# Tokyo Scoring Strings: How good is it?



## zedmaster

Let’s have a look at *Tokyo Scoring Strings* by Impact Soundworks: Does TSS deserve a spot in the top strings libraries? 🎻

What's YOUR opinion on these?

If you want to support me, leave a comment on Youtube. I put a lot of work into my videos.


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## Land of Missing Parts

zedmaster said:


> Let’s have a look at *Tokyo Scoring Strings* by Impact Soundworks: Does TSS deserve a spot in the top strings libraries? 🎻
> 
> What's YOUR opinion on these?
> 
> If you want to support me, leave a comment on Youtube. I put a lot of work into my videos.



May a suggest using a less click-bait title? EDIT: OP has since changed the title


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## gohrev

After watching parts of your video @zedmaster I would say CSS has nothing to be afraid of  There's a warmth and humanity in CSS that I personally don't hear in Tokyo Scoring Strings — but that is solely based on what you showcased in your video.

Lovely demo at the end, by the way


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## zedmaster

Land of Missing Parts said:


> May a suggest using a less click-bait title?


Thanks for your feedback! The video title is "How good is Tokyo Scoring Strings?". 

I assume you refer to the thumbnail, which on Youtube helps draw the audience into the video and usually needs to stick out from the crowd of dozens of video recommendations presented to you on the platform. It's a bit provocative and exaggerated on purpose, however I think I pick up that question in the video and give my answer.


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## zedmaster

gohrev said:


> Lovely demo at the end, by the way


Thanks!


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## Land of Missing Parts

zedmaster said:


> Thanks for your feedback! The video title is "How good is Tokyo Scoring Strings?".
> 
> I assume you refer to the thumbnail, which on Youtube helps draw the audience into the video and usually needs to stick out from the crowd of dozens of video recommendations presented to you on the platform. It's a bit provocative and exaggerated on purpose, however I think I pick up that question in the video and give my answer.








Gotcha, but no need to do that in the forum (i.e. "_The CSS Killer_").  No algorithms here.

People argue endlessly over new strings of their own volition, even with plain titles like "Let’s have a look at *Tokyo Scoring Strings"*. (Just copy-pasted from the first line of your post.)

No need to put on the hard-sell for fellow composers or try to drive up clicks.


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## zedmaster

@Land of Missing Parts 

Ah, I understand now! You got a point.


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## GNP

I'm more appalled at some Chinese folk who don't even know that Asianized western orchestras exist.


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## AMBi

It will be a CSS killer in the same way the Vita was a 3DS killer


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## sherief83

It compliments css well for some fast writing scenarios is my impression.


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## Land of Missing Parts

They are nothing alike. The question is just to provoke people and drive clicks.

Which doesn't really do anything on this forum like it does on youtube (recommendations, rankings, etc). Thank god.


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## Jeremy Spencer

I don't hear anything groundbreaking here, sounds like any other string library IMO. Not sure why you had to target CSS though.


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## zedmaster

Jeremy Spencer said:


> Not sure why you had to target CSS though.


It was the question I had in my mind when starting up TSS for the first time. I'm a happy CSS user and was curious how TSS performs in legato, utility and tone. They both have smaller section size than your symphonic strings, gorgeous legato, similar price point and I love them both hehe. I adjusted the title to a less competitive one  

I found out that - in my opinion - Tokyo Scoring Strings doesn't have to hide behind anyone and deserves a place with the cool kids.


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## Geomir

I agree with the OP. When I first listened to the demos and walkthroughs of TSS, I immediately thought that this is a nice alternative to CSS. The smaller sections size, the modern interface, the Kontakt Player platform, the versatility, the price, everything made me think "wow maybe this can be a nice future purchase instead of CSS, I have to check it out"!

At the same time I agree with Jeremy, in a way that TSS don't offer anything new or groundbreaking.


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## SimonCharlesHanna

Geomir said:


> I agree with the OP. When I first listened to the demos and walkthroughs of TSS, I immediately thought that this is a nice alternative to CSS. The smaller sections size, the modern interface, the Kontakt Player platform, the versatility, the price, everything made me think "wow maybe this can be a nice future purchase instead of CSS, I have to check it out"!
> 
> At the same time I agree with Jeremy, in a way that TSS don't offer anything new or groundbreaking.


the auto articulation is pretty ground breaking imo. It's tech that I often dreamt about - not sure how good it is in practise tho.


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## Henning

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> the auto articulation is pretty ground breaking imo. It's tech that I often dreamt about - not sure how good it is in practise tho.


Having beta-tested this baby and witnessing how it evolved through those months I feel very happy with the current version. And there will be more updates including a patch for playing fast runs. I already heard what Nabeel did there and it sounds really close to the real thing. 

I can understand why Kevin used the comparison with CSS as it's a lib used and loved by many. Soundwise both libs couldn't be more different. So this is a taste/use case thing to consider for everyone thinking about buying it. 

What I personally love about TSS is the new TACT engine. You can really make it your own. There's 4 different release types to choose from which made all the difference for me as as I really dig the stacc release and the decrescendo releases. And you can edit every artic with volume control and ADSR. Set different keyswitches, etc. You can really go deep there.


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## Bee_Abney

Tokyo Scoring Strings has a very specific sound that other string libraries do not.

Some people seem not to hear this, and it sounds to them pretty much of a muchness with other strings.

I suspect if you are familiar with anime the difference will be more striking.

To me, anyway, it sounds distinctively East Asian. That means it breaks new ground, unless there are other libraries doing this that I don't know about. [Edit to add: this paragraph doesn't make much sense. It's groundbreaking because of how it sounds to me? I'm pretty sure I'm not the appropriate criterion! I hope you get the idea, though...] 

On the technical side... Pretty different and special there too. I don't know if the end results are marked improvements on skilled use of some other libraries though.


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## zedmaster

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> the auto articulation is pretty ground breaking imo. It's tech that I often dreamt about - not sure how good it is in practise tho.


Works pretty well with shorts. Just record/program/step record your MIDI and keep it in the upper half of the velocity (to trigger the Shorts mode). You think the shorts articulation is too long for that note? Simply make the MIDI shorter until you like the sound. Easy peasy  

Same for bowed vs slurred legato. Simply lower the velocity if you want it slurred or raise it if you want it bowed. DAW's that support "remove overlaps" like Studio One are especially valuable here, because Lookahead mode detects Legato based on notes that are connected but do not overlap.


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## ism

Enjoyed this video. And the contrast with CSS is a valid journalistic technique. I thought the contrast in workflow was particularly helpful.

However the perennial danger of such a comparison is that you reduce TSS to the dimensions of CSS. 



Geomir said:


> At the same time I agree with Jeremy, in a way that TSS don't offer anything new or groundbreaking.



And I agree that, treated as a CSS clone, or a library that plays exactly the same kind of high romantic lines as CSS, there's nothing ground breaking in TSS.

But I also don't think that, quite fundamentally, this is what TSS is. The video mentions the jrpg tone as a major contrast. But I think the difference goes a lot deeper than tone.

Where TSS comes into its own is in its different stylistic dimensions from CSS, it's a great deal more than tone. CSS bakes in a very western, very high romantic arc into both the expressiveness of it's legato and the progressive vibrato of the arc. I'm still trying to get my head around exactly what it is TSS does, but it's very different. 

So I guess I'd argue there's a point at which this device of contrasting TSS with CSS becomes a real hinderance to exploring and understanding TSS. And that CSS just isn't useful as a gold standard when it comes to something as different as TSS.


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## zedmaster

In a focused experience video, you can never cover all aspects of a library. For that you'd need to compose pieces in various genres, go ham with the deep editing options that the library features and do a review after perhaps half a year to really have mastered it. 

Those content creators who do 2-3 hour streams even can't even explain all facets of the library. Even though, 2 or 3 times I mentioned CSS, I'd assume 90% of the video are about TSS, and TSS alone. Personally, I think a catch-phrase is good for grabbing attention, but shouldn't be taken too seriously 

Another content creator from a different background might compare it to another Impact Soundworks product from a technical standpoint (the evolution of the TACT engine etc.). And it will be also valid, but also very selective and not paint a *complete* picture. 

A content creator from Japan might give other insights yet again. Someone compared it to LA scoring strings for example. With all these perspectives and slices of insight, one can build a more complete picture themselves. For entertainment purposes, education, or as a purchase decision.


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## zedmaster

Bee_Abney said:


> Tokyo Scoring Strings has a very specific sound that other string libraries do not.
> 
> Some people seem not to hear this, and it sounds to them pretty much of a muchness with other strings.
> 
> I suspect if you are familiar with anime the difference will be more striking.
> 
> To me, anyway, it sounds distinctively East Asian. That means it breaks new ground, unless there are other libraries doing this that I don't know about. [Edit to add: this paragraph doesn't make much sense. It's groundbreaking because of how it sounds to me? I'm pretty sure I'm not the appropriate criterion! I hope you get the idea, though...]
> 
> On the technical side... Pretty different and special there too. I don't know if the end results are marked improvements on skilled use of some other libraries though.


It struck me when listening back to my video at 7:35, seeing the Zelda overlay in the background and hearing the TSS demo at the same time. It just sounded familiar, in a good way.


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## ism

zedmaster said:


> In a focused experience video, you can never cover all aspects of a library. For that you'd need to compose pieces in various genres, go ham with the deep editing options that the library features and do a review after perhaps half a year to really have mastered it.
> 
> Those content creators who do 2-3 hour streams even can't even explain all facets of the library. Even though, 2 or 3 times I mentioned CSS, I'd assume 90% of the video are about TSS, and TSS alone. Personally, I think a catch-phrase is good for grabbing attention, but shouldn't be taken too seriously
> 
> Another content creator from a different background might compare it to another Impact Soundworks product from a technical standpoint (the evolution of the TACT engine etc.). And it will be also valid, but also very selective and not paint a *complete* picture.
> 
> A content creator from Japan might give other insights yet again. Someone compared it to LA scoring strings for example. With all these perspectives and slices of insight, one can build a more complete picture themselves. For entertainment purposes, education, or as a purchase decision.


Yes it's both valid and interesting to see this through your own lens - not being a Japanese anime composer.




Bee_Abney said:


> okyo Scoring Strings has a very specific sound that other string libraries do not.
> 
> Some people seem not to hear this, and it sounds to them pretty much of a muchness with other strings.
> 
> I suspect if you are familiar with anime the difference will be more striking.




And knowing very little about anime myself, it's challenging my own aesthetic sensibilities. Sometimes it does sound to my ears much of a muchness. But at other times, carefully listening is rewarded and I do here something completely new (to me) here,not just in tone but more importantly in an expressiveness that can be composed to (and not just another riff on a western variant of the high romantic).

So videos like this are very welcome in helping all of it come together. Though I'd love to see more from Japanese and/or anime composers also.


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## zedmaster

ism said:


> Yes it's both valid and interesting to see this through your own lens - not being a Japanese anime composer.


Don't we all sometimes wish we were one? :D


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## Daniel

I am falling in love with TSS sound __vibrato mode "Senza Vibrato."


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## zedmaster

Also, so many posh words!! Let's go for the spiccato seccoooo with the seeenza vibratooo. It's probably the most Milano of all Tokyo strings out there.


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## Daniel

zedmaster said:


> Also, so many posh words!! Let's go for the spiccato seccoooo with the seeenza vibratooo. It's probably the most Milano of all Tokyo strings out there.


Would you please do with a legato "senza vibrato" too,,, :-p
Thank you.

Edit: your video 03:52 is there, thanks!


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## zedmaster

Daniel said:


> Would you please do with a legato "senza vibrato" too,,, :-p
> Thank you.
> 
> Edit: your video 03:52 is there, thanks!


I couldn't bring myself to say it haha. "The senza vibrato with poco a poco crescendo in the spiccato secco transitioning into an expressivo portamento."


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## Loïc D

I’m trying it right now on a musical, so more on the pop side.
It behaves well, the strings are cutting through the mix. Still a lot of work to blend them well but it’s promising.
So, it’s probably a great product for pop strings too.


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## zedmaster

@Loïc D 
I think next to the focused orchestral J-RPG style (recommendation: Bricasti M7 style reverb like Seventh Heaven), TSS was actually also advertised as being great for pop use (recommendation: no reverb). Great to see someone trying out the more pop-related use case, as I think most people are focused on the orchestral work for TSS.


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## MaxOctane

I keep listening to TSS reviews trying to find out _what the fugu_ people mean by "This library sounds distinctly East Asian" or "This is perfect for anime or J-RPG scoring." The section sizes is nearly the same as VSL Elite and several others. I hear pizzicatos, staccatos, sustains just like any other string library. I hear Vn, Va, Vc, Vb just like any other string library.

The musicians and engineers were Japanese. The studio was in Japan. Somehow the strings themselves now sound Japanese?


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## Bee_Abney

MaxOctane said:


> I keep listening to TSS reviews trying to find out _what the fugu_ people mean by "This library sounds distinctly East Asian" or "This is perfect for anime or J-RPG scoring." The section sizes is nearly the same as VSL Elite and several others. I hear pizzicatos, staccatos, sustains just like any other string library. I hear Vn, Va, Vc, Vb just like any other string library.
> 
> The musicians and engineers were Japanese. The studio was in Japan. Somehow the strings themselves now sound Japanese?


And I can't fathom how some people can't hear it! 

Of course it isn't the strings, the sections and named articulations! It's partly the recording but mostly the performances. This is a western string section played in a Japanese style. 

Of course, if you don't hear the Japanese anime style, you likely won't want it. So I wouldn't let it bother you!


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## kgdrum

I’m already strung out i have so many underused string libraries…………..
I’m not into doing mockups so for me a string library has to bring something really different to the table mainly for coloring. 
My next string library purchase will probably be Threnody. I’m waiting for Sonnicouture to finally start discounting it more toward a price point I’m comfortable with. In the meantime I have so many string libraries that don’t get used enough.


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## Bee_Abney

kgdrum said:


> I’m already strung out i have so many underused string libraries…………..
> I’m not into doing mockups so for me a string library has to bring something really different to the table.
> My next string library purchase will probably be Threnody. I’m waiting for Sonnicouture to finally start discounting it more toward a price point I’m comfortable with. In the meantime i have so many string libraries that don’t get used enough.


Was 50% off last month not good enough for you? I don't think they would go lower than that! 

I'll trade you Threnody for Ark 2. I'll even throw in Vektor.


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## kgdrum

Bee_Abney said:


> Was 50% off last month not good enough for you? I don't think they would go lower than that!
> 
> I'll trade you Threnody for Ark 2. I'll even throw in Vektor.



Shit I must have missed it,I don’t even remember Threnody being discounted 50%! 😱
I would be buying now if it was even discounted by 40% but the present sale price is meh.
I was hoping for a good discount during the XMas sale but for some reason Sonnicouture doesn’t want to get my money.


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## Bee_Abney

kgdrum said:


> Shit I must have missed it,I don’t even remember Threnody being discounted 50%! 😱
> I would be buying now if it was even discounted by 40% but the present sale price is meh.
> I was hoping for a good discount during the XMas sale but for some reason Sonnicouture doesn’t want to get my money.


I could be mistaken but I swear I remember resisting 50% off prices across all the Soniccouture libraries.


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## kgdrum

@Bee_Abney 
Thare were so many BF bargains I might have had my blinders on and missed it. Not a real problem I already have enough underutilized string libraries! 😂


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## Bee_Abney

kgdrum said:


> @Bee_Abney
> Thare were so many BF bargains I might have had my blinders on and missed it. Not a real problem I already have enough underutilized string libraries! 😂


But do you have too many _over_utilised string libraries?


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## tonio_

SimonCharlesHanna said:


> the auto articulation is pretty ground breaking imo. It's tech that I often dreamt about - not sure how good it is in practise tho.


It's pretty much flawless. I draw everything in, edit velocities, (or if the part isn't difficult, I'll play it in) fine tune articulations with an Expression Map in Cubase (because that's what I'm used to, I hear Easy Artic is working well too though) and quantize everything. Then once I hit playback, it does everything it's supposed to do, the legato triggers without any hickups (even on really fast passages), etc. So yeah... pretty ground breaking indeed!


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## zedmaster

tonio_ said:


> It's pretty much flawless. I draw everything in, edit velocities, (or if the part isn't difficult, I'll play it in) fine tune articulations with an Expression Map in Cubase (because that's what I'm used to, I hear Easy Artic is working well too though) and quantize everything. Then once I hit playback, it does everything it's supposed to do, the legato triggers without any hickups (even on really fast passages), etc. So yeah... pretty ground breaking indeed!


I've only used *everything* activated (including Easy Artic) so far. Good to know that the more free approach of picking the articulations yourself but still having Lookahead mode assist you works well, too.


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