a top tier library. It' very tempting to jump on these crazy sales. But in the long run, it saves money.


Unless that top tier library turns out to be a disappointment! That's happened a few times to me. By contrast, I've bought some low price libraries that have stayed in my templates.


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## Tim_Wells (Nov 18, 2021)

Gerbil said:


> Unless that top tier library turns out to be a disappointment! That's happened a few times to me. By contrast, I've bought some low price libraries that have stayed in my templates.


Yep. There's no such thing as a sure thing.


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## Ivan M. (Nov 18, 2021)

I tried buying cheap, to optimize my spending, but at the end I had to buy stuff that is good (enough). 
There’s a saying: “I’m not rich enough to buy cheap”.
Find a sweet spot between product quality and your purchasing power. However, don’t buy mediocre stuff as it’s still wasted money. 
Save money in the long run by buying only a few good products that will serve you well for a long time. It will require a lot of research.


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Ivan M. said:


> I tried buying cheap, to optimize my spending, but at the end I had to buy stuff that is good (enough).
> There’s a saying: “I’m not rich enough to buy cheap”.
> Find a sweet spot between product quality and your purchasing power. However, don’t buy mediocre stuff as it’s still wasted money.
> Save money in the long run by buying only a few good products that will serve you well for a long time. It will require a lot of research.


Yeah that sounds like great advice. I've tried making a list of libraries that should last me for years if I got them, so far I'm thinking of getting Era 2, damage 2 and omnisphere 2. From what I've heard they're all well respected and with omnisphere specifically, even though I have zero experience with synths, I've heard that there's enough sounds that even if I don't enjoy the sound creating aspects of it I'll still get my money's worth. 

I'll try to hold off on anything except those


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## mussnig (Nov 18, 2021)

Although I have to agree with what others posted above, I still think that APE is very good and I use it regularly (although I have several other more comprehensive options). I think Cory Pelizzari said something like "It just cuts through the mix".

I don't have Damage 2 though, but I do have Hammers. Eventually, I guess with BBCSO, Jaeger and APE you wouldn't really need another Percussion library except for maybe a few special instruments here and there. So in particular, I wouldn't see the need for Damage 2.

But if you are set on getting Damage 2 anyways, then it's probably wiser to skip APE.

Some other nice options that I can recommend: Spitfire Originals Epic Percussion (it's a steal!), Action Strikes (usually sells cheap here in the forum once people upgrade to Komplete Ultimate or something like that).


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## Seymour Caiman (Nov 18, 2021)

I don't think the dividing line being 'cheaper' vs 'more expensive' is quite right for me. I try to buy things I want and have a plan to use or explore, rather than trying to make an arbitrary decision based on a perception of financial value.


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

mussnig said:


> Although I have to agree with what others posted above, I still think that APE is very good and I use it regularly (although I have several other more comprehensive options). I think Cory Pelizzari said something like "It just cuts through the mix".
> 
> I don't have Damage 2 though, but I do have Hammers. Eventually, I guess with BBCSO, Jaeger and APE you wouldn't really need another Percussion library except for maybe a few special instruments here and there. So in particular, I wouldn't see the need for Damage 2.
> 
> ...


Ok thanks, it's good to see someone see a different opinion. I'd seen a lot of people say that it was a good library so I think I'll still look into it. But I think either way I'll hold off for now and keep my options open


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## ILmusic (Nov 18, 2021)

Seymour Caiman said:


> I don't think the dividing line being 'cheaper' vs 'more expensive' is quite right for me. I try to buy things I want and have a plan to use or explore, rather than trying to make an arbitrary decision based on a perception of financial value.


Yeah sorry if that didn't come across well. I meant more in terms of high quality (but expensive) libraries vs lower quality (but cheaper) libraries that do the same thing.

I'm not experienced enough yet to know if that's the case in this scenario, but essentially for me £50 is a bit too much for me to be spending at the moment if I won't be using it down the line due to purchasing other percussion libraries. But as Mussnig pointed out, that might not be the case for apocalypse.


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## bill5 (Nov 18, 2021)

Ivan M. said:


> don’t buy mediocre stuff as it’s still wasted money.
> Save money in the long run by buying only a few good products that will serve you well for a long time. It will require a lot of research.


...and even then it's still a roll of the dice. Don't buy the mediocre stuff sounds like great advice, except there is no way to know what is or isn't great vs mediocre vs suck until you try it. God knows cost won't tell you that. I've tried expensive stuff I thought was terribly overrated and overpriced if not flat out sucked and cheap even free stuff I thought was awesome. And I've tried expensive stuff that was great and cheap stuff that sucked as well.  It all varies.

If there's one piece of advice I suggest every newcomer take to heart and remind themselves of again and again, it's that there is no consistent correlation between cost and quality. Don't fall for that trap or you will literally pay for it and for Godssake esp if one is starting out and doesn't have a lot of money to blow, TRY THE FREE STUFF. There is so much great stuff out there.


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## Tralen (Nov 18, 2021)

bill5 said:


> TRY THE FREE STUFF.


Quoting this for emphasis.

Before making any purchase decision, take a look at what is offered for free. There is nothing to stop you from spending your money if you didn't find anything you like.


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## bill5 (Nov 18, 2021)

And frankly if you can't find something you like among the free stuff, you didn't look very hard!


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## jcrosby (Nov 18, 2021)

ILmusic said:


> Hi everyone, I made my first post asking for help with my first library purchase last year but can't seem to login, so I'll have to use this account for now! Thanks to everyone who helped out back then. I decided to buy Jaeger in the end and have had an absolute blast using it and learning to compose. Since then I've bought BBC core and some choir libraries, so I feel like I've got a good base now to build on.
> 
> I've decided the next big library I want is Era 2, but I've also been looking at getting a dedicated percussion library. I've seen a lot of people recommending damage 2 as a good percussion library. However as a student who's not studying music, I can't really justify the price at the moment, especially as I'm hoping Era 2 will go on sale soon. I've saved up some money for Black Friday and saw that Apocalypse percussion elements is on sale now for roughly £50. I know that in the world of vsti libraries this is relatively cheap (which is a bit intimidating!).
> 
> My question is would getting damage 2 in a year or two make Apocalypse elements obsolete? And in general is it a better practice to save up and buy more expensive libraries less often (like with buying instruments) or can cheaper libraries still usually offer some variety down the line? Cheers


Another vote for yes...

I own both, and while APE isn't bad, what APE isn't is a well rounded percussion library that covers some traditional percussion in addition to the cinematic... (And that's excluding what you can actually do with D2's engine).

Damage 2 comes with taikos, gongs, gran casa, surdos, dhols, dunduns, cymbals, /broken/found/foley percussions, etc - and that doesn't cover everything... It also of course comes with tons of designed drums, hits, and sfx...

But to really ice the cake there isn't anything else like D2's roll feature, at least not that I'm aware of. It can also be used for more than just rolls...

You can create accented and syncopated rhythms that function sort of like a loop, but without having to resort to actual loops... It's kind of like the convenience of the loop without being locked to the linearity and sonic fingerprint of a loop... You have control over the number of repetitions, accents, and everything can be tuned uniquely. Basically D2 not only replaces APE, it's like comparing a single planet to a solar system...

In terms of buying inexpensive libraries as 'placeholders' for something more robust you might buy later - someone recently-(ish) made statement that I think is a great way to look at your dilemma:

_Assuming you were to eventually buy D2 and found D2 essentially replaced the lesser libraries you bought as placeholders, you've essentially 'paid for the original library twice'... _

Not literally obviously, but it's a good way to perceive your relationship to the cost...

And if by any chance you have Komplete and have Damage 1, don't forget you get an additional $100 off...


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## JohnG (Nov 18, 2021)

Ivan M. said:


> There’s a saying: “I’m not rich enough to buy cheap”.


It's a good saying.

There are some good free libraries -- the LABS from Spitfire Audio come to mind. But frittering money away on stuff you don't _really_ like is a mistake. Same with speakers, headphones -- all of it.

Save and buy what you love and then you can make music with it for years.

[note: I have received free products from Spitfire]


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## ILmusic (Nov 19, 2021)

jcrosby said:


> In terms of buying inexpensive libraries as 'placeholders' for something more robust you might buy later - someone recently-(ish) made statement that I think is a great way to look at your dilemma:
> 
> _Assuming you were to eventually buy D2 and found D2 essentially replaced the lesser libraries you bought as placeholders, you've essentially 'paid for the original library twice'... _


Thanks for the detailed answer! Yeah this is what I was worried about, think I'm set on waiting to be able to get damage 2 now. I agree that it's the flexibility of it that looks so appealing.


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## ILmusic (Nov 19, 2021)

JohnG said:


> There are some good free libraries -- the LABS from Spitfire Audio come to mind. But frittering money away on stuff you don't _really_ like is a mistake. Same with speakers, headphones -- all of it.
> 
> Save and buy what you love and then you can make music with it for years.


Thanks John, I think that's exactly the advice I was looking for. So far I've only bought things I knew I'd love and have yet to be disappointed, so I think I'll skip the deals this year however tempting they seem! 

Also I agree LABS is excellent and I still use some instruments from it. I used to make everything using that and BBC discover which I can highly recommend to anyone looking for good free libraries!


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## José Herring (Nov 19, 2021)

I find that in our world good has nothing to do with price. There's some Good free libraries and there are some crap really expensive ones. 

Find the one that you like and get that. If it takes a while then no problems. There are plenty of free libraries that are good percussion libraries that could fill in for a while until you get Damage 2 or Hammers.


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## doctoremmet (Nov 19, 2021)

José Herring said:


> If find that in our world good has nothing to do with price. There's some Good free libraries and there are some crap really expensive ones.
> 
> Find the one that you like and get that. If it takes a while then no problems. There are plenty of free libraries that are good percussion libraries that could fill in for a while until you get Damage 2 or Hammers.


Came here to say the exact same thing. The juxtaposition cheap versus expensive is understandable but has remarkably little to do with quality and usability.


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## pawelmorytko (Nov 19, 2021)

Can't stress enough how much I regret spending money as a student buying all the crazy deals for "just okay at best" libraries and being disappointed with them, instead of saving up a bit more on the stuff that I actually use now on every project. But that's just how it is when you're new to the sample library market, don't know much about what's good and what's not so you're a bit more naive when it comes to getting hooked by a sale.

And I 100% agree with José about the price. Some of my biggest library purchase regrets are actually quite expensive


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## ILmusic (Nov 19, 2021)

I guess I'm still not used to the fact that some libraries only go on sale once or twice a year, so I'm sure FOMO plays a part in it. But I appreciate all the advice, I think I'll stick to only buying ones I know I'll love, even if I have to wait a year or two.


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## AkashicBird (Nov 19, 2021)

José Herring said:


> plenty of free libraries that are good percussion libraries that could fill in for a while until you get Damage 2 or Hammers.


Any suggestions besides Ferrum free? (which I'm not even sure is exactly the same but probably related)


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## Crowe (Nov 19, 2021)

José Herring said:


> I find that in our world good has nothing to do with price. There's some Good free libraries and there are some crap really expensive ones.
> 
> Find the one that you like and get that. If it takes a while then no problems. There are plenty of free libraries that are good percussion libraries that could fill in for a while until you get Damage 2 or Hammers.


This is the answer. I asked the same question last year when I was looking for a string library I could afford. The overwhelming answer was "don't, they all suck".

I didn't listen and went for 8Dio Anthology with the crossgrades etc for $80 or so.

I haven't regretted it a single moment. That's one absolutely fantastic set of libraries. Now I've bought Century Strings and Century Brass + Claire winds for under $300. These are utterly Brilliant. Palette + Melodics for 300? Haven't regretted that library a second.

I don't want Afflatus. I don't want LASS. I don't care for perfect realism, I care for a certain sound.

What do you care about?

_Also as a sidenote my first string library was the uber cheap Aria strings and it's the worst thing since molded bread so I guess some cheap shit is actually shit but in the end Your Mileage May Vary but for the love of whatever god is listening never buy Aria ok thanks.

Edit: Also Damage 1 is just as good as Damage 2 and included in Komplete but don't tell anyone I said that or they'll skin me alive._


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## shapeshifter00 (Nov 19, 2021)

In my opinion it is best to save up for the libraries you want, but sometimes you find gems at a low price. I got APE elements and used it a bit, I like the midi loops that can be used for inspiration. However you should check out Red Room Saga as an alternative to APE elements. On sale now too for 79 usd. It replaced APE for me https://redroomaudio.com/product/saga-acoustic-trailer-percussion/


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## ILmusic (Nov 19, 2021)

shapeshifter00 said:


> However you should check out Red Room Saga as an alternative to APE elements. On sale now too for 79 usd. It replaced APE for me https://redroomaudio.com/product/saga-acoustic-trailer-percussion/


Thanks for the recommendation, I'll have to check that out. Haven't heard of that one before.


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## mussnig (Nov 19, 2021)

shapeshifter00 said:


> In my opinion it is best to save up for the libraries you want, but sometimes you find gems at a low price. I got APE elements and used it a bit, I like the midi loops that can be used for inspiration. However you should check out Red Room Saga as an alternative to APE elements. On sale now too for 79 usd. It replaced APE for me https://redroomaudio.com/product/saga-acoustic-trailer-percussion/


Interesting, I have both but I never really got along with Saga ...


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## shapeshifter00 (Nov 19, 2021)

mussnig said:


> Interesting, I have both but I never really got along with Saga ...


I feel it blends easier with my Spitfire libraries and works better out of the box. APE I feel is very boomy and EQ is needed to tame that, but it is a good library no doubt for the price.


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## mussnig (Nov 19, 2021)

shapeshifter00 said:


> I feel it blends easier with my Spitfire libraries and works better out of the box. APE I feel is very boomy and EQ is needed to tame that, but it is a good library no doubt for the price.


Again, very interesting. I never really managed to blend Saga with my other libraries (mostly Spitfire) but had no troubles with APE. Also, I have the feeling that Saga is missing like a top velocity layer - just not enough punch for my taste.

What effects etc. do you apply to it, if I may ask?


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## José Herring (Nov 19, 2021)

AkashicBird said:


> Any suggestions besides Ferrum free? (which I'm not even sure is exactly the same but probably related)


Check out LABS from Spitfire and also Sine Factory from OT. Also there's a few others like the ones listed below. 










Percussion Elements 2 | KONTAKT


PERCUSSION ELEMENTS - Free Try Pack of the EPIC PERCUSSION 2 library. Includes War Ensemble, Epic Toms and Hi Percussion patches




www.splashsound.org















ORCHESTRAL TOOLS


Virtual instruments for your music productions - Recorded in the world's finest studios




www.orchestraltools.com













 LABS LABS Percussion


<p>This incredibly versatile selection of percussion instruments will provide the backbone to your next track, for media composition and electronic production alike. From essential drum hits to shakers, timbales, cowbells and congas, these instruments have been expertly recorded by producers and...



labs.spitfireaudio.com












LABS


An infinite series of free software instruments, made by musicians and sampling experts in London, for anyone, anywhere. Presented in our own plug-in, they are easy to use, and compatible with any DAW. And in case you missed it — they're all free.



labs.spitfireaudio.com


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## José Herring (Nov 19, 2021)

Oh, and how could I forget the nearly free offering from Audio Ollie. Some percussion in this. 






Taste — Audio Ollie


15gb of quality Kontakt instruments for the price of a cup of coffee.




www.audioollie.com


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## Jeremy Spencer (Nov 19, 2021)

IMHO, one of the best combos for percussion are EastWest Symphonic Orchestra, and EastWest Stormdrum 1, 2 & 3. Older, but still kick a$$, and relatively inexpensive. Even better if you get an educational CC subscription.


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## zwhita (Nov 19, 2021)

When it comes to researching more expensive libraries, I tend to use the divide and conquer method and divide it into smaller segments, then ask how much would I approximate using each segment? But "Buy what you like" is probably the best advice.

If nothing else, getting cheaper libraries at the beginning may serve as stepping stones to gaining the experience needed in making better buying decisions later on.


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## bill5 (Nov 19, 2021)

Impact Soundworks - Heritage Percussion - Free Download (Kontakt)


Enhance your tracks with 13 heirloom hand percussion instruments like shakers, rattles, claves, and djembe, recorded in superb detail. Download for FREE!




impactsoundworks.com


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## PaulieDC (Nov 19, 2021)

Jeremy Spencer said:


> IMHO, one of the best combos for percussion are EastWest Symphonic Orchestra, and EastWest Stormdrum 1, 2 & 3. Older, but still kick a$$, and relatively inexpensive. Even better if you get an educational CC subscription.


Exactly! The entire EWSO is 159 bucks right now for Gold (16-bit samples), and $199USD for Platinum (24-bit samples). StormDrum2 is $119USD and comes with all those loops. Pretty hard to beat.

Did I really just say that?


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## bill5 (Nov 19, 2021)

groan!


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## David Kudell (Nov 19, 2021)

Get Audio Ollie’s $3 Taste library and you can try out a bunch of the perc in there that comes from LAMP. There’s a multi called Gotham Drums or Darkest Knight that’s just killer.


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## elliebean (Nov 19, 2021)

pawelmorytko said:


> Can't stress enough how much I regret spending money as a student buying all the crazy deals for "just okay at best" libraries and being disappointed with them, instead of saving up a bit more on the stuff that I actually use now on every project. But that's just how it is when you're new to the sample library market, don't know much about what's good and what's not so you're a bit more naive when it comes to getting hooked by a sale.
> 
> And I 100% agree with José about the price. Some of my biggest library purchase regrets are actually quite expensive


What are some of your biggest regrets?


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## pawelmorytko (Nov 21, 2021)

elliebean said:


> What are some of your biggest regrets?


My first two libraries I ever bought were the Hans Zimmer Piano and Spitfire Chamber Strings. Of course I was new to the sample library market, so seeing the name Zimmer on a product was mind blowing, the size content was huge so the price seemed justifiable. I did use it because I didn't have much else, but I always had issues with it, from not being able to get the "right" sound and tone that I wanted out of it despite a gazillion patches and mics and mixes. Things taking forever to load despite batch resaves and it just didn't feel very responsive to play. Honestly I wish Noire had come out sooner because I don't even touch any of my other pianos anymore and every now and then I'll think about them collecting dust on my back up drive and feel bad about them never getting to see the light of day again and me never seeing the money that I spent on them again 

Chamber Strings was a let down for me but partially it was also my own fault for not doing enough research about what it was that I actually wanted - did I mention I was young and naive and dipping my feet into this market for the first time?
But anyways I did fork out a lot on Chamber Strings thinking they would be everything I ever need strings wise. Same again I had such a hard time getting the right tone that I was looking for and I just couldn't do it. I ended up just accepting that maybe the "chamber" sound is not for me and I prefer symphonic string sections better. Which is true in a way, but also not because I absolutely love the tone of Vista and Spitfire's Olafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions.
I could not get along with Chamber Strings legato either, and many samples just sounded out of tune and the performances did not sound convincing at all. I know it's a staple here in VI-C which is fair enough, maybe I'm just not using it right but every time I go back to it I am reminded why I don't use it anymore. Maybe except the shorts, the shorts are fantastic in Chamber Strings.

Only other one I can think of is the percussion library Strikeforce, which I don't feel as bad about because it did get a lot of use, I just completely replaced it with Damage 2 which is my go to now. So I just wish Damage 2 could have came out sooner so that I could've saved myself money 

Anyway this ended up being longer than I intended, but the main take away here is that

- Don't be fooled and hooked by big names/brands, just because it has a famous artist in the name doesn't mean the product is good.
- Just because the company makes some great products doesn't mean they can't make bad ones too every now and then, so don't blindly follow a developer and all of their products.
- Do your research about a product before buying it, I was so glad when I found VI-C, discord channels, Facebook groups and Youtube reviews, I only wish I'd found them sooner.
- Do be careful with buying something just because a lot of people recommend it. Sure most of the times it'll be fine, but there will be times where just because someone absolutely loves a product doesn't mean you will too. I mean just look at the battles people still have here over CSS being the "king of strings" or just Spitfire in general. Just make sure you ABSOLUTELY want and need what you are buying.


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## GtrString (Nov 21, 2021)

Thing is you need a bit of experience with your workflow and results to become a competent buyer.

You can’t just ask what others use, and apply that advice to your scenarios. You need to be able to identify what you like to do, what gui’s you prefer to work with, and experience how the sounds respond to your mixing style.

In the end it’s about the results that YOU can deliver with the tools, and not just what the tools can deliver at first sight. Buyer’s competence is something you achieve over time, by just getting into the mud, trial and erroring.

Of course others‘ suggestions can be part of the information puzzle you work with, but bear in mind that you need to play the headline in your own work.

So if you have this competence, small and inexpensive libraries can be pure GOLD in terms of doing a specific job for you. There is a lot of great small developers, and pricing can be all over the place (it’s hard to set the price for an offering right). We all start somewhere, and some of the big products you can get is from small developers who partnered up with a big company, and maybe stayed to do more work.

Imo, fwiw, etc


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## elliebean (Nov 21, 2021)

pawelmorytko said:


> My first two libraries I ever bought were the Hans Zimmer Piano and Spitfire Chamber Strings. Of course I was new to the sample library market, so seeing the name Zimmer on a product was mind blowing, the size content was huge so the price seemed justifiable. I did use it because I didn't have much else, but I always had issues with it, from not being able to get the "right" sound and tone that I wanted out of it despite a gazillion patches and mics and mixes. Things taking forever to load despite batch resaves and it just didn't feel very responsive to play. Honestly I wish Noire had come out sooner because I don't even touch any of my other pianos anymore and every now and then I'll think about them collecting dust on my back up drive and feel bad about them never getting to see the light of day again and me never seeing the money that I spent on them again
> 
> Chamber Strings was a let down for me but partially it was also my own fault for not doing enough research about what it was that I actually wanted - did I mention I was young and naive and dipping my feet into this market for the first time?
> But anyways I did fork out a lot on Chamber Strings thinking they would be everything I ever need strings wise. Same again I had such a hard time getting the right tone that I was looking for and I just couldn't do it. I ended up just accepting that maybe the "chamber" sound is not for me and I prefer symphonic string sections better. Which is true in a way, but also not because I absolutely love the tone of Vista and Spitfire's Olafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions.
> ...


I'll admit I really love the sound of SCS. But it's personal preference. People like the sounds they like.


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## Tralen (Nov 21, 2021)

elliebean said:


> I'll admit I really love the sound of SCS. But it's personal preference. People like the sounds they like.


Sometimes it is not really about liking. People may be in a project with specific demands and fail to realise that the library in question is not suitable.

I did this more than I would like to admit.


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## elliebean (Nov 21, 2021)

Tralen said:


> Sometimes it is not really about liking. People may be in a project with specific demands and fail to realise that the library in question is not suitable.
> 
> I did this more than I would like to admit.


For sure, but that didn't seem to be the case here.


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## Tralen (Nov 21, 2021)

elliebean said:


> For sure, but that didn't seem to be the case here.


Oh yes, I was speaking more in relation to the OP.


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