Suggestions for really good orchestral sounds for Logic Pro?

[sweetloumusic]

Logic orchestral horns and strings are cheesy to my ears.
I'm looking for the best orchestral sounds possible.
I've gone to the Garritan website. How do I choose between the Personal Orchestra 4 and the Instant Orchestra?
I want individual instruments as well as ensembles. They don't list the samples.
Any help would be welcome.
Thanks,
Louise

[orest]

Hi there!

If you want really good orchestral sounds Garritan won't do it (IMHO).

Check these libraries out:

http://www.8dio.com

http://www.cinematicstrings.com

http://audiobro.com/

http://www.cinesamples.com

[CHuckmott]

I'm seeing that Hollywod strings gold is on sale at Sweetwater for $399. Isn't that one step down from top of the line? I'll leave it to to others to comment on the quality of the library, but isn't it a standard?

[andygabrys]

I'm seeing that Hollywod strings gold is on sale at Sweetwater for $399. Isn't that one step down from top of the line? I'll leave it to to others to comment on the quality of the library, but isn't it a standard?

I don't think the issue with the East West stuff in general is not whether or not the sounds are good. I think you could say that with any of the current libraries, the actual recordings are very good.

Its more of a usability issue - the Play engine has some quirks, and the general layout of the East West stuff is many, many patches. And the actual number of patches for each instrument is always different (talking strings here), and the keyswitches always take some figuring out.

I prefer something like LASS (audiobro.com) which has one patch you load up and key switch between the patches. Every instrument has the same patches, and the same key switches. Its faster for me. The Kontakt engine can handle scripting which can speed up your work flow as well. The cinesamples stuff is also like that.

[orest]

Yes, Hollywood Strings runs through PLAY (and that engine is free).

But, I've heard there are many people dissatisfied with it and the woodwind library.

The other libraries require that you use Kontakt full version.

8dio orchestra libraries have so so many patches it's almost sick , especially the strings.

[bassman]

GPO is definately a step up from logics orchestral samples and it's cheap. I've used it on many library tracks where the strings or brass were sort of like
an added extra rather than a full on stand alone orchestral track. But since you're asking for the best samples I would suggest spending a bit more as suggested above.

[sweetloumusic]

Many thanks to you all for the suggestions. I've got some research to do.
I'm going to wait until after the Rally before I make any purchases.
Louise

[mikehamm123]

I'm about to upgrade to Logic Pro X (from GarageBand), and will need string sounds to play on it (part of my Taxi education is that my current string sounds don't cut it).

Suggestions? Can't afford the high-end stuff at this time.

I have seen there is a lot you can do to improve the sound of strings with voicing and by playing with the volume envelope and such... but I think I've hit a wall.

So any recommendations on good mid-price range orchestral samples that will play on Logic Pro X would be appreciated!

[Len911]

I always thought VSL had a great program for orchestra. What I mean by that is that you can pick and choose what you need the most in a budget friendly way.
https://vsl.co.at/en/Products/Product_Finder

For example, if you immediately need an improvement and a basic meat and potatoes solo string and ensembles in the most common articulations, SE Strings 1 for ~$150. You progress up the ladder for more articulations. Or maybe you just jump to Dimension strings 1 for ~$595, for meticulous detail, dynamics and tweakability down to playing certain strings...Same thing with woodwinds, brass, percussion...

Maybe you just want the best alto flute, ~$56, or the total articulation package of alto flute for ~$113?

Many packages you have to save up to buy a complete package, sort of an all or nothing affair. After the sound, it's articulations, many of which may never or seldom be used.

The concept is similar to buying for example, an API console for $50,000, or a lunchbox with API components for considerably much less. One or two channels versus 16, the articulations and instruments that will have the most impact on your compositions, versus a complete "console". Hope that makes sense. That's my view for what it's worth. Hope it's helpful.

[mojobone]

First I'd ask, "What are you trying to achieve with your orchestral sounds?" Bombastic trailer music requires a lot of samples/articulations, though maybe fewer than some might think. My approach was to try to grab pop-oriented brass and strings first, (cuz I do pop and rock) but if you do trailers, you might look more critically at brass and percussion samples than the strings, and certain articulations of all categories are more prevalent in trailers than say, chamber music or pop. People who do sampler demo tracks and other kinds of serious mockup work tend to hang out at http://vi-control.net/community/ and there's a wealth of info there.