# Please help me for a good choise..



## Heartagram (Apr 22, 2021)

Hi all,
hope you'll sorry for my bad english,
im a guitarist, years and years of music studies, but new to virtual compositions, i looking a good suggest for my first "library" to buy..

i would to make a sort of ambient-minimal music, orchestral compositions ( less epic, more emotional ), i like dark ambient sound too..
and put ti in my guitar performances. I not looking in Pop, rap or like this music style..

i wonder if it is a good choise to buy Komplete 13 collector's edition ( 1599 dollars ) that have much libraries for strings, orchestral, mysteria and others.. but i dont have experience on it, or it is just waste of money??

i means, do you suggest to buy komplete 13 1500 dollars or to buy library in lybrary every sections from other sites like EastWest orchestra or metropolis ark, cinebrass ecc.. 

even im new of compositions vst, i not new as musician, so i hope to find top quality sound..
Thank you.


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## thorwald (Apr 22, 2021)

Hi @Heartagram, welcome to VI-COntrol!

Normally, I'd recommend you to pick up Collector's Edition, because of the diverse instruments you get, however, for ambient/minimalist compositions, there are only a few in my opinion that would be super useful from the bundle. Namely: Arkhis, possibly the Cremona Quartet (with some vibrato changes, as the default sounds quite artificial), and perhaps a few synths, and Una Corda and Noire, of course.

The choices you make really depend on your style, some like the more electronic side, some would rather have more organic instruments, etc.

I would personally go for specialized libraries first, in this case, such as the amazing Sunset Strings, or the Ólafur Arnalds bundle from Spitfire Audio. There are plenty of choices, Waverunner Audio's Alder Cello and Violin are great too, or Fracture Sounds's Woodchester Piano.

In general, the Cinematic Studio Series absolutely works for this style of music, the entire series is very romantic and emotional, even on lower dynamics.

I don't own some of the libraries (like the Alder series from WaveRunner Audio or the Woodchester Piano), so these recommendations are solely based on video demos only.

At any rate, please do check the sound of each library, and see which ones resonate with you ☺️

Edit: What could also help is to create categories of sounds that you are looking for.

For example: Do you need soft strings? Look for sul tasto (with or without vibrato), or SpitFire Audio's super sul tasto, harmonics, soft tremolo (measured or unmeasured), brushed shorts, etc.

The same for synth pads, synth lead, percussion (I'm thinking of a marimba or a vibraphone in particular, texture libraries (Bioscape comes to mind), nature sounds, maybe a soft choir (Genesis, or a smaller chamber choir), etc.

This sounds harder than it is, you can't avoid the hours of comparisons and the decision making unfortunately, but if you know what you have in mind, it should be relatively pain free.

Also, my recommendations are very likely not going to be the recommendations of a lot of people, opinions are usually quite diverse ☺️

Good luck!


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## goonman (Apr 22, 2021)

I agree with the above but would include Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2. By itself it can do most if not all of the above mentioned libraries and it has a large number of 3rd party libraries you can purchase giving you an endless palette to choose from. It has a buffet or organic and electronic sound sources so you can add and/or manipulate as you please.


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## bill5 (Apr 22, 2021)

Heartagram said:


> i wonder if it is a good choise to buy Komplete 13 collector's edition ( 1599 dollars ) that have much libraries for strings, orchestral, mysteria and others.. but i dont have experience on it, or it is just waste of money??


Waste of money. 

For orchestral instruments, search this site for threads about the various ones and their pros and cons, keeping in mind everyone has a different opinion.  

You might want to start here for some demos too: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/5-starter-libraries-compared.95937/

Omisphere is very full-featured synth, but also too expensive and overkill for you, at least right now starting out. There are many great synths where you can do great ambient-style music for MUCH less...in fact, there are some great ones for FREE. I strongly suggest you try some of those and you may find it has all you need. For example, try Vital and Surge, and the free ones by u-he (here: https://u-he.com/products/) are great. 

The biggest mistake you can make is thinking you have to spend a lot of money right away, or ever. Try what's out there for free or cheap first. Lots of great stuff out there. If you don't care for what you try, then maybe look at spending more.


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## Arbee (Apr 22, 2021)

goonman said:


> I agree with the above but would include Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2. By itself it can do most if not all of the above mentioned libraries and it has a large number of 3rd party libraries you can purchase giving you an endless palette to choose from. It has a buffet or organic and electronic sound sources so you can add and/or manipulate as you please.


I was thinking the same thing, Omnisphere 2 plus perhaps a solo strings library might get you started given the direction you've indicated.


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## b_elliott (Apr 22, 2021)

I completely agree with Bill5. Look for free also look at Spitfire Labs: I could make ambient with their free pianos, strings, etc. High quality instruments. All of it free.

There is also Pianobook.co.uk which has 100s of free instruments to download -- publicly uploaded but some darn good stuff to meet your needs. 

Good luck on putting together your libraries.


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## bill5 (Apr 22, 2021)

Yeah also "ambient" can mean different things, many different instruments and sounds, so more information about what you want might help.


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## Heartagram (Apr 23, 2021)

Thank you all,
I made decision to not buy Komplete collector..
listen on youtube videos.. 
Cinematic Studio series i thinking about Cinematic strings 2,
ill'try to listen Omnisphere 2..

I tried some free stuff.. but i prefer to buy a quality librarie.

im not focused on 1 kind of music..
i dont like most of standard relax ambient music Thare is on youtube.
I would use Synth but not too much. i like dark ambient, horror sound ( like silent hill sound ). 
Im a Classical Guitarist, so i like to do even
orchestral music ( not necessary classical style ).

Yesterday I listen a library.

anyone have opinions or tried Afflataus Chapter 1 Strings?

I decided to not buy any libraries that's isn't on sale.. so i can wait right moment.


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## Toecutter (Apr 23, 2021)

Heartagram said:


> i would to make a sort of ambient-minimal music, orchestral compositions ( less epic, more emotional ), i like dark ambient sound too..


preorder this, no regrets https://www.orchestraltools.com/store/collections/tallinn


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## Tralen (Apr 23, 2021)

If you are a guitarist and you want to mix your recording, you will have an easier time with libraries that are recorded dry. This could be a big deciding factor: do you want an ensemble with the ambient baked in (wet), or want to build your own ambient (dry)?


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## bill5 (Apr 23, 2021)

Heartagram said:


> I tried some free stuff.. but i prefer to buy a quality librarie.


You seem to think that you have to spend a lot of money for quality, and that cheap or free things aren't quality. That is incorrect and may literally cost you a lot of wasted money. It would be a mistake to dismiss cheap and free plugins or libraries, but of course it's up to you. Especially with the free ones...you have nothing to lose.


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## Mr Sakitumi (Apr 24, 2021)

Check out freebies first, like Project SAM free orchestra, Orchestral Tools Layers and their free SINE libraries (the strings are pretty great there too).

Piano Book (such a variety of great free sample libraries) and Spitfire’s free LABS (as well as BBCSO Discover, which is free if you fill out a survey and wait a few weeks),

Klang has free instruments and Cinematique Instruments has a freebie section too.

When you start using these to compose you’ll see what orchestral instruments become your goto.
That will help inform what and where you need to spend your money wisely.

But for starter strings, Spitfire Audio’s Originals Intimate Strings at $29 is great. Highly recommended.

I’m guessing that you don’t have the full version of NI Kontakt (which some of the free libraries listed above need to use)
So check what some libraries requirements are, even some pricier paid for libraries require Full Kontakt and don’t work in the free Kontakt Player.
Even if you decide not to go for Komplete, with the NI summer sale coming up (usually 50% off everything/most things)
Kontakt would be worth investing in as a composer.
It even comes with some libraries to get you started.

(Years ago I even used the stock Kontakt orchestral libraries for some games and TV commercial work, so for a beginner/starter there are some worthwhile sounds there to get you started)


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## Heartagram (Apr 24, 2021)

sorry Tralen, what do you mean dry and wet exactly?
Bill5: as gratis stuff i have Analog Lab arturia 4 and 5 ( included whit my midi keybord i've bought ), i not explored too much it.. but it havnt good strings, brass ecc.. meybe synth are good?

i'll try free stuff orchestral first, while i wait for sale offers..
Mr Sakitumi: i Saw lot's of video youtube everyone use Kontact, but what's it? i though it is a simple
a program where to insert and load the libraries that you have bought right.. so it have free orchestral stuff included?


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## Tralen (Apr 24, 2021)

@Heartagram, Dry and Wet are terms used to describe if a library is recorded with the room information baked in or not (the natural reverb).

Wet libraries have a more natural sound out of the box, but it is difficult to mix them with other libraries because the room information is recorded in the samples. (Spitfire, East West, Orchestral Tools).

Dry libraries have no natural reverb, you have to build that yourself. This makes it easier to mix different libraries, but more difficult to get a natural sound. (Sample Modeling, Chris Hein, pre-Synchron VSL...)


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## goonman (Apr 24, 2021)

Heartagram said:


> Mr Sakitumi: i Saw lot's of video youtube everyone use Kontact, but what's it? i though it is a simple
> a program where to insert and load the libraries that you have bought right.. so it have free orchestral stuff included?


Kontakt comes as a *free* or *paid* (full) player. The free version which can be downloaded from Native Instrument's site will only play Kontakt Libraries from Native Instruments and/or sample instruments developed specifically for the free player but will not play sample libraries made for the paid or full version. Most libraries will tell you which one must be used to play their software. There are some good libraries you can use the free player on, but many developers require you to have the full Kontakt version to run their libraries.


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## RAdkins (Apr 28, 2021)

When you are ready to spend some money make sure to take a look at Project Sam Pandora Core


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