What's new

Favourite instrument(s) in your fav. string libraries?

Vik

Vi-k
Some of mine are the Con Moto cello, Berlin Strings Sul Tasto cellos, Spitfire Studio Strings pizz bass (based on demos), and Soaring Strings violas. The SCS V1 is also a favourite. I'll mention more later, but what are yours?
 
8dio's Anthology Chamber Violas and Ensemble Cellos are absolutely gorgeous, as well as the entire sordino sections. The legatos, the short notes, the arcs. It's a very misunderstood library, and it does have its quirks. But it remains my favourite library for emotional strings.

Embertone's Leonid Bass has a very solid, powerful sound in the lower range, yet a very pleasant upper range. I love its surprising versatility, and I love how it inspires me to use the double bass as a solo instrument more frequently than I would otherwise.

The original Chris Hein Solo Violin is still one of the most versatile solo strings I've used and remains my go-to solo violin, though it does require a fair bit of tweaking.

The Violins of Peter Siedlaczek´s String Essentials still sound truly amazing. That library is well over a decade old (two decades?), yet it's aged very well and I'v used it for layering a few times in recent years.

Kirk Hunter Concert Strings 3 has lovely Cellos. They require extensive EQing, but are very flexible (though there's only a single dynamic layer). I've never used it on any of my projects, but I've played around with it a lot and it's great for layering. The legato (which I believe is scripted, but if I'm wrong feel free to correct me on that) is very agile.

I can't really pick out any favourites in the other string libraries I own. Auddict's Second Violins are quite nice, but I only own the First and Second Violins of that library (never got around to buying the other sections).

My next string purchase will be Spitfire Studio Strings Pro, actually. And after that probably Afflatus.

EDIT: I suppode I cheated a bit by mentioning several favourites in anthology. But if I had to pick one, it'd be a toss-up between the Chamber Violas and Ensemble Cellos.
 
Last edited:
For a while it was SCS ensemble Long Flautando but now replaced with BO Inspire 2 Flautando Ensemble. It melts almost as much as Emotional Cello's Dolce Vib sustain patch.
 
Hollywood Strings's Celli (especially the legato patches), and Soaring Strings's violins (sometimes layer these with Hollywood Strings)
 
Time Macro's "sustain col legno tratto" articulations are lovely... once you've boosted the gain enough to actually hear them, that is.

This whole library seems like their answer to Tundra, and I'm all about it.
 
The legato patch in Spitfire Appassionata, high and low strings patches from Areia and from 8Dio Anthology, the viola and cello patches.
 
Quite a few quickly came to mind

- CSSS Viola & Cello legato

- Albion Tundra & Neo’s Flautando Con Sordino longs

- CS2 has my favorite standard longs and ensemble patch

- CSS harmonics & tremolo

- Cremona Quartet Cello & Viola Staccatissimo & Pizzicato

- Century Strings Normale & Sordino 2 Bow Arcs

- SA Appassionata Violin 1

- Spitfire Chamber Strings Spiccatos

- Pacific Cello Freebie Legato
 
Last edited:
Time Macro's "sustain col legno tratto" articulations are lovely... once you've boosted the gain enough to actually hear them, that is.
This is my only issue with Time Macro (and Micro): most articulations are so quiet that I have to slide the gain ALL the way up. I have not had these for very long, but if anyone can suggest a solution, I would be grateful*

. . . but in response to the original question, I like the long half-section of Spitfire Audio's Intimate Strings

*Same issue with Frozen Strings: They're bewitching all by themselves but so quiet that I find them difficult to use in a track without being swallowed up
 
Last edited:
My workhorses are VSL and Berlin, they all sound great, alone and layering, these are my favorite patches:

  • Viola from VSL Elite strings, using divisi 2 mic preset.
  • Berlin Con Sordino strings, all sections with expressive vibrato option.
  • Cellos from Berlin Sul Tasto legatos.
 
HWO OPUS Violins, Violas, Celli Divisi A/B legato portamento staccato max
HWO Opus legato slur runs
HWO Opus short strings
Cine Solo Strings Violin 1 Legato (perfect portamento), Cello
PS Con Moto all of them, Solo Strings
and a lot more in other string libraries ...
 
Top Bottom