# Quantum Leap Solo Violin released



## Udo (Jan 30, 2012)

www.soundsonline.com/QL-Solo-Violin


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## jamwerks (Jan 30, 2012)

Like that sound. And I see there's a patch containing all the articulations with KS's !!

Great to have move solo strings for mixing and matching with other libraries.


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

This sounds like a freeware midi violin. No offense.


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## reddognoyz (Jan 30, 2012)

I like the Gypsy violin, especially for comic tradgey sort of cartoon stuff, I was kind of hoping this'd have that really easy easy playing quality. 

I find the dynamics in the beginning of the demo uneven, and what sounds like a couple of clear overlaps. Also a glitchy sort of thing right around 1 minute where I think the bow starts to back bow right before a new note is fingered. Anyway that may be more of a critique of the demo than the VI. I'm looking to hear more demo's before I pull the trigger on this one.


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## RiffWraith (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> This sounds like a freeware midi violin. No offense.



What sounds better to your ears?


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## jamwerks (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> This sounds like a freeware midi violin. No offense.



>8o What speakers are you listening on? What other libraries do you think sound better?

I’m pretty impressed. Maybe Nick could put up the midi file to allow for comparisons...


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## stonzthro (Jan 30, 2012)

It is only $100 - that's pretty affordable.

The legato isn't knocking me out but it doesn't sound like free-be-soundfonts to me.


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## wesbender (Jan 30, 2012)

Some parts of Nick's demo sound quite good, others....not as convincing.

Overall it seems like it could be a useful library though. Hopefully we'll see some more demos soon...


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## jtenney (Jan 30, 2012)

Oh, geez, here we go again... Can't we try to be just a LITTLE bit civil hereabouts??

I for one think there's a lot in this instrument. It's absolutely for sure that it can't do everything a violin might be called on to play, but what single library can??

One quick observation: make sure to go beyond the Flash demo sound, and download the .wav, because there are crackling artifacts in the Flash version not happening in the .wav.

Oh, and Nick: Please consider posting demos in other styles, that take advantage of some of the patches listed in the "content" part of your page. But maybe you're already working on some...

later,
John


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## jamwerks (Jan 30, 2012)

reddognoyz @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> I find the dynamics in the beginning of the demo uneven.



If you’re referring to the first few notes of the Violin, that sounds like masterful playing/programming to me.

To each his own.......


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

What libraries do I think sound better? 

I don't really dig the GYPSY violin, but even that sounds better than this. 

I don't even care about the legato, the tone is just not right to me. I'm being harsh, but seriously. The demo doesn't even give a proper example either. This violin sounds like it has lost all it's natural sound. I can't even hear the bow sliding on the strings, infact this doesn't even have a tone, it's just empty.

It's just too obvious that it's a sampled violin. Too perfect. It should be imperfect. You notice this more because it's just one violin. There absolutely no air at all.


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

even this is better value for 99 http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/product_detail.php?pid=14 (http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/pr ... php?pid=14)


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## jtenney (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan, I can hear imperfection, believe me, and I've been a professional violinist 40+ years. Plus, wanting to hear "the bow sliding on the strings" implies an extreme tight-micing that lots of people don't like because there can be a rosiny sound that gets grainy and coarse. Maybe Nick should have decided to use more than one mic position that could be mixed, but he didn't, so...


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## jtenney (Jan 30, 2012)

One more thing, Dan: Do you really hear "air" and lots of "natural" sound in the Dan Dean demos? I for one certainly can't. To me, the sound there is dead as the proverbial doornail. Not the same as Nick's!


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## reddognoyz (Jan 30, 2012)

The thing about the Gypsy is that it has a real attitude, so it either sucks or it can pretend to be a real violin pretty well, in a limited and context dependent way. solo violin is always gonna be hard, just like any solo expressive instrument, either you bake the character into the samples or you get a very vanilla VI. One that may be able to give you the impression that there's a solo violin playing, so long as you don't overreach. I haven't heard enough of Nick's yet to hear it will work for me, but he's one of the godfathers of VI's so I say give 'em a little benefit of the doubt. Let's hear some more demos. I'd like to hear one "undressed"


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## RiffWraith (Jan 30, 2012)

jamwerks @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> reddognoyz @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > I find the dynamics in the beginning of the demo uneven.
> ...



I agree. The dynamics there are very realistic. Could that section be more realistic? Maybe - without playing with it, it's hard to tell. But the dynamics there sound very good. Bear in mind - when a real player plays, there are changes in the dynamics. That's what you want - dynamics. And you don't want those dynamics to be 'even'. Would you say this has uneven dynamics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig1wIAzSJj0

?


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

jtenney @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> One more thing, Dan: Do you really hear "air" and lots of "natural" sound in the Dan Dean demos? I for one certainly can't. To me, the sound there is dead as the proverbial doornail. Not the same as Nick's!



They don't have THE air, but I think they sound a little better. GYPSY is the only solo violin I use.. if I ever wanted one that is. Though, I'd probably hire a player, or play some lines in my self with my own mic. It's just not quite right. It's hard to pin point what it is, but of course there is no naked demo to really listen for sure.


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## Nick Phoenix (Jan 30, 2012)

A solo violin vi will always be virtual and not real, and more contentious than other instruments. I respect that some people might not think the violin sounds good in this demo. Anyone want to do demos??


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Jan 30, 2012)

For my use, this will work really well as part of a larger mix. I'll pick this up soon - congrats Nick.


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## RiffWraith (Jan 30, 2012)

Nick Phoenix @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> A solo violin vi will always be virtual and not real, and more contentious than other instruments. I respect that some people might not think the violin sounds good in this demo. Anyone want to do demos??



I'll do one or two or three if you send me a copy! :mrgreen:


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## Diffusor (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> What libraries do I think sound better?
> 
> I don't really dig the GYPSY violin, but even that sounds better than this.
> 
> ...



I totally agree. I said something similar in that older thread.


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## reddognoyz (Jan 30, 2012)

RiffWraith @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> jamwerks @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > reddognoyz @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> ...



It's the timing of the swells I think I was responding to in Nicks demo, and I hear the same in "another upcoming violin library". They have character, but they're not part of the performance. the dynamics in the you tube example sound smooth and glorious and are completely part of the emotion the player is imparting and completely in the moment., Unfair of me to contrast that with what Nick has done. He's trying to create something that will give you the illusion of that sort of passionate playing. I think my gut reaction was from many years of experience trying to wrestle a passable performance out of a VI, and frequently having to write what the VI allows me to rather than what I'm exactly hearing. Such is the life of a tv composer of my stature I guess. Hire players, or struggle with the tool I have and put food on the table.


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

I'd like a shot at a demo.

You never REALLY know until you use it. I'd do a demo if there was a fully functional trial version.


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> This sounds like a freeware midi violin. No offense.



Are you serious? You bash it on the 2nd reply of the thread and now you want to do a demo?


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## Nick Phoenix (Jan 30, 2012)

A solo violin vi will always be virtual and not real, and more contentious than other instruments. I respect that some people might not think the violin sounds good in this demo. Anyone want to do demos??


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

Jeffrey Peterson @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Dan-Jay @ Mon Jan 30 said:
> 
> 
> > This sounds like a freeware midi violin. No offense.
> ...



Yeah. I'd like to see how it would sound if I used it in the why I write. I said it sounds like freeware violin, but I also said, you never know REALLY until you use it.

And who knows, maybe it sounds like absolute monkeys nipples in this demo, but not in others.


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Jan 30, 2012)

You think your demo is going to be better than Nick Phoenix...someone who has been composing when you were in diapers....someone who has actually made money in this industry...who has made A LOT of money in this industry...someone who DESIGNED the library and knows it in and out??? Are you serious?


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## williemyers (Jan 30, 2012)

Nick Phoenix @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> A solo violin vi will always be virtual and not real, and more contentious than other instruments.


Fair play to Nick for reaffirming the obvious - - not all developers would be so open to do so...
Having said, took a break from writing this past Saturday, flipped on the radio and got Garrison Kellior. He had Joshua Bell as a guest and Bell did one of the most beautiful and passionate performances of a Chopin Nocturne that I've ever heard. As I sat, with the sound washing over me, I thought, "Now , *there's* a sound that I'll never get from one of my VI's!!" 
If you'd like to listen, here it it:
http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media_ ... 01:37:06.0


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## Dan Mott (Jan 30, 2012)

Apologies.

Quite uncalled for.


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## Chaim (Jan 30, 2012)

Based on the demo combined with the art. list it looks like it's a capable VI but with lots of programing, (which will not work for me - no matter how cheap the VI sells for) 

One way to find out is, if this would be available as a full downloadable/playable time restricted demo version. Nick?


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## Nick Phoenix (Jan 30, 2012)

Join the Phoenix Fan Boy Bitch Club now for only $9.99 

Seriously, I just played a nice piano ditty and played the violin on top. It's not really a "violin" piece. There will be better demos.


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## Patrick de Caumette (Jan 30, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> hahahaha.
> 
> Did I say I could do a better demo? Fuck sake man, you're just a little Phoenix fan boy bitch.
> 
> Better is also subjective, but not to you punks who think certain individuals are gods and only they are able to make good music - "BETTER MUSIC"/"BETTER DEMOS" blah blah



Dan Jay, i suggest you tone it down by two notches.
The rules around here are that you interact in a respectful manner, and you're off the mark...


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## NYC Composer (Jan 30, 2012)

How do you expect someone not to be offended when you express yourself in the manner that you did? Honesty is fine, but it helps when it's tempered with a bit of civility and good grace.


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## Mike Greene (Jan 30, 2012)

Sounds pretty darn good to me, especially for only a hundred bucks.

But I must say that I'm pretty annoyed to hear that the price to join the Phoenix Fanboy Bitch Club is now only $9.99 after I already paid $14.99 two weeks ago.


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## NYC Composer (Jan 30, 2012)

deleted


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## NYC Composer (Jan 30, 2012)

You don't believe in sales?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 30, 2012)

I'm not a moderator in this section, but may suggest that everyone relax. Mellow out. Find your neutral zone.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jan 30, 2012)

By the way, how much is the Mike Greene fanboy bitch club?


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## jleckie (Jan 30, 2012)

There's RULES around here?! Ya gotsa be kiddin me man.

Leave Day Jay alone. He's gonna blow us away wit day dar demo of hiz.


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## Mike Greene (Jan 30, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> By the way, how much is the Mike Greene fanboy bitch club?


There's much less demand for that one, so we pay you!


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## Peter Alexander (Jan 30, 2012)

Mike Greene @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> Nick Batzdorf @ Mon Jan 30 said:
> 
> 
> > By the way, how much is the Mike Greene fanboy bitch club?
> ...



I'm in!


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## guydoingmusic (Jan 30, 2012)

For $99, it sounds great. IMHO. Nick, is this similar to the demo you posted a while back?


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## choc0thrax (Jan 30, 2012)

I was going to join the Mike Greene bitch club but then I realized Mike didn't need my money since he sold out and had his warning removed for purely marketing reasons and thus lost all traces of street cred.

You're not invited to the next impromptu dance-off against rival street gangs, Mike.


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## NYC Composer (Jan 30, 2012)

I KNEW there was one Russ Tamblyn fan left!


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## jleckie (Jan 30, 2012)

choc0thrax @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> I was going to join the Mike Greene bitch club but then I realized Mike didn't need my money since he sold out and had his warning removed for purely marketing reasons and thus lost all traces of street cred.



Politix are alive and well here at VI I see. lol....


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## Jaap (Jan 30, 2012)

Nice overall sound actually. I really like it. The higher region is really beautifull captured as well as the double stops to be honest. The lower region is a tiny bit weaker, but just a tiny bit. Could also be that it is just the demo.

Looks like a great product for a nice price. Great job Nick and btw lovely piano part as well!


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## noiseboyuk (Jan 30, 2012)

I'm kinda surprised by the reaction, but only because it's exactly the same demo we all heard a month ago, so there's not a lot left to discuss. Always thought it was a really nice piece by Nick actually.

I did a Spitfire Solo Strings / LASS FC comparison a month or so ago for SCOREcast, would be interesting to put this side by side with their violins. FC is incredibly well programmed (and if you have LASS 2 the tone really tameable, if that's a word), the tone in SSS is just gorgeous but it's hard to stop it over-emoting. So far I'm not quite convinced by the tone of the QL, but it'll be interesting to hear other demos.

Are you planning a little walkthrough vid, Nick?


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## re-peat (Jan 31, 2012)

noiseboyuk @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> (...) but it'll be interesting to hear other demos.


I hope to be able to do one soonish, but first I need to get the authorization sorted. iLok returned some cryptic error during my first authorization attempt, so I stopped the procedure, checked everything and then wanted to try again, but now the wizard says I've already requested an authorization and that's that. No play. Problem will get solved, no doubt, but it might take some time.

_


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## rayinstirling (Jan 31, 2012)

re-peat @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> I hope to be able to do one soonish, but first I need to get the authorization sorted. iLok returned some cryptic error during my first authorization attempt, so I stopped the procedure, checked everything and then wanted to try again, but now the wizard says I've already requested an authorization and that's that. No play. Problem will get solved, no doubt, but it might take some time.
> 
> _



The sooner sorted the better, I say. 'really looking forward to anything you do with it Piet. In fact it will make up my mind either way.


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## Hicks (Jan 31, 2012)

jamwerks @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> reddognoyz @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > I find the dynamics in the beginning of the demo uneven.
> ...



I agree with Jamwerks. I think some people are too used to samples and not enough to real instrument. The beginning of the violin is really impressive. And there is a lot of dynamics within a bow movement... And I am a violin player.


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## FriFlo (Jan 31, 2012)

I find it not as bad, as some suggest here. It's just that the timing of the release (after spitfire solo strings and before the Adagio release) is a pretty bad choice!
I'd be happy to do a demo, if I could get a temporary license, if that is possible. The current demo is not bad to my ears, but I don't get the urge to buy it for anything I hear in it - even for $100 ... would be interesting to try it, or to get an improv-style walkthrough video, like Nick did on the hollywood-series.


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## TheUnfinished (Jan 31, 2012)

I think the demo's a bold attempt to try and display all the facets of this library.

Personally, I'm not taken with the tone of the violin or some of the legato transitions. It's one of the most difficult instruments to capture as a library, no doubt, but I'm not hearing anything that I feel I haven't got covered by Spitfire or VSL.

If you don't already have a solo violin, of course, it's probably a pretty neat solution at that price.


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## Patrick de Caumette (Jan 31, 2012)

jleckie @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> There's RULES around here?! /quote]
> 
> Yes, the rules of basic courtesy apply here.


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## Ian Dorsch (Jan 31, 2012)

Yeah, for $99 it sounds pretty good to me.


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## Rob Elliott (Jan 31, 2012)

It's $100. Sounds pretty usable in many contexts to my ears. :wink:


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## Gusfmm (Jan 31, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> even this is better value for 99 http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/product_detail.php?pid=14 (http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/pr ... php?pid=14)



I'm pretty sure you were a bit upset and being emotional when you replied with the above. I think a modeled string program in my Korg Oasys would sound better that the posted examples... no disrespect to the developer intended though, maybe they do as little justice to those libraries as Nick's initial attempt to a demo on QL Violin.


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## jamwerks (Jan 31, 2012)

Gusfmm @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> I think a modeled string program in my Korg Oasys would sound better that the posted examples...



The Korg has a solo violin that sounds better than this? You might want to let us hear what you think sounds better.

I really like the lack of the bow sound here, which is way too strong in VSL imo.

I get the impression many people here don't know what a miced solo violin really sounds like.


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## schatzus (Jan 31, 2012)

Jeez...tough crowd. Sounds good to me. Composition is nice too.


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## Rob Elliott (Jan 31, 2012)

re-peat @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> noiseboyuk @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > (...) but it'll be interesting to hear other demos.
> ...




The EXACT thing happened to me (W7 64 bits). Nick - your phones are not up for 3 hours. Anyway you can post a solution here as it will likely be experienced by a few of us.


(BTW - I made sure I had the latest 2.0 auth wizard installed.)


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## Gusfmm (Jan 31, 2012)

jamwerks @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Gusfmm @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > I think a modeled string program in my Korg Oasys would sound better that the posted examples...
> ...



Just to make sure, what do you think I was referring to by whatever you called *this*?


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## Gusfmm (Jan 31, 2012)

My first note simply used an hyperbole to represent my impression that those other libraries mentioned by Dan sound synthy, IMO.


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## Hans Adamson (Jan 31, 2012)

Nice library. Congratulations Nick!


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## Mike Greene (Jan 31, 2012)

choc0thrax @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> You're not invited to the next impromptu dance-off against rival street gangs, Mike.


Then who's gonna do the splits with the manly sneer on his face to close the routine???



jleckie @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> Politix are alive and well here at VI I see. lol....


You do understand this is just a joke, right?


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## quantum7 (Jan 31, 2012)

Congratulations on your new product, Mr. Phoenix. I think it sounds good enough for the price of $99. The demo was also very well done. I've been composing for longer the Dan-Jay has been alive with moderate success in the business and I don't think I could do any better that what Nick did on his demo. 

That said, I am spoiled since I use real violinists on a majority of my commercial work. At least at this point in time sampled solo violins don't excite me very much, but for mock-ups it's great that we have libs like Nick's and other developers to help get our ideas out.


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## Rob Elliott (Jan 31, 2012)

Anyone else besides Piet and I having the auth problem (as described by Piet)? I have a cue due at 2 pm (local) and was planning (currently programmed) a another library to handle this 4 bar vln soli - would have loved to try QL on it.


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## Rob (Jan 31, 2012)

Nick Phoenix @ 31st January 2012 said:


> A solo violin vi will always be virtual and not real, and more contentious than other instruments. I respect that some people might not think the violin sounds good in this demo. Anyone want to do demos??



for a free copy, I'd love to do a demo of the violin... :D


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## playz123 (Jan 31, 2012)

Rob Elliott @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Anyone else besides Piet and I having the auth problem (as described by Piet)? I have a cue due at 2 pm (local) and was planning (currently programmed) a another library to handle this 4 bar vln soli - would have loved to try QL on it.



Rob, I believe nearly everyone who purchased the product is having problems authorizing it. At the EW forum, "Admin" just stated that "The tech team is looking into this, should be resolved soon." So perhaps stay tuned to the EW site for further information.


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## Rob Elliott (Jan 31, 2012)

playz123 @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Rob Elliott @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone else besides Piet and I having the auth problem (as described by Piet)? I have a cue due at 2 pm (local) and was planning (currently programmed) a another library to handle this 4 bar vln soli - would have loved to try QL on it.
> ...




Thanks Frank. All the best,


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## Sam (Jan 31, 2012)

we are wasting our time and money...

here is the best virtual violin :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs5Ijoasj9E


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## Gusfmm (Jan 31, 2012)

^^^ sounded a little synthy to me... :lol:


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Jan 31, 2012)

Why would Nick want someone to do a demo if they don't even like it enough to pay a measly $100. And if you do happen to like it and don't have $100 then your obviously not very good at your craft to do a descent demo.

Stop asking to do a demo if Nick gives it to you for free, its insulting to the developer and yourself.


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## twnd (Jan 31, 2012)

The piano is annoying loud in the mixing...


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## Erik (Jan 31, 2012)

re-peat @ Tue 31 Jan said:


> noiseboyuk @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > (...) but it'll be interesting to hear other demos.
> ...


Hi Repeat, I had exactly the same but it was solved by soundsonline.com the same day.
They just added a new license directly on iLok.com later on, which I could download without any hassle.
Best to you,
Erik


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## Rob (Jan 31, 2012)

Jeffrey Peterson @ 31st January 2012 said:


> Why would Nick want someone to do a demo if they don't even like it enough to pay a measly $100. And if you do happen to like it and don't have $100 then your obviously not very good at your craft to do a descent demo.
> 
> Stop asking to do a demo if Nick gives it to you for free, its insulting to the developer and yourself.



in all fairness I find your comment to be insulting... I seemed to understand that Nick was looking for someone to do demos for the violin, that's why I asked. Cool down man...


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## Niah (Jan 31, 2012)

I'll hold up for more demos but so far what I am hearing is not too exciting to be honest. I can't say I am really diggin' the tone or the performance but it seems like a nice effort nevertheless.

Also I don't understand that just because a product is 100 bucks it's above criticism or we have to put on our kid gloves in order to discuss it.

Since when did price had any correlation with quality? Why would anyone lower their quality standards and expectations over a product just because it's "cheap"?

Tough crowd? I think not...

Anyone sharp enough will acknowledge that the violin is a tough mofo to emulate but most of people's expectations regarding new or future products is if they suprass their antecessors or not.

Also it doesn't help that there's a company out there that (at least for me personally) has raised the bar of what we can expect from virtual solo instruments.


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## EastWest Lurker (Jan 31, 2012)

jleckie @ Mon Jan 30 said:


> Leave Day Jay alone. He's gonna blow us away wit day dar demo of hiz.



I would only point out that if Nick were to decide to give a freebie to someone to do a demo, he would probably be wise to choose someone with a history of posting great sounding pieces done with sampled instruments, and it is simply a factual statement that Dan-Jay is not a person who has done so.


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## RiffWraith (Jan 31, 2012)

EastWest Lurker @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> ....and it is simply a factual statement that Dan-Jay is not a person who has done so.



See - there you go again. :roll:


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## jleckie (Jan 31, 2012)

EastWest Lurker @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> I would only point out that if Nick were to decide to give a freebie to someone to do a demo, he would probably be wise to choose someone with a history of posting great sounding pieces done with sampled instruments, and it is simply a factual statement that Dan-Jay is not a person who has done so.



Aww-Now yer hurtin ma feelins man.


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## Ed (Jan 31, 2012)

EastWest Lurker @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> jleckie @ Mon Jan 30 said:
> 
> 
> > Leave Day Jay alone. He's gonna blow us away wit day dar demo of hiz.
> ...



Do you really have to say this in such a belittling way? But maybe this explains why we havent heard any East West demos from you and you're not just picking on other people. o=? :


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Jan 31, 2012)

He is not picking on anyone. Everything he said was logical.


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## Ed (Jan 31, 2012)

Jeffrey Peterson @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> He is not picking on anyone. Everything he said was logical.



He has even PM'd Dan telling him how he should not give an opinion because he hasn't done anything professional or something that Jay happens to respect.He's even tried to say it to me. I've been here for a very long time Jeffrey, I know whats going on.

Anyway, the correct way to say this is is they are looking for people who are well experienced writing for string libraries. *Thats all you have to say. *


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## RiffWraith (Jan 31, 2012)

Jeffrey Peterson @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> He is not picking on anyone. Everything he said was logical.



Yes, he is picking on someone, and how do you quantify a disparaging remark as logical?


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## JPQ (Jan 31, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue 31 Jan said:


> even this is better value for 99 http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/product_detail.php?pid=14 (http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/pr ... php?pid=14)




is this or Vienna Symphonic Library Solo Violin better ?
ps. i prefer dry samples.


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## Peter Alexander (Jan 31, 2012)

It's different. I have VSL and I see this as a great extra solo violin, or your first.


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## Dan Mott (Jan 31, 2012)

JPQ @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Dan-Jay @ Tue 31 Jan said:
> 
> 
> > even this is better value for 99 http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/product_detail.php?pid=14 (http://www.dandeanpro.com/sample_lib/pr ... php?pid=14)
> ...



I don't know, I've never heard the vienna violin.

If I were to choose a violin, I'd choose the GYPSY one for now. IMO. I feel a little self conscious posting here now, so I'm saying this in my inexperienced opinion.


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## NYC Composer (Jan 31, 2012)

RiffWraith @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Jeffrey Peterson @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > He is not picking on anyone. Everything he said was logical.
> ...



I'm not sure about logical exactly, but as Jay said, it is, to the best of my knowledge, factual.

That doesn't obviate the fact that there was no earthly reason to say it, other than to offer a passive aggressive response to Dan-Jay's rude comment about an East West product.


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## NYC Composer (Jan 31, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> JPQ @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > Dan-Jay @ Tue 31 Jan said:
> ...



Uh huh (he said, dryly)


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## Dan Mott (Jan 31, 2012)

NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> RiffWraith @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > Jeffrey Peterson @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> ...



I don't think it was rude, it was honest. Prehaps brutally honest.


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## Dan Mott (Jan 31, 2012)

also. I went on the Vienna site and I cannot find a solo violin? :s 

I didn't think they had one?


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## JPQ (Jan 31, 2012)

Not available any otherway than dvd format and with other solo strings with Solo Strings 1,and Solo Strings 2 series. Links are for european customers i hope they work.(I dont know how differences if are other place) 
http://www.vsl.co.at/en/211/442/344/350/217.htm
http://www.vsl.co.at/en/211/442/344/1341/956.htm
ps. i know they are pricey but i can get them more easily i think and also at least idea of solo cello sounds nice. maybe also others.(viola and double bass).


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## NYC Composer (Jan 31, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > RiffWraith @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> ...



And brutality in your honesty is necessary why?


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## Dan Mott (Jan 31, 2012)

NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> ...



I don't know.

I guess I just said my mind without really thinking. I could have said it in a much nicer way, by saying that I'm not really a fan of the tone, nor the demo and prehaps requested a naked demo aswell as another demo in context of other instruments.


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## choc0thrax (Jan 31, 2012)

Ed @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> Jeffrey Peterson @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > He is not picking on anyone. Everything he said was logical.
> ...



Is this true? Jay has never pm'd me even once over the years. #unloved 







[schild=10 fontcolor=FFFFFF shadowcolor=FFFFFF shieldshadow=0]poop[/schild]


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## NYC Composer (Jan 31, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> ...



That's a stand-up admission. Good for you.


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## TheUnfinished (Feb 1, 2012)

Blimey, even when people are roundly supporting an East West product, out comes the double-barrel, aimed squarely at the feet...


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## germancomponist (Feb 1, 2012)

Huh..., whats going on here?

To my ears the violin sounds like a violin. Sure, you can do 100 different recordings with different mic positions e.t.c., and this is *one*. I think there is nothing wrong with this, and in context it will do its job fine.

So..... 0oD


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## EastWest Lurker (Feb 1, 2012)

Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> ...



I certainly did not mean it to brutal, only plain spoken and factually accurate. Unfortunately this kind of communication loses tone of voice, facial expression, and other things that soften them etc. And I appreciate that you acknowledge that your post could have been more nicely expressed.


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## EastWest Lurker (Feb 1, 2012)

Ed @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> EastWest Lurker @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > jleckie @ Mon Jan 30 said:
> ...



What I said was a factually accurate statement. Facts are stubborn things.

I don't do demos, I do paying work. On my website I frequently add cues and my most recent ones feature lots of HS and HB mixed in with other stuff. You are free to go and listen and if you think they sound lousy, you are then free to disregard any opinion that I offer and even recommend that others do so as well.

Everyone is entitled to be treated with respect on a personal level but respect for one's opinions, especially when dealing with more accomplished people, must be earned. I know that is not a popular view here but it is for me a given.


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## organix (Feb 1, 2012)

Can someone explain me comments like:



> "For $99, it sounds great"



In my opinion, a violin samplelib sounds great or not, regardless of the price. It sounds as it sounds and any other pricetag would not make it better or worse.
This solo violin sounds like a violin, but I'm not really impressed. To me it sounds not very natural. But maybe I haven't heard the right demos.

The price is ok, but not a no-brainer. 
The LASS First Chair lib which have 2 violins, viola, cello and bass is tagged with a price around $299. From this point of view the QL Solo violin is not a really cheap one.
If Nick would also release the other solo string instruments for same price, the complete bundle would cost about $400.

Markus


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## reddognoyz (Feb 1, 2012)

has anyone actually bought this? I'd love to get some hands on feedback


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## choc0thrax (Feb 1, 2012)

EastWest Lurker @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Dan-Jay @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> ...



Let's not forget that Eastwest Lurker is part of the experimental robotics division of EastWest. Activated in early 2011 he has a strong track record of providing cold hard facts. He does not care for emotion. Emotions are weak. Emotion is for the flesh.

Eastwest Lurker merely analyzed the parameters of Dan-Jay's argument and formulated a response that was the most logical.

I think the future is bright for Eastwest Lurker. Previous attempts at installing emotion chips and grafting skin to his exoskeleton have continued to fail but with every new release of PLAY we get one step closer.


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## noiseboyuk (Feb 1, 2012)

organix @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Can someone explain me comments like:
> 
> 
> 
> > "For $99, it sounds great"



I bought a car once for £1,500, it lasted a while and worked well, not too much hassle. For £1,500, it was great. But I was aware that if I'd paid £150,000, I'd have got a better car.

Tricky concept, huh?


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## playz123 (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't know how others feel, but I for one would appreciate it if we could end the petty sniping and get back to the topic. I'd like to hear more from those who actually bought this library and are using it. For example, how does it blend with other string libraries?


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## jamwerks (Feb 1, 2012)

Should be tons of demos coming in the next few days/weeks! o[]) 

I put in a vote for a shoot-out with a common midi track to really reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each library.


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## guydoingmusic (Feb 1, 2012)

noiseboyuk @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> organix @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > Can someone explain me comments like:
> ...



Exactly, Guy! Why is this so hard for people to understand? Developers release products that may reach a different demographic of composers. For instance... As a starter violin for someone that doesn't have a lot of cash (let's say $150), it is a perfect choice. 

Does anyone remember Garritan Personal Orchestra? Horrible product! When compared to VSL's $5,000 monster Giga Library at the time! But not everyone could afford the latter. And GPO was very useful to a lot of people.

Now, I'm not saying that QL Solo Violin is horrible. I just meant in my original post that it is unique, and may not be what you are looking for. But it doesn't mean the product can't be useful to others.

/brad


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## garylionelli (Feb 1, 2012)

Just let be breach the madness and point out the elephant in the room. Why on earth would anybody want to use a sampled violin when there are good violinists available in most every city in America? Even a student violinist autotuned will be better than a sampled one. This is your music, why saddle it with some inferior, lifeless performance? If you say you don't have the time to hire a real player, that's not an excuse. I don't think I'd even use it for a mock-up. I'd rather hear the part played on piano that some god-awful wobbly sampled violin. Technology is not even close that can capture the infinite nuances of a live violin performance. Of course you all know this, but it bears repeating.

Don't get caught up in the endless stream of new sample libraries being released, write and produce music of lasting quality, and socialize with your fellow musicians!


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## RiffWraith (Feb 1, 2012)

EastWest Lurker @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> What I said was a factually accurate statement. Facts are stubborn things.



Please enlighten the rest of us who dont know any better - why is it you who gets to decide whether or not somoene has done great sounding pieces with sampled instruments? What is it that makes you better than everyone else, whereas eveyone else has an _opinion_ on what's great or not, you get to state it as_ fact_?


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## José Herring (Feb 1, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Just let be breach the madness and point out the elephant in the room. Why on earth would anybody want to use a sampled violin when there are good violinists available in most every city in America? Even a student violinist autotuned will be better than a sampled one. This is your music, why saddle it with some inferior, lifeless performance? If you say you don't have the time to hire a real player, that's not an excuse. I don't think I'd even use it for a mock-up. I'd rather hear the part played on piano that some god-awfull wobbly sampled violin. Technology is not even close that can capture the infinite nuances of a live violin performance. Of course you all know this, but it bears repeating.
> 
> Don't get caught up in the endless stream of new sample libraries being released, write and produce music of lasting quality, and socialize with your fellow musicians!



To be fair. I'm all for hiring a solo violinist that's for sure. But, I think the purpose of this product is to add an extra layer to HS. In that use I think the violin has many uses. I think its a pretty unfair comparison to compare any solo violin to the real thing in the hands of a skilled player. I don't think that was the intention of this product.


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## noiseboyuk (Feb 1, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Just let be breach the madness and point out the elephant in the room. Why on earth would anybody want to use a sampled violin when there are good violinists available in most every city in America? Even a student violinist autotuned will be better than a sampled one. This is your music, why saddle it with some inferior, lifeless performance? If you say you don't have the time to hire a real player, that's not an excuse. I don't think I'd even use it for a mock-up. I'd rather hear the part played on piano that some god-awfull wobbly sampled violin. Technology is not even close that can capture the infinite nuances of a live violin performance. Of course you all know this, but it bears repeating.
> 
> Don't get caught up in the endless stream of new sample libraries being released, write and produce music of lasting quality, and socialize with your fellow musicians!



Again, I too am all for supporting live musicians, but this is just silly. So you have a mockup, and then for your 8 bars of solo violin you play the piano and, what, add a looped VO saying "sorry guys, this will be a violin eventually"?

For whatever reason, EWQL generates hyperbole, and we've had more than a fair share of that on this thread. I'm not convinced this product is for me, but I don't think it sounds like a 20 year old Casio keyboard, and I don't think it's unlistenable either. It would be absolutely fine for a mockup. Based on the one demo we've all heard, I suspect that there are better VI tools for the job if you need to leave the instrument in for final mix and you don't have the time / budget / facilities to record a real player, but I'm still reserving judgement.


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## garylionelli (Feb 1, 2012)

Sorry, I would never play a mock-up POS sampled violin for a film maker - ever. For sure, piano is better. But that's me.


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## jamwerks (Feb 1, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Sorry, I would never play a mock-up POS sampled violin for a film maker - ever.



Why not? That’s what everybody does. Rushes aren't the same quality as color corrected final edits. And film makers know that our demos don’t sound the same as an 80 piece live orchestra.


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## reddognoyz (Feb 1, 2012)

I recently did a Cocoa Puffs commercial where Sonny was in a fancy fussy french restaurant and I wanted some super schmaltzy mock-french music upfront, you know before Sonny goes coo-coo for CCP's. I used the Gypsy violin and I was able to get everything I wanted out if it. I wound up using a real violin for the final because I was hiring strings to do the rest of the spot, but it was really a tossup on whether to use the real or the gypsy fr the front. I'm not saying that would always be the case, but in this instance it was. I used the fast mod preset and I keep that preset up in my template. If Nick's new violin proves as useful and playable as the Gypsy,it'll be a great tool to have.

here's the spot

http://bigyellowduck.com/work.php?uid=E7A517&category= (http://bigyellowduck.com/work.php?uid=E7A517&amp;category=)


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## jamwerks (Feb 1, 2012)

reddognoyz @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> here's the spot



=o _-) =o


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## quantum7 (Feb 1, 2012)

reddognoyz @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> I recently did a Cocoa Puffs commercial where Sonny was in a fancy fussy french restaurant and I wanted some super schmaltzy mock-french music upfront, you know before Sonny goes coo-coo for CCP's. I used the Gypsy violin and I was able to get everything I wanted out if it. I wound up using a real violin for the final because I was hiring strings to do the rest of the spot, but it was really a tossup on whether to use the real or the gypsy fr the front. I'm not saying that would always be the case, but in this instance it was. I used the fast mod preset and I keep that preset up in my template. If Nick's new violin proves as useful and playable as the Gypsy,it'll be a great tool to have.
> 
> here's the spot
> 
> http://bigyellowduck.com/work.php?uid=E7A517&category= (http://bigyellowduck.com/work.php?uid=E7A517&amp;category=)



Darn it....now I'm coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Gotta go buy some milk now....


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## Mike Greene (Feb 1, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Why on earth would anybody want to use a sampled violin when there are good violinists available in most every city in America?


Cost, to begin with. For a hundred bucks, I can use this violin on dozens of different projects. A real violinist is going to cost me at least $200 just to show up once. (I stopped playing the amateur musician game years ago. If I'm going to hire live musicians/singers, then they're going to be *good* musicians.)

Don't get me wrong, I always support musicians when I can, and if I'm doing a project with a decent budget, I'll hire a real player. Not just because I'm trying to be a nice guy, but because as you said, a real player will almost always give a better performance. But I do my share of low budget projects where live players isn't in the cards. And the truth is that as important as we like to believe our gigs are, a lot of times a gig is really just about making a profit. Do a few daytime or cable shows and you'll see what I mean. In fact, I lost a daytime theme last fall because the client told me my song was "too cinematic."

The second big factor is time. Making phone calls to a real player, then having the usual hour long "catching up" conversation about the kids and whatnot, then setting up the mics, then teaching them the damn song (which is never quick) all adds up. Not to mention the time then spent comparing this performance with the samples to decide if it's _really_ better now. For me personally, time is usually the bigger reason than money for why I use samples as much as I do.

The third factor is recording skill and resources. Recording sessions at EWQL or VSL or LASS or CS are professionally done in real studios by pros with excellent equipment. Recording a live violin *well* is a lot more involved than telling the kids to turn off the TV and deciding where in the bedroom/kitchen/garage is the "sweet spot" and hitting record. Even in my own studio (a real studio in Hollywood,) I have some string recordings I did where I cringe at the sound I got. For whatever complaints this (or any other) library gets about its sound, the obvious question will always be _"So, do you really think you could do better?"_

The fourth factor is the mockup factor. A client would have to know me reeeeally well before he'd let me get away with demoing the violin part with piano. And if it was a competitive pitchathon (commercials or theme songs,) I'd lose for sure if I asked the client to "use their imagination."

And the client would be right, by the way. Melodies always sound great on a piano when asked to "use our imaginations for what real players would sound like." But then when real players come in and it turns out the melody isn't in a great range for that instrument, or for whatever other reason it just doesn't sound that great, the mockup would have been handy.


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## garylionelli (Feb 1, 2012)

When I'm in a hurry I send an audio file and notation to a pro player with his/her own recording setup. I get the part back in about 2 hours and plug it in.


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## Mike Greene (Feb 1, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> When I'm in a hurry I send an audio file and notation to a pro player with his/her own recording setup. I get the part back in about 2 hours and plug it in.


That's never worked for me. I've tried it mostly with drums because they're so time-consuming to mic, but also clarinet once, cello once, and even vocals a couple times. They *never* play it quite the way I wish they would have. I suppose I'm just too picky, but mostly it's a matter of "I know what I want." (I don't mean that to sound pompous, by the way, it's just that I want drum fill x right here, and no, don't use _that_ tom, use _this_ tom, and you're hitting the ride too hard in the first part of the verse . . .)

Besides, half the fun of hiring live players is seeing them in person, plus getting the extra collaborative things can bring to the table that way. More than once, players have "improved" my melodies for me. By internet, I would just be pissed off. But in person, there's a discussion and they show me as they're standing there _why_ think their changes are better.

<EDIT> I'm not trying to be argumentative, by the way. Tons of people get great results from recording sessions by internet. (Heck, almost the entire VO business has gone that route.) It's just one of those things where I wish *I* could have more success.


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## reddognoyz (Feb 1, 2012)

On the above mentioned CoCoa Puffs spot I hired Real Strings in England to do the strings and it worked out great. I belive I sent a midi file and an audio file and he did the parts hired the players and sent me back stripes. The quality of the playing and recording was really top notch. It cost me about $1200 or so. I could've pulled the track off with my mock up, but had the budget for strings and was in fact asked to record real strings by the agency's music producer.


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## Peter Alexander (Feb 1, 2012)

reddognoyz @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> On the above mentioned CoCoa Puffs spot I hired Real Strings in England to do the strings and it worked out great. I belive I sent a midi file and an audio file and he did the parts hired the players and sent me back stripes. The quality of the playing and recording was really top notch. It cost me about $1200 or so. I could've pulled the track off with my mock up, but had the budget for strings and was in fact asked to record real strings by the agency's music producer.



But you had to go to the UK for that price.


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## Nathan Allen Pinard (Feb 1, 2012)

This sounds decent, but there is some legato missing and it sounds very stale in a way. For $100 it's not bad though.

One thing I would LOVE to find is Garritan's Stradivari. I don't even like Garritan libs much, but man they did pretty well on that solo violin lib. 

Only found one demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVCU4oX3li4


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## NYC Composer (Feb 1, 2012)

I have the Strad and like it very much for certain things. I do find the edginess a bit teeth-grating, and tend to eq it quite a bit.

With some practice it makes the best fiddle I have as well (I use two instances to accomplish double-stops)


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## Chaim (Feb 2, 2012)

Some user demos:

http://www.soundsonline-forums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6


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## Rob Elliott (Feb 2, 2012)

NYC Composer @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> I have the Strad and like it very much for certain things. I do find the edginess a bit teeth-grating, and tend to eq it quite a bit.
> 
> With some practice it makes the best fiddle I have as well (I use two instances to accomplish double-stops)



Hey Larry - made me think of this purchase long ago. With solo strings I just cannot have enough 'options'. I had the Garritan on a previous puter but never copied it forward (not sure why). In any case I have the original disk (I hope :D ) - are there any 'updates' from that original disk out there somewheres? I thought I remembered it being not supported any more.

Thanks for any pointing you can do for me.


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## Ed (Feb 2, 2012)

garylionelli @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> Just let be breach the madness and point out the elephant in the room. Why on earth would anybody want to use a sampled violin when there are good violinists available in most every city in America? Even a student violinist autotuned will be better than a sampled one. This is your music, why saddle it with some inferior, lifeless performance? If you say you don't have the time to hire a real player, that's not an excuse. I don't think I'd even use it for a mock-up. I'd rather hear the part played on piano that some god-awfull wobbly sampled violin. Technology is not even close that can capture the infinite nuances of a live violin performance. Of course you all know this, but it bears repeating.
> 
> Don't get caught up in the endless stream of new sample libraries being released, write and produce music of lasting quality, and socialize with your fellow musicians!



Percussion libs are stupid too. I mean whats up with drum kit libraries? Everyone knows of some guy who plays in a band! And why do people use solo woodwind libraries. WTF is that about? Loads of people play woodwinds, duh just go to your local primary school they'll hook you up, and hey school children seem to love playing recorder as well so if you want a recorder in your music you're sorted. best part is you dont even have to pay em, just give them some sweets and chocolate and thats all they need!


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## garylionelli (Feb 2, 2012)

Ed @ Thu Feb 02 said:


> Percussion libs are stupid too. I mean whats up with drum kit libraries? Everyone knows of some guy who plays in a band! And why do people use solo woodwind libraries. WTF is that about? Loads of people play woodwinds, duh just go to your local primary school they'll hook you up, and hey school children seem to love playing recorder as well so if you want a recorder in your music you're sorted. best part is you dont even have to pay em, just give them some sweets and chocolate and thats all they need!



Wow, I seem to have really struck a nerve with die-hard sample users! Yikes. Solo violin may be the most difficult instrument to capture with samples. I wouldn't have made this comment about most other instruments.

But BTW, I also hardly ever use percussion libraries. I play all my own percussion live (and flex time it if necessary). It's more fun and it sounds better!


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## Ed (Feb 2, 2012)

garylionelli @ Thu Feb 02 said:


> Wow, I seem to have really struck a nerve with die-hard sample users! Yikes. Solo violin may be the most difficult instrument to capture with samples. I wouldn't have made this comment about most other instruments.
> 
> But BTW, I also hardly ever use percussion libraries. I play all my own percussion live (and flex time it if necessary). It's more fun and it sounds better!



No man Im totally serious, record your nephew playing a violin. Why would anyone want to use samples? And exactly re: percussion libs. Why anyone buys something like Spitfire or Epic Toms even they have pots and pans and a bathroom to record in I have no idea. It sounds practically the same, better even because its live! Ive seen some cheap toms go at the music store one time, you can just take that and bash away in your bathroom. And as I say just go pay a small child to let you into their music department with sweets and you can have all the instruments you want! Maybe you can get them to play some instruments with you so you can have an ensemble! SO EASY! Epic Toms lib is such a waste of time, I have no idea why they went and sampled so many more kinds of drums. Dont get me started with Choir libraries. I mean come on, we ALL have a voice.


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## garylionelli (Feb 2, 2012)

I have a large collection of acoustic instruments that I reach for first in lieu of sample libraries. I have giant surdo drums, frame drums, djembes, congas, a timpani, and bass drum, and many more. And I do have Epic Toms (I love Troels' stuff, he is AMAZING!), but I do use the real stuff almost all the time. I pitch it down, pitch it up, or not at all. And I can get endless variations on the live perc with GRM Tools, among other plug-ins. 

I have all sorts of wind instruments that I play live too. Always on the hunt for new instruments that I can use in my scores.

I also use an acoustic GuitarViol made by Jonathan Wilson for so much stuff (as do many other film composers and performers}. It can sound very close to a violin-viola-cello at times, and if you can play it well enough, it can blow away any solo sampled strings. It also has its own sound, which is unique and very expressive.

Check it out: http://www.togamanguitars.com


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## re-peat (Feb 3, 2012)

re-peat @ Tue Jan 31 said:


> noiseboyuk @ Tue Jan 31 said:
> 
> 
> > (...) but it'll be interesting to hear other demos.
> ...


Well, here it is: http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ReViolin.mp3 (a short little something for the QL SoloViolin). It took a little while longer than expected, but that's because I only got the library working late Wednesday evening (once Michiel Post, to whom I'm very grateful, let me know that EW had reset the original authorisation codes, something which Joey Medina confirmed a few hours later.).

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's some thoughts: pretty good library in my opinion, but, like all good libraries, frustrating because of its limitations. (The better the library, I find, the more frustrating it can be.) Seriously rich in possibilities, very musical in its selection of articulations (although I would have liked to see trills, tremolando and harmonics included as well), and quite satisfying in the way it has captured the character of the instrument very consistently across its entire range and for all included articulations. (Nothing more annoying in sampled solo instruments, I find, than changing articulations or jumping an octave, only to discover that it sounds as if you’re suddenly switched to an instrument with an entirely different personality - something which, luckily, never occurs with this violin.)

On the minus side: 
(1) Some of the sample-looping seems to have been done during a rush job.
(2) At times, there’s something about the timbre which I’m not too wild about (impossible to describe it, but occasionaly, there’s a hint of plastic-like thinness in the sound, to my ears).
(3) And, most frustrating of all: PLAY, in its current state, really comes up short to accommodate a solo instrument of any sophistication, like this violin certainly is. In other words, the QL SoloViolin deserves a much better, more advanced host. (PLAY Pro perhaps?) If you want to program solo instruments satisfyingly, you really need all the tweaking possibilities there are, and PLAY simply doesn’t offer enough of them. Well, hardly any, really. The list of parameters which are available for automation doesn’t include any of the ones I want (and need) to automate: there’s no way to control the length or level of the stages of the envelope with midi automation for example (which I find a very serious handicap), and the tuning can’t be automated either (less of a problem perhaps, but it troubled me during the making of this little demo nonetheless, forcing me to use Logic’s built-in pitchshifter to reach a note which fell just outside the available range). And maybe I looked in all the wrong places, but I wasn’t able to find a way to change the pitchbend range either, which was something of a disappointment.

For those who are interested in this type of stuff: I chose the ‘Mono From Left’-channel, disabled ‘Stereo Double’, turned off PLAY’s built-in reverb as well, and used IrcamSPAT instead, plus a subtle (but essential) amount of SoundToys’s EchoBoy. There’s no reverb on the other instruments in this arrangement (except for the baked-in reverb of course). The ensemble pizzicati are Spitfire’s and the xylophone is ProjectSAM’s.

_


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## organix (Feb 3, 2012)

guydoingmusic @ Wed Feb 01 said:


> noiseboyuk @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> 
> 
> > organix @ Wed Feb 01 said:
> ...



It isn't hard to understand. Comparing used cars with a sample libraries seems a litte bit tricky, but I think to understand.

But, do QL solo violin really sounds great for $99? Is that really a cheap one.
The Kirk Hunter Solo Strings 1 also costs $99, contains all solo strings (violins, violas, cello, bass) and does not sound bad. In my opinion the KH solo strings sounds great and offer more for $99 than the QL solo violin.

Markus


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## ptrickf (Feb 3, 2012)

re-peat @ Fri 03 Feb said:


> Well, here it is: http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ReViolin.mp3 (a short little something for the QL SoloViolin).



Wow... that's really nice and very useful.... now do I give up trying to write music or get inspired to do as well :wink: 

Cheers, P.


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## Dan Mott (Feb 3, 2012)

Re-Peat

Great demo. Best one so far IMO and you seemed to do it in your style of composing too :D

Aside from the nice demo, there are parts where I go YAY AWESOME, then parts where I go... hmm, not nice, tone wise. I think I have a clear idea about this violin now.


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## futur2 (Feb 3, 2012)

re-peat @ Fri Feb 03 said:


> Well, here it is: http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ReViolin.mp3 (a short little something for the QL SoloViolin).
> _



great demo thanks! very nice piece. all criticism aside i'm not quiet sure how somebody could doubt getting something useful out of this violin after your demo...


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## Chaim (Feb 3, 2012)

Re-Peat, I think you can adjust the pitch Bend range in Play: Main menu > current instrument > advanced properties.

Can you tell us aprox how long it took you to assemble the Solo Violin part?

Great demo.


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## re-peat (Feb 3, 2012)

Chaim @ Fri Feb 03 said:


> (...) I think you can adjust the pitch Bend range in Play: Main menu > current instrument > advanced properties.(...)


Chaim, you are quite right of course. (I actually sort of knew it _had_ to be somewhere because I remember adjusting the bend-range, a long time ago when doing something with 'Gypsy', but for some reason, had completely forgotten where to look. Thanks for showing.)

As for how long look it took to put this violin-part together, well, all in all, not too long. I did start writing the piece yesterday morning, but had to spend the entire afternoon on something else, and then returned to it in the evening for a few more hours, by which time I believed it was more or less ready. Almost posted it yesterday evening in fact, but somehow felt it wasn't quite ready yet.
This morning, I listened back to where I ended up yesterday, decided to change several parts, rewrote large sections of the pizzicato accompaniment, made a new mix and that was it. (If you gave me a few more days, I would keep changing all sorts of little things which already stick out to me now.)
Among all this, the violin-part itself was fairly easy and straightforward to do, mostly thanks to the excellent and inspirational selection of available articulations and the consistency of timbral character. 
Given the fact that this is a completely new library (which always requires a bit of familliarizing and learning) and that I'm not exactly the world's most frequent PLAY-user, it's actually quite remarkable that this violin-part got on its feet as fast as it did. Which says a lot for the quality and user-friendlyness of the QL SoloViolin, I believe.

Thanks for the appreciation!
Dan, Futur2, Patrick, plenty of thanks as well!

_


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## Rob (Feb 3, 2012)

The re-peat touch!


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## re-peat (Feb 3, 2012)

With permission, Rob, you are mistaken. It's actually _the Roberto touch_, faintly mirrored in helpless me. The level of your work, that's always my inspiration and what I strive for.

_


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## Rob (Feb 3, 2012)

no no Piet, you flatterer! This is undoubtedly your music, and your care for perfect balance, sound, humour, rhythmic pulse... you make everything sound good!


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## rayinstirling (Feb 3, 2012)

Rob @ Fri Feb 03 said:


> The re-peat touch!



Yes indeed and I certainly enjoyed it.

Come on you two! behave :D


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## noiseboyuk (Feb 3, 2012)

Terrific, Piet. There's some really great character stuff in there that I wasn't expecting at all. Should definitely be up on the EWQL site if you'll let 'em - really sells the lib.

It's just Play.... sigh....


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## germancomponist (Feb 3, 2012)

Well done, Piet! 

Sure, it is not a real violin, but for what it is, I think it is very useful.


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## Rob Elliott (Feb 3, 2012)

Great Piet. Wonderfully playful. Did you use the HUGE (keyswitch) patch (no script) to expedite the process of programming?


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## jamwerks (Feb 3, 2012)

Nice piece Peat


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## re-peat (Feb 3, 2012)

Rob Elliott @ Fri Feb 03 said:


> (...) Did you use the HUGE (keyswitch) patch (no script) to expedite the process of programming?


Rob, yes, I did. I had two instances of PLAY in Logic, one loaded with the 'KS ALL (no script)' patch and another one with the 'Leg ALL MOD switch' patch. Mostly used the KS patch though.

Thanks!

Ray, Guy, Gunther, Jamwerks,
Many, many, many, many thanks as well!

_


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## Rob Elliott (Feb 3, 2012)

re-peat @ Fri Feb 03 said:


> Rob Elliott @ Fri Feb 03 said:
> 
> 
> > (...) Did you use the HUGE (keyswitch) patch (no script) to expedite the process of programming?
> ...




Yea - when I first saw that patch I thought (preview only) - BUT as it turns out one of the most useful for 'day to day' workflow. Nice suggestion on the leg Mod patch. Thx for the idea.


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## Udo (Feb 3, 2012)

Now THAT is a very useful demo and I really like the music too! Bedankt meneer de Ridder!


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