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Help me choose, or I will die

The ONE Solo Strings library?

  • Cinematic Studio Solo Strings

    Votes: 50 37.0%

  • Spitfire Solo Strings

    Votes: 25 18.5%

  • Berlin EXP D Soloists

    Votes: 2 1.5%

  • CineSamples CineStrings Solo

    Votes: 9 6.7%

  • 8Dio Deep Solo Strings

    Votes: 8 5.9%

  • Other (I'm all ears)

    Votes: 41 30.4%
  • Total voters
    135
Oh my gosh, somebody is going to die over this. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't really the case.

The violin is JB Violin. I've filled in those other spaces with other Embertone offerings. Tina Guo Cello sounds heavenly, but I don't have it.

I have some 8Dio Studio Strings that get close, but there's no real way I'm mocking up a serious string quartet. To my ears, most of the libraries lack the human breathing and humanity of the real thing.

Spitfire Alternative Solo Strings fills a spot the others don't. Or VSL. This is such a hard question, and it's related to how the instruments are used.

@ImJim pointed to some fantastic stuff, and the material is largely dependent on the skill and thoughtfulness of the composer and orchestrator.

I wish there were a four-banger that would do Schubert, Beethoven, Britten, Ravel, but I haven't found it. The language of unfretted strings is too vast and nuanced.
 
Shiirai said:
Oh man. Don't spend money based on on a poll.

Personally, I'm partial to the Embertone Solo Strings. It took me multiple weeks of reading, watching videos and listening to demos to make my choice. 'Hours and hours' of comparisons seems kinda normal when making such an important choice.

I suggest choosing two, compare them into oblivion and choose a winner. Then do it again with two other libraries. And again. Pit the winners against each other.

Think about which other libraries you have or want. If you mainly use drier libraries, get drier solo strings. If you use Spitfire Symphonic or Chamber Strings, maybe getting the Spitfire solo strings is sensible.

Considering all the different opinions you're going to get, I'm afraid you gon' die.
Click to expand...
Haha. I know, but I'm literally on the fence of buying either CSSS or Spitfire (and even maybe CineStrings Solo) that I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on the best overall library based on users feedback.

I love reading in depth posts and following arguments between actual longtime users who had the opportunity to compare all those libs, rather than being tricked by a few over-processed demos on SoundCloud.
 
Stringtree said:
Oh my gosh, somebody is going to die over this. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't really the case.

The violin is JB Violin. I've filled in those other spaces with other Embertone offerings. Tina Guo Cello sounds heavenly, but I don't have it.

I have some 8Dio Studio Strings that get close, but there's no real way I'm mocking up a serious string quartet. To my ears, most of the libraries lack the human breathing and humanity of the real thing.

Spitfire Alternative Solo Strings fills a spot the others don't. Or VSL. This is such a hard question, and it's related to how the instruments are used.

@ImJim pointed to some fantastic stuff, and the material is largely dependent on the skill and thoughtfulness of the composer and orchestrator.

I wish there were a four-banger that would do Schubert, Beethoven, Britten, Ravel, but I haven't found it. The language of unfretted strings is too vast and nuanced.
Click to expand...
I will die, literally. I NEED a solid string quartet for a major client. Deadline is shorter than expected. And I'm not ready at all.
For now my top 3 remains CSSS, Spitfire and CineStrings.

CSSS cons: frustrating inbuilt delay - no control over vibrato.

Spitfire: legato & overall scripting doesn't sound that impressive compared to CSSS.

CineStrings: colder sound, no portamento.

I'll end up drawing lots on these, I'm sure.
 
Cremona beat's CSSS for me anyway..was considering picking up cinestrings solo as it was on sale but listening to the two of them decided against it..
 
ImJim said:
Haha. I know, but I'm literally on the fence of buying either CSSS or Spitfire (and even maybe CineStrings Solo)
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if you understand the differences between all these libraries.
You asked for versatile. I have CSSS and I can tell you that the only thing it is good for is a first chair for CSS....although it makes a fantastic first chair, but it is not in any way versatile.

If you are looking for a real solo strings library with all the articulations that can do the fringe techniques, you will be very disappointed with libraries like CSSS.

Emotional Violin, Cello, and Viola have somewhere around 200 articulations between the 3 of them and the Emotional Violin also comes with an 'Intimate' Violin that can easily be configured to work as a 2nd Violin.

Other options are Tina Guo Cello and Joshua Bell Violin. These also have a wide arrangement of articulations.
8Dio is an option too with their new solo strings, but I'm not a huge fan....but they do have the versatility that you are looking for.

My suggestion is to go to Best Service and watch a few walkthroughs and listen to the demos. There isn't a more complete Solo Strings package out there than Emotional Violin, Viola, and Cello.
 
ImJim said:
I will die, literally. I NEED a solid string quartet for a major client. Deadline is shorter than expected. And I'm not ready at all.
For now my top 3 remains CSSS, Spitfire and CineStrings.

CSSS cons: frustrating inbuilt delay - no control over vibrato.

Spitfire: legato & overall scripting doesn't sound that impressive compared to CSSS.

CineStrings: colder sound, no portamento.

I'll end up drawing lots on these, I'm sure.
Click to expand...

Also another note, that Cinestrings Solo is also very limited in articulations....not to mention it's a very old library and badly needs replacement or updating.

Spitfire Solo Strings is more versatile then the other 2 you are interested in, but keep in mind that it is recorded at AIR studios so good luck mixing it with other libraries that aren't from Spitfire Symphony Orchestra.
 
CSSS and Berlin probably sound best in the context of a quartet.

8dio Deep Solos have the best sustains and especially beautiful built in arcs and crescendos.

Cinesamples Solos sound good for soloist stuff (from what I can tell from the demos) but can sound a little flat at times.

Spitfire Solos and the Emotional series are pretty well rounded but the legato transitions can be pretty noticeable

Solo string libraries tend to have their own very specific strength and might leave you disappointed outside of that strength so deciding which strength best suits your music style is something a poll can't really decide sadly 😅
 
The problem with most solo strings libraries is that they are designed to be soloists, and so they often don’t play well with others. That is, like soloists they expect the ensemble to conform to them rather than working as part of an ensemble. So first chairs often work better for quartets and other chamber music. Except then you quickly hit the limitations of the available articulations.

Then too it depends on what you need these to do. Some will be adequate for writing—and for writing I think having a sound you like is paramount, more important than the number of articulations (though it’s nice to have at least one library for each instrument with an extensive articulation kit). But I’m not sure any of these libraries will get you to deliverable quality as a quartet. You’ll need to rerecord them or write something where the VI character is what you are after. I’ve been happy with the miniatures I’ve produced, and the sound is fine for demonstration purposes i think. But I’m certain they would sound much better played by a quartet.
 
Another vote for Emotional series. Tone is beautiful, with the room having a wonderful quality. A million articulations as mentioned above.

CSSS (which I own) has robotic sounding vibrato, sounds fakey to me over time.

Vibrato variation across the note is what is important to me when it comes to solo strings, if it's static it just doesn't sound quite right.

I have Berlin Exp and they are my second choice, quite natural sounding vibrato and beautiful tone, legato is a little iffy but workable
 
If you had time on your side and don't want to buy a new solo strings library every time the next job reveals its shortcomings, I suggest VSL Solo Strings or Xsample and learn them well.
 
ImJim said:
CSSS cons: frustrating inbuilt delay
Click to expand...
The delay is optional, actually. You can just use patches with 125ms delay instead, and they'll be comparable with the delay you get from other strings on the market. (And the legato transition lengths will likewise be shorter, like other strings.)
 
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I must be missing something. It doesn't matter what libraries I buy, my music still sounds basically the same. I guess I haven't reached that level where buying the right library makes me sound like Hans Zimmer. ;)
 
Robert_G said:
I'm not sure if you understand the differences between all these libraries.
You asked for versatile. I have CSSS and I can tell you that the only thing it is good for is a first chair for CSS....although it makes a fantastic first chair, but it is not in any way versatile.

If you are looking for a real solo strings library with all the articulations that can do the fringe techniques, you will be very disappointed with libraries like CSSS.

Emotional Violin, Cello, and Viola have somewhere around 200 articulations between the 3 of them and the Emotional Violin also comes with an 'Intimate' Violin that can easily be configured to work as a 2nd Violin.

Other options are Tina Guo Cello and Joshua Bell Violin. These also have a wide arrangement of articulations.
8Dio is an option too with their new solo strings, but I'm not a huge fan....but they do have the versatility that you are looking for.

My suggestion is to go to Best Service and watch a few walkthroughs and listen to the demos. There isn't a more complete Solo Strings package out there than Emotional Violin, Viola, and Cello.
Click to expand...
But you have to like the sound! I personally cannot get on with the Emotional Series. I think the playability and "life like" performance aspects are great, but quite often the sound devolves into being "synthy" and fake sounding to my ears.

But in the context of a larger ensemble I don't think it's an issue. However the OP is asking for solo strings, so...
 
Hello, string player by occupation here. Despite my "new" nature on these forums I have played, own, or extensively listened to every string library that there is to own.

What you need is to buy a special two that cover what each other can not, and that would be..
*drum roll*

Swam v3, and Sample Modeling strings.

Yes, that is correct.
Sampling can never properly emulate the modulating characteristics of a soloistic performance, so you will need to resort to modeling.
These two VST's together will cover every genre, every playstyle, every nuance you could possibly ever need from base level performance.
Sample Modeling For dramatique, classical, crisp melodic passages.
SWAM for anime, video gamey, close and gritty string intimacy.

I know much about these libraries and have used them a ton, and am down to answer any questions about them if you have any.
 
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