# 40% off all 8dio products... what do we want?



## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

So I'm pretty satisfied with everything I have currently, but 40% off is a pretty killer deal. Only thing I have from 8dio is all of Adagio, and the 1928 piano.

What are some generally nice libraries to have from them that are icing on the cake? Thinking about their other pianos... '69, '90, and upright. Anyone like these?


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## galactic orange (Aug 1, 2016)

I'm looking at the Solo Taikos (and possibly the Epic Taiko Ensemble). Is anyone using these?


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## JohnG (Aug 1, 2016)

Ryan, you only interested in acoustic? Because some of their sound design / hybrid libraries are fun if you like that stuff.


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## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> I'm looking at the Solo Taikos (and possibly the Epic Taiko Ensemble). Is anyone using these?


 Yeah I was looking at those two I have CinePerc Taiko's but didn't know how vastly different these were.


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## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

JohnG said:


> Ryan, you only interested in acoustic? Because some of their sound design / hybrid libraries are fun if you like that stuff.


 Generally speaking yes. For the most part when developers release electronic toolkits like those I never end up using them because I have a knack to just want to create them myself with my own synthesizers.


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## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

I've also had my eye on the CAGE stuff…


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## JohnG (Aug 1, 2016)

I like their Cage strings. I think Hans Z. commented that it was excellent in general.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 1, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> I've also had my eye on the CAGE stuff…


I own Cage Strings. It's a no brainer If you compose any kind of horror or even action. I actually bought it because it really reminded me of Jason Grave's Dead Space, which I'm a huge fan of. 

I also own Liberis, Majestica, Jenifer, and Studio Sopranos. Out of those, I highly recommend Jenifer and Studio Sopranos. The production quality is superb on those.


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## Zhao Shen (Aug 1, 2016)

I'm also interested in learning what you guys think are 8Dio's gems. Any libraries you guys can vouch for as superb? Looked at the sale, spent half an hour poring over the site, and the only thing I considered picking up was the Studio Sopranos.


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## JohnG (Aug 1, 2016)

how about the other Cage libraries?


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## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

JohnG said:


> how about the other Cage libraries?


Interested as well... From the walk-throughs out of all of them I thought the Woods sounded the most interesting and unique.


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## ryanstrong (Aug 1, 2016)

Side discussion - does ProjectSam ever have sales?


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## R. Soul (Aug 1, 2016)

I'd also like some opinions... but on the other stuff mostly, like...

- Blendstruments
- Hybrid scoring tools
- Mandolin / ukulele
- Spirit flute/ overtone flute / slide flute
- Misfits


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## Mike Fox (Aug 1, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> Side discussion - does ProjectSam ever have sales?


If memory serves me correctly, their sales aren't very consistent, and I don't ever remember seeing any 40% off sales. Truthfully though, all of their libraries are generously priced, and the Symphobia series still surpasses a lot of the main competition.


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## storyteller (Aug 1, 2016)

R. Soul said:


> I'd also like some opinions... but on the other stuff mostly, like...
> 
> - Blendstruments
> - Hybrid scoring tools
> ...



Spirit Flute is a phrases library. Just know that going into it. The library has 8 different NKIs (and then alt versions of them with built-in reverb). If you want to write your own parts, you are much better going with something like Forest Kingdom II, Desert Winds, or Orange Tree's MesaWinds.


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## capitaljazz (Aug 1, 2016)

I'm considering Blackbird. Seems to be a pretty deep and thorough drum library with a very musical sound.


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## constaneum (Aug 1, 2016)

What about their electric violin? Didn't hear anyone mentioning much about this library


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## dhlkid (Aug 1, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> Side discussion - does ProjectSam ever have sales?


Rarely


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## dhlkid (Aug 1, 2016)

JohnG said:


> how about the other Cage libraries?


I like the brass more than the woods


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## NoamL (Aug 1, 2016)

Very interested in CAGE series. The aleatoric stuff looks fun!


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

R. Soul said:


> I'd also like some opinions... but on the other stuff mostly, like...
> 
> - Blendstruments
> - Hybrid scoring tools
> ...


I own Hybrid Tools 3, but i rarely use it, it sound a bit small compare to other hybrid stuff in my opinion. For Hybrid stuff i think Alpha and Bravo from Hybridtwo has a lot more content and its very usefull. But i own a lot of other 8dio Librarys that are excellent, misfits is one of them.


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

I also consider Jenifer vocal Library, think it sounds really nice. But Soundiron also have 35% on almost everything incl. vocal Library. So im struggeling between Jenifer and Soprano from Soundiron, some thoughts?


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## Mike Fox (Aug 2, 2016)

Ultraxenon said:


> I also consider Jenifer vocal Library, think it sounds really nice. But Soundiron also have 35% on almost everything incl. vocal Library. So im struggeling between Jenifer and Soprano from Soundiron, some thoughts?


If Soundiron's Soprano is anything like Voice of Gaiai, then I'd go with that instead of Jenifer. Jenifer sounds really good, but It's not nearly as extensive as Gaiai. What I love about Soundiron is that they usually offer little extras and bonuses with their products.


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> If Soundiron's Soprano is anything like Voice of Gaiai, then I'd go with that instead of Jenifer. Jenifer sounds really good, but It's not nearly as extensive as Gaiai. What I love about Soundiron is that they usually offer little extras and bonuses with their products.


I have Tenor, Bryn, Fransesca, Strawberry, Venus, Mars and Mercury Boys choir and all of them are really good. I havent found a place for Strawberry in my tracks yet, but it is a high quality product like the rest from soundiron. What draws me to Jenifer is the tone, she has a fantastic voice(not that soundiron vocalist arent excellent) But i probarly end up with Alto and maybe Bass voice from Soundiron im so pleased with all their products.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 2, 2016)

Ultraxenon said:


> I also consider Jenifer vocal Library, think it sounds really nice. But Soundiron also have 35% on almost everything incl. vocal Library. So im struggeling between Jenifer and Soprano from Soundiron, some thoughts?



Both are nice, but see yourself below)

*Quick comparison: 8Dio Jenifer and Soundiron's Voice of Rapture: The Soprano*
*
*


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Both are nice, but see yourself below)
> 
> *Quick comparison: 8Dio Jenifer and Soundiron's Voice of Rapture: The Soprano
> 
> *



Thanks Thorsten! , It really helps me to decide. You are right, both are very good. I think i go for soundiron Soprano. I know the gui, and it sounds great. Thanks again for all response


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 2, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> I'm looking at the Solo Taikos (and possibly the Epic Taiko Ensemble). Is anyone using these?



I bought them before I bought Stormdrum 3 and Darwin. Now I never use them.

Stormdrum 3 is more varied in my opinion; I find integrating other exotic instruments so much easier with SD3. The recordings are absolutely killer. Of course, you do have to tweak them yourself...if you're not a fan of that, go Darwin or 8dio.

For my money, save up a little more and get SD3.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 2, 2016)

JohnG said:


> how about the other Cage libraries?


Cage is good. Give the CAGE Bundle a thought. Brass is different and possibly more liked in general as it offers playable brass instruments and brass effects, where you get effects "only" with strings and winds. I see the brass instruments as a bonus in a effects library.

If your expectation is to get an effects library CAGE bundle is for you. On top you get some playable brass.


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## ryanstrong (Aug 2, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Cage is good. Give the CAGE Bundle a thought. Brass is different and possibly more liked in general as it offers playable brass instruments and brass effects, where you get effects "only" with strings and winds. I see the brass instruments as a bonus in a effects library.
> 
> If your expectation is to get an effects library CAGE bundle is for you. On top you get some playable brass.


This is why I haven't pulled the trigger on CAGE and is why I have a hard time in general on effects libraries. I really like to be able to play the effect. Near impossible to do BUT Spitfire I think is on to something with their EVO series. It puts the control in the composers handles but still lets the instruments do their thing as well.

CAGE sounds beautiful though, I like all the mic positions, and then the randomness of the effects but perhaps as a CAGE owner you can correct me but I think I would only end up using the playable Brass patches as it sounds like you have gravitated to.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 2, 2016)

Cage Strings sounds interesting...I simply have the means to get those sounds, including outboard effects I'm well versed in.

If you want more stuff, how about investing in Ohmicide or Saturn, Valhalla Vintage and Room, plus the latter's Ubermod.


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## JohnG (Aug 2, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> a CAGE owner you can correct me but I think I would only end up using the playable Brass patches as it sounds like you have gravitated to.



I can understand that position, but really there is no way using midi to replicate what players do when playing effects. They are impossible to replicate with midi because often every member of a section is doing something slightly different with pitch or bowing or what have you. Because most instruments are sampled to play back a more "correct" sound, rather than the tortured stuff we all know and love, it's impossible (usually) to torture them into the kinds of FX in the Cage library and others, Symphobia for example.*

If you want the kinds of sounds that we describe as FX (but in actual fact have been around in many cases for over 100 years) you really have to have them recorded ahead of time. One solution to address ryan's concern, at least to some extent, is to assemble a lot of them and use them judiciously so they don't stick out in a non-musical, or non-dramatic, or non-artistic way.

* @ryanstrong I agree that Spitfire's EVO series does address the randomness and particularly the tuning effects to some extent, although I only have one of them and haven't explored them that thoroughly. Might make a nice extra thread!


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 2, 2016)

JohnG said:


> I agree that Spitfire's EVO series does address the randomness and particularly the tuning effects to some extent, although I only have one of them and haven't explored them that thoroughly. Might make a nice extra thread!



I've been SUPER interested in the Evos, and use Scary Strings still.


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## sp_comp (Aug 2, 2016)

Does anyone have and use the Agitato Sordino Strings?


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## Covent Garden (Aug 2, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> I'm looking at the Solo Taikos (and possibly the Epic Taiko Ensemble). Is anyone using these?


Great features. Espacially the Convolution Verb + Arpeggiator. Works great! Sound from dry & close to Epic hall. Nice GUI. I've played around a bit and it seems to be a goal (Epic Taiko Ensemble). Will buy Solo Taikos too I think.


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## Covent Garden (Aug 2, 2016)

sp_comp said:


> Does anyone have and use the Agitato Sordino Strings?


Yes. Side by side with Soaring Strings it is the most emotional sound I've ever heard and the playability is great. For me a must have.


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## Covent Garden (Aug 2, 2016)

dhlkid said:


> I like the brass more than the woods


I think you won't regret buying the bundle. Nice textures and very useful


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## Smikes77 (Aug 2, 2016)

I bought the CAGE strings a couple of months ago, and bought the brass last week. Still going through how to use them properly. They sound so good though, and echo what JohnG said about them.


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## sp_comp (Aug 2, 2016)

Covent Garden said:


> Yes. Side by side with Soaring Strings it is the most emotional sound I've ever heard and the playability is great. For me a must have.


Good to know. Thanks!


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## R. Soul (Aug 2, 2016)

storyteller said:


> Spirit Flute is a phrases library. Just know that going into it. The library has 8 different NKIs (and then alt versions of them with built-in reverb). If you want to write your own parts, you are much better going with something like Forest Kingdom II, Desert Winds, or Orange Tree's MesaWinds.


I was about this |----| close to buying Mesawinds the other day but decided against it because I already have Forest Kingdom 2. I was aware of the phrase only content of Spirit flute but at $17 you can't expect much.



Ultraxenon said:


> I own Hybrid Tools 3, but i rarely use it, it sound a bit small compare to other hybrid stuff in my opinion. For Hybrid stuff i think Alpha and Bravo from Hybridtwo has a lot more content and its very usefull. But i own a lot of other 8dio Librarys that are excellent, misfits is one of them.


I was considering either Aura acoustic or Aura guitars as I already have Project Bravo.
What are the stand out Misfits libraries? I only have the banjo which so-so.


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

Another good library is Free Angles from 8dio, check it out Here is a track i made. Its one of the first track ive made by samples so be nice, but you get an impression of how the library sounds.


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## David Stiles (Aug 2, 2016)

I think it depends a lot on your individual needs. In general, I find that I use their string and solo woodwind libraries the most. I just added Adagio Basses and the Claire Piccolo to my collection (both are excellent).


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## Ian Dorsch (Aug 2, 2016)

What's the word on Lacrimosa? I couldn't quite justify the price V8P version of the lib, but this is an attractive price. I really like the sound of the ensemble and the space, and it seems to address some of my nitpicks with the Olympus choirs (weird intonation in the male voices, vowels are occasionally too shallow for my taste). My only sticking point is the legato - based on what I've heard in the official video/demos, I'm not fully sold. Is anyone using this for their workhorse choral library?


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## Mike Fox (Aug 2, 2016)

Ian Dorsch said:


> What's the word on Lacrimosa? I couldn't quite justify the price V8P version of the lib, but this is an attractive price. I really like the sound of the ensemble and the space, and it seems to address some of my nitpicks with the Olympus choirs (weird intonation in the male voices, vowels are occasionally too shallow for my taste). My only sticking point is the legato - based on what I've heard in the official video/demos, I'm not fully sold. Is anyone using this for their workhorse choral library?


So you're actually looking to get away from Olympus? I was actually considering Olympus because I liked how close the mics are, and how good the tone was. Based off the tutorials, and demos, Lacrimosa sounds further away, and has too much reverb for my liking. I believe they left the close mic out of Lacrimosa.


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## Vik (Aug 2, 2016)

Here's a product I really like the tone of.
http://8dio.com/instrument/adagio-violas/


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 2, 2016)

Vik said:


> Here's a product I really like the tone of.
> http://8dio.com/instrument/adagio-violas/


Agree, it is beautiful


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## URL (Aug 2, 2016)

Anyone using 8dio auc.guitars strumming?


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## Covent Garden (Aug 3, 2016)

URL said:


> Anyone using 8dio auc.guitars strumming?


Sounds very good, but strum patterns are limited. Have a look on their demo videos. Maybe you are disappointed. Not as much possibilities like Orange Tree Samples libs f.e.. A bit limited BUT the sound is superb and the offered strum patterns are very easy to play and to combine.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 3, 2016)

Covent Garden said:


> Sounds very good, but strum patterns are limited. Have a look on their demo videos. Maybe you are disappointed. Not as much possibilities like Orange Tree Samples libs f.e.. A bit limited BUT the sound is superb and the offered strum patterns are very easy to play and to combine.



I found the 8Dio Strummer Libs more easy to use so. I get results quicker in 8Dio's Acoustic Guitar Bundle Solo & Strummer


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## Covent Garden (Aug 3, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> I found the 8Dio Strummer Libs more easy to use so. I get results quicker in 8Dio's Acoustic Guitar Bundle Solo & Strummer


I totally agree, but I am not able to get all kind of rhythms which I get from OTs libs f.e. But 8Dio's stuff is much easier to use. Have all Acoustic / Steel / Electric Bundles and love the way to use them.


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## slobajudge (Aug 3, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> So I'm pretty satisfied with everything I have currently, but 40% off is a pretty killer deal. Only thing I have from 8dio is all of Adagio, and the 1928 piano.
> 
> What are some generally nice libraries to have from them that are icing on the cake? Thinking about their other pianos... '69, '90, and upright. Anyone like these?



If you dont know what you need, maybe nothing ?


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 3, 2016)

slobajudge said:


> If you dont know what you need, maybe nothing ?



I went through a phase where I was buying up synths and samplers left and right (spent over three thousand dollars, easily), and very much regret a large part of it now (especially the stuff I couldn't sell/transfer which remains rarely used, except sometimes for extracurricular entertainment). I'm not accusing the original poster of that, but the main reason I talk about products with an "if you already have so and so you probably won't need so and so" is due to that regret I feel. I think too many other people go on that frothing "buy buy _*buy*_!" craze so they don't feel "left out" or "uninspired", and it can be a very lonely and broke rabbit hole.

To everyone, please make sure you find synths and samplers that seem to fit your creative vision, then learn everything you can about _just those_. Synths today like XILS IV, Zebra, Omnisphere, etc. are so good that they'll mostly cover your needs, especially if you honestly put forth the time to learn how to use them. In time, you'll get to the point (like I am), where you tend to check out the videos, audio demos, and reviews about "newfangled" synth/samplers before buying, and 99% of the time hear how you already have the tools needed.

In plain English: make sure, _*damn*_ sure you can't do what this new item does with what you already have. Chances are (given you've bought and studied thoroughly the vsts you already have) you can, even if you have to READ THE MANUALS and WATCH THE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS. 

Otherwise, you might have to admit to yourself you're buying things for the fun of buying, and in that case (nothing wrong with that) I hope you have a ton of money, because we all have to pay those credit cards back (sigh).


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## lpuser (Aug 3, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> In plain English: make sure, _*damn*_ sure you can't do what this new item does with what you already have. Chances are (given you've bought and studied thoroughly the vsts you already have) you can, even if you have to READ THE MANUALS and WATCH THE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS.



While you may be right with this observation, the problem is that not many folks do have the time to deeply dive into the plugins they have. For instance, my time is very limited and sometimes, buying something which just sounds right for the job is the easier decision than "trying" to find out if an already purchased plugin might be able to do the same. And even if I´d take the time, I still cannot be sure if I suceed or not (in the worst case, I have spend loads of time for no significant result).
For sure it´s always best to know the stuff you have, but there are times when paying for something is better than desperately trying for yourself (not only in music that is).


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 3, 2016)

lpuser said:


> While you may be right with this observation, the problem is that not many folks do have the time to deeply dive into the plugins they have. For instance, my time is very limited and sometimes, buying something which just sounds right for the job is the easier decision than "trying" to find out if an already purchased plugin might be able to do the same. And even if I´d take the time, I still cannot be sure if I suceed or not (in the worst case, I have spend loads of time for no significant result).
> For sure it´s always best to know the stuff you have, but there are times when paying for something is better than desperately trying for yourself (not only in music that is).


I totally agree, my time to work with samples is also very limited, sometimes i just have to pay to get the sound i want. But of course the best is to take full advantage of each library you own.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 3, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> I went through a phase where I was buying up synths and samplers left and right (spent over three thousand dollars, easily), and very much regret a large part of it now (especially the stuff I couldn't sell/transfer which remains rarely used, except sometimes for extracurricular entertainment). I'm not accusing the original poster of that, but the main reason I talk about products with an "if you already have so and so you probably won't need so and so" is due to that regret I feel. I think too many other people go on that frothing "buy buy _*buy*_!" craze so they don't feel "left out" or "uninspired", and it can be a very lonely and broke rabbit hole.
> 
> To everyone, please make sure you find synths and sampler that seem to fit your creative vision, then learn everything you can about _just those_. Synths today like XILS IV, Zebra, Omnisphere, etc. are so good that they'll mostly cover your needs, especially if you honestly put forth the time to learn how to use them. In time, you'll get to the point (like I am), where you tend to check out the videos, audio demos, and reviews about "newfangled" synth/samplers before buying, and 99% of the time hear how you already have the tools needed.
> 
> ...



Great point. I invest in comics, and there's a simple saying us comic book investors have, "Buy what you love". That way, If you put your money into an expensive comic, and the value plummets, you'll still be left with something you can always enjoy. For the most part, I feel the same about sample libraries. I think it's important to buy something that will bring you much use and enjoyment for years to come, not just in the here and now.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 3, 2016)

There's never anything wrong with buying something you love and/or just plain see a use for in your immediate musical future. The problem with buying things that sound great right out of the box is being lumped in with the hordes of other folks buying the same thing. You can only get so creative with many of the libraries/samplers going around, you're inevitably going to sound like pretty much everyone else in your genre. 

But then, as intimated by others above, that's fine if you don't care about being particularly creative, and there are terrific uses in sounding like everyone else that I'm sure you're all familiar with. If someone just wants to try and make money in the already way overstuff'd trailer industry, or if you just plain love making music as a hobby, and aren't interested in shaping too much. Nothing wrong with ANY of those things.

For people who want to stand out, it's more important to be picky. But hell, a lot of (if not all) you folks already know all that, so forgive my redundancies. It's just...I always wanted to stand out from the crowd. I wanted to be a distinctive, unique artistic personality. I know, nobody cares, but I'm just explaining my own, foolish goals. Beethoven's late string quartets and piano sonatas are my idea of the ultimate: the composer's personality becoming immortalized. Most people don't want or care about that, and God bless 'em, do what makes you happy. I just couldn't live with myself if that was all I wanted from music.

But that's just me, and I'm a dumbass anyway.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 3, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> Great point. I invest in comics, and there's a simple saying us comic book investors have, "Buy what you love". That way, If you put your money into an expensive comic, and the value plummets, you'll still be left with something you can always enjoy. For the most part, I feel the same about sample libraries. I think it's important to buy something that will bring you much use and enjoyment for years to come, not just in the here and now.



I collect comics too, Mike. HUGE collection. And I love the vast majority of them  \m/


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## Ian Dorsch (Aug 3, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> So you're actually looking to get away from Olympus? I was actually considering Olympus because I liked how close the mics are, and how good the tone was. Based off the tutorials, and demos, Lacrimosa sounds further away, and has too much reverb for my liking. I believe they left the close mic out of Lacrimosa.



I tend to like a ton of verb on my choral samples--I'm a choir director, and even excellent choral samples need to be pretty smothered before I stop reacting to them with visceral hate. :D

Definitely don't get me wrong. I like Olympus a lot. It's been my main choral lib for several years. (disclaimer: I have received free products from Soundiron.) I just have really specific ideas of how I like a choir to sound, and sometimes it's difficult to get there with Olympus, particularly with the Mars half of the choir. The Mars guys get pretty strident in the upper registers and dynamics, and I find that I sometimes need to manually adjust intonation with the pitch wheel to get intervals to tune the way my ear wants to hear them. That is _not_ the case with Venus, so I often write just for the women since it takes much less effort to get a pleasing result. I haven't noticed other people nitpicking Olympus in this way, so I think it's just me.


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## sp_comp (Aug 3, 2016)

URL said:


> Anyone using 8dio auc.guitars strumming?


I bought the Dobro Bundle a while ago and discovered a glitch which rendered the Strummer instrument unusable. I emailed them with a video showing exactly what was happening and they responded saying it was something in a Kontakt update that was causing the issue, and that it was something they were working 'very hard' on. It's been almost a year and a half and still nothing.


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## musicman61554 (Aug 3, 2016)

Ultraxenon said:


> I own Hybrid Tools 3, but i rarely use it, it sound a bit small compare to other hybrid stuff in my opinion. For Hybrid stuff i think Alpha and Bravo from Hybridtwo has a lot more content and its very usefull. But i own a lot of other 8dio Librarys that are excellent, misfits is one of them.


Man thats a bummer. I loved the demos but they rarely showed naked versions if not any for HT3.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 3, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> I collect comics too, Mike. HUGE collection. And I love the vast majority of them  \m/


YES!!!


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## Mike Fox (Aug 3, 2016)

Ian Dorsch said:


> I tend to like a ton of verb on my choral samples--I'm a choir director, and even excellent choral samples need to be pretty smothered before I stop reacting to them with visceral hate. :D
> 
> Definitely don't get me wrong. I like Olympus a lot. It's been my main choral lib for several years. (disclaimer: I have received free products from Soundiron.) I just have really specific ideas of how I like a choir to sound, and sometimes it's difficult to get there with Olympus, particularly with the Mars half of the choir. The Mars guys get pretty strident in the upper registers and dynamics, and I find that I sometimes need to manually adjust intonation with the pitch wheel to get intervals to tune the way my ear wants to hear them. That is _not_ the case with Venus, so I often write just for the women since it takes much less effort to get a pleasing result. I haven't noticed other people nitpicking Olympus in this way, so I think it's just me.


Thanks for that perspective. I almost pulled the trigger on Olympus, but I ended up buying Metropolis Ark 1. The featured choir doesnt have all the bells and whistles that Olympus has, but I'm completely blown away by the realism, and how it just cuts through a mix. Not to mention that the rest of Ark 1 is just incredible.


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 3, 2016)

Ian Dorsch said:


> I tend to like a ton of verb on my choral samples--I'm a choir director, and even excellent choral samples need to be pretty smothered before I stop reacting to them with visceral hate. :D
> 
> Definitely don't get me wrong. I like Olympus a lot. It's been my main choral lib for several years. (disclaimer: I have received free products from Soundiron.) I just have really specific ideas of how I like a choir to sound, and sometimes it's difficult to get there with Olympus, particularly with the Mars half of the choir. The Mars guys get pretty strident in the upper registers and dynamics, and I find that I sometimes need to manually adjust intonation with the pitch wheel to get intervals to tune the way my ear wants to hear them. That is _not_ the case with Venus, so I often write just for the women since it takes much less effort to get a pleasing result. I haven't noticed other people nitpicking Olympus in this way, so I think it's just me.


I also think Venus and Mercury Boys choir are slighty better than Mars


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 3, 2016)

musicman61554 said:


> Man thats a bummer. I loved the demos but they rarely showed naked versions if not any for HT3.


Yeah i know, but i can highly recomend Alpha and Bravo. 8dio Synphony sounds really good, i dont own it, but the demo are great.


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## kitekrazy (Aug 3, 2016)

Too bad an $1100+ auto repair bill removes GAS. I would be buying.


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## Anthony N.Putson (Aug 4, 2016)

Good morning all, 
What's the general consensus with Majestica? For the record i have MA. Are there folks on here who have both? Listening to the few walkthroughs with Troels this things sounds fantastic. The more i use MA the more things begin to bug me...

Cheers
Anth


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## mickeyl (Aug 4, 2016)

MA is certainly more flexible, but Majestica is great for that crazy _over-the-top_ moment, if you need one in your cue.


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## Anthony N.Putson (Aug 4, 2016)

A number of short samples throughout MA give me headaches...especially when playing quick passages, and some don't like trumpets for example which don't skip a beat....More articulations in MA of course but a lot i simply don't use given my style of writing...


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 4, 2016)

ryanstrong said:


> So I'm pretty satisfied with everything I have currently, but 40% off is a pretty killer deal. Only thing I have from 8dio is all of Adagio, and the 1928 piano.
> 
> What are some generally nice libraries to have from them that are icing on the cake? Thinking about their other pianos... '69, '90, and upright. Anyone like these?


I have `90 piano and i use it all the time. Some might think its to bright sounding, but you can tweak it to your liking. That said, i know some mucians who love 1928 and think that is the best piano from 8dio


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

Anthony N.Putson said:


> Good morning all,
> What's the general consensus with Majestica? For the record i have MA. Are there folks on here who have both? Listening to the few walkthroughs with Troels this things sounds fantastic. The more i use MA the more things begin to bug me...
> 
> Cheers
> Anth


I own both. MA is superior in terms of content. Due to the lack of articulations, Majestica really feels like a condensed library, which it actually is (8W is its big brother). Sonically, both Majestica and MA are very different, but both are very high sound quality.
There's things I love about Majestica, and things I hate. I almost can't stand Majestica's percussion section, because its drowned in reverb, but I really love the strings! There's absolutely nothing I hate about MA. I think there are some minor adjustments that could be made, but I think it's an incredible library. I really cant say the same about Majestica, because its a bitter sweet for me. I really do have a love hate relationship with it (but thats been my experience with most 8dio products I own). The 40% off discount is probably worth it though.

Btw, whats your style of writing?


----------



## Parsifal666 (Aug 4, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> I almost can't stand Majestica's percussion section, because its drowned in reverb



I felt that way about Geist's drum and synth library, but I ended up finding a use for it, and love it now. For me...sometimes I have to let a library/synth grown on and with me.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> I felt that way about Geist's drum and synth library, but I ended up finding a use for it, and love it now. For me...sometimes I have to let a library/synth grown on and with me.



I would love for it to grow on me, but as of now, I have to keep going into Kontakts modulation settings to pull back the release knob, which helps tremendously.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 4, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> I would love for it to grow on me, but as of now, I have to keep going into Kontakts modulation settings to pull back the release knob, which helps tremendously.



Kontakt can be a really good engine for modulation (though let's face it, it could be better). I find myself going back and forth between that and the old ("classic") Camel Alchemy with audio files. It's too bad the classic Camel couldn't have stayed around longer, so we could have used the current libraries through it, it excels in many ways Kontakt (and many other, popular) engines, don't.


----------



## krops (Aug 4, 2016)

I've had my eyes on Cage for a while; the way you can actually play the effects seems really cool. As with 8dio in general, the price has been a deterrent, though, so maybe now is the time. I think I'll have to limit myself to a single library, probably the strings.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

krops said:


> I've had my eyes on Cage for a while; the way you can actually play the effects seems really cool. As with 8dio in general, the price has been a deterrent, though, so maybe now is the time. I think I'll have to limit myself to a single library, probably the strings.


The strings are fantastic, but I recommend buying the buying the bundle. You'll probably end up liking the strings so much that you'll want the brass and woodwinds too, so maybe save some money in the long run?


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## X-Bassist (Aug 4, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> Kontakt can be a really good engine for modulation (though let's face it, it could be better). I find myself going back and forth between that and the old ("classic") Camel Alchemy with audio files. It's too bad the classic Camel couldn't have stayed around longer, so we could have used the current libraries through it, it excels in many ways Kontakt (and many other, popular) engines, don't.


Agree, shame that Camel ended. Kontakt could be more intuitive but hopefully will continue to improve (Izotope demonstrated this is not always a given) and learning it affects so many libraries, that alone makes learning it immensely helpful. Omni is probably #2. These two are probably 95 percent of what I use.


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## mac (Aug 4, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> The strings are fantastic, but I recommend buying the buying the bundle. You'll probably end up liking the strings so much that you'll want the brass and woodwinds too, so maybe save some money in the long run?



What happens with pitch in Cage? For example, in this image, would each key have a unique, completely different sample on it (no set pitch?), or would it be a standard multi-sampled pitched instrument?

I hope that makes sense. It's been a long day and I feel tired


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

mac said:


> What happens with pitch in Cage? For example, in this image, would each key have a unique, completely different sample on it (no set pitch?), or would it be a standard multi-sampled pitched instrument?
> 
> I hope that makes sense. It's been a long day and I feel tired


Don't quote me on this, but If I remember right, each key has a completely different sample, though it could be dependent upon the articulation. I can play it later tonight, and get back to you If you'd like.


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## mac (Aug 4, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> Don't quote me on this, but If I remember right, each key has a completely different sample. I can play it later tonight, and get back to you If you'd like.



Hmmm, so is there no set key for the samples? I know they're fundamentally effects, but it still seems like a chore to use! The brass cage title seems like it has more of a 'standard' pitched articulation approach, which adds to my confusion. 

I guess if I don't get it, I don't need it!


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

mac said:


> Hmmm, so is there no set key for the samples? I know they're fundamentally effects, but it still seems like a chore to use! The brass cage title seems like it has more of a 'standard' pitched articulation approach, which adds to my confusion.
> 
> I guess if I don't get it, I don't need it!


There could be a set key, and I just haven't noticed. I think one of the characteristics of aleatoric libraries like these is to not really focus on proper key arrangement. That's actually part of the fun! I mainly use this library for horror music, which a lot of time requires things to sound off, so I was never really concerned about the set key aspect of it.

I think you're right about the brass version. I dont own it, but from the demos I was watching, it definitely seems to be more playable in the conventional sense.

I definitely don't find the strings to be a chore to use, probably due to the way I incorporate them.


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## mac (Aug 4, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> There could be a set key, and I just haven't noticed. I think one of the characteristics of aleatoric libraries like these is to not really focus on proper key arrangement. That's actually part of the fun! I mainly use this library for horror music, which a lot of time requires things to sound off, so I was never really concerned about the set key aspect of it.
> 
> I think you're right about the brass version. I dont own it, but from the demos I was watching, it definitely seems to be more playable in the conventional sense.
> 
> I definitely don't find the strings to be a chore to use, probably due to the way I incorporate them.



So would you say they're actually playable? Does it not sound obvious that you're just triggering different phrases? I noticed on one of the demo vids, he plays a sequence whilst using the keyswitches. To be honest, it looked like he was mashing the keys randomly! The results were good enough, but it didn't look particularly inspiring to use.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

mac said:


> So would you say they're actually playable? Does it not sound obvious that you're just triggering different phrases? I noticed on one of the demo vids, he plays a sequence whilst using the keyswitches. To be honest, it looked like he was mashing the keys randomly! The results were good enough, but it didn't look particularly inspiring to use.



In order for the strings to be playable (in the traditional sense of the word), I definitely think they would need to be mapped across the keyboard in proper key arrangement. Right now, I don't remember for a fact if they are. I do think it would be really difficult to construct any type of melody with them (even if they are in the proper key), but again, that's not the point of this library. Randomness, and chance is what Cage strings is all about, which would definitely make it a chore If you want to use them for something outside the aleatoric realm.

I'll definitely test out the library tonight, and let you know for sure. Btw, I believe Spitfire's Uist is similar to Cage, but has a much more playable approach. Maybe someone can comment on that?


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## ryanstrong (Aug 4, 2016)

That's the general problem with "Efx" libraries right? They are kind of like a one shot sample library. Again libraries like Spitfire's Evo series I think is where it's at for an "Efx" type library, but even they have a ways to go.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 4, 2016)

Alright, so I just quickly ran though the library. It seems that its all pretty random for the most part, but there were a couple of patches that seemed to be properly mapped, but only in short sections. I also played the patch/articulation in the image you provided, and I wasn't able to distinguish any kind of coherency aside from high and low notes respectively. Also, some of the patches don't respond at all to the black keys, so that would automatically make them "unplayable". Hope this helps. 

I can see how this would be unappealing to some people however, even though this library may not be "playable", it is incredibly useable. It just depends on what you're trying to accomplish.


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## mac (Aug 5, 2016)

Thanks @mikefox789


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 5, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> There could be a set key, and I just haven't noticed. I think one of the characteristics of aleatoric libraries like these is to not really focus on proper key arrangement. That's actually part of the fun! I mainly use this library for horror music, which a lot of time requires things to sound off, so I was never really concerned about the set key aspect of it.
> 
> I think you're right about the brass version. I dont own it, but from the demos I was watching, it definitely seems to be more playable in the conventional sense.
> 
> I definitely don't find the strings to be a chore to use, probably due to the way I incorporate them.



Forgive me Mike for beating a dead horse, but you write horror music...have you looked into Albion IV? It's incredible for that. I mean, _*REALLY*_ GREAT.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 5, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> Forgive me Mike for beating a dead horse, but you write horror music...have you looked into Albion IV? It's incredible for that. I mean, _*REALLY*_ GREAT.


I have looked into it! It really does sound incredible. My only concern is the reverb. From the demos, it sounds like it might be a bit too wet for my liking. Is that aspect adjustable in the library?


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## krops (Aug 5, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> The strings are fantastic, but I recommend buying the buying the bundle. You'll probably end up liking the strings so much that you'll want the brass and woodwinds too, so maybe save some money in the long run?


Yeah, that's a really good discount, but still a lot of money to fork up. Fortunately, I have a month to decide...


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## Mike Fox (Aug 5, 2016)

I just looked at the articulation list for UIST. It's massive! Not sure If you'd need to buy another suspense/horror ambient library ever again.


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## Lawson. (Aug 5, 2016)

UIST is fantastic. There is so much content that you could spend all day just going through it and not writing anything! It has tonal and atonal categories, so you can get true aleatoric as well as playable control. And yes, there are multiple mics so you can pull up the close and get a drier sound.

[Note: I have received free products from Spitfire Audio]


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## Mike Fox (Aug 5, 2016)

Lawson. said:


> UIST is fantastic. There is so much content that you could spend all day just going through it and not writing anything! It has tonal and atonal categories, so you can get true aleatoric as well as playable control. And yes, there are multiple mics so you can pull up the close and get a drier sound.
> 
> [Note: I have received free products from Spitfire Audio]


Good to know! It'll probably be my next purchase. How heavy hitting are the string stabs? Is there a lot more than just the slow eerie ambient patches? Seems like there is according to the articulation list, but I haven't heard any samples of them. Are there fast string rips, and whatnot?


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## Ryan99 (Aug 5, 2016)

Note: I'd like to receive free products from Spitfire Audio, East West or 8Dio.


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## mac (Aug 6, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> Good to know! It'll probably be my next purchase. How heavy hitting are the string stabs? Is there a lot more than just the slow eerie ambient patches? Seems like there is according to the articulation list, but I haven't heard any samples of them. Are there fast string rips, and whatnot?



@Parsifal666 That's why I'm on the fence about Cage - Uist looks like it might suit my needs better (more control over pitch?). I definitely need to decide on one of the two, as trying to create similar suitable sounds is an absolute pain. My heart says Cage, my head says Uist.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

mac said:


> @Parsifal666 That's why I'm on the fence about Cage - Uist looks like it might suit my needs better (more control over pitch?). I definitely need to decide on one of the two, as trying to create similar suitable sounds is an absolute pain. My heart says Cage, my head says Uist.


I think a lot more thought went into UIST, and gives you more control. From the demos, it doesnt look as random as cage either. If i was looking at either the cage bundle or uist, I'd go uist!


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 6, 2016)

mac said:


> @Parsifal666 That's why I'm on the fence about Cage - Uist looks like it might suit my needs better (more control over pitch?). I definitely need to decide on one of the two, as trying to create similar suitable sounds is an absolute pain. My heart says Cage, my head says Uist.



*Mike* and *mac*, _definitely_ go for the Uist. I hate to say this, but you might regret Cage. I probably should have mentioned IV specifically but a) I didn't know Mike did horror especially and b) I did mention the Albions at least! lol

Anyone into intense brass and strings, atonal atmospheres, excruciatingly spine chilling horror fodder: your library is nowhere near complete without Uist.

You actually hear the rooms less in Uist than in, say Albion I and Legacy. To be perfectly blunt, there really isn't much of a problem with the reverb or room sound in general with Uist. And the patches...there are SO many options, and this is one library where the Timestretching module on Kontakt works sooo well.

I feel a little guilty I didn't press this home more. However, Cage is obviously a really good library; keep in mind please that I was all set to buy it last week and watched all the videos I could on the subject. I have all the Albions but II and because of that (not to mention Scary Strings and the HW stuff), I simply don't see the need for the 8dio libraries in general. It's still quality stuff, but I think I made some good choices when building my original foundation, I've regretted precious few synths and samplers, and appreciate most of them time and again.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 6, 2016)

Lawson. said:


> UIST is fantastic. There is so much content that you could spend all day just going through it and not writing anything! It has tonal and atonal categories, so you can get true aleatoric as well as playable control. And yes, there are multiple mics so you can pull up the close and get a drier sound.
> 
> [Note: I have received free products from Spitfire Audio]



In reality it's sometimes best to simply go through the library when you're looking to get inspired (same for all the Albions). It's quite likely you'll hear something that can turn into *something*. That's one of the most wonderful thing about such libraries: you'll rarely lack for inspiration (at least, not until the meth runs out).


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## JohnG (Aug 6, 2016)

mac said:


> you're just triggering different phrases? I noticed on one of the demo vids, he plays a sequence whilst using the keyswitches. To be honest, it looked like he was mashing the keys randomly! The results were good enough, but it didn't look particularly inspiring to use.



this is regarding Cage strings (I think strings anyway). The answer is basically "yes" -- you're mostly "just triggering different phrases" as you asked. But there are quite a few of each articulation, so it doesn't sound necessarily repetitious if you use it the right way. 

Now, one man's "quite a few" is another's "not nearly enough," and of course with FX there is always the risk that there aren't as many as one might want. Moreover, if the passage is completely exposed, it becomes far more challenging to make it sound natural, as is the case with any FX library.

I like it and would get it again. But I am going to check out Spitfire's Albion IV UIST after the rave reviews...


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## mmango (Aug 6, 2016)

Would anyone mind explaining what MA stands for? Also, I'm debating on getting Majestica. I don't really have a library for epic filmscoring moments and I could probably use one.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 6, 2016)

JohnG said:


> this is regarding Cage strings (I think strings anyway). The answer is basically "yes" -- you're mostly "just triggering different phrases" as you asked. But there are quite a few of each articulation, so it doesn't sound necessarily repetitious if you use it the right way.
> 
> Now, one man's "quite a few" is another's "not nearly enough," and of course with FX there is always the risk that there aren't as many as one might want. Moreover, if the passage is completely exposed, it becomes far more challenging to make it sound natural, as is the case with any FX library.
> 
> I like it and would get it again. But I am going to check out Spitfire's Albion IV UIST after the rave reviews...



I'm actually surprised you don't already have it, John. The more I read about (and check out) Cage the more it seems to be very much out of the box, not much for tweaks. To me that pretty much sinks it. That means it'll be worn out by next Summer. That's not Uist, it's definitely a more bald sound, though not as bald as, say, East West's Hollywood libraries.

You know...I wish there were a demo you all could simply download onto Kontakt, just so you could hear how cool Uist really is. It's utterly useful, given the proper musical context(s).


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 6, 2016)

I haven't received free stuff from Albion, but I'll take the entire Evo Strings now, please!!!


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## JohnG (Aug 6, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> I'm actually surprised you don't already have it, John



Actually, I _can't believe_ I don't own it. I don't know how I overlooked UIST. Absolutely awesome from what I can tell -- huge articulation list. Only two demos but really, with that many FX it looks just amazing. Thanks for the tip!


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 6, 2016)

JohnG said:


> Actually, I _can't believe_ I don't own it. I don't know how I overlooked UIST. Absolutely awesome from what I can tell -- huge articulation list. Only two demos but really, with that many FX it looks just amazing. Thanks for the tip!



I WANT FREE STUFF, SPITFIRE! lol!

Uist is one investment I don't regret in the least.


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## doctornine (Aug 6, 2016)

Agreed - MAJOR +1 for Uist.

Can I get free stuff too ?


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## mac (Aug 6, 2016)

Ok, well I'd best check - before I purchase Uist, can I have it for free please, Spitfire?


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

mac said:


> What happens with pitch in Cage? For example, in this image, would each key have a unique, completely different sample on it (no set pitch?), or would it be a standard multi-sampled pitched instrument?
> 
> I hope that makes sense. It's been a long day and I feel tired



“As with our strings and brass, each articulation is sampled across the useful range of the section, so you aren’t stuck with a one shot effect, and you have more flexibility to orchestrate and determine the pitch." I'm actually confused by this, and note that they never define what the "useful range" of the section actually is.


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## JohnG (Aug 6, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> “As with our strings and brass, each articulation is sampled across the useful range of the section, so you aren’t stuck with a one shot effect, and you have more flexibility to orchestrate and determine the pitch." I'm actually confused by this, and note that they never define what the "useful range" of the section actually is.



I think their description is accurate, at least with the strings. They recorded across a range for a given effect so that you have a reasonably large number of starting pitches, even though many of the effects are only semi-pitched. But if you want a quasi-ricochet/col legno/sul pont/scrape-y sound on a cello, for example, while the range may be very large, it's not infinite in which it will speak well enough to work as an effect.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

mmango said:


> Would anyone mind explaining what MA stands for? Also, I'm debating on getting Majestica. I don't really have a library for epic filmscoring moments and I could probably use one.


MA = Metropolis Ark 1. Or at least, that's how I've been referring to it. My advice is to not buy Majestica when Metropolis exists. It's light years ahead of it, especially in terms of content.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

JohnG said:


> I think their description is accurate, at least with the strings. They recorded across a range for a given effect so that you have a reasonably large number of starting pitches, even though many of the effects are only semi-pitched. But if you want a quasi-ricochet/col legno/sul pont/scrape-y sound on a cello, for example, while the range may be very large, it's not infinite in which it will speak well enough to work as an effect.


That makes a lot more sense to me, especially since I won cage strings, and your explanation is a much better one!


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## airflamesred (Aug 6, 2016)

I think it fair to say that Spitfire's strong cards lie with the slower tempo sustain type things, and Uist would be a great example, not only of quality but of the versatility.
They don't, of my experience, do the stab type of thing that well (And hence why I shan't received any free stuff from them). 
I don't have Cage strings, but do have the brass. It is punchy, but limited. You're only going to use any artic once (through self respect), thats just the nature of pre recorded phrases. I'm not sure what the answer is.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

Great track Jieff!


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

airflamesred said:


> I think it fair to say that Spitfire's strong cards lie with the slower tempo sustain type things, and Uist would be a great example, not only of quality but of the versatility.
> They don't, of my experience, do the stab type of thing that well (And hence why I shan't received any free stuff from them).
> I don't have Cage strings, but do have the brass. It is punchy, but limited. You're only going to use any artic once (through self respect), thats just the nature of pre recorded phrases. I'm not sure what the answer is.


That's what I was thinking. After carefully listening to both Uist and Cage, I think I prefer the sound of Cage a lot more. The articulations are just as abundant.


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## Dave Connor (Aug 6, 2016)

Ultraxenon said:


> I also think Venus and Mercury Boys choir are slighty better than Mars


I need a decent choir that's more flexible than not (can do more traditional classical not just huge trailer.) I keep reading that the Mars part of Olympus is inferior to Venus and am aware how good their boys choir is. But, you can't in any way substitute the boys for the men so-to-speak right? You will just have glorified alto/soprano parts but nothing like tenors and basses. So you're sort of stuck with the Olympus bundle in spite of intonation and strident issues with the Mars side of it - correct? I don't see the boys choir as a real solution to traditional 4 part choral writing (is my obvious point no doubt.)


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## dhlkid (Aug 6, 2016)

Lawson. said:


> UIST is fantastic. There is so much content that you could spend all day just going through it and not writing anything! It has tonal and atonal categories, so you can get true aleatoric as well as playable control. And yes, there are multiple mics so you can pull up the close and get a drier sound.
> 
> [Note: I have received free products from Spitfire Audio]


I like to receive UISt for free from Spitfire......lol


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## Mike Fox (Aug 6, 2016)

jieff said:


> ... you could purchase Mercury and let it mature 10 - 20 years ...


Now thats genius!


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 7, 2016)

Dave Connor said:


> I need a decent choir that's more flexible than not (can do more traditional classical not just huge trailer.) I keep reading that the Mars part of Olympus is inferior to Venus and am aware how good their boys choir is. But, you can't in any way substitute the boys for the men so-to-speak right? You will just have glorified alto/soprano parts but nothing like tenors and basses. So you're sort of stuck with the Olympus bundle in spite of intonation and strident issues with the Mars side of it - correct? I don't see the boys choir as a real solution to traditional 4 part choral writing (is my obvious point no doubt.)


Mars is a very good choir, but when it comes to more subtle expressions/dynamics, Venus and Mercury boys choir is better. I dont think that Mars just can do big epic stuff. I have used it in more slow modern classical stuff, but always with Venus at their side  I bought all three choirs at the same price as it is now and i haven't regret it


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## dhlkid (Aug 7, 2016)

Back to the topics. What will you guys buy for this month?


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## dhlkid (Aug 7, 2016)

Back to the topics. What will you guys buy for this month?


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## mac (Aug 7, 2016)

Well, I _was _going to go for the Cage bundle, but Uist is fluttering its eyelids at me. 

I am a sucker for a sale though. Spitfire don't seem to share my enthusiasm for them, unfortunately.


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## Vischebaste (Aug 7, 2016)

Does anyone know if there are more offers to follow after the Polyphon offer has expired, for the duration of the 40% off sale?


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## Vischebaste (Aug 7, 2016)

jieff said:


> yep... one "mystery" instrument every week
> 
> http://8dio.com/#instrument/sale_40_off_everything/
> 
> (scroll down)



Ah, missed that! Thanks, jieff.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 7, 2016)

jieff said:


> Another vouch for *Studio Sopranos*... This is my first purchase from 8dio and I'm very happy with it! Also got *Polyphon* as a bonus. ^_^
> 
> Here's what a hobbyist can do with them, both out-of-the-box with reverb added (ew ql spaces).
> 
> *recorded my "big ben" for the intro..



Btw, is this an original?


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## Dave Connor (Aug 7, 2016)

Ultraxenon said:


> Mars is a very good choir, but when it comes to more subtle expressions/dynamics, Venus and Mercury boys choir is better. I dont think that Mars just can do big epic stuff. I have used it in more slow modern classical stuff, but always with Venus at their side  I bought all three choirs at the same price as it is now and i haven't regret it


Venus is woman only right? So you have to use Mars for SATB. You're saying that's a happy marriage? Also The Boys choir has certain useful qualities but once again you need Mars for Tenors and Basses whether boys or Venus above.

A little concerned about Mars criticism here and wondering about workarounds. Boys choir not really a workaround but nice addition is what I'm hearing.

Edit: Well I picked up Olympus so that's that.


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## lpuser (Aug 7, 2016)

Hi guys, I wonder if anyone is using "Agitato Grandiose Ensemble Violins"? Having listened to the free trial version, I found them very interesting and good to layer with EW HW Strings etc. Curious to hear your insight here. Thanks a lot.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 7, 2016)

jieff said:


> if it isn't, my subconscious sure is playing a bad trick on me...
> 
> all jokes aside, a friend of mine said it reminded him of the Home Alone theme... and I have to agree there is a resemblance (the first few notes)


Beautiful work, really! I can definitely hear some Home Alone in there too.

I would love to hear a slower, more ambient version!


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## Mike Fox (Aug 8, 2016)

jieff said:


> well... I had to take you up on that.
> 
> 
> 
> only thing missing now is a few naked angels ^_^



Ha! Love it!!!


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## Twrogstudio (Aug 8, 2016)

Just picked up the 1901 upright. Really impressed! Bags of character! Anyone have any experience with the 1990 grand? I've got IS Walnut, Hammersmith and the Ravencroft 275, but this one is calling to me now :-()


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## Ian Dorsch (Aug 8, 2016)

lpuser said:


> Hi guys, I wonder if anyone is using "Agitato Grandiose Ensemble Violins"? Having listened to the free trial version, I found them very interesting and good to layer with EW HW Strings etc. Curious to hear your insight here. Thanks a lot.



I love all of the Grandiose Legatos and they are always in my template. They have some of the same technical wrinkles as Adagio (ie occasionally inconsistent stereo placement) but they are also some of the most musical and expressive strings in my arsenal.


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## airflamesred (Aug 8, 2016)

lpuser said:


> Hi guys, I wonder if anyone is using "Agitato Grandiose Ensemble Violins"? Having listened to the free trial version, I found them very interesting and good to layer with EW HW Strings etc. Curious to hear your insight here. Thanks a lot.


Can thouroughly recommend all of the Agitatos. Some fascinating artics in there.


----------



## mmango (Aug 8, 2016)

I'm thinking of picking up one of their pianos. 1928 is usually said to be the best right?


----------



## catsass (Aug 8, 2016)

Anything useful and worth a purchase in their quirky http://8dio.com/instrument-category/misfit/ (Misfit series)?


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## Fleer (Aug 8, 2016)

Vischebaste said:


> Ah, missed that! Thanks, jieff.


And this week the free bonus is Songwriter Guitar (a $99 list value). But you do need to spend at least $99 (after 40% off).


----------



## Quasar (Aug 9, 2016)

catsass said:


> Anything useful and worth a purchase in their quirky http://8dio.com/instrument-category/misfit/ (Misfit series)?



The only 8dio product I ever bought until today was their Misfit Harmonica, and was disappointed because the "raw, gritty" detuned aspect was a bit over over the top for what I was trying to do, and I wish the parameters for controlling this were a bit broader. But it's well sampled and I could imagine it working nicely for some things, just not for what I was doing when I bought it... I will still most likely get the fiddle, as its rustic tone sounds pretty compelling to me in a _Deadwood_ theme sort of way...

...The Cajon & Bongo (not a Misfit) I got today, and it is _terrific. _You can really hear the subtle resonances & harmonics emanating from the materials of the real-world instruments, and it's nice to finally have some virtual ethnic drums that don't sound like cardboard. At the current sale price of $29 it's an absolute steal.


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## Quasar (Aug 9, 2016)

Fleer said:


> And this week the free bonus is Songwriter Guitar (a $99 list value). But you do need to spend at least $99 (after 40% off).



I didn't spend anywhere near $99 on the Cajon Bongo drums, and they shot me an email and link for it anyway... I very much doubt I'll use it, as I have zero interest in auto-chord/pattern generating stuff, but I'll probably install it just to take a look.


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## Soundhound (Aug 9, 2016)

Recap for the ADD crowd (me): anyone here have both CAGE and Uist? Is there anything CAGE has that UIST doesn't? If you already have Uist (and love it), would getting CAGE add anything to the mix? Subjective, of course. Love subjective. 

Thanks!


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## givemenoughrope (Aug 9, 2016)

I have Cage but not Uist. Just by the demos and documentation you can see/hear that this is s totally different approach and set of sounds. Cage is much less about atmospheres and evolving sounds...mostly quick stuff but you can stretch things (recorded at 96) and there are spot mics. Way more aggressive from what I can tell.


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## Soundhound (Aug 9, 2016)

Thanks, that helps absolutely. I feel the pull of CAGE getting stronger the closer the sale deadline gets...


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## Fleer (Aug 9, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> I didn't spend anywhere near $99 on the Cajon Bongo drums, and they shot me an email and link for it anyway... I very much doubt I'll use it, as I have zero interest in auto-chord/pattern generating stuff, but I'll probably install it just to take a look.


Bought a lower priced item as well, but didn't get the email or link for that Songwriter Guitar, which I would have loved to play with.
Edit: asked 8dio about it and they confirmed minimum purchase of $99. Still, didn't really care for the way support was handled. Think I'll stick to SoundIron.


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## novaburst (Aug 10, 2016)

I am ready to purchase a few library from 8dio to take advantage of there 40% sale, my question is do you need an account, i can not find any where to make an account.

or can you just purchase from pay pal


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## Ryan99 (Aug 10, 2016)

novaburst said:


> I am ready to purchase a few library from 8dio to take advantage of there 40% sale, my question is do you need an account, i can not find any where to make an account.
> 
> or can you just purchase from pay pal



No account yet, you give your details at checkout.


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## novaburst (Aug 10, 2016)

Thanks for your help @Ryan99


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## novaburst (Aug 10, 2016)

any one get a free gift song writing guitar


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 10, 2016)

novaburst said:


> any one get a free gift song writing guitar


you get the freebe after he purchase, you can just reply to the order and sometime later they respond.


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## Ryan99 (Aug 10, 2016)

Anyone tried the songwriting guitar and have any comments about it?

I already have some guitars from 8Dio (Dobro, Mandolin, Steel Guitar and Steel Strummer) and I'm not sure it brings anything more than the strummer guitars from 8Dio.


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## novaburst (Aug 10, 2016)

I was just wondering if its worth any more Drive space, should i just leave it, i have a few guitars my self


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## Fleer (Aug 10, 2016)

If you want guitars, have a look at OrangeTreeSamples instead. They are wonderful.


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## Quasar (Aug 10, 2016)

Fleer said:


> Bought a lower priced item as well, but didn't get the email or link for that Songwriter Guitar, which I would have loved to play with.
> Edit: asked 8dio about it and they confirmed minimum purchase of $99. Still, didn't really care for the way support was handled. Think I'll stick to SoundIron.



Bummer! You want it and don't have it, and I have it and don't want it. Except for the fact that it is probably not allowed by 8dio and the EULA, I would be more than happy to simply give you my copy... If you want to ask 8dio if this is OK and they give a green light. I could throw it up on a cloud storage service and link you up.

But if they wouldn't help you when you contacted them, they probably aren't interesting in allowing this either. I still have no idea why they sent me the Songwriter Guitar. What I bought from them (so far) on this sale totaled exactly $29.40...

And I heartily concur about SoundIron. One of the best developers out there, on every level...


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## Quasar (Aug 10, 2016)

Fleer said:


> If you want guitars, have a look at OrangeTreeSamples instead. They are wonderful.



Word.


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## novaburst (Aug 10, 2016)

I got a few string librarys from them, the guitar was a surprise free gift from them, its a pretty big file for a freebee

in any case this is the first time i am using 8dio, very pleased with there approach to orchestral, a very different sound, and unique.

Could not pass up that discount,


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## Fleer (Aug 10, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> Bummer! You want it and don't have it, and I have it and don't want it. Except for the fact that it is probably not allowed by 8dio and the EULA, I would be more than happy to simply give you my copy... If you want to ask 8dio if this is OK and they give a green light. I could throw it up on a cloud storage service and link you up.
> 
> But if they wouldn't help you when you contacted them, they probably aren't interesting in allowing this either. I still have no idea why they sent me the Songwriter Guitar. What I bought from them (so far) on this sale totaled exactly $29.40...
> 
> And I heartily concur about SoundIron. One of the best developers out there, on every level...


Cheers, Tugboat, will ask them!


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## Quasar (Aug 10, 2016)

Fleer said:


> Cheers, Tugboat, will ask them!



Cool. If they OK it, you can tell them that I will delete all traces of my installer, etc. after passing it on to you.


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## Fleer (Aug 11, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> Cool. If they OK it, you can tell them that I will delete all traces of my installer, etc. after passing it on to you.


They did. Sending you a PM. Thanks!


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## Kejero (Aug 11, 2016)

You can win next week's secret giveaway: 
I already have it (pretty easy to guess which instrument it is -- if you really don't know feel free to court me via PM :D) so I'm really hoping that the giveaway from the last week of August will be something I don't yet have


----------



## airflamesred (Aug 11, 2016)

I was pinning my hopes on them giving Adagio as the freebie next week!


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## mickeyl (Aug 11, 2016)

It's going to be interesting how they pull off the announced (and anticipated) consolidation volume of adagietto/adagio/agitato. I'm pretty sure that this will influence a lot of folks with regards to whether they will continue to invest in 8dio's forthcoming century series.


----------



## Parsifal666 (Aug 11, 2016)

givemenoughrope said:


> I have Cage but not Uist. Just by the demos and documentation you can see/hear that this is s totally different approach and set of sounds. Cage is much less about atmospheres and evolving sounds...mostly quick stuff but you can stretch things (recorded at 96) and there are spot mics. Way more aggressive from what I can tell.



Actually there are one hell of a lot of aggressive sounds in Uist, plenty of stabs and strikes, not to mention patches where the dissonance is more intense than anything I've heard in Cage strings. True, Albion IV is more about evolving, but it's far from just that. For the same price of Cage strings you also get brass and woodwinds, and any user of Uist will tell you the woodwinds alone are extraordinarily well done, with sounds you probably have never heard. Unearthly at times, rhythmically ugly when you want. Just...like nothing I've heard from a library before. Spitfire outdid themselves with that one. And, if things aren't aggressive enough for you, then you should already own Ohmicide.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Bishara (for good example) mocked up using Uist as I've heard things not unlike his work in that library, and I mean more than a few.

As I mentioned earlier, Cage is great in many cool ways, especially for folks who want things a little easier (and thus, with much less of a personal sound, which is great for those who don't care about that). Reminds me of Nexus in that way. Out of the box, usable, probably terrific especially for trailers, which are sounding more and more the same every day (which is fine, hey it works, right?) 

Certainly, I was just about to buy it myself, but having messed with it (at my producer friend's place), and then going to back to Uist and III, there was no need for it in my music, and that goes for the rest of 8dio considering the vast range of vst instruments/libraries I already own.

Just don't sell yourself short, if you run into the extra money and already have the 8dio stuff, don't hesitate on the Albions. Just for aggressive orchestral instruments alone, III will knock your socks off (I haven't heard anything better or more varied in that department...without already applied effects), and IV will raise the hairs on the back of your arm. The video doesn't give you any kind of idea what you're in for with those libraries; the potential for inspiration is there practically every time you open them up on a project.


----------



## Quasar (Aug 11, 2016)

Back to the OT, what I want and what I can afford are two very different subjects, even with 40% off. But I am looking closely at the New Solo Taiko and the Misfit Fiddle.


----------



## capitaljazz (Aug 11, 2016)

I don't own any 8dio product atm and I am trying to purchase fewer new libraries and focus more on learning/using the considerable number of libraries I already own. Having said that, I think I might still be tempted into purchasing the Agitato Sordino Strings and maybe the Studio Sopranos. Perhaps one of the next two weeks giveaway's will be the deciding factor on whether to purchase or not.


----------



## Soundhound (Aug 11, 2016)

This helps too, thanks! I'd really only used Uist for slowly evolving stuff, but recently found horn stabs in there on a project that were great. Maybe I don't need CAGE after all. Depending on one's definition of need of course. 





Parsifal666 said:


> Actually there are one hell of a lot of aggressive sounds in Uist, plenty of stabs and strikes, not to mention patches where the dissonance is more intense than anything I've heard in Cage strings. True, Albion IV is more about evolving, but it's far from just that. For the same price of Cage strings you also get brass and woodwinds, and any user of Uist will tell you the woodwinds alone are extraordinarily well done, with sounds you probably have never heard. Unearthly at times, rhythmically ugly when you want. Just...like nothing I've heard from a library before. Spitfire outdid themselves with that one. And, if things aren't aggressive enough for you, then you should already own Ohmicide.
> 
> It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Bishara (for good example) mocked up using Uist as I've heard things not unlike his work in that library, and I mean more than a few.
> 
> ...


----------



## desert (Aug 11, 2016)

mickeyl said:


> It's going to be interesting how they pull off the announced (and anticipated) consolidation volume of adagietto/adagio/agitato. I'm pretty sure that this will influence a lot of folks with regards to whether they will continue to invest in 8dio's forthcoming century series.



Consolidated volume? Sorry, what was announced? Should I hold off purchasing during this promotion?

Cheers


----------



## Mike Fox (Aug 11, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> Actually there are one hell of a lot of aggressive sounds in Uist, plenty of stabs and strikes, not to mention patches where the dissonance is more intense than anything I've heard in Cage strings. True, Albion IV is more about evolving, but it's far from just that. For the same price of Cage strings you also get brass and woodwinds, and any user of Uist will tell you the woodwinds alone are extraordinarily well done, with sounds you probably have never heard. Unearthly at times, rhythmically ugly when you want. Just...like nothing I've heard from a library before. Spitfire outdid themselves with that one. And, if things aren't aggressive enough for you, then you should already own Ohmicide.
> 
> It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Bishara (for good example) mocked up using Uist as I've heard things not unlike his work in that library, and I mean more than a few.
> 
> ...



You just sold me on UIST.


----------



## mac (Aug 12, 2016)

@Parsifal666 Thanks! Is there a delay going on in there somewhere?


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## mac (Aug 12, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> Hi Mac, any delay was by accident. Try this file instead, I think the lack of effects is an improvement, actually. A lesson for me: never mess with effects when in a rush lol!
> 
> [AUDIOPLUS=http://vi-control.net/community/attachments/uist-brass_hewb-panned-right-nofx-mp3.6013/][/AUDIOPLUS]



Yep, that does sound better 

Something which really bugs me about 8dio (and some other devs) are their demo tracks, especially the Cage ones. It's almost impossible to tell what is cage, when there's a zillion other libraries in the track. We need some naked demos please, or at least near naked.


----------



## mmango (Aug 12, 2016)

mickeyl said:


> It's going to be interesting how they pull off the announced (and anticipated) consolidation volume of adagietto/adagio/agitato. I'm pretty sure that this will influence a lot of folks with regards to whether they will continue to invest in 8dio's forthcoming century series.


Got a link to the announcement? I'm curious about what that's about since I haven't heard about it.


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## airflamesred (Aug 12, 2016)

_


mmango said:



Got a link to the announcement? I'm curious about what that's about since I haven't heard about it.

Click to expand...

_
This is from the blog for Century strings, posted last year.
_ Ps. We also have great news for all our current string owners. It’s four years ago since we began the journey with our Adagio, Adagietto and Agitato series. We obviously learned a tremendous amount of things during those sessions (+60 days of consecutive recording time) and in the production of the libraries. The end-result was the creation of the most alive sounding strings on todays market. However we’ve also realize that all the different string volumes can seem confusing to customers, which is why we are excited to announce that we are working on consolidating our Adagio and Agitato Series into one singular volume, which will be available spring 2016._


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## mickeyl (Aug 12, 2016)

They have also repeatedly been confirming this in their century series vlogs. Obviously the time frame was a bit optimistic, but they promised to ship this _before_ Century Strings... not keeping this promise would raise an enormous backlash.


----------



## Zhao Shen (Aug 12, 2016)

mickeyl said:


> They have also repeatedly been confirming this in their century series vlogs. Obviously the time frame was a bit optimistic, but they promised to ship this _before_ Century Strings... not keeping this promise would raise an enormous backlash.


I mean it's in their best interests to release it before Century just so they can squeeze as much cash from the Adagio/Agitato generation of libraries as possible before delivering the new groundbreaking hyper-realistic library with 300 billion lines of code.


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## galactic orange (Aug 13, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> Back to the OT, what I want and what I can afford are two very different subjects, even with 40% off. But I am looking closely at the New Solo Taiko and the Misfit Fiddle.



Did the New Solo Taikos get a price drop to $99 with the new website update? I'm almost positive they were at $139 a few days ago. If that's the case, I'll be picking it up for sure.

Edit: If you look at 8dio.com it's the old "current" website and the price is $139. If you click a link to the new website which I guess is not public yet, the price for New Solo Taikos is $99.


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## Quasar (Aug 13, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> *Did the New Solo Taikos get a price drop to $99 with the new website update?* I'm almost positive they were at $139 a few days ago. If that's the case, I'll be picking it up for sure.



Huh? This would be news to me, but cool if it's true... But I've been looking at the Evolution Series stuff now too, and may start a thread to forage for opinions. Their stuff sounds really, really good from what I can tell from the demos.


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## galactic orange (Aug 13, 2016)

I'm also looking at the Evolution Taikos. I missed the sale a while back because I didn't have the funds. Both those and the 8DIO ones sound really good to me. 

I'm not looking for a huge booming epic sound with lots of reverb. I'd rather build my own smaller ensembles from the solo instruments and keep the reverb down, more like an outside performance. I've read that the 8DIO taikos have a lot of reverb baked in so that's the only thing holding me back.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> I'm also looking at the Evolution Taikos. I missed the sale a while back because I didn't have the funds. Both those and the 8DIO ones sound really good to me.
> 
> I'm not looking for a huge booming epic sound with lots of reverb. I'd rather build my own smaller ensembles from the solo instruments and keep the reverb down, more like an outside performance. I've read that the 8DIO taikos have a lot of reverb baked in so that's the only thing holding me back.



I bought Evolution Taiko back in sale, when I was still putting off buying East West. The former can sound great...when they work. That library can freeze your projects right up, to the point where you have to restart your computer. I rarely even try using them; luckily, I have Stormdrum 3 (which sounds both more clean and, well, significantly better imo).


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

I have the 8Dio New Epic Solo Taiko, New Epic Taiko Ensemble and Evolution Taiko. There is reverb backed into the 8Dio Taikos which you can reduce however never get rid off. When I compare the 8Dio's Taikos with the Evolution Taiko or LADD the 8DIOs have more backed reverb. You could also look into CineSamples Drums of War 2 which sound to me Dry enough when I bypass the reverb. CineSamples Drums of War 2 is when it comes to "Taiko with the least backed reverb"in the lead.




galactic orange said:


> I'm also looking at the Evolution Taikos. I missed the sale a while back because I didn't have the funds. Both those and the 8DIO ones sound really good to me.
> 
> I'm not looking for a huge booming epic sound with lots of reverb. I'd rather build my own smaller ensembles from the solo instruments and keep the reverb down, more like an outside performance. I've read that the 8DIO taikos have a lot of reverb baked in so that's the only thing holding me back.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

Maybe this helps *galactic orange*


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> CineSamples Drums of War 2 .



I've heard great things about that library. I have my SD 2 and 3 for no-effects, and Darwin for a roomier sound. If I were to have extra, I'd grab the Zimmer London Ensemble in a heartbeat, for fun the Drums of War 2.

Fxpansion is working on a Taiko soundset for Geist, which is a drum machine I've made really good use of.


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> I've heard great things about that library. I have my SD 2 and 3 for no-effects, and Darwin for a roomier sound. If I were to have extra, I'd grab the Zimmer London Ensemble in a heartbeat, for fun the Drums of War 2.
> 
> Fxpansion is working on a Taiko soundset for Geist, which is a drum machine I've made really good use of.



My next big Perc purchase is Spitfire's HZ possibly the bundle. Just waiting got the next sale...


----------



## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Maybe this helps *galactic orange*





The Cinesamples sounds good and bald, might be a decent alternative to SD3 if you're looking to save money.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> My next big Perc purchase is Spitfire's HZ possibly the bundle. Just waiting got the next sale...



Yes, I'm PSYCHED for the next HZ London Ensemble sale. I almost went the Sweetwater route for that, but it's just that I already have a ton of great percussion libraries. No doubt though, I would CERTAINLY find us for the Spitfire, the demos are fantastic imo.


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Maybe this helps *galactic orange*



I did not include other Taikos like the one from ALBION III - ICENI, mainly due to the special request from galactic orange which maybe served best the rather not so expensive library Drums of War 2. However you get for example more for a lower overall per Instrument/sound/sound design price when you go for bigger libraries.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> I did not include other Taikos like the one from ALBION III - ICENI, mainly due to the special request from galactic orange which maybe served best the rather not so expensive library Drums of War 2. However you get for example more for a lower overall per Instrument/sound/sound design price when you go for bigger libraries.



Plus, there's still a bit of room on the Iceni Darwin (though less than the other Albions); certainly the Drums of War sound a bit cleaner. The thing is, with Iceni you get...everything else.


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> Plus, there's still a bit of room on the Iceni Darwin (though less than the other Albions); certainly the Drums of War sound a bit cleaner. The thing is, with Iceni you get...everything else.



Or get HZ01, the close mic should work on the Taiko as well


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Or get HZ01, the close mic should work on the Taiko as well



ARGH! WHERE'S THAT SALE!


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

Let's turn this thread back on the topic. 8Dio has some great libraries which are on sale now. They all sound rather epic than intimate.


----------



## bc3po (Aug 14, 2016)

Any of the pianos worth picking up?


----------



## catsass (Aug 14, 2016)

bc3po said:


> Any of the pianos worth picking up?


Yes, but remember to lift with your legs, not your back.


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## bc3po (Aug 14, 2016)

catsass said:


> Yes, but remember to lift with your legs, not your back.


Dammit... Ha


----------



## Twrogstudio (Aug 14, 2016)

Picked up the 1901 upright and the 1990 grand in the sale. Couldn't recommend them highly enough. 



bc3po said:


> Any of the pianos worth picking up?


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 14, 2016)

I can recommend the 
1990 Studio Grand and Prepared Grand Piano
1901 Studio Upright Piano
so so happy with: 
1928 Legacy Grand Scoring Piano


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## novaburst (Aug 14, 2016)

catsass said:


> Yes, but remember to lift with your legs, not your back.


Lol...........


----------



## galactic orange (Aug 15, 2016)

Thank you for posting the comparison video, Thorsten. The 8DIO New Solo Taikos sound very close and up front with the close mics up. But even with the far mics down the room sounds huge and there's a lot of high end there. The Evolution Taikos have a more mellow sound in the room with a bit different mic position. To my ears the Evolution taikos sound more like they're being played in a real dark sounding Japanese temple which is the vibe I'm going for.

I've got the bigger boomy instruments covered with Soundiron's Apocalypse Percussion Ensemble. Huge isn't what I'm looking for here, but that doesn't mean the 8DIO taikos wouldn't work for a lot of things. They've got a nice "knock" in the transients. The rest of the taiko instruments I heard for the first time in the video. I'm not completely satisfied with any of them, but that's often the case with sample libraries I suppose.


----------



## sp_comp (Aug 15, 2016)

isn't there supposed to be a new "Secret Giveaway" today? I'm not really interested in the Songwriting guitar and I'm curious as to what the next one is


----------



## Quasar (Aug 15, 2016)

sp_comp said:


> isn't there supposed to be a new "Secret Giveaway" today? I'm not really interested in the Songwriting guitar and I'm curious as to what the next one is



I just came to this thread to post the exact same question. Waiting on this before I decide what to do.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 15, 2016)

Secret Giveaway is 
Basstard


----------



## sp_comp (Aug 15, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Secret Giveaway is
> Basstard


Cool! That one looks interesting!


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## Quasar (Aug 15, 2016)

sp_comp said:


> Cool! That one looks interesting!



Same here. Songwriter had zero interest for me, but this one is a definitely a draw, if true. Can't access the new website right now.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 15, 2016)

8Dio is moving server/provider

8Dio :"
To all ... We are currently fully migrating from our old website to our new one ... It will take a couple of hours ... If you experience any errors just reload the website - we are moving to more secure locations. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause - bare with us."


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 15, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> bare with us."



So, they're getting naked? I'll pass.


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## sp_comp (Aug 15, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> So, they're getting naked? I'll pass.


Haha, I was gonna say something about that too! It drives me crazy when people use the wrong spellings of words


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 15, 2016)

sp_comp said:


> Haha, I was gonna say something about that too! It drives me crazy when people use the wrong spellings of words



But hey, (Seinfeld) "NOT that there's anything WRONG with that!"


----------



## Ian Dorsch (Aug 15, 2016)

Basstard is cool. I wish I didn't already own it so I could get it as a free gift.


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## Fleer (Aug 15, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> Same here. Songwriter had zero interest for me, but this one is a definitely a draw, if true. Can't access the new website right now.


Quite happy with Songwriting Guitar here, thanks for helping out, Michael !


----------



## dhlkid (Aug 16, 2016)

I think free gift won't over US99
I wish ......it can be solo frame drum, Epic Tom or Epic dhol


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## krops (Aug 16, 2016)

OK, so I own three libraries from 8Dio: Agitato Grandiose Sordino Strings, Adagio Cellos and Francesca. I also own all Cinesamples Cores + Solo Strings and Symphobia 1+2. Would anyone say there's an 8Dio product that could fill any obvious gaps in that lineup (articulations, etc.)? I've been a bit lukewarm when it comes to the sound of the two 8Dio string libraries I own, but I kind of feel like I should take advantage of this sale if there's gold hidden beneath all the hype and gigabytes and one jillion lines of code. I was thinking of Cage, but I've realised I should focus on more subtle nuances of the orchestra first. I'm not interested in any of the hybrid stuff, btw.


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 17, 2016)

krops said:


> OK, so I own three libraries from 8Dio: Agitato Grandiose Sordino Strings, Adagio Cellos and Francesca. I also own all Cinesamples Cores + Solo Strings and Symphobia 1+2. Would anyone say there's an 8Dio product that could fill any obvious gaps in that lineup (articulations, etc.)? I've been a bit lukewarm when it comes to the sound of the two 8Dio string libraries I own, but I kind of feel like I should take advantage of this sale if there's gold hidden beneath all the hype and gigabytes and one jillion lines of code. I was thinking of Cage, but I've realised I should focus on more subtle nuances of the orchestra first. I'm not interested in any of the hybrid stuff, btw.



You should consider Loegria over 8dio, especially for what you want.


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## dhlkid (Aug 17, 2016)

I think I will make my move to 8dio Claire Woodwinds


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 17, 2016)

lucky you I included some Clair Woodwinds in today's woodwinds comparison which I posted on youtube.

Comparing some wood instruments, including Bass, ContraBassoons, Bassoons, Clarinets, Oboe, different Flutes. Solo and in an Ensemble from SoundIron, 8Dio, Orchestra Tools, Spitfire Audio, Fluffy, Cinesamples, and Project SAM.

This small comparison may help in finding the right tune when you compose and wonder if the gras is greener in that other library.

The whole session starts with one Piano and ends with a Piano (both from 8Dio)


----------



## Guffy (Aug 17, 2016)

Does the price have to be above $99 *before* or *after* the discount to be eligible for the free gift?


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 17, 2016)

Fugdup said:


> Does the price have to be above $99 *before* or *after* the discount to be eligible for the free gift?


My understanding is that you have to checkout and pay at least 99/100 USD. Just add one of their misti instruments if you are close to 100usd.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 17, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> lucky you I included some Clair Woodwinds in today's woodwinds comparison which I posted on youtube.
> 
> Comparing some wood instruments, including Bass, ContraBassoons, Bassoons, Clarinets, Oboe, different Flutes. Solo and in an Ensemble from SoundIron, 8Dio, Orchestra Tools, Spitfire Audio, Fluffy, Cinesamples, and Project SAM.
> 
> ...



Great comparison vid! I didn't think I would like Majestica the most out of all of these. Claire was actually my least favorite.


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## krops (Aug 17, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> You should consider Loegria over 8dio, especially for what you want.


Hah! Well, the sale is my main motivation for considering 8Dio (or anything) right now, but thanks for the tip. I'm sure Spitfire will provide a discount on Loegria ... if they ever retire it before reintroducing it as Loegria ONE.


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## playz123 (Aug 17, 2016)

My purchase was Lacrimosa....a great deal especially for V8P members. Although I also received Basstard as a bonus, I doubt it's something I will use very much.


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## dpasdernick (Aug 17, 2016)

playz123 said:


> My purchase was Lacrimosa....a great deal especially for V8P members. Although I also received Basstard as a bonus, I doubt it's something I will use very much.



I bought Basstard a few years ago. Never use it. In fact I also bought Hybrid Tools 2, Post Apocalyptic Guitars, and Dubstep and never use any of them. Maybe I bought the wrong 8DIO instruments?


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## Kejero (Aug 18, 2016)

dpasdernick said:


> I bought Basstard a few years ago. Never use it. In fact I also bought Hybrid Tools 2, Post Apocalyptic Guitars, and Dubstep and never use any of them. Maybe I bought the wrong 8DIO instruments?


Actually every single one of those are very, very useful for the right pieces of music. It all depends on what you're trying to achieve.


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## zvenx (Aug 18, 2016)

I am thinking about getting the 1990 Prepared Piano, but I don't see much user conversations about it here or quite frankly on the net in general.
thanks in advance.
rsp


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 18, 2016)

The 1990 Piano is part of my top 5 pianos, one of the best from 8Dio.


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## zvenx (Aug 18, 2016)

Thanks Thorsten, saw your post about it earlier in this thread, but I don't see many others commenting on it.
rsp


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## SmokeyJ (Aug 18, 2016)

Any thoughts on the 8dio Dobro Solo? I own Indiginus' Resonator Guitar, which I know is not sampled as deeply. Would the 8dio Dobro be worthwhile?

EDIT: Wait a minute. Did the new site get rid of the Dobro Solo? I can only find the bundle now.

EDIT #2: Contacted 8dio, and yes, they removed the Dobro solo. So, you have to buy the bundle now. I'm not really interested (or convinced) by how they do their strummer libraries.

At any rate, I'm still curious about the quality.


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## Fleer (Aug 21, 2016)

So what's the new freebie?


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## David Chappell (Aug 22, 2016)

Wow, free 1969 Steinway this week. I am very very tempted... but seeing the progression of the freebies getting better each week, I can't help but feel like I should hold off until next week... I am very torn here!


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## SoNowWhat? (Aug 22, 2016)

Props to Thorsten and Parsifal in this thread. Think you may have saved me some money. 

On the other hand, I think I might just give Parsifal my bank details and Spitfire login til I'm fully sorted. It seems I need to "donate" yet more to the cause. Damn you Spitfire!!!

(I love you really Spitfire).

Sorry, this is an 8Dio thread. I own a handful of 8Dio libraries (5 iirc) and if I'm honest I was a little disappointed. I'm not 100% convinced of the value for money. Not hating on them at all, just my opinion re product vs value. Maybe I'm the problem here as plenty of people seem to like them. For me it's in the sound/tone and I feel they're a little over egged. 

A 40% sale is however a very generous offer and if you need something they have, then fill your boots.


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## Tatu (Aug 23, 2016)

Just because of the Steinway, I think I'll get something.. Liberis (I wonder if it was recorded at the same church as Adagio?) or AGE Vol. 1.

I have a feeling, that Steinway will be the last "freebie".


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## Mike Fox (Aug 23, 2016)

Tatu said:


> I have a feeling, that Steinway will be the last "freebie".


There will actually be one more freebie after the Steinway, and the value keeps climbing.


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## SymphonicSamples (Aug 23, 2016)

I was lucky enough today to receive 7 emails from 8dio within the space of 1 minute all titled " Our Best Offer Yet! " Now does that mean they really like me and I get 280% off my next purchase ??


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 23, 2016)

105$ for Jenifer, Grand 1969 steinway Piano, Misfits banjo. Wow what a deal


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## Parsifal666 (Aug 23, 2016)

SoNowWhat? said:


> Props to Thorsten and Parsifal in this thread. Think you may have saved me some money.
> 
> On the other hand, I think I might just give Parsifal my bank details and Spitfire login til I'm fully sorted. It seems I need to "donate" yet more to the cause. Damn you Spitfire!!!
> 
> ...





It's funny, I was just finishing up a softer, more dynamic mock up with Spitfire Albion One (the more recent one) when I read this post. Spitfire just has great stuff, period. Put it this way, it's hard to go wrong with that developer.

I made sure to check all the 8dio videos (including ones for Emotional Cello, which at one point really interested me). But I just don't see the need, considering what I have...even for "just in case"-slash-collection purposes (which I've been wont to do on too many occasions). I just couldn't see myself using what I saw much.

Every time I open the Albions in a project I am happily impressed. That's all I need to know for sure I have the right tools.


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## dhlkid (Aug 23, 2016)

Hoping next week freebies .....I wanna get the Claire Alto Flute & Englisg horns,
But I don't need another piano library.


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## jtnyc (Aug 23, 2016)

I picked up the 1990 Prepared Piano. It's very cool. Not something I was on the look out for, but I figured with the 1969 Steinway for free, why not. While I don't regret it, I am quite disappointed with the 1969. It doesn't seem to have many velocity layers and the transitions between can feel very jumpy. It seems like it's focused for louder playing. Not very dynamic. I took a look inside and from what I can see, it has 6, although I'm no Kontakt expert so I could be wrong, but it doesn't play like a deep sampled piano library. If I knew, I would have waited to see what the next gift is....

I am quite happy with the 1990 Prepared though. Many interesting subtle and beautiful tones there


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## SoNowWhat? (Aug 23, 2016)

Parsifal666 said:


> It's funny, I was just finishing up a softer, more dynamic mock up with Spitfire Albion One (the more recent one) when I read this post. Spitfire just has great stuff, period. Put it this way, it's hard to go wrong with that developer.
> 
> I made sure to check all the 8dio videos (including ones for Emotional Cello, which at one point really interested me). But I just don't see the need, considering what I have...even for "just in case"-slash-collection purposes (which I've been wont to do on too many occasions). I just couldn't see myself using what I saw much.
> 
> Every time I open the Albions in a project I am happily impressed. That's all I need to know for sure I have the right tools.


Agree re Spitfire libraries. Never been disappointed, I just need to pace my acquisitions. I do have Emotional Cello though and I love, love, love it. I also think it plays well with Spitfire (Albion One and Chamber Strings). I don't have a Spitfire solo Cello (yet) so it fills that niche for me.

There are many wonderful libraries out there. It's a good time to be alive.

Edit - oh, meant to say that the love of Spitfire libraries could have something to do with the styles of music written. Though, my opinion is that their products are pretty flexible and can be used in many different styles.


----------



## Tatu (Aug 24, 2016)

I didn't receive my freebie (I used a different discount code), but thumbs up for 8Dio's support; problem solved within an hour after contacting them.


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## StatKsn (Aug 24, 2016)

SmokeyJ said:


> Any thoughts on the 8dio Dobro Solo? I own Indiginus' Resonator Guitar, which I know is not sampled as deeply. Would the 8dio Dobro be worthwhile?
> 
> EDIT: Wait a minute. Did the new site get rid of the Dobro Solo? I can only find the bundle now.
> 
> ...



The 8Dio Dobro is pretty beautifully recorded and there are bunch of useful presets (tenor, piccolo and stereo double). Sustains are deeply sampled (five dynamic layers and 5RR). However, articulation-wise it is very limited as there only are sustains and slide up/down, with some mute-strum sound overlay which can be switched on/off. It is more of a good sound design library that sounds like a Dobro than a fully-fledged guitar lib. You can combine the strummer Kontakt script (found in NI's official Kontakt User Library) to play a so-so-realistic sounding chords.

I have an opposite problem from yours, I own Dobro Solo but not the strummer. So, how can I get strummer now?!


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## MrCambiata (Aug 24, 2016)

Just installed Studio Sopranos. With Spaces I get a really nice sound. I'm actually happy with the free Steinway 1969. Yes, the dynamic range is limited but I like the character of it, doesn't sound sterile like some sampled pianos.


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## Kejero (Aug 24, 2016)

mikefox789 said:


> There will actually be one more freebie after the Steinway, and the value keeps climbing.


It's gonna be so funny with all these people catching on to the pattern of giveaway values raising, sitting it out and waiting for a last great deal, when they reveal the final freebie is... Train Flutes! 

PS: Sorry if I offended any fans of the Train Flutes with this post. Please don't take it personally.


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## pixel (Aug 24, 2016)

This 1969 Steinway need some tweaking. First hours after download I really disliked it. Next day after tweaking I began to like this piano. Seems to be good for Jazz/Small Club type of music (with 'keyboard' and 'dampers' mics up). For orchestral staff I still prefer Kontakt's Grandeur Piano. 
From other hand I like Studio Sopranos. probably soon we will hear the same choir phrases everywhere as it seems that a lot of people bought that library this summer


----------



## SmokeyJ (Aug 24, 2016)

Kejero said:


> PS: Sorry if I offended any fans of the Train Flutes with this post. Please don't take it personally.



How dare you? My father was a train flute as was his father before him!


----------



## Kejero (Aug 24, 2016)

pixel said:


> This 1969 Steinway need some tweaking. First hours after download I really disliked it. Next day after tweaking I began to like this piano. Seems to be good for Jazz/Small Club type of music (with 'keyboard' and 'dampers' mics up). For orchestral staff I still prefer Kontakt's Grandeur Piano.
> From other hand I like Studio Sopranos. probably soon we will hear the same choir phrases everywhere as it seems that a lot of people bought that library this summer


The Sopranos are beautiful. I only wish they had larger chests. By which I mean, sustained notes after legato transitions tend to be rather short.


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## SmokeyJ (Aug 24, 2016)

StatKsn said:


> The 8Dio Dobro is pretty beautifully recorded and there are bunch of useful presets (tenor, piccolo and stereo double). Sustains are deeply sampled (five dynamic layers and 5RR). However, articulation-wise it is very limited as there only are sustains and slide up/down, with some mute-strum sound overlay which can be switched on/off. It is more of a good sound design library that sounds like a Dobro than a fully-fledged guitar lib. You can combine the strummer Kontakt script (found in NI's official Kontakt User Library) to play a so-so-realistic sounding chords.
> 
> I have an opposite problem from yours, I own Dobro Solo but not the strummer. So, how can I get strummer now?!



Thank you for the review of the Dobro. I decided to go for it primarily based on primarily on the great sounding "sound design" presets played on the official video for it. Oh, and as I'm a piano player, the free 1969 piano was exactly the type of freebie I was waiting for. As I was planning to buy the Solo one only and add enough to get $99 total, I did have to pay an extra $20 because they no longer offer the solo. It *is* annoying that they decided to drop the separate products during the middle of their sale. Their email to me said the separate products might return one day, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Maybe you can contact them and they'll make a special deal for you?

I haven't downloaded the libraries yet, but I hope to get that accomplished today. 8dio ordering system did not work properly in my case. They took the money via Paypal and sent me an "order completed" email, but I got a message on their site that there was an error. I emailed support from my account email and put in the order number, but they still wouldn't put the products in my account until I sent them screenshots of my receipts. ?!?! They should've had a record of my sale and completed it without hassle, but it came across as essentially me having to prove I wasn't a criminal. It did not leave a good taste in my mouth. There was no apology for their ordering system screw-up, either.

When Tonehammer split into 8dio and Soundiron, the two companies diverged in a number of ways. Soundiron is a group of nice guys with good policies, good prices, and very few complaints are out there about the quality of their products or their service. As for 8dio....

If you're thinking of getting the Bulbul Tarang (which is the only 8dio library I had before this sale), don't. There's way too much work required to get it to sound good, and the sampling is very inconsistent.


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## StatKsn (Aug 24, 2016)

Speaking of consistency, I think Dobro Solo is quite well done with some "character" left in playing. 8Dio used to be known for its quirky editing, but has been getting better on that end (their recent 1990 Piano is a big improvement from 1928 in terms of editing consistency and playability, Agitato is a quantum leap from Adagio, and so on).

I do find 8Dio's policy to be a bit of a hassle sometimes, as "ID/screenshot please" surprise also happened to me in the past.


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## SBK (Aug 24, 2016)

Wow interesting deal!


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 24, 2016)

1990 Grand piano is also my favorite, i got the free 1969 piano yesterday, its good but not as good as 1990.
I had some trouble with the 8dio downloader yesterday so i wrote a email to support and in just 5 minutes they responded. I have the same experience with Cinesamples. I have lots of products from Soundiron and I never had to use their support, thats even better My impression overall is that support works


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## Kejero (Aug 24, 2016)

SmokeyJ said:


> 8dio ordering system did not work properly in my case. They took the money via Paypal and sent me an "order completed" email, but I got a message on their site that there was an error.


Yeah I've experienced a few hickups myself since they've switched to their new system. Last issue I had was the exact same thing: placed an order, but after Paypal I got redirected to a page that said "Purchase error, please contact administrator", and I didn't automatically receive my serial number. I have to say though that their support in my case has been very fast and smooth. But I've been in contact with them several times already, maybe I've earned my place on the white list!



> If you're thinking of getting the Bulbul Tarang (which is the only 8dio library I had before this sale), don't. There's way too much work required to get it to sound good, and the sampling is very inconsistent.


Their Bulbul is one of their oldest instruments I think, and it shows. I have it on good authority though that they're upgrading a large amount of instruments from their existing catalogue, so who knows, we might be in for a surprise!


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## james7275 (Aug 24, 2016)

I still have a few instruments which were not added to my 8dio account. I contacted support and they said "did you use the same account" I emailed back and said yes and got no response back.
I emailed a few days later asking if they wanted me to go into my PayPal history and pull up a transaction id# or some info from that and again they never responded.
What is up with these guys? Have they been instructed that if they cannot verify that I bought these products on their end, that I'm trying to pull a fast one on them and therefore I should be ignored.

Maybe they get a lot of people claiming they bought products when in fact they haven't, but in my case I have bought these items and I can't get a response back now to try and prove it to them.

Maybe I'll try one more time, and if I don't get a response back, then I will email troels directly.


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## SmokeyJ (Aug 24, 2016)

To be fair, they did get me sorted. However, it was *their* issue so an explanation or an apology would've gone a long way. They already had the money (from a U.S. bank withdrawal, no less) and I guess if I hadn't contacted them, then I'd have just been without the library. It's not acceptable for that to occur regularly. If your company takes the money and confirms the order via email, then it's your responsibility to deliver it. It's not my responsibility to track you down and then jump through additional hoops that you put up. 

I do think they put out good products, but if you do a little internet digging, it's clear they've got some problems they need to address with regard to their payment process and some of their internet interactions.

The good news is that libraries downloaded lightning fast, so I'll be able to give them a spin this evening.


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## pixel (Aug 24, 2016)

Kejero said:


> The Sopranos are beautiful. I only wish they had larger chests. By which I mean, sustained notes after legato transitions tend to be rather short.


Truth. I worked it out by simple note split but it doesn't always work. IMO this library is quite limited like for original price


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## dhlkid (Aug 24, 2016)

I guess I will wait until next week to get the Claire Alto Flute & Engoish Horn.


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## AllanH (Aug 24, 2016)

I must be missing something: I don't see the "1969 Steinway" when checking out with $100+ in the cart after applying code 8DIO40. How do I get the "1969 Steinway"?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 24, 2016)

AllanH said:


> I must be missing something: I don't see the "1969 Steinway" when checking out with $100+ in the cart after applying code 8DIO40. How do I get the "1969 Steinway"?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any guidance!


after you purchase products from 8dio above 99usd you get in a separate email the codes to download the free instrument.


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## AllanH (Aug 24, 2016)

Thank you Thorsten - worked as described! Got my first 8Dio instruments!


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## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Does anybody know what the last secret giveaway is that started today (28. August)?


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## mac (Aug 28, 2016)

The Cage collection would be nice


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## Ultraxenon (Aug 28, 2016)

It could be a great 199$ instrument, but i think we just have to wait and see


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## dhlkid (Aug 28, 2016)

Wondering what this week freebie will be


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## S.M Hassani (Aug 28, 2016)

Hi,

I picked up Claire Alto Flute and Epic Toms today, via PayPal. Got my links and the 1969 Piano in a few minutes. All went well, in case anyone wants to know.

Best to all,

S.M


----------



## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

S.M Hassani said:


> Hi,
> 
> I picked up Claire Alto Flute and Epic Toms today, via PayPal. Got my links and the 1969 Piano in a few minutes. All went well, in case anyone wants to know.
> 
> ...


yeah, the 8DIO website says:

_Free 1969 Steinway Grand Piano (value $149) 22th August – *August 28th*_
_Secret Giveaway *28th August* – August 31th_
_Note: The Secret Giveaway requires a minimum purchase of $100. You will receive together with the other instruments you’ve purchased._

So, shouldn't there be a "secret giveaway" plugin on top of the 1969 Steinway today (28th August)?

BTW: nice product choice! The Toms are HUGE, aren't they?  I love to put them on top for loud, epic sequences. Have fun!


----------



## airflamesred (Aug 28, 2016)

So surely this must spell retirement for good old Adagio? With Century strings around the next corner you wouldn't want 2 big libs like that.
Adagietto and Agitato get remoulded into? - 'Agadoo' and aimed at the budget end.
We shall see.


----------



## S.M Hassani (Aug 28, 2016)

risk said:


> So, shouldn't there be a "secret giveaway" plugin on top of the 1969 Steinway today (28th August)?



I certainly wouldn't mind.



risk said:


> BTW: nice product choice! The Toms are HUGE, aren't they?  I love to put them on top for loud, epic sequences. Have fun!



Thanks, the Epic Perc series is a great tool to have. That "HUGE" sound is hard to get elsewhere. I suspect it has something to do with their sampling approach: Troels said they practically destroyed a good set of toms to capture that sound.

I like the Claire winds for their special tone. With a little patience you can get some unique lines out of them. Just listen to Ivan Torrent's demos for a taste of what they can do. Likewise for the Adagio series.

Over time, I've made quite a little investment with 8Dio and I'm still looking to grab even more. We'll see how they refresh the Adagio collection.

Cheers,

S.M


----------



## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

S.M Hassani said:


> I certainly wouldn't mind.
> ... Troels said they practically destroyed a good set of toms to capture that sound. ...
> ... I like the Claire winds for their special tone. ...
> S.M



Yeah, with the claire and toms, you now have the beauty and the beast on your team! :D

I'm still curious about that "secret giveaway" thing. If you say, you have received only the 1969, it seems to be a typo on the website. Thanks for your feedback!


----------



## Fleer (Aug 28, 2016)

You should indeed purchase today if you want two freebies


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## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Fleer said:


> You should indeed purchase today if you want two freebies


Cool, what is the new secret giveaway? I'd like to avoid to accidently buy the new giveaway. In my cart are the Blendstrument Hybrid Pulses + Alive Percussions and the Taiko Ensemble.


----------



## Fleer (Aug 28, 2016)

It's secret


----------



## Fleer (Aug 28, 2016)

Some people have indicated that the $99 prerequisite is fulfilled before the 40% rebate. So spending $60 should suffice.


----------



## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Fleer said:


> Some people have indicated that the $99 prerequisite is fulfilled before the 40% rebate. So spending $60 should suffice.


8DIO answered this question on Facebook:
_"Good question. It means the total in your cart AFTER applying the discount code has to be $99 or more. But think about it ... You get 40% off everything and an instrument (ex. Basstard right now) worth more then $99. About as good as it gets."_

I hope this will help you.


----------



## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Fleer said:


> It's secret


Thanks for this delightful answer.


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## Fleer (Aug 28, 2016)

risk said:


> 8DIO answered this question on Facebook:
> _"Good question. It means the total in your cart AFTER applying the discount code has to be $99 or more. But think about it ... You get 40% off everything and an instrument (ex. Basstard right now) worth more then $99. About as good as it gets."_
> 
> I hope this will help you.


Thanks. Still, seems to have worked when the total was $99 before discount code. Maybe not anymore.


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## Fleer (Aug 28, 2016)

Kota said:


> What do you mean by "secret?" It's a mystery and you find out when you spend the money? I could be wrong but it looks to me like they just haven't updated the site.


Just a joke. Waiting for a site update as well


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## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Fleer said:


> Just a joke. Waiting for a site update as well


One can not simply make jokes about plugin sales! Things are serious! :D


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 28, 2016)

I wish I had got in there when I they were doing the Basstard one. As I have 1969 Piano :/ Sigh. Oh well, perhaps they will sneak another one in before they end it


----------



## risk (Aug 28, 2016)

Shad0wLandsUK said:


> I wish I had got in there when I they were doing the Basstard one. As I have 1969 Piano :/ Sigh. Oh well, perhaps they will sneak another one in before they end it


Have you placed your order today?


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 28, 2016)

No I have not yet...holding out for another giveaway...


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Aug 28, 2016)

Anybody got from the the Claire Alto FLute / Flute and Piccolo? How their colors blend and how they are in an orchestral context?


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 28, 2016)

It is maybe a simple error, if you look at the dates they did never have overlapping day, the new promotion starter in the last periods always the next day. Today is the day where we will see a new freebe



risk said:


> yeah, the 8DIO website says:
> 
> _Free 1969 Steinway Grand Piano (value $149) 22th August – *August 28th*_
> _Secret Giveaway *28th August* – August 31th_
> ...


----------



## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 28, 2016)

They are cutting it pretty short as it is close to the 31st now :/


----------



## WindcryMusic (Aug 28, 2016)

Shad0wLandsUK said:


> They are cutting it pretty short as it is close to the 31st now :/



That's another reason I am optimistically hoping it will be a really, really good freebie, since it will just be available for a couple of days. A really good one could inspire me to make a 2nd 8dio purchase before the end of the month (got Epic Taiko Ensemble a week back) … but it would have to be the best one of the sale, as there is nothing else in the 8dio catalog that is tugging at my wallet all that much (just a few "might be nice to haves").


----------



## galactic orange (Aug 29, 2016)

When can we find out what the last freebie is? I've been holding out on my purchase.


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## Mike Fox (Aug 29, 2016)

Just checked their website. The new freebie is the EDM Trypack!


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## Ryan99 (Aug 29, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> When can we find out what the last freebie is? I've been holding out on my purchase.


On their website, they changed the last freebie from August 29th to 31th.


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## dhlkid (Aug 29, 2016)

Oh, the new freebie is Solo Violin Designer......


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## Fleer (Aug 29, 2016)

Solo Violin Designer, a $199 value. Only phrase-based AFAIK.
https://8dio.com/instrument/8dios-5th-anniversary-sale-40-off-everything/


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## Quasar (Aug 29, 2016)

dhlkid said:


> Oh, the new freebie is Solo Violin Designer......





Fleer said:


> Solo Violin Designer, a $199 value. Only phrase-based AFAIK.
> https://8dio.com/instrument/8dios-5th-anniversary-sale-40-off-everything/



Yep, phrased based... bummer...


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## galactic orange (Aug 29, 2016)

That's a shame. I would have liked an instrument with at least some playability such as Agitato Legato Arpeggio. Solo Violin Designer isn't enough to push me into spending $100 just to get it. That piano from last week is looking mighty good now relatively speaking.

However, while the 40% off promotion is still on it's a good chance to get a few things.


----------



## Ryan99 (Aug 29, 2016)

On the 8Dio website, they posted a demo including the V8P Extreme Ensembles, with 10 Drum kits ensemble, 10 Machine Drums ensemble, 10 guitars, 10 bass and 10 synths ensembles.

Does anyone here had the chance to try some of these ensembles and share some impressions?

I could be interested, but it's a big investment without any user reviews first...


----------



## soundshigh (Aug 30, 2016)

I have all the Adagio Strings except Adagietto. It's based on the full ensemble sections of the Adagios. Wondering if it has additional content that is not included in Adagio.....

Edit: Ok, it does not have additional content - basically the same samples organized differently. Does anyone think it's worth getting if you already have the Adagio sections? (and the Agitato ones)


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

I wonder should I go for HT3, HT2 or maybe even HT1?


----------



## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

I wonder should I go for HT3, HT2 or maybe even HT1?


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## Vovique (Aug 30, 2016)

I've been wanting the Solo Violin designer for some time, so decided to get Opus Hybrid Tools + Spirit flute = free Solo Violin!


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## brett (Aug 30, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> I wonder should I go for HT3, HT2 or maybe even HT1?


 
I seem to recall the consensus was that HT3 was the pick of them but it's a long way from my favourite 8dio library. In fact, it barely gets a look in here. 

The thing with those sort if libraries are is that they are great for writing massive contemporary Hollywood tracks. However I suspect that very few of us are actually commissioned to write that sort of thing in our day-to-day lives. They are fun, but don't bring in the $

For my money, in a similar and yet more restrained vein, rhythmic aura volume one is the pic of that sort of thing. Much more flexible for me. Ymmv of course.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

Thank you Bret, I will take a look at rhythmic aura volume one.
Thanks, 
Thorsten



brett said:


> I seem to recall the consensus was that HT3 was the pick of them but it's a long way from my favourite 8dio library. In fact, it barely gets a look in here.
> 
> The thing with those sort if libraries are is that they are great for writing massive contemporary Hollywood tracks. However I suspect that very few of us are actually commissioned to write that sort of thing in our day-to-day lives. They are fun, but don't bring in the $
> 
> For my money, in a similar and yet more restrained vein, rhythmic aura volume one is the pic of that sort of thing. Much more flexible for me. Ymmv of course.


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## dhlkid (Aug 30, 2016)

Thorsten Meyer said:


> Thank you Bret, I will take a look at rhythmic aura volume one.
> Thanks,
> Thorsten


I use Rhythmic Aura vol 2 more than vol 1


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## Andrajas (Aug 30, 2016)

I have to also say that I use Rhythmic Aura vol 2 more than vol 1 since I think you have more "control" in vol 2. 

I also have Hybrid Tools 1,2 and 3. For me they are great since I don't have any other "hybrid" stuff . The taiko rolls in HT2 is very nice, i use them a lot. Hybrid tools 3 have some nice pulses if you really want that aggressive sound. You have some nice taikos in there as well


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 30, 2016)

soundshigh said:


> I have all the Adagio Strings except Adagietto. It's based on the full ensemble sections of the Adagios. Wondering if it has additional content that is not included in Adagio.....
> 
> Edit: Ok, it does not have additional content - basically the same samples organized differently. Does anyone think it's worth getting if you already have the Adagio sections? (and the Agitato ones)



I also have Violins, Cellos and Adagietto. I think that Adagietto is worth it still if you have the sections as it is great for ensemble writing and layering. I love Adagietto, it was first on my list actually. Still need to get Basses and Violas, but I am not sure I am going to as I read somewhere that the Cellos and Violins, really make up the cream of the crop.

I know they are going to be building Adagio all into one bundle though and that is exciting.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

Thank you, I will look unto both.
Thorsten



dhlkid said:


> I use Rhythmic Aura vol 2 more than vol 1


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

This all is very good feedback, thank you. I have to listen to the YouTube videos



Andrajas said:


> I have to also say that I use Rhythmic Aura vol 2 more than vol 1 since I think you have more "control" in vol 2.
> 
> I also have Hybrid Tools 1,2 and 3. For me they are great since I don't have any other "hybrid" stuff . The taiko rolls in HT2 is very nice, i use them a lot. Hybrid tools 3 have some nice pulses if you really want that aggressive sound. You have some nice taikos in there as well


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## galactic orange (Aug 30, 2016)

The New Solo Taikos was the only must buy for me. But then I'm more than halfway to getting a free instrument. Hey it's free, right? Let me get my wallet out. The Santur sounds very nice and would get me _almost_ there, but I don't really need it. Something cheaper like the Kokiriko would put it just past the line.

But now I'm rethinking my approach. Hey, why not save a pantload on a Hybrid Tools library or Studio Sopranos? Forget the freebie and focus on saving as much as possible on a larger library.

I'm still weighing whether upgrading to K11U (from K9U) will be worth it. But for someone who has it, would the Hybrid Tools libraries offer something that Komplete Ultimate (Rise & Hit, Damage, the multitude of synths) doesn't as far as cinematic soundscapes?


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## soundshigh (Aug 30, 2016)

Thanks for the feedback! I want to get Adagietto, but I am not sure if I really need it.

I really like the Violas - very smooth overall sound, and nice short articulations. Also, I use the solo bass pizzicato as a sort of an upright substitute in folk pieces very often. Nothing like a true jazz upright bass for sure, but for simpler stuff it's perfect.



Shad0wLandsUK said:


> I also have Violins, Cellos and Adagietto. I think that Adagietto is worth it still if you have the sections as it is great for ensemble writing and layering. I love Adagietto, it was first on my list actually. Still need to get Basses and Violas, but I am not sure I am going to as I read somewhere that the Cellos and Violins, really make up the cream of the crop.
> 
> I know they are going to be building Adagio all into one bundle though and that is exciting.


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## dhlkid (Aug 30, 2016)

Originally I want the Alto Flute , but after I tested the other Claire instrument in the studio, it doesn't sound that good as VSL. Maybe I can pull back on this.
I like the solo frame drum, epic Tom & Opus 1, but not really need it right now.
I want the 200 choir but don't have that much money right now.
Well, end up I won't buy anything ......lol


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## krops (Aug 30, 2016)

I've waiting and waiting, thinking this is a deal I cannot pass on, but the freebies haven't provided all that much incentive IMO, and I'm simply struggling figuring out what would be a good pick here... I've been going through so many videos and sound clips, but nothing really gives me that "wow" feeling. I was thinking maybe I'd look into the Studio Sopranos, but I'm pretty close to just forgetting about the whole thing.


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 30, 2016)

If I remember rightly going by their track record as well. This will likely be the only sale of the year, other than when they go BIG on Black Friday. Might just hold out and wait till then  Did want to finish my adagio series ready for the consolidation they have planned, but will just have to pay a little to the upgrade.


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## mac (Aug 30, 2016)

Almost just pulled the trigger on the cage bundle, and I'm sure the price has gone up compared to what it was a couple of weeks ago!


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## krops (Aug 30, 2016)

mac said:


> Almost just pulled the trigger on the cage bundle, and I'm sure the price has gone up compared to what it was a couple of weeks ago!


There is something really wonky going on with the pricing. If I go to the "Orchestral Strings" section, Adagio Violins is $249, but if I click the link to enter the Adagio Violins page, the price is suddenly $399 (also it suddenly lists Violas instead of Violins under "overview").


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## mac (Aug 30, 2016)

krops said:


> There is something really wonky going on with the pricing.



Glad I'm not the only one. Well, the price is now over £100 more than it was on the old website, so I'm going to pass. Uist, get your coat, you've pulled!


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## galactic orange (Aug 30, 2016)

There are some other odd pricing issues on the website. One of them I found was that the Qanun shows $69 on the Add to Cart button, but just to the left under Overview it shows the price as $59. Maybe a clerical error? Maybe 8DIO should have refrained from A) changing over to a new website format and B) changing prices of instruments at the same time as their heralded 40% off sale.


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## galactic orange (Aug 30, 2016)

Agitato Legato Arpeggio seems like a possible buy in order to do that kind of thing more realistically. However, I'm looking at some of the videos of Cinematic Studio Strings and wondering if I can pull off the same thing convincingly. Would getting CSS later make Agitato Legato Arpeggio redundant? My only string library is the NI / Audiobro Symphony Series and I'd like something for arpeggios and fast runs.


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## Thorsten Meyer (Aug 30, 2016)

In July 2016 the cage bundle was 897 USD


mac said:


> Almost just pulled the trigger on the cage bundle, and I'm sure the price has gone up compared to what it was a couple of weeks ago!


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## Ryan99 (Aug 30, 2016)

They boosted also the price for the Claire bundle. It was around 650$, now it's 778$...


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 31, 2016)

Ryan99 said:


> They boosted also the price for the Claire bundle. It was around 650$, now it's 778$...


I think that is because they added more though. Or perhaps to balance it with new VAT laws.


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 31, 2016)

galactic orange said:


> Agitato Legato Arpeggio seems like a possible buy in order to do that kind of thing more realistically. However, I'm looking at some of the videos of Cinematic Studio Strings and wondering if I can pull off the same thing convincingly. Would getting CSS later make Agitato Legato Arpeggio redundant? My only string library is the NI / Audiobro Symphony Series and I'd like something for arpeggios and fast runs.


I have Legato Arpeggio and I have had so much fun with it :D


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## Ryan99 (Aug 31, 2016)

Shad0wLandsUK said:


> I think that is because they added more though. Or perhaps to balance it with new VAT laws.


Nothing more, and I live in America, so no VAT laws...


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## desert (Aug 31, 2016)

do you reckon we could choose the previous free gift instead of this week's? I really don't like pre-recorded phrases for a violin


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## Mike Fox (Aug 31, 2016)

desert said:


> do you reckon we could choose the previous free gift instead of this week's? I really don't like pre-recorded phrases for a violin


I actually think I'd take the Polyphon over this one!


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## Ryan99 (Aug 31, 2016)

I already have Solo Violin Designer and 1969 Piano, so 8Dio support allowed me to choose a previous one.


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## Shad0wLandsUK (Aug 31, 2016)

Ryan99 said:


> I already have Solo Violin Designer and 1969 Piano, so 8Dio support allowed me to choose a previous one.


Really! I was going to ask them.if I could get somethig else as I have 1969 as well :/ Did not think they would let me change though :(


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## X-Bassist (Aug 31, 2016)

Shad0wLandsUK said:


> Really! I was going to ask them.if I could get somethig else as I have 1969 as well :/ Did not think they would let me change though :(


Contact them if you already own it. They have exchanged with me for products of similar value.


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## galactic orange (Aug 31, 2016)

I went for The New Solo Taikos and Agitato Legato Arpeggio. These are my first 8DIO libraries so hopefully next time there's a sale it will be a good chance to grab something like Studio Sopranos or Hybrid Tools.

I have no idea, however, how I'm going to use Violin Designer...


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## Tatu (Aug 31, 2016)

After the sales, I ended with:
- Dobro Bundle
- Qanun
- 1969 Steinway (freebie)
- Liberis
- Solo Violin Designer (freebie)


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## dhlkid (Sep 1, 2016)

As I expected, they extended few days


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## Mike Fox (Sep 1, 2016)

dhlkid said:


> As I expected, they extended few days


They did with their last sale too.


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## Quasar (Sep 1, 2016)

I was looking at Francesca, but from what I can tell, the Soundiron version is about 6x larger and has both staccato and legato playable single notes, whereas 8dio's is older (requires Kontakt 3.x instead of 5.x), is limited to phrases and not nearly as versatile. I could be wrong, but that's what I've been able to glean.


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## macmac (Sep 1, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> I was looking at Francesca, but from what I can tell, the Soundiron version is about 6x larger and has both staccato and legato playable single notes, whereas 8dio's is older (requires Kontakt 3.x instead of 5.x), is limited to phrases and not nearly as versatile. I could be wrong, but that's what I've been able to glean.



That's what I've read from people who had both. SI is the better of the two, and easier to work with.


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## Mike Fox (Sep 1, 2016)

Tugboat said:


> I was looking at Francesca, but from what I can tell, the Soundiron version is about 6x larger and has both staccato and legato playable single notes, whereas 8dio's is older (requires Kontakt 3.x instead of 5.x), is limited to phrases and not nearly as versatile. I could be wrong, but that's what I've been able to glean.


Wouldn't surprise me. Soundiron is always incredibly generous with their libraries in terms of content. To compare, I own Strawberry, and Jenifer. Jenifer has a couple of more legatos, but Strawberry is loaded with phrases and fx. You get a lot more for your money!


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## WindcryMusic (Sep 1, 2016)

8dio was smart to extend their sale by a few days, at least in my case, as it got me to take one more look at their libraries. And evidently I misremembered the normal price of their Claire solo instruments (I had been thinking they were $199). At 40% off of the $139 price, I decided to snag both the oboe and the English horn for myself for about $166 combined, and then get that Solo Violin Designer thrown into the bargain as well. (I have doubts that I will get much if any use out of the freebie, but I'll at least give it a look since I'll have it.)

I'd thought I might already have what I needed for a solo oboe with NI's new woodwind solo library, but found it to be not quite expressive enough to be an out-in-front solo instrument, so that put the Claire series back onto my radar just in the last week or so.


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## krops (Sep 1, 2016)

I ended up - mostly as an act of desperate consumer anxiety - getting the Agitato Grandiose Violins. This is the third 8Dio string library for me, and yet again, I'm reminded that I really don't like the room sound on their libraries. I really wish they had a dry mic recording, because I love this super-portamento legato as a complement to Cinestrings (which has a much nicer room sound - and a dry recording). I was considering the arpeggio library too, but, meh... Whatever.


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## StatKsn (Sep 5, 2016)

Ryan99 said:


> I already have Solo Violin Designer and 1969 Piano, so 8Dio support allowed me to choose a previous one.



I was in the same situation (already have Solo Violin Designer) so asked support if I could exchange with something else, but never got a reply. Oh well.


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## mac (Sep 6, 2016)

StatKsn said:


> I was in the same situation (already have Solo Violin Designer) so asked support if I could exchange with something else, but never got a reply. Oh well.



I asked if it could be exchanged for something that was offered earlier in the promotion (basstard), and was given a big, fat *NO*.


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## pmountford (Sep 6, 2016)

Same here. I'm not interested in the solo violin as I've access to my own string trio but they didn't want to change the offer, which I can understand and appreciate. On a positive note thought it's saved my wallet though as I've already got most of what I want from 8DIO so I wasn't interested because I needed anything just because there was an offer...


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## jamwerks (Sep 6, 2016)

I jumped on Lacrimosa and Studio Sopranos (and got the Solo Violin designer, that I'm happy to have)!


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## Ryan99 (Sep 6, 2016)

StatKsn said:


> I was in the same situation (already have Solo Violin Designer) so asked support if I could exchange with something else, but never got a reply. Oh well.


I also wrote Thursday morning about something else and still waiting for an answer.

For the exchange of the freebie, they allowed me because I already have the last ones.


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## procreative (Sep 6, 2016)

I have let their last few sales pass me by. 

Been tempted several times and as an owner of a few of their titles such as Adagio, am very wary now, as many of the "groundbreaking" and "deep sampled" instruments have inconsistencies and bugs that never seem to get fixed.

Every time I almost buy, I remember how its not quite lived up to the hyperbole.

In theory many products promise more than they deliver. 

I steered clear of the Legato Arpeggio as not only did the walkthrough sound pretty unconvincing but user reviews were pretty damning.

The exception to this for me has been the now called "Instant Guitar" series which is not bad (much better than their first effort "Songwriters Guitar" which was pretty awful and over processed). So might consider the 12 string version but I think they are timing the sale to end before it launches... drat.


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