Strings Choices

[Merryband1]

Anybody know of any good, free string samples for those of us without sufficient funds to invest in even the cheapest library until we sell some music? Or a string library that might let me pay, say, $5 a month until it's paid off?

[mojobone]

I believe East-West has a subscription option. As to free sounds/samples that you can use in a professional context, it kinda comes down to specifics; whether you need a solo sound, an ensemble sound or something more divisi. The landscape is pretty similar for brass and winds, so long as we're discussing orchestral libraries.

[mojobone]

If you have Native Instruments' Kontakt there are lots of free instruments in lots of places. Here's one: http://rekkerd.org/freebies-for-native- ... s-kontakt/

You can also check out YellowTools' Independence Free: http://www.magix-audio.com/us/independe ... -software/

Woops, I guess that Magix has taken over the brand, but it's still available. There's also lots of freeware VIs at Don'tCrack: http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/softw ... struments/

You'll have to do some digging, cuz nobody gets paid to organize all the freeware. Another caveat, can you really do professional work with free/amateur software? The answer is, 'only sometimes' and it can take a lot of work to find out what works. Oh, and you also have to be careful about uncleared/unlicensed samples.

[Merryband1]

Thanks, Mojo. I figured that would probably be the case. Once my novel sells, I think I'll just invest in a good sample library.

[cosmicdolphin]

Anybody know of any good, free string samples for those of us without sufficient funds to invest in even the cheapest library until we sell some music? Or a string library that might let me pay, say, $5 a month until it's paid off?

Sonatina is worth downloading for free, I used it on a Tension Forward last week. It loads into an SFZ player which you can also pick up for nothing.

http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/

[mojobone]

Anybody know of any good, free string samples for those of us without sufficient funds to invest in even the cheapest library until we sell some music? Or a string library that might let me pay, say, $5 a month until it's paid off?

Sonatina is worth downloading for free, I used it on a Tension Forward last week. It loads into an SFZ player which you can also pick up for nothing.

http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/

This is a good example of a free library that may contain uncleared samples (usually more a problem with sampled phrases, as opposed to instruments, but still) Quoting from the site:

"I have done my very best to avoid samples of questionable legality, but as it is impossible for me to know the exact origin of everything (i.e. I have no way of knowing if a soundfont labeled as "public domain" isn't actually sampled from a proprietary source), I would appreciate if you let me know if you find anything fishy. "

You just can't know for certain in cases where even the developer doesn't know. I think it might be best to stick with cut-down versions of commercial products unless the EULA or the site clearly state that the samples are cleared/vetted for commercial use.

[cosmicdolphin]

You just can't know for certain in cases where even the developer doesn't know. I think it might be best to stick with cut-down versions of commercial products unless the EULA or the site clearly state that the samples are cleared/vetted for commercial use.

There's no phrases, they're all just single multi sampled instruments.

[mojobone]

I woulda quoted, but for too many nested quotes, but my reply is:



You either know a thing or you don't; sign something to a library and you represent that thing just as much as it represents you. Uncleared samples expose your business partners to lawsuits. Proceed at your peril.