What's new

BBO: L & M goes strings!

I was sceptical at first as well, but I've playing around with this library now for quite some time and it is easy to use and very much usable. Give it a try!
 


It's time for more Big Bang Orchestra, and this time it's all about strings:
The articulation list is similar to the last BBO installments, containing Bold and Agile Shorts, Sustained with light and strong vibrato, espressivo, real legatos, different dynamics, tremolo, trills, fast repetitions, glissandos minor/major up/down, pizzicto.

Easy to use with a beautiful sound, you will enjoy working with these libraries. As always with many mic-positions and mixer presets included, so you can start quickly and customize the sound with your own mix.


And here is the best part: You get these installments for €65 each (introductory prices, regular: € 95)

Listen to the demos!

Are the strings the same as Synchron? I mean similar sound wise...will Synchron strings work here with BBO, or are they a different sound all together? Thanks.
 
Totally Agree ! Hopefully VSL is seriously taking notes.
I just asked Ben if Synchron Strings 1 is pretty much the same. I would rather not keep buying new strings just to go with new libraries...they're all on Synchron Stage, so I am hoping that I can get a similar sound...but I do love using unisons..I write a lot of unison, but do occasionally split out harmonies, so not sure how this will fair.
 
I'm curious as to why VSL went for usable separate sections for brass but only ensemble patches for strings in this series.
I am guessing since strings generally play in unison most of the time, brass doesn't and needs to be a able to build a chord. Just a guess...but I would have loved separated strings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ben
I am guessing since strings generally play in unison most of the time, brass doesn't and needs to be a able to build a chord. Just a guess...but I would have loved separated strings.
It just seems odd in that if it's meant to be a sketching library, you could have just had high brass and low brass like in an Albion, but in that case the projected total price seems very high. But with these strings that you can't actually orchestrate properly with, it's no longer a competitor for something like BBCSO Pro.
 
Are the strings the same as Synchron? I mean similar sound wise...will Synchron strings work here with BBO, or are they a different sound all together? Thanks.
Yes, you can use them together. They blend perfectly imo (just tried it out ;) ).

I'm curious as to why VSL went for usable separate sections for brass but only ensemble patches for strings in this series.
1. Sound. You will not get the same sound if you record the sections seperatly.
2. The idea of BBO: Quick and instant. Just load the section and play. No need orchestrate everything in score during your creative process.
3. Cost. It's a BBO installment, and we try to keep each installment below 100€. You get libraries without compromises in quality for just ~ €65 (after intro: ~ € 95).

It just seems odd in that if it's meant to be a sketching library, you could have just had high brass and low brass like in an Albion, but in that case the projected total price seems very high. But with these strings that you can't actually orchestrate properly with, it's no longer a competitor for something like BBCSO Pro.
It's not primarly designed as sketching tool, nor as orchestration tool for the notation first approach imo.
You can use these libraries for these use-cases, but the main strengths are the sound and work-speed to achieve good sounding music.
But you can also use them to thicken up or complement the sound of your other libraries, be it Synchron, SYNCHRON-ized, VI or libraries from our colleagues.
And then there are the BBO installments with sounds and effects you will not get in any other libraries.

We try to design our libraries to complement each other, so you get something new and useful, even if it is a new string library :)
 
From what I can hear, the €190 Lyra and Musca bundle sounds MUCH fuller
In Lyra we are listening to three sections playing in octaves. It would be surprising if they weren't fuller than a single section playing alone.

These BBO libraries are all devoted to espressive articulations. I wouldn't compare them (even if I admit to like them more than Synchron Strings, but this is a different matter...).

Paolo
 
Last edited:
I think strings are the section where ensemble recordings make the most sense. I always found it really baffling that so many libraries had combined brass patches. Strings have a rather homogenous timbre from high to low and blend very well, while the brass family is a weird bunch where every instrument is its own animal. I thought it was a good move by OT to separate the brass in MA but go with combos for strings, and VSL went for a similar approach with BBO.

I don't have Musca yet, but I managed to play around with Lyra a bit today and am pretty excited about the sound. They really nailed it here. Might be VSLs best sounding string recordings so far!
 
It just seems odd in that if it's meant to be a sketching library, you could have just had high brass and low brass like in an Albion, but in that case the projected total price seems very high. But with these strings that you can't actually orchestrate properly with, it's no longer a competitor for something like BBCSO Pro.
I wish it would be...I am guessing winds are next. hopefully they split them out like the brass at least.
 
And then, violas are finally playing the same part of the first violins! Always! This is a violist's revenge!

Paolo
It would be great if there is a cut off range per instrument, this way we can limit the viola from stepping too much on the violin.
 
I think strings are the section where ensemble recordings make the most sense. I always found it really baffling that so many libraries had combined brass patches. Strings have a rather homogenous timbre from high to low and blend very well, while the brass family is a weird bunch where every instrument is its own animal. I thought it was a good move by OT to separate the brass in MA but go with combos for strings, and VSL went for a similar approach with BBO.

I don't have Musca yet, but I managed to play around with Lyra a bit today and am pretty excited about the sound. They really nailed it here. Might be VSLs best sounding string recordings so far!
are there demos?
 
Top Bottom