Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

A New Chapter from Spitfire Audio...

That's the kind of information I was looking for. It's a shame, really. I guess I'll just pinch those pennies for a while and get Berlin strings, which will fit in perfect with the percussion and woodwinds that I already have.
 
Thanks, richhickey. What about the vibratos - how do they compare to SCS and SSS? From what I've heard in the demos, I have a feeling that there's an overall less intense level of vibrato across the SSTS samples, but maybe that's just because the demos/walkthrough often have used a lover CC21 level, so I'm a little confused.
This:"there's a reason the demos are all block pads and chiffing shorts, rather than anything resembling a performance of a string ensemble" isn't very encouraging. Any other SSTS owners who have any opinion about this?
 
I know the UI's pretty well of all the major devs, and as far as articulation management, SF seems the most advanced Imo. Capsule does allow crossfading between arts and applying legato to other arts, but SF can do all the rest better than the others.

Once their own player matures in the coming months, it should equal or surpass Kontakt and Synchron. No reason why it wouldn't.
 
Vik said:
What about the vibratos - how do they compare to SCS and SSS? From what I've heard in the demos, I have a feeling that there's an overall less intense level of vibrato across the SSTS samples, but maybe that's just because the demos/walkthrough often have used a lover CC21 level, so I'm a little confused.
This:"there's a reason the demos are all block pads and chiffing shorts, rather than anything resembling a performance of a string ensemble" isn't very encouraging.
Click to expand...

Yes, the vibratos seem less intense, which I prefer. They certainly didn't bother me as they have in the past :) The vib crossfade is abrupt, more like a switch.

To clarify re: performance crafting - I don't think SStS is any worse at it than other Spitfire libs. But IMO it's never been their forte or focus, they don't do e.g. repetitions and performance trills, scrupulous level matching etc as do VSL to give you the tools to do that. The emphasis seems to be on track-per-articulation composition. If you've been happy with that approach in the past you will likely be happy here.
 
richhickey said:
Yes, the vibratos seem less intense, which I prefer. They certainly didn't bother me as they have in the past :) The vib crossfade is abrupt, more like a switch.

To clarify re: performance crafting - I don't think SStS is any worse at it than other Spitfire libs. But IMO it's never been their forte or focus, they don't do e.g. repetitions and performance trills, scrupulous level matching etc as do VSL to give you the tools to do that. The emphasis seems to be on track-per-articulation composition. If you've been happy with that approach in the past you will likely be happy here.
Click to expand...

As I'm just getting going that's a decision I'm coming to. I don't really mind hopping between tracks for shorts and legatos/longs. It all depends on how convincingly I can program that behavior to sound "natural". Do you think that's a reasonable approach here?
 
Brian Nowak said:
As I'm just getting going that's a decision I'm coming to. I don't really mind hopping between tracks for shorts and legatos/longs. It all depends on how convincingly I can program that behavior to sound "natural". Do you think that's a reasonable approach here?
Click to expand...

That depends entirely on your music, but it's obviously viable as many film composers do it.

I guess I was trying to answer the presumptive question - at a time when VSL is going wet like Spitfire (or trying to, with Synchron), is Spitfire now going dry like VSL? To which the answer is no, they are going dry like Spitfire :)
 
Brian Nowak said:
As I'm just getting going that's a decision I'm coming to. I don't really mind hopping between tracks for shorts and legatos/longs. It all depends on how convincingly I can program that behavior to sound "natural". Do you think that's a reasonable approach here?
Click to expand...
I don't have the library, but I'm assuming the keyswitching methods mirror other SF libraries.
Spitfire give you masses of tools and methods to keyswtich between articulations. In combination with something like Logic's articulation ID system, you can get any Spitfire library to bend to your will as far as triggering different articulations go, including combining, switching across patches etc..

It just depends on how much time you're willing to spend to set it up. Whether you should be expected to spend the time is another debate I guess.

So I think it's less of a workflow issue and more a case of sound wise - do the artics sit well together? I can't answer that.
 
^^^^ THIS is what I need to know.

There's going to be work no matter what. Even in homogeneous libraries there's always adjustments and things to overcome. It comes with the trade. What I need to know is if the articulations work well in succession without TOO many really obvious warts sticking out.
 
richhickey said:
Yes, the vibratos seem less intense, which I prefer. They certainly didn't bother me as they have in the past :) The vib crossfade is abrupt, more like a switch.
Click to expand...
I believe all SF vibratos are cross-switch, and not crossfade?

If you've been happy with that approach in the past you will likely be happy here.
Click to expand...
My first SF libs were Mural 1 and Mural, which I ended up not using much. The legatos were, to my years, not useful in many cases. So I happily bought Berlin Strings after having heard their legato demo on YT. (Happily, except for the vibrato, it's as if there's a missing vibrato layer in BS).
Later, I got an update offer from Spitfire resulting in having both SCS and SSS - and SSS is clearly better, legato wise, than Mural 1&2. I like the Sul Gs and the con sord/normale combos also, and more. Their chamber strings are really good in many areas too for me, including the legatos (most of the time).

So if I wouldn't already have what I already have , the studio strings would have been really interesting for me - with believable legatos and vibrato which at least isn't less good than in SCS.

Btw, when they write that this library "will work on anything from passionate period dramas to modern Scandi noir. It’s a fit for quirky indie and crisp pop, but can also tackle epic film and game scores", maybe that actually is their way of saying that it's not primarily meant for orchestral mockups?
 
Last edited:
@Vik I kind of took the last bit as buzzword talk, myself. All those words are currently pretty popular terms and touch on their regular market base.

The one thing I will say is that the stereo image on the library is fairly wide in terms of their seating positions. Wider than CSS, for sure. The sections do feel a bit more spread out, or disconnected. So it may be a bit trickier to get them to feel like an ensemble? I am probably not explaining myself very well.
 
Plz help with my imminent purchase! Main comparisons here have been CSS and LASS.
I want/need top tier Orchestral Libs (Strings now). Many recent posts re. SStS make it seem quite desirable, but not in the sense of a main orch strings choice.

I can handle separate paths, with one being more modern and narrower in focus. The other being 'workhorse'.
(today _ LASS 2.5 @ $596. / SStS Pro @ $400.)

It seems I should be separating LASS, but not at all sure which path to place CSS (or does it somewhat fit both).

I realize this is not B/W, but could really use some help.
 
Last edited:
OT preferred for sure, but cost forces delay.
This keeps LASS 2.5 Full in the game for current needs.
 
jamwerks said:
I know the UI's pretty well of all the major devs, and as far as articulation management, SF seems the most advanced Imo. Capsule does allow crossfading between arts and applying legato to other arts, but SF can do all the rest better than the others.

Once their own player matures in the coming months, it should equal or surpass Kontakt and Synchron. No reason why it wouldn't.
Click to expand...
Hmm, can't really see it. What about VSL? What about AudioBro and Steinberg Iconica? Even CineSamples have more advanced UI's and ways to change articulations. It's of course about the workflow I prefer, but after I ditched EW libraries, I could never go back to the articulation per track workflow. About the crossfading between arts, that shouldn't be too difficult to do and would give a lot of more options how to use these different longs.

sostenuto said:
Plz help with my imminent purchase! Main comparisons here have been CSS and LASS.
I want/need top tier Orchestral Libs (Strings now). Many recent posts re. SStS make it seem quite desirable, but not in the sense of a main orch strings choice.

I can handle separate paths, with one being more modern and narrower in focus. The other being 'workhorse'.
(today _ LASS 2.5 @ $596. / SStS Pro @ $400.)

It seems I should be separating LASS, but not at all sure which path to place CSS (or does it somewhat fit both).

I realize this is not B/W, but could really use some help.
Click to expand...
Most important question is, do you need divisi? If you are not gonna use it a lot, I would definitely go LASS Lite for workhorse. And if you like the SStS sound and special articulations, then buy the Core to compliment LASS.

Cinematic Strings 2 is also great bread and butter lib for you to consider. If you don't have any libraries, I think you could also check out Steinberg's Iconica. It gives you a lot of value for the money and I actually like how some of the demos sound for more traditional orchestral music. I have to say that if you can't write good music with all of these libraries then it doesn't matter what library you will get. All of the libraries are way better than the good old EWQLSO or Miroslav Philharmonik and you can hear great music done by those libraries as well. So I wouldn't stress too much about buying the right library. Just buy the one that sounds best to you and start writing music.

-Hannes
 
Where can I listen to audio examples of what u are all talking about?
Who of you bought this new Spitfire library and can post his critic review in an audio example?
 
To me this library sounds boring and dry (literally). I understand everybody wants/needs some good core libraries. But I much prefer sample libraries that push the envelope in terms of creativity. I love spitfire audio's olafur arnalds chamber evolutions and his whole collection, as well as orchestral swarm and the other evos and of course LCO. I know the playability of some of these libraries are debatable - but I just love the amount of inspiration I get out of them. The sounds are beautiful, unique, out of the box! Personally I want more of those kinds of sample libraries! I Also love slate and ashes auras kontakt library - albeit a niche one, since its meant for the MPE controllers, roli seaboards, etc... But it is just so damn creative and inspiring. We don't need any more standard/classic strings libraries - unless it's playable out of the box and sounds like john williams is in the room with you! Just my two cents!
 
jamwerks said:
Capsule does allow crossfading between arts and applying legato to other arts, but SF can do all the rest better than the others.
Click to expand...
Guess I have to disagree here...There's lots of good stuff to say about both OT and SF strings, but Capsule/Berlin Strings actually does - IMO - a number of things better than Spitfire (in addition to being able to add legato to all long artics).

Before looking at this list, remember the price differences between SFs Studio Strings and Berlin Strings.

Berlin generally has better legatos (all this is IMO of course)
Solo/mute/pan on all mics
AutoGain: if I select three mic faders and change the level of one of them, the other two are adjusted automatically, meaning that the combined out level of the mic package won't change.
Berlin Strings has a knob for legato volume which works really well.
One can "morph" between up to four different articulations in the multis
The Multis contain many longs with dynamic changes
You can disable on or two layers and Capsule will automatically spread the reminding layer(s) over the whole dynamic range.
CC remapping
5 mic positions in the core product (for V1)
Tons of parameters can be CC automated
Also - from the manual:
Niente: If enabled, the lowest dynamic setting (usually CC1 at 0 or key velocity at 0) will cause the instrument to be completely silent. Use this setting when using your instruments with a breath or wind controller.
Soft Low Layer: If checked, the lowest dynamic layer will first be increased in volume when controlling dynamics and only later the next layer will begin to fade in, allowing softer low dynamics.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom