Poll: Which solo violin libraries are you really happy with? (old thread)

[zacnelson]

Something I really grave for solo violin is a bit more raspy sound. I would love to get more of those accidental sidenoises.

Hi there, in my experience the Bohemian really delivers those `accidental side noises' beautifully. It's a wonderful instrument because it feels more like you have hired a real violinist who is in the room with you, interpreting the music and adding things you wouldn't have thought of yourself. Full of expression with zero work required! A real time saver.

 

[Parsifal666]

That depends on the price I guess. If the bundle with another instrument/instruments isn't much higher than what the violin is worth, it shouldn't matter much.
From the little I've heard of the Gypsy violin, I like the wooden, rich sound - but it's a rather old library, isn't it? Does it have the kind of stuff newer libraries usually come with (many articulations, dynamic layers, mic positions etc)?

Not that age needs to matter - bowed string instruments is a several hundrer years old phenomenon and still sound good...

Improvise with EW Gypsy and fall in love. Period.

 

[Vik]

Improvise with EW Gypsy and fall in love. Period.

I can't buy all the sounds I like to check if it's true love. But it certainly sounds good:

 

[Hat_Tricky]

But if you like the tone of Bohemian violin it could be wise to buy it now. They promised free uppgrades to existing owners of the library

I thought getting the free expansions was preorder only?

 

[Parsifal666]

I can't buy all the sounds I like to check if it's true love. But it certainly sounds good:

There will be a sale,; anything under 200 grab it up, you will not regret it in the least.

 

[Kejero]

I thought getting the free expansions was preorder only?

No, the expansions are always free, once you've bought the library. But the price of the library goes up with every new expansion.

 

[Vik]

Since I already postet a clip with the Gypsy violin, which IMO has a nice, warm sound - here are some other favourites (in terms of sound) as well.




Sacconi also sounds good and seems to be more playable now (but you need to buy the whole package; can't just buy the violin).


Embertone should also have been in this poll:
https://www.embertone.com/instruments/friedlanderviolin.php

VSL is of course impressive (unfortunately I'm not so happy with their user interface/look, with all those abbreviations (pLeV/detL, V1-P4_RE etc):


Some of the libraries also have (as always: in my opinion) a tendency to end up with a violin sound that's a little too nasal/cold or "thin" to me, with more focus on high end frequencies than on delivering a violin with the warm sound that a violin certainly is capable of producing. I even think the Sacconi sound a bit boxy in some of the demos, and their Artisan violin is kind of too edgy for what I'm looking for.

So - I understand your love for the Gypsy violin, Parsifal666... I just don't know if it's as flexible as some of the others are.

It's not easy to decide.

 

[Parsifal666]

So - I understand your love for the Gypsy violin, Parsifal666... I just don't know if it's as flexible as some of the others are.

It's not easy to decide.

You could see it as a pony of limited tricks. But that specific set of tricks...legato leads, Gypsy does as well as any other imo. Easily. Open that up, set a chord progression behind you, and then explore. Like I said after doing that you'll see that anything under 200 US dollars for that is a fine deal. Don't leave that instrument out of your repertoire, you'll be cheating yourself out of wonderful inspiration, even just for single lines/melodies it is truly a magical instrument imo.

Granted there are other fine libraries...I'll let others fill in the blanks. I've been using EW Gypsy and Solo Violin (now the improved X) for so long I get one HELL of a lot of use out of them. But I'm one of those people whom take even questionably useful instrumental eggs and make omelettes out of them...I still use GPO Solo Cello 3 with fine results (guffaw all you want, I get it to sound pretty darn great).

 

[Fleer]

Love that Gypsy. And the EW Hollywood Solo Violin as well, for that matter. Both should be in the poll IMHO.

 

[constaneum]

Of Coz it shouldn't sound classical...it's called Gypsy Violin. Haha

 

[Parsifal666]

Love that Gypsy. And the EW Hollywood Solo Violin as well, for that matter. Both should be in the poll IMHO.

Hollywood solo violin took me awhile to figure out (out of the box I thought it was disappointing). But once I go the hang of it, it turned into a fine (though somewhat limited) too. This is one of those cases where you get what you pay for, it's not an extraordinarily expensive library.

 

[Vik]

No offense, but I'm a little surprised that the Bohemian violin has such a strong position in this poll. More than three times as many votes as the Chris Hein violin, and five times as many votes as Nocturne. IMO they all sound good (considering that they are "machines" and not violins ) ...but I after having listened to the demos, I don't think the Bohemian is *that* good compared with the others.

It has some nice features (dedicated parameters for rebow, up and down bow, slurred and fingered bow...) but Chris Hein has up to 8 dynamic layers, 38 articulations, 4 dynamic modes, dynamic expression sustains, flautando, 102 different attack shapes ("note heads"), extended playable range for really high or low notes, bending between articulations, ensemble mode with up to five players and more (bis recorded in mono, fake sordino and maybe not "real" vibrato?).

Nocturne has three vibrato speed modes vibrato modes (plus no vib), 14 different legato sets, “extended adaptive legato”, and can add legato to any of the articulations (but no crossfade between vibrato levels) and appears to be very playable. So - to those 20 who voted for the the Bohemian so far (and again: no offense meant!): what made you go for the Bohemian? I'm sure it's good and it sounds OK and have nice features, but that's true for several of the others as well. Curious. Thanks in advance.

 

[zacnelson]

Good question Vik! For me, the excellence of the Bohemian is a combination of factors. Yes, I agree it may not have all the extra features of some (eg different types of legato etc), but those will be available in later updates. Here is my summary:
1) Extremely well priced
2) Sits in the mix in a very natural and believable way, I feel confident using it in a variety of contexts because it doesn't sound sterile. Very easy to make it sound dry and close, and easy to push it back in the mix.
3) So easy to use! Everything sounds amazing in an instant, it surprises you and seems like it is `interpreting' your notes like a real player would. This makes you inspired and makes you want to keep playing.
4) Very little mucking around with keyswitches, no need for multiple tracks/instances
5) It has `imperfections' or human elements to it

 

[rocking.xmas.man]

see - it's one thing what features comes with an instrument. it's another thing how they are implemented. bohemian violin is jawdroppingly easy to use. additionaly it came with an insanely introductionary price. There's no question that nocturne and chris hein are way more deeply covered instruments. Many - like me may have grabbed the bohemian and are happy with it feeling no need to go for another one.

 

[Vik]

Thanks, Zacnelson! I have only seen the demo and not tried it, but in that demo, several of the notes that are being played fast in the arpeggiated chords almost have no sound (too dramatic dynamic range? slow attack?), there are hardly any fast runs (but many mid arc>sustain>mid arc>sustain situations), and almost all the phrases start with a soft attack. I'm not saying that the instrument isn't great, but (and I'm really sorry if I sound annoying here based on that overview demo, I can't see why it would get more than half of all the votes in the poll.

 

[babylonwaves]

maybe, but just maybe, that should teach you something about polls?

 

[Vik]

maybe, but just maybe, that should teach you something about polls?

Hi!
I don't consider polls having much value as such actually; they can be... "entertaining", but maybe they just reflect which of the products that had the best intro price. I have started some polls, but mainly as an "excuse" for a thread which compares similar instruments and hopefully some useful communication.
Still, the many votes for the Bohemian makes me more interested in that instrument than the demo, because there are so many things it doesn't demonstrate much (fast runs, portamento, marcato, mid note dynamic changes etc).

Can it for instance do what the Auddict violin does circa 45 seconds into this clip?
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Does it have the punch this violin has?


And so on. I know I'll probably have to end with more than one of these, I just need to figure out which.

 

[Ultraxenon]

The tone of Bohemian Violin was the reason i bought it. It has a incredible expressive sound full of nice details. When Virharmonic release all the promised uppgrades this instrument will be very hard to beat

 

[rocking.xmas.man]

Can it for instance do what the Auddict violin does circa 45 seconds into this clip?

no. the bow change of the bohemian sounds a bit more dirty so maybe this would not sound as bad or maybe just differently bad. The performer probalby would interprete that fast downward line as spiccatos. that might not even be that bad

Does it have the punch this violin has?

maybe not. I think that's because of its timbre. while I would describe chris hein violin as quite rounded and maybe pointed I would describe the timbre of bohemian breathy and tense.

 

[Vik]

As much as an "intelligent" instrument can come in handy, one must not get lazy and let it do all the work. Keyswitches are your friends! ^_^

I'm of course looking for a magical, telepathic product which can both have bite, punch and warmth and be tender and breathy at all within the same few bars. And sure, if things can be done with keyswitches, that's great. (Although it's even better when things can be done without keyswitches!

Btw, I just came across a link showing two naked OT Nocturne files, which eliminates some of the worry I had about it sounding to little woody/rosin-y. Still not telepathic, I guess, but in a combination with one or two of the other violins we discuss, it could be great.

(broken link removed)
(broken link removed)