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"Best-sounding" solo strings

When I get back I just might get the Tina Guo legato cello to use on a project because legato is all I will use probably.
For solo violin, I use the Bohemian and further to, may I say, perhaps a valid comment, vis a vi badly played by a student and slightly eerie sounding and would not be played by a real player ect ect - neither would just about any sample library known to man or beast. These are sample libraries and they're never going to be real.
Just like many here, last night I listened to some music on a continental tv programme that I wrote as a solo piano piece. The piano I used was something like NIs something or other. It doesn't sound like me playing a Steinway round at Abbey Road. It's not meant to. It's a sample library. But to the audience watching the programme it sounds like a piano being played in the background during dialogue and in the foreground when no dialogue. It's not an issue for an audience.

If you want real and it's important to you, do what Daryl does and go and book a studio full of real musicians and don't expect sample libraries to behave the same way.
 
I'm amazed no one mentioned the Hein solo strings, especially in light of articulation control. Jay mentioned vibrato control....the Hein has a vibrato PAGE, my friend. It's very dry, and you have to fool with your favorite eq and reverb to get the sound you want. But I have the solo violin, and it's great imo. The only one I use anywhere near as much is the Embertone Friedlander.

For solo violas and double bass I use 8dio Adagio, but I'll be getting the Hein with the quickness, once I get paid for this commission in fact. Emotional Cello is amazing.

I also have the relatively new EW Solo Violin and Cello, and they're both sounding really good as well imo.
 
Many people disagree with me, but I think the Sample Modeling SWAM solo strings sound great. Even better, they play like butter.

 
Tina Guo Cello for me. It simply has emotions, warmth and life to it that I never felt in another virtual instrument.
Even though I only have Bohemian Cello (which is a BEAST) still I don't think it comes close to the warmth and liveliness of the Tina Guo's tone.
Wish the Virharmonic guys have hired her for their cello (all due respect to their cellist)
 
If we are reviving this thread... Solo strings is one of the areas where I just can't get by with samples. There is no way for me to make a satisfying mockup of a string quartet. The good thing is that recording a real string quartet is less expensive than one might think, and certainly much less expensive than recording an orchestra. And the results put to shame even the most carefully and laboriously programmed mockup.

That being said, the "best-sounding" solo string samples for my taste currently are the Berlin Strings First Chairs. Nice tone and timbre. Unfortunately the library has quite a few inconsistencies that make it unsuitable for solo string usage in my opinion. To be fair, it's not the way the library is marketed, but there's a lot of unused potential if you ask me. Bit of a shame. The most comprehensive and usable solo strings library would be VSL Solo Strings for me.
 
I agree with you about string quartets - however I find a lot of the solo string libraries can sound quite satisfying in the context of a full arrangement including other colours, such as ensemble strings, pianos, brass etc. Or even on a pop or rock track.
 
Parsifal666 said:
I'm amazed no one mentioned the Hein solo strings, especially in light of articulation control. Jay mentioned vibrato control....the Hein has a vibrato PAGE, my friend. It's very dry, and you have to fool with your favorite eq and reverb to get the sound you want. But I have the solo violin, and it's great imo. The only one I use anywhere near as much is the Embertone Friedlander.

For solo violas and double bass I use 8dio Adagio, but I'll be getting the Hein with the quickness, once I get paid for this commission in fact. Emotional Cello is amazing.

I also have the relatively new EW Solo Violin and Cello, and they're both sounding really good as well imo.
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I've been very happy with the Chris Hein instruments I've picked up so far so the solo strings are on my list. Also waiting expectantly for CS Solo Strings when Alex is ready.
 
muk said:
If we are reviving this thread... Solo strings is one of the areas where I just can't get by with samples. There is no way for me to make a satisfying mockup of a string quartet.
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Basically my opinion as well. Really difficult to just get close to the expresiveness of a solo string instrument and 'trick the ears'.
Having said that, I haven't seen opinions about Sacconi quartet in this thread (and not much in other threads). I don't own it, sounded good to me in the demos, and seems to be designed and recorded specificaly for quartet writing, as far as I can tell... Any current user around that might want to chime in and share an opinion?
 
I was recently looking at Spitfire Sacconi Quartet as a possible solo string library. I know it's marketed for quartet writing, but it sounds like it might be good for solo strings as well, especially with the vast amount of articulations.

Anyone say Yay or Nay?
 
I had intended to purchase the Sacconi cellos a couple of weeks back to try them out, but as they were no longer available as a separate library, I passed on the full quartet. The legato transitions sound really good and fluid. The violin/viola vibratos sounded off to me at times in the walkthroughs.

I would also be interested in trying out one of the Cinesample Solo instruments... but same situation as with SF... the whole quintet or nothing. Not a fan of this trend.
 
I have the Sacconi quartet, bought it when it came out. IMO, it really doesn't work as solo instruments. I have used the cello as a solo in a few spots, none of the other instruments. But it lacks the warmth and expression that Tina's cello has. The quartet works best as a quartet.

I really wish Spitfire would re-visit their solo strings. They've updated their other early libraries, but not that one. That's unfortunate.

I've also used the LASS 1st chairs as solos, I was happy with how that turned out.
 
jononotbono said:
This Cello sounds synthy to my ears. No doubt the performance element is amazing (I have the SM Brass bundle and love it) but I can't get on with the SM Viola so I'll pass on this for now. Perhaps it's the level of my ability that's stopping the show for me.
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I said the same thing, but it's close. Even Chris Hein, which I like very much, has a slightly raspy tone. Cinestrings Solo has a nice tone (for 1st, viola, cello), but could use more articulations and controls. So I guess we are still waiting for the perfect solo string. As mentioned earlier in this thread, it may be a far way off.
 
I think it really does depend on how much you're willing to work with your solo strings. I know after a final arrangement I'm spending literally hours detailing the strings, articulations, dynamics mapping...

The Hein gives me that bare, kind of rugged string sound that gives me a ton of options. It can take some deft and patient hands, but you can get really excellent results from those solo strings. Your pick of reverb...I usually go QL.
 
jononotbono said:
This Cello sounds synthy to my ears.
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Maybe because you know it is? In a blind test with the violin vs other libraries vs actual live playing, several people here thought the SM violin was the real thing. Yet I've heard some make the same complaint about it being synthy when they knew it was SM. Which suggests that we may approach these instruments with a certain prejudice...
 
robgb said:
Maybe because you know it is? In a blind test with the violin vs other libraries vs actual live playing, several people here thought the SM violin was the real thing. Yet I've heard some make the same complaint about it being synthy when they knew it was SM. Which suggests that we may approach these instruments with a certain prejudice...
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Perhaps but I just think it sounds synthetic. I think the same about the Viola (and I bought that on release) and have tried to use it with the Seaboard Rise for absolute expression. I don't get this same feeling when listening to the Embertone Solo Strings and Spitfire Solo Strings as an example and I know they are Sample Libraries. So it's not me being prejudice, it's just to me they sound synthetic. Each to their own and what's fascinating is how we all hear different things.
 
jononotbono said:
Perhaps but I just think it sounds synthetic. I think the same about the Viola (and I bought that on release) and have tried to use it with the Seaboard Rise for absolute expression. I don't get this same feeling when listening to the Embertone Solo Strings and Spitfire Solo Strings as an example and I know they are Sample Libraries. So it's not me being prejudice, it's just to me they sound synthetic. Each to their own and what's fascinating is how we all hear different things.
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I guess we'll have to disagree. And I guess this just proves that it's all subjective.
 
I still think Virharmonic makes the most playable and listenable solo instruments I've heard. They sound quite convincing.
 
I know I'm a big champion of Sample Modeling, but this was done with Kirk Hunter's Spotlight Strings, which is a terrific library:

 
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