# Using leader mics to simulate solo strings



## QuiteAlright (Nov 28, 2021)

I've seen some.string libraries provide leader mics along with their normal ensembles, and I wonder if the quality there is good enough to use for very basic solo strings (without anything too fancy, but exposed in a passage without other instruments). Are those mics just to add clarity/texture, or are they usable outside of the ensemble?


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## mybadmemory (Nov 28, 2021)

Mostly there to add detail, as the full section is usually very audible still.


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## pranic (Dec 1, 2021)

I'm a big fan of the Spitfire libraries, and before I owned BBCSO Pro, I purchased a number of solo strings liibraries. Once I upgraded to BBCSO Pro, I was very happy with using the leaders with the close mics to get "solo" instruments, and wished I'd known how useful that combination was. I might have prioritized getting their Alternative Solo Strings sooner! That said, I think it really depends on the sample library that you're intending to use, and your personal tastes, though.


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## gamma-ut (Dec 1, 2021)

It's one of those "if it works, it works" things. It might make a quartet mockup sound a bit odd but if there's little apparent bleed from the other instruments in the section (which are playing the same notes so they will be masked to some degree), there's a reasonable chance you can get away with it. But it's going to depend on the library and the context.


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## ThomCSounds (Dec 20, 2021)

I'm not sure about 'solo', but what I can say is that I love the sound of the leader mics in Studio Strings Pro by Spitfire. It works great for more intimate stuff, especially with the drier sound of the room


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