Affordable Strings

[DesireeBowen]

Hello all. I am on my continued quest for some good, affordable samples. I've read some threads on here recently about some high end string samples (oh how I wish!!) but I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a bundle of string samples under 200. What I am using right now is what comes with Logic 9.0. What bothers me is the unrealistic bowing of sustained notes (as in, there isn't really any). I totally realize that I won't be getting a 10 product with my budget and what is out there, but a 7 or 8 would be nice

[crystallions]

I can recommend EW. EW silver is $175.50 and EW gold $445.50. http://www.soundsonline.com/EastWest-Quantum-Leap/ They run pretty good sales quite often (buy two libraries for the price of one, buy one library 50% off etc). I have never used silver or gold, but the Platinum is wonderful and as far as I understand silver and gold aren't too far off from platinum.

Hopefully you get some more feedback from other composers.

[Cruciform]

I have Gold. As I understand it the main differences are Platinum is 24bit rather than 16bit for Gold and Silver, and Platinum has 3 mic positions whereas Gold and Silver only have one. Gold has more instruments and articulations than Silver but what is included in Silver is the same quality as Gold.

Desiree, if you don't need to get strings immediately, it really would be worth waiting for the next EWQL sale and picking up Gold at half price, or getting one of their occasional 2-for-1 deals. The beauty of EWQL SO is you get way more than just strings! I'm discovering uses for instruments I never thought I'd use.

[dotted8]

Desiree,

If you are interested in the EWQL stuff, here's a link where you can sign up for their newsletter which they send out when they announce a sale (2 for 1; 50% off, etc), if that's the direction you want to go...
http://www.soundsonline.com/newsletter.php

[cardell]

I've got my eye on this:
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/ ... n-strings/

...it's only $119.00 and it sounds really great.

Stuart

[Len911]

Desiree, if you are just looking for string ensembles, and not a full orchestral package, I would highly recommend the sonivox symphonic string ensemble for $79.95. The samples are 24-bit and from their $995 collection. It is a downloadable instrument, and has a 3-day free trial so you can try everything out for 3 days. These are 10's and you don't have to settle for a 7 or 8 that you won't be happy with.
http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail. ... cStringsV2


*There are also various other instruments and soundfont packages, so if you downloaded one of the many soundfont players on the web, you can even piece together other collections, such as instrument solos, orchestral brass, woodwinds, etc. The prices are reasonable and run from about $20-$50. You aren't going to get every articulation for a french horn, per say, but what you do get will be top quality.

[matto]

Desiree, if you are just looking for string ensembles, and not a full orchestral package, I would highly recommend the sonivox symphonic string ensemble for $79.95. The samples are 24-bit and from their $995 collection. It is a downloadable instrument, and has a 3-day free trial so you can try everything out for 3 days. These are 10's and you don't have to settle for a 7 or 8 that you won't be happy with.
http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail. ... cStringsV2

By all means download the free trial, but it should be pointed out this is a severely cut down version of the Sonivox (formerly Sonic Implants) strings from their complete orchestra. For example they only have 2 velocity layers, and articulations are very limited.
In light of what's out now (LASS, Hollywood Strings...), I would rate the full version of the Sonic Implants Strings at around an 8, so saying this cut down version is a '10' is rather misleading to say the least...

EWQL Silver is also a cut down version from Gold, so I would recommend against that as well. If you're going to go with EW, I'd wait till Gold is on sale.

One good thing to ask yourself is what kind of a string sound you're after...more of a pop type 'studio' sound or more of a symphonic sound... If it's the latter, EWQL is a great choice, but if you're after a more pop sound I'd look elsewhere.

matto

[Len911]

To be clear, the 10 rating was referring to the sounds and quality of the samples themselves, those that are included, and not the features, layers, articulations etc. Also, the 10 rating is just my opinion of the sounds. From the demos I've heard of the lass I believe it was, I would probably rate them a 7 or 8 on sound alone, and compared to the feature set they would probably get a 9 or 10, and the $80 sonivox string feature package might get a 1 or 1 and a half. Cut down in features, I would agree, cut down in the quantity or variety of samples, I agree also, but cut down in the quality of the samples that are included, I don't agree.

[Kolstad]

I've gotten a lot of these budget strings packages, and I have not with any of them been able to achieve the sound I want (a lush organic sound, that's equally applicable to orchestral mock-ups and singer/songwriter pop ect.

I have strings in NI Kontakt, NI Kore, Session Strings, Sonivox Strings, EWQL Gold ect. and I end up using the strings in Omnisphere, and saving my orchestral project ideas for a later point in time. Many say they can achieve a great strings sound with doubling the tracks, and put on a different VST (so you eg. have one track with Kontakt, one with eg. Kore and one with eg. EW), but I haven't got the time to work that long on a strings track, and my computer have trouble handling it when also needing other stuff in there, so I've given up on that.

So, if you just need strings for pop music, I would say get Omnisphere. Especially when you layer them with a lush pad a couple db lower, they sound awesome.

If you need strings for orchestral mock-ups, save your money and get LASS in some version, or Cinematic Strings. Don't know about Kirk Hunter, the recent East West stuff or Vienna strings, but that's what I'm doing. Will probably get LASS by the end of this year some time.

There really have been made quantum steps in strings samples later years, and when you a/b your stuff with tracks with the new stuff on, you realize where it's at.

In the meantime, save the projects, and work on other stuff.

[kitchensinkmusic]

One good thing to ask yourself is what kind of a string sound you're after...more of a pop type 'studio' sound or more of a symphonic sound... If it's the latter, EWQL is a great choice, but if you're after a more pop sound I'd look elsewhere.

matto

Desiree...this is a very important point. I have the EW Platinum and even with the added close up mic placements they are mostly too wet for pop stuff. I just recently bought the Kirk Hunter Pop Rock Strings on a group buy rate
of $125. They are dry samples that are better suited for pop applications. I haven't worked with them enough to say whether they are as expressive as EW but my understanding is that they are.