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Favorite Sample Library Combinations for Orchestration?

DoubleDouble

DoubleDouble

New Member
Hello fellow composers,

I’ve been diving into the world of combining different sample libraries and have heard a lot about how mixing two (or more) libraries can really enhance the sound. I’m currently using Cinematic Studio libraries and am curious to know what combinations you’ve found work best for you. Specifically, I’d love to hear:

  • What libraries do you combine and why?
  • In what context or purpose do you choose to layer or mix different libraries (e.g., film scoring, mockups, etc.)?
  • How does blending libraries help you achieve a more realistic or dynamic sound in your projects?
I’m hoping to learn more about how these combinations can bring out the best in an arrangement and would love any insight or experiences you can share.

Thanks in advance!
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I like blending csseries with British Drama Toolkit. Gives long sustain phrases more character and motion. I’ve also used Tokyo Scoring Strings a lot lately, mainly for its repeated legato function. Layering the realistic repetition with CSS has been a godsend, since I like writing that style a lot.

Also, Rhapdody Percussion has blended well with Cinematic Studio, and is the closest in sound until CSP comes out. I’ve also heard that True Strike is the best contender for this job, though.

I would call Albion Neo a “vst blending” powerhouse. It’s so easy to blend with other string libraries. Lastly, despite being recorded in Teldex, the sound of Time Micro is so subdued that I don’t have to worry about mixing all that much!
 
Your easiest start is small, bright, and tight blended with big and dark. The smoothest blend I've ever heard is LA Scoring Strings plus Modern Scoring Strings, probably for obvious reasons. Also Duality is made to blend. Similarly, blending LASS regular and sordino together, or Berlin Strings and Berlin Strings Con Sordino, etc tends to work very well
 
I've been mixing TSS with Spitfire Appassionata for longs and Ark 5 for shorts to great effect. While TSS is great, it is very smooth and can be a bit lifeless in my opinion without careful CC work. SAS on the other hand is bursting with life, with very nice shapes to every note with the different attack options. SAS also has a very nice fat, dark tone which complements TSS' bright and rich tone very nicely. The Ark 5 shorts are there mainly to match the impression of extra size from blending the longs. Works great.

Same thing to a much lesser extent is with THB Brass and Berlin Brass. BBR has a lot more tuning imperfections and has more life in the samples than THB, so I've found that layering the two gives a great result. There's also lots of flexibility when it comes to what BBR instrument you double things with.
 
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For "British Drama" style, there's obviously the combination of Spitfire British Drama Toolkit (covering strings and woodwinds) and the later addition of British Drama Toolkit Brass and Reeds. But NI Valves Pro is a good alternative brass library to blend in. I think Orchestral Tools Whisper ("Gentle Wind Instruments") would go well with it too.

On the topic of Spitfire Appassionata, I was experimenting with blending in VSL Appassionata yesterday, and that works well. Spitfire Appassionata's lack of shorts and single legato speed brings a need to combine with other libraries sooner or later, and VSL has more articulations. Especially useful are some of the fastest portamento legatos for subtle variation of legato speed. At the moment I prefer the sound of these two Appassionatas together over either by itself.
 
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I've been layering modeled instruments with sampled ones to get a "best of both worlds" combinations where needed. Especially for solistic work and jazz, the added flexibility of the modeled instruments help the "stiff" samples come alive. Especially useful for certain articulations samples cannot pull of very convincingly imo, like doits, large range bends or vibrato, half-valves, ghost notes in fast passages etc. and for specific sound and range requirements my sampled instruments won't do.
 
I have blended some of THB (solo horn and a4, solo trombone and a3) and BB (trumpet 1) with the brass of AROOF (+expansions). Then I use the strings and most of the percussion from BBCSO, as well as the woods from time to time. From AROOF I also use the woods for when I dont need to use an specific section or for the blends of the expansion. And the strings to support BBCSO strings or the blends of the expansions.

The brass from AROOF is just perfect in sound, but very limited. So I use the brass from OT to support it (extend the range from low brass, get soloist, etc.). The Strings from BBCSO have some issues that can be supported by AROOF. The woods from AROOF just help me to create certain things faster, the same can be said for another sections. The percussion from AROOF just have some perfect sounds, but again, its very limited.

Im trying to blend Cinebrass Pro, but I find it rather dificult, compared to OT, due to the lack of mic merguing. I'm also in the search of a Bassbone and tuba. THB are the obvious choices, to keep the same workflow as the obvious choices. But I also have BB in my eye.

I do also have some of the woods from BW, mainly those that are missing in BBCSO (eb Cl and Alto fl). And as soon as OT ports to SINE the extended Brass, I will grab some of it.
 
Great question! I just watched a video where they were suggesting layering libraries and what they said made a lot of sense. So this topic is right on target for me atm.

I have EWHO, I like it a lot, I’ve been happy with the sound. But now I’m wondering what it would pair well with, if I could get a little more oomph and power! Anyone have experience blending and layering with EWHO?
 
I happen to have both SSO and BBCSO. By accident, I layered the strings and noticed that it’s an immensely lush and full sound.

While SSO has great upper dynamics and can cut through a mix, BBCSO sounds more lyrical and round, lacking some high end frequencies. But it fills out where SSO is lacking.
The combination is the ultimate string/brass sound for me. Woodwinds are fine, just nothing spectacular.

SSO Horns A2 + BBCSO Horns A4 are supreme melted cheese. I love it so much. If I’ve got time, I can upload some examples.
 
Casiquire said:
The smoothest blend I've ever heard is LA Scoring Strings plus Modern Scoring Strings,
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I own both but don't really use LASS. how do you deal with LASS having less articulations than MSS ? If it is supposed to blend, I would expect them to play together all the time, right ?
 
robisme said:
I own both but don't really use LASS. how do you deal with LASS having less articulations than MSS ? If it is supposed to blend, I would expect them to play together all the time, right ?
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It's not that it's "supposed" to be a blending companion library, but it blends very well. They're made by the same meticulous developers and behave similarly. In that uncommon situation since LASS covers a lot of ground already, I just use the closest articulation in LASS and lean on MSS. Probably the most likely case of this would be ostinatos, where I'd use LASS's anti-machine gun and duck it a bit behind MSS. If I wanted a perfect midi match it would not be difficult to set that on its own keyswitch or control.
 
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