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Spitfire Mural vs Future Symphonic Strings

windyweekend

Active Member
Hi all

I'm looking to upgrade my strings from Albion ONE/VSL and would love to hear some opinions.

I prefer to compose w divisi so find AONE frustrating and limited. I'm thinking of going to Mural but can't bridge the financial gap to the entire bundle. Am considering starting with Mural 2 to get some more interesting articulations to layer over AONE with then targeting Mural 1 at a later date.

(Q - is this the right way round to go?)

The big concern I have is that if I do this Spitfire will dump the modular (and eventually affordable) Mural for a new 'Symphonic Strings' library the same way they have axed the modular Brass and Sable ranges - and then I'll have no way of getting what is now the M3 articulations without spending what will be many thousands to get what I essentially already have all over again - just to get the last missing articulation a. I was very close to buying both Sable and various brass packs earlier this year but chose not to because of this new, 'all-or-nothing', pricing model which suddenly had these out of reach. This packaging smells like commercial greed to me and has really pushed me away from Spitfire.

(They'd never do it, but I'd love to see them offer an a la carte pricing model one day where you can pick and choose what instruments/articulations you want and build your own bundles - will have to wait until a big Corp buys them I guess!)

Would love to hear people's thoughts on what I should do here.
 
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Mural is my all time favourite as far as the overall tone of a string library comes and I continue to use it, even though I often end up replacing/overlaying CS2 on top of it (usually just 1st violins), when there's a high strings lead passage that involves lots of legato. I've heard some good legato examples, but for me especially the 1st violins always sound horrible, when trying to make them shine at the top range; jumpy, incoherent intervals no matter how much/little I adjust the speed etc. Might just be my own fault, but I've noticed that overlaying CS2 is a safe passage to success..

I'd get Vol. 1 first, since - I might be wrong here - it contains the crucial sustains/dynamics that you need with your legatos. Vol. 2 gives you stuff like trills, completes the tremolos and ads some additional dynamic layers, but if those are what you need, then just get Mural Ensembles.

One thing worth noting is, that preceding these refurbished libraries, Spitfire has offered some very good discounts before discontinuing the BML versions. I assume they'll do the same with Mural and that's when you need to make your move. If you need some now, then get Vol.1 and grab the rest during that sale period, or pick Vol. 2 then and upgrade to a new, full mural library later when you can.
 
I imagine SSS is coming soon, and the price for the entire package will probably drop a bit, if like the recent Sable and Brass repackaging.
 
Am considering starting with Mural 2 to get some more interesting articulations to layer over AONE with then targeting Mural 1 at a later date.

(Q - is this the right way round to go?)
Not sure how that would work, because I got M1 before I got M2. If you send an email to Spitfire and ask them about this, you could possibly also ask what their time schedule is for fixing the various thongs that needs to be fixed with Mural (as discussed in eg this thread: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/spitfire-mural-issues.49151/page-2 )



The big concern I have is that if I do this Spitfire will dump the modular (and eventually affordable) Mural for a new 'Symphonic Strings' library the same way they have axed the modular Brass and Sable ranges - and then I'll have no way of getting what is now the M3 articulations without spending what will be many thousands...

Mural 1, 2 and 3 are 399 GPB each, but the repackaged Sable (Spitfire Chamber Strings) is 549GBP including the ensembles and everything else, so if Mural will be restructured, it will probably see a price drop as well... the entrance ticket would be slightly higher, but you would get a LOT more.
 
@windyweekend Note that the much cheaper new entry level Chamber Strings and Brass include all the articulations. It is the extra different mic positions that you miss out on. Until you buy the mic positions expansion.

Logic says Spitfire will do the same to Mural at some point soon. Repackage, fine tune, basic full Mural for something over 600 GBP plus VAT with extra mics another 400 on top.

I am guessing but this would bring the total Mural bundle price down from e.g. 1200 to closer to 1000 but, and this is why Spitfire do it, the entry level would be e.g. @600+ with NKS, fixes blah blah - and that hooks a lot of new punters (like you ;))

I am just guessing... but I would certainly hold off on buying Mural at the mo, especially if you want lots of articulations and are not so bothered about mics... just 2 peneth
 
I am just guessing... but I would certainly hold off on buying Mural at the mo, especially if you want lots of articulations and are not so bothered about mics... just 2 peneth
Sure. Fixes and more artics are important, but one can get a long way without having all the mics.
 
I imagine SSS is coming soon, and the price for the entire package will probably drop a bit, if like the recent Sable and Brass repackaging.
Not to mention that the new sable legato engine is absolutely brilliant...by far the best i ve ever had the chance to try.if this engine is going to be implemented to the new sss, purchasing will be the only option.
 
For brass and percussion, I like the sound of just the mains.

Strings for me are different. Mural has 5 mic positions, that all bring a lot to the sound, so using the stereo mixes (which to my ears seem to use varying amounts of all 5) allows working with 1/5th the ram and processing power.

I'm really looking forward to SSS!
 
I realize you're asking about Spitfire but today you can still get the EWHO Diamond release for $700. Fantastic Strings, imo.

Re SPA: I'm really hoping we see a re-release of Symphonic Strings with the new legatos. I'd buy into that. I love the spitfire sound.
 
Not sure how that would work, because I got M1 before I got M2. If you send an email to Spitfire and ask them about this, you could possibly also ask what their time schedule is for fixing the various thongs that needs to be fixed with Mural (as discussed in eg this thread: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/spitfire-mural-issues.49151/page-2 )
.

If a bigger Symphonc Strings is in the works I'd be surprised if they'd invest the time in fixing Mural issues. One thing I love about Spitfire, which is also a downside, is their boutique size and source - they're composers - not a software company trying to be composers. With a small outfit like this you've got to expect some glitches in the product quality. What you get is it. There's no string of Microsoft service packs coming down the road. The expensive bit we all pay for is the quality of the sound, players, hall, and - in my opinion - the 'original thinking' they put into their products to try and be unique and the best. That outside the box thinking is the value of Spitfire, so I can accept the odd dud note and velocity spike. If it's predictable, you can work around it.
 
One thing I love about Spitfire, which is also a downside, is their boutique size and source - they're composers - not a software company trying to be composers. With a small outfit like this you've got to expect some glitches in the product quality. What you get is it. There's no string of Microsoft service packs coming down the road.
With all due respect, but all-in-all Spitfire has a great update policy, compared to a lot of other developers. SCS fixed a lot of Sable issues, I expect the same for SSS, will it ever arrive.
 
If a bigger Symphonc Strings is in the works I'd be surprised if they'd invest the time in fixing Mural issues.

In a way that makes sense, but it doesn't make sense to tell Mural users that they have to buy a new, costly product to get the product they already to work as expected.
 
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