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Expressive String libraries

Digging through these forums to find libraries I have never heard of (THERE ARE MANY).
I promise to keep researching, but looking for a 'short list'.

I've been writing for live strings and orchestras for a long time and rarely relied on VI for the actual work because I just couldn't get what I wanted from them without using phrase based samples at least.


I have Bohemian Violin and Cello and Spitfire Solo Strings.
Spitfire seems a little safe for me but useful for sure.
I work mostly on rock/pop records as opposed to orchestral style.

I am looking for sections that are playable.
Vibrato/Non Vib, Portamento, non phony legato are all very important to me.
Just found 8Dio All Adagio and like what I am hearing.

I have Play Cloud, Iconica Ensembles, Halion Symphonic

Thoughts?
Thanks
8Dio Century Strings is an excellent contender : )
 
So I went ahead and grabbed the LASS First Chair.
It's pretty crusty. I think it will be useful for me.

Spitfire Solo vibratos bug me. Glitchy loops maybe?
Sounds like a trill sometimes.
 
So I went ahead and grabbed the LASS First Chair.
It's pretty crusty. I think it will be useful for me.

Spitfire Solo vibratos bug me. Glitchy loops maybe?
Sounds like a trill sometimes.
I find vibrato on those solo instruments works fine in context with an ensemble but it’s hard to control and often too much on its own. The progressive vibrato longs often work better if you don’t need the legato, and the virtuoso violin performance legato patch uses the progressive vibrato for its longs so it often works better if you need more varied vibrato. In any case, vibrato is definitely the hardest challenge with this library.
 
Just an FYI about BDio Intimate strings Disco presets.
The runs aren't done well.
Very loud attack and it dies off quickly before the run is over.

I had to run it through hard compression to actually use it.

I still like the recording on the old Smart Violins library
 
I just did a big lush VI String arrangement on a pop song using Iconica.

Then I also exported the files using LASS Lite and Hollywood Gold.
Tonally, Iconica is scooped. Works in some contexts.
LASS has edge without being annoying.
Hollywood sounds harsh in comparison.
 
What does Scooped mean here ? Can you elaborate about this a bit further.

Thanks.
EQ, tone of room. tone of the mics.

Here is the same phrase with Iconic, LASS and Hollywood Gold.
It was programmed for Iconica (and meant to have reverb which is turned off here).
The Portamentos in the LASS clip were unintentional. Iconica was used on the record.

Hollywood has a more nasal/honk to it.
Could be good for cutting through a track.
Iconica stays out of the way is very wide.
LASS seems tp be a good balance.

My Iconica trial period is almost up so I am comparing.
I have Play Composer Cloud for a few more months.
I own LASS Lite.

 
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I think a truly expressive composer might be better off looking to eventually get their music played by actual instrumentalists.

I don't even think "expressive" when I think of libraries. It's as @JohnG said, you won't get that with vsts (or at least nowhere near the degree an actual performance of your work would produce).

I think I mentioned in another thread, there will never be a sample library that can match a soloist or ensemble for real, one whom knows your music inside and out for performance, heeding your input until you're satisfied. Even better, one that actually likes the music they're being paid to play (this last I learned with my own music...if they love or even really like it, it will be astonishing, if they're noncommital it will be professional, if they hate it it will still be better than using libraries).

I think HZ said it well: "there is no such thing as an orchestra in a box". There are however great sounding libraries that can be really inspiring and work terrific...toward making mock ups.
 
I think a truly expressive composer might be better off looking to eventually get their music played by actual instrumentalists.

I don't even think "expressive" when I think of libraries. It's as @JohnG said, you won't get that with vsts (or at least nowhere near the degree an actual performance of your work would produce).

I think I mentioned in another thread, there will never be a sample library that can match a soloist or ensemble for real, one whom knows your music inside and out for performance, heeding your input until you're satisfied. Even better, one that actually likes the music they're being paid to play (this last I learned with my own music...if they love or even really like it, it will be astonishing, if they're noncommital it will be professional, if they hate it it will still be better than using libraries).

I think HZ said it well: "there is no such thing as an orchestra in a box". There are however great sounding libraries that can be really inspiring and work terrific...toward making mock ups.
Yep...I've done that thousands of times and I am spoiled.

But VI have advanced considerably in the last few years.
Just controlling vibrato, dynamics (as opposed to just the volume) and the true legato/portamento/gliss thing is massive for me.

I am really impressed with how much better it is than the old days.
And I have clients that don't have the money for the real thing so I need to step up my VI game a bit.
 
I am working on a dance track right now and used the 8Dio Intimate Strings.
I had to HEAVILY compress to get all the notes out of the fast runs.
I probably could have layered some slow glisses in to smooth it out.
I have also used Trills in the past for odd fingered glissando.

This is the 8Dio.
Focused tone, it is a dense track.
 
Yes. Nothing sound like the real thing. I think sampled strings' limitation is sort of there (probably due to constraints?) unless they manage to find new way to capture the sound. The expressiveness in sample strings are sort of dull.

If you compared sample strings with the examples like "HoliStringRef" by JohnMarkPainter, the real deal sounds clean. Samples on the hand always has lots of noise. I actually dont get why sampled strings mostly can't get a clean sound. Samples are also sampled from live musicians, same as live recording. Due to Mic choices? budgeted recording ?

LASS so far is the closest in terms of "clean sound" but the timbre might not be there. CSS & Afflatus Strings so far i think are the best sounding strings and i for now shall put a stop in the hunt for strings library. Probably few more years down the road, there'll be even better sounding strings. Let's wait for another 5 years for sampling evolution. =)
In the right hands any of the libraries mentioned above can sound excellent and emotionally full in the composition and very close to real deal. The difference would be negligible for 99% of the listeners and clearly audible for trained ears or people with some knowledge only.
 
In the right hands any of the libraries mentioned above can sound excellent and emotionally full in the composition and very close to real deal. The difference would be negligible for 99% of the listeners and clearly audible for trained ears or people with some knowledge only.
yep.
It isn’t just the way they are captured although the personal taste of the engineer and the room is a MASSIVE part of that.

I am spoiled. I have gotten to work with amazing session players. They know how and when to alter their tone to make the arrangement sound better in a track.
That performance aspect is a big deal
 
yep.
It isn’t just the way they are captured although the personal taste of the engineer and the room is a MASSIVE part of that.

I am spoiled. I have gotten to work with amazing session players. They know how and when to alter their tone to make the arrangement sound better in a track.
That performance aspect is a big deal
That is true, no doubt. However this aspect matters only when they play a masterpiece composition. This is the reason why I wrote my comment in this thread that focus a lot on the sample library quality but somehow miss the more important aspect - composer/producer quality. The producer is the only element who can bring the library to live and make the difference. Any of the library mentioned in this thread is perfectly fine to make it happen IMO. Conclusion - do not waste time and money for another library but learn how to use your existing library to meet your expectations.
 
That is true, no doubt. However this aspect matters only when they play a masterpiece composition. This is the reason why I wrote my comment in this thread that focus a lot on the sample library quality but somehow miss the more important aspect - composer/producer quality. The producer is the only element who can bring the library to live and make the difference. Any of the library mentioned in this thread is perfectly fine to make it happen IMO. Conclusion - do not waste time and money for another library but learn how to use your existing library to meet your expectations.
Not in my experience.
Whole notes and simple melodic lines on pop songs require just as much of not more insight and response from the players.
Ive also worked with sections made up of excellent players that don’t have recording experience and/or have no respect for the music they are playing.
Sounds canned

So with samples, then the skill of knowing how you can make the sounds and articulations you have at your disposal work in context is the big deal
 
John, sorry to chime in. Reading your posts and listening to your very well done pieces resonates with me, so I just wanted to briefly ask whether you got some more string libraries in the meanwhile and whether - besides LASS - there is a new standout for you among the newer ones? (Generally and especially with the focus on pop songs)

And in case you didn't stumble over them yet: I think that the Chris Hein Solo and Ensemble Strings might fit your use case and also match LASS very well.
 
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