What libraries do you actually have, Scripter? Maybe base your shared experiences on those?
Damn I would need till tomorrow... kind of obsessed with buying libraries. XD
So in short i got:
-NI Komplete Ultimate Bundle
-Cinesamples Core Bundle
-Strezvo Choir Essentials
-8dio Epic Drums Series
-Various Free Libraries from developers like Impact Soundworks, Audio Imperia, Keep Forest, Auddict, ...
The things I really sticked to use for Orchestral Compositions:
Percussion:
-Cine Perc by Cinesamples (Great Library with lots of different percussive Elements for every situation)
-Damage by Heavyocity (for Big Hits and Accents)
-Ferrum Free by Keep Forest (also Accents and its free)
-Epic Frame Drum Ensemble, Epic Tom Ensemble by 8dio (really Epic Fill Drums)
Strings:
-Cine Strings Core by Cinesamples (ok library works but there are better alternatives)
„Piano“:
-Noire by Native Instruments (Love the sound, great for emotional soft passages)
-Alicia Keys by Native Instruments (Good for harder passages)
Winds:
-Cine Winds by Cinesamples (ok don’t use to much winds)
-Monster Low Winds by Cinesamples (like the staccatos, really powerful)
Brass:
-Cine Brass Core by Cinesamples (Sounds Great but is sometimes not „powerful“ enough)
-Symphonic Brass by Native Instruments (Bad metallic sounds, but love it to layer with Cine Brass Core. Makes the sound cut trough the mix. Also good for braaamish fx.)
Choir + Vocals:
-Choir Essentials by Strezvo Sampling (Sounds Great an is really versatile)
-Ceres Free by Auddict Audio (Free and best solo vocals i have)
Synth:
-Vital by Matt Tyrel (Free and versatile)