@Shiirai and
@AndyP
OK for some reason my English failed and it's all getting confusing! So I will trust Steinberg's (and ProjectSam's) English more than mine. Here is what I meant:
"Iconica Ensembles includes a range of cinematic-style presets, which are carefully-crafted ensembles of
different instruments. Designed to help you generate new ideas and meet short deadlines." Examples:
- Adventure Kit (Horns, Trumpets 8va / Low Strings Spiccato)
- Call To Arms (Oboe, Piccolo / Celli, Violas / Tuba, Basses, Snare)
- Cartoon Orchestra (Full Woodwinds, Xylophone, Marimba, Timpani")
- Dark Lines (Basses, Contra Bassoon, Celli 8va, Bass Clarinet 8va)
- Fairytale (Violins Trills, Flute Trills, Clarinet Trills, Chimes / Celli, Horn)
- Pirates (Low Strings, Horns, Trombones, Tuba, Timpani)
- Situation Room (Celli, Violas / Basses, Contra Basson, Bassoon 8va,Bass Clarinet 8va)
- Soaring Strings (1st Violins 8va, 2nd Violins / Low Strings)
So you select only one "instrument" and you have this "ready-to-use mixed orchestra patch". Symphobia has a similar feature:
"Symphobia is not your traditional orchestral sample library. Instead of focusing on individual multi-samples, Symphobia offers ensemble multi-samples in numerous arrangements for orchestral sections as well as a
full orchestra performing together. The reason is simple: the real thing sounds so much more powerful."
Albions do the same, ProjectSam's Orchestral Essentials, Sonuscore the Orchestra, even Garritan's Instant Orchestra. They offer many choices of ready-to-use, recorded-together, mixed-orchestra patches. AndyP, I think Symphobia has them under the "Action", "Suspense", "Drama", etc. folders.
As Andy sarcastically said, you can do it on your own, it's not rocket science. Add the sections you want and balance them, mix them, pan them as you please! And my reply is: if I am going to do it on my own (well, sometimes I enjoy it!), then why bother buying a sketch orchestra? Why don't we extend this "logic", this "argument", to include full strings or full brass? I can open my Play 6, and create a multi/ensemble of 1st violins + 2nd violins + violas + chelli + basses! In less than 10 minutes it's ready!
My reply for this is simple: I trust the professionals of ProjectSam or Spitfire or Steinberg or Red Room Audio for all this work, to offer me full and mixed ensembles, of musicians recorded playing together at the same time brass + strings + woodwinds (or other combinations)! Otherwise why bother buying a sketch library?
And about the definition of Sketch Library: I suppose the more simplified one would be that it is a library that instead of focusing on solo instruments and/or small sections of instruments, it focuses on full ensembles of strings, brass, woodwinds and - for me - full mixed orchestra, exactly like the examples above!
That's the only think that - for me - is missing from Palette! (I repeat all these thoughts are mainly for the full $300 price)