What are your favorite strings/brass/orchestral Vst?

[Tore]

After watching last Taxi episode about strings and horns it made me think about maybe buy some new stuff. Ive got NI Komplete 10 with a lot of nice Vst designed for movie music and session strings and session horns pro. I think it sound pretty good, especially session strings. Session Horns are bit more difficult to handle, but the sound is really good. My question is if i want to make som real orchestral music(big sounding) and the goal is placements in film, movietrailer. Is NI Komplete 10 enough? or should i buy something else? if so, then what VSt should i buy?

Tore

[Joseph]

I have Vienna strings and they sound great. Right now, I pair them with a little bit from pro tools' XPand 2, but I'm thinking about getting something like LASS or East west to pair with them. I really don't know if I should because I'm no pro. Maybe someone else can chime in.

-Joseph

[joyfrost]

Tore Kontakt is an incredible instrument and it sounds to me like you already have the tools you need to make it happen. It's true I've read that some great results can come from stacking strings from one library with another, but buying more gear won't help you improve your ear The fanciest equipment won't help a carpenter who is less knowledgable about how to use them effectively get the same beautiful results that a skilled carpenter can get with even the most rudimentary tools. If you're going to buy anything, I think knowledge would be the best thing. There are some really great extensive tutorials for every single Kontakt instrument online. Youtube is full of free ones, but if you'd like to have everything already nice and organized and not have to spend time wading through poor tutorials and you have your heart set on buying something to help bring you forward, I'd recommend signing up on https://www.macprovideo.com. It's the same price as a TAXI membership and you get unlimited step by step tutorials for everything from Native Instruments as well as extensive lessons in each DAW, scoring, and a million other things that will help you develop your music craft You could get 5 years of unlimited education from that site for the same price as one new $1000 string library I signed up just a few days ago and am learning a lot already Knowledge is always the more valuable investment <3

[Tore]

Thanks for responding. Yes a was looking for a big sounding orchestra too pair with session strings pro and horn section pro. I know Joyfrost that knowledge is everything, but i think the sound of these too librarys are a bit to small and that's because some of the orchestra instruments are not included in these librarys. As a small acoustic ensemble with piano or guitar is session strings and horn section just excellent. But as you say Joyfrost, i have so much too learn, and there could be som ways to make this sound big.

Here is link to some of my instrumentals done with Komplete 10

https://soundcloud.com/tore-g-thomassen ... strumental

[Kolstad]

For the pieces you have on SC, I believe Spitfire Albion could be a great choice.
http://www.spitfireaudio.com/albion

[Paulie]

Right now I'm 100$ Kontakt. Upgrading from Complete to Ultimate gets you better quality horns and strings (Session Horns and Session Strings PRO versus standard). But, it comes down to how you play them and mix them. I'm learning that it is better to play with more velocity and adjust volume accordingly instead of playing at lower velocities and losing out on much of the 'realism' of the note attacks.

I would love to get East West Hollywood, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

[Tore]

Im using the Ultimate version Paulie and i am really pleased with it, im using it on every track. Thanks for the velocity tip Paulie. I also looked up LASS, but its to expensive, but maybe some day
Thanks for listening to my tracks Kolstad and i will definitely check out Spitfire Albion. Appreciate all the help Taxi mates

[andygabrys]

.........But, it comes down to how you play them and mix them. I'm learning that it is better to play with more velocity and adjust volume accordingly instead of playing at lower velocities and losing out on much of the 'realism' of the note attacks.

the other side of that is using too much of high velocity attacks often sounds Programmed. You need the contest to make it really sound "real".

Often you could take the Has Zimmer approach and not play so high in the velocity range to give the instruments (especially virtual drums) more beef and less "ping".

An opinion on the libraries:

Session Strings Pro - is strings.

to make convincing orchestral arrangements you need orchestral brass, woodwinds, and percussion - none of which exist within Session Horns Pro - as they are meant to do "pop" or R&B type horns. Not too often are saxophones included in standard orchestral brass / woodwinds.

In addition to the Spitfire libraries, there are LASS, Cinematic Strings, all the 8dio stuff, all the Project Sam stuff, Soundiron, Cinesamples, the East West packages and more. And probably many more that I have no knowledge of - at many price points.

EDIT: forgot Vienna Symphonic Library.

good luck.

[Tore]

Thanks a lot Andy. I will take a look at thoose Libraries.
Here is one track that are almost done. I really tried to make this one Huge and cinematic. Everything is from Komplete except some woodwinds from my Roland Jupiter 80. Listen if you want.

Thanks againg for all help


https://soundcloud.com/tore-g-thomassen ... strumental

[andygabrys]

hey cool Tore.

I think the strings are playing in the high dynamic samples too much. Which is not so representative of a real string section which is going to be moving through different dynamic levels much more frequently, and maybe on every note.

This is a tricky thing that every library does differently, and some actually don't have a capacity to do this.

Basically:

bow a string instrument with a light touch, you should get not only a quieter note, but a note with less attack and less brightness.
Bow a string instrument with a heavy touch, you should get a loud note, with a forceful attack, about as bright as the instrument can produce.

In LASS for example, they use CC #1 (mod wheel) to control this.
then CC 11 is reserved for expression (just volume, no control over brightness as in CC #1)
and CC7 is reserved for the actual track volume.

In the Vienna Strings
CC2 (breath control) is reserved for this light / heavy brightness / volume - in VSL they call it what it really is - its a velocity cross fade between note samples played with a light touch and with a heavy touch.
CC11 is still expression (again just volume)
CC7 is track volume.

Not every package has this ability to not only do expression but also velocity cross fade light / heavy touch. But you need to do something similar to this to really get the strings sounding live. Some people use filters, roll off some highs for soft playing etc.

You will notice that some packages like Cinebrass and Cinewinds (both by Cinesamples) also have this velocity cross fade approach to notes played on brass and woodwinds. Which to me is essential to produce something that sounds somewhat lifelike.

Check carefully for these features if you are going to buy.