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What's on your Spitfire Christmas Wish List?

Quick question here. Wondering if I already have Ark 1, 2, 3 & Tundra, would it be redundant for me to complete the Albions Bundle? Or they compliment each other well?
It depends on whether you use the hybrid stuff in the Albions. Albion One would give you upper woodwinds lacking in the Arks, albeit in ensemble form. In some ways the strings are more useable in Albion One compared to those in the Arks, but opinions differ a lot on the Albion One strings. (I personally prefer them to the Ark 1 strings in most instances.) Albion 2 has very nice strings but is comparable to Ark 2, and to some extent Tundra, so it depends on what you are looking for. The smaller ensemble of Albion 2 is definitely nice, and I like these strings a lot. The horn/euphonium patch is also excellent. Sackbutts and recorders? I've never really known what to do with those. But the additional materials in Albion 2 are some of the strongest in the Albion series. Albion 3 is low end, and whether you find it useful depends a lot on the extent of variety you need there. Homay's recent video on this library is excellent for letting you hear another side to this library. I don't have Albion 4, so can't comment on it.

In short, because of the non-orchestral components to the Albions, redundancy is a hard question to answer. Also the utility of Albion 1 and 2 will depend on how well you get along with the strings in the Arks. Somehow you need to fill in the gap of high woodwinds—or decide that is not a sound you care about.
 
*********** Albion 3 is low end, and whether you find it useful depends a lot on the extent of variety you need there. Homay's recent video on this library is excellent for letting you hear another side to this library. I don't have Albion 4, so can't comment on it. ************
Also the utility of Albion 1 and 2 will depend on how well you get along with the strings in the Arks. Somehow you need to fill in the gap of high woodwinds—or decide that is not a sound you care about.

Last minute struggle with:
1) BHCT ….. seems great content to help with NI_Symphony Essentials, KH_Diamond Symphony Orch, BO_Inspire(s), The Orchestra. Smart Orchestra.

2) Albion 3 _ ICENI …. I respect, trust earlier advices ( as ARK 1 user ) yet Homay's great video makes it even tougher to pass now with WL cost. Honestly, still listening with open mind.

Less than 3 hours …. :confused:
 
Last minute struggle with:
1) BHCT ….. seems great content to help with NI_Symphony Essentials, KH_Diamond Symphony Orch, BO_Inspire(s), The Orchestra. Smart Orchestra.

2) Albion 3 _ ICENI …. I respect, trust earlier advices _ as ARK 1 user _ yet Homay's great video makes it even tougher to pass now with WL cost. Honestly, still listening with open mind.

Less than 3 hours …. :confused:
Total noob here, but here was my take. BHCT was on my list but hadn't really paid attention to it. Randomly browsed some walkthrough and demos based on a few raves on this forum and it had that captivating 'woah!' factor for me. Not many libs have done that for me. I think it has some interesting combos/textures I wouldn't find elsewhere. Having a dry lib too gives some flexibility.

For me, Iceni didn't seem like a must have with Ark 1 & Ark 2. Then again, not looking to do a bunch of big, bold, brash sounds either.

BHCT is one of the rare purchases that I'm not second guessing either :). Seems like an incredible amount for what they are asking. Would be quite something else if you could separate the combos they include in BHCT, but i guess beggars can't be choosers :)
 
Last minute struggle with:
1) BHCT ….. seems great content to help with NI_Symphony Essentials, KH_Diamond Symphony Orch, BO_Inspire(s), The Orchestra. Smart Orchestra.

2) Albion 3 _ ICENI …. I respect, trust earlier advices ( as ARK 1 user ) yet Homay's great video makes it even tougher to pass now with WL cost. Honestly, still listening with open mind.

Less than 3 hours …. :confused:
Personally, I would go with BHCT, even though I don't have it. I do have Iceni. I just think BHCT will give you a lot more variety and you can base the rest of your library purchases around it. According to @Parsifal666, it works well with the Arks. (Do you have both?)
 
For anyone on the fence about BHCT, let me reiterate that it can *definitely* do much more than what its name would suggest.

I rarely write anything Herrmannesque; in fact, I am usually floating in a spacey musical world that would seem to be the antithesis of his upfront, raw, and forceful style, but it's been a useful tool for me ever since getting it last year.
 
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For me, Iceni didn't seem like a must have with Ark 1 & Ark 2. Then again, not looking to do a bunch of big, bold, brash sounds either.
BHCT is one of the rare purchases that I'm not second guessing either :). Seems like an incredible amount for what they are asking.

Definitely the content /instrument /combo range in BHCT that is the draw (@ $299.of course).
Layering /supplementing other libs might be really helpful, vs starting down the Track of adding 'top-tier replacements' for Strings, Brass, Winds. Ha! am I kidding myself ?
 
Personally, I would go with BHCT, even though I don't have it. I do have Iceni. I just think BHCT will give you a lot more variety and you can base the rest of your library purchases around it. According to @Parsifal666, it works well with the Arks. (Do you have both?)

Only Ark 1 (bailed on Ark2 at last minute and regrets).

BHCT does feel good ! I truly want to continue using existing libs until I am proficient and ready to move on.
THX !
 
This may sound like a random question but... for those of you who are using Tundra would it work on indie rock / alt rock type material or is it too moody for epic / meat and potatoes string work? I'm debating SStS vs Tundra.
 
BHCT does feel good ! I truly want to continue using existing libs until I am proficient and ready to move on.
THX !
If you like the sounds you are hearing in the library demos (and as @miket notes that does not mean doing the Herrmann thing), get BHCT and feel happy. It's a library you can base your sound around, just like you can base your sound around the Arks, or the Albions, or Jaeger, or the Symphobias, or the Inspires, or one of the more complete orchestral collections, etc., etc. (this list is not meant to be exhaustive).

They all have strengths and weaknesses but having too many will likely just be paralyzing. In most cases, they will play together reasonably well, and can serve as that base library better than NI_Symphony Essentials, KH_Diamond Symphony Orch (if I'm correctly assessing the capabilities of this library which I've never used and only studied in passing), or The Orchestra. Essentials and KHDSO can fill in gaps but you already have things that I think serve as the base library better. The Orchestra is a special case, in the little bit of exploration I've done with it, more useful as a sketching engine or quick mockups than for final production. (That said, I think The Orchestra is an exceptionally useful tool.)

This is how I would think about your sound possibilities: You then have the Inspires for one base orchestra, which for me gives a nice classical sound, and BHCT as the other, which gives you a more modernist sound. Then you have Ark 1 to inflect either of those bases toward the epic—but not I think primarily the cinematic epic of today (though it can do that as well) but specifically the epic sound of German/Austrian music of 1900-1930. So this extends the Inspires forward from their, say, 19th century roots into the 20th century, and it extends BHCT backward to its own roots in the 1920s picture palaces and opera stage.

And then after working with them for a while—several months at least, possibly years—you can start thinking about how you want to supplement that going forward. What are the libraries not delivering that you are hearing in other libraries and think will nicely supplement what you have.

Sorry for the length here, especially with the sale deadline looming. This response got a bit out of hand.
 
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If you like the sounds you are hearing in the library demos (and as @micket notes that does not mean doing the Herrmann thing), get BHCT and feel happy. It's a library you can base your sound around, just like you can base your sound around the Arks, or the Albions, or Jaeger, or the Symphobias, or the Inspires, or one of the more complete orchestral collections, etc., etc. (this list is not meant to be exhaustive).

They all have strengths and weaknesses but having too many will likely just be paralyzing. In most cases, they will play together reasonably well, and can serve as that base library better than NI_Symphony Essentials, KH_Diamond Symphony Orch (if I'm correctly assessing the capabilities of this library which I've never used and only studied in passing), or The Orchestra. Essentials and KHDSO can fill in gaps but you already have things that I think serve as the base library better. The Orchestra is a special case, in the little bit of exploration I've done with it, more useful as a sketching engine or quick mockups than for final production. (That said, I think The Orchestra is an exceptionally useful tool.)

This is how I would think about your sound possibilities: You then have the Inspires for one base orchestra, which for me gives a nice classical sound, and BHCT as the other, which gives you a more modernist sound. Then you have Ark 1 to inflect either of those bases toward the epic—but not I think primarily the cinematic epic of today (though it can do that as well) but specifically the epic sound of German/Austrian music of 1900-1930. So this extends the Inspires forward from their, say, 19th century roots into the 20th century, and it extends BHCT backward to its own roots in the 1920s picture palaces and opera stage.

And then after working with them for a while—several months at least, possibly years—you can start thinking about how you want to supplement that going forward. What are the libraries not delivering that you are hearing in other libraries and think will nicely supplement what you have.

Sorry for the length here, especially with the sale deadline looming. This response got a bit out of hand.
Not out of hand at all, helpful and topical. You are one of the most knowledgeable and helpful forum members, and your thoughts are always appreciated.
 
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Only Ark 1 (bailed on Ark2 at last minute and regrets).

BHCT does feel good ! I truly want to continue using existing libs until I am proficient and ready to move on.
THX !
I'd get BHCT if I were you. A bit different and offers more Sonic possibilities in your palette. At the price it's a bargain. You can keep coming back to it as your skills progress.
 
If you like the sounds you are hearing in the library demos (and as @miket notes that does not mean doing the Herrmann thing), get BHCT and feel happy. It's a library you can base your sound around, just like you can base your sound around the Arks, or the Albions, or Jaeger, or the Symphobias, or the Inspires, or one of the more complete orchestral collections, etc., etc. (this list is not meant to be exhaustive). ******
This is how I would think about your sound possibilities: You then have the Inspires for one base orchestra, which for me gives a nice classical sound, and BHCT as the other, which gives you a more modernist sound. Then you have Ark 1 to inflect either of those bases toward the epic—but not I think primarily the cinematic epic of today (though it can do that as well) but specifically the epic sound of German/Austrian music of 1900-1930. So this extends the Inspires forward from their, say, 19th century roots into the 20th century, and it extends BHCT backward to its own roots in the 1920s picture palaces and opera stage.
Sorry for the length here, especially with the sale deadline looming. This response got a bit out of hand.

Au contraire ! ;) This is a fine synopsis, pulling together nicely, my disparate tools in coherent ways.
Many thanks for astute guidance through this long BlkFri _ New Years 2019 period.

Take good care and enjoy !! :2thumbs:
 
BHCT ordered. :inlove:
ICENI tugging at me _ sort of cuz I have, enjoy One, Loegria, Tundra.
Had I added Ark2, perhaps would not be tempted. If Ark 1 truly covers most of ICENI ground, then should pass.
No matter in ~45 minutes tho. :rolleyes:

(edit) of course OACE could do last-minute sub …...
 
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