advice on strings..

[bart]

hi,

im looking for some convincing strings.. leaning towards the AO strings, but reviews of posters are mixed..
Im looking for stringsections , ill probably go with the Dan deans\' for solo strings.
Can anyone recommend the AO strings or another library..
I would love to hear some mp3 ..other than the ones allready posted..
Is Garritan also going to sell his strings in parts.. I cant affort the whole pakkage. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif)

thanks,
Bart

[Simon Ravn]

Believe the buzz - go for GOS!

[Haydn]

Save up for GOS!! I\'m removing all other string libraries off my hard drive.

[Damon]

For string ensembles, go for Garritan Orchestral Strings. The choices and articulations are state of the art and the grand detaches are ever sooo lovely http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif. You won\'t be sorry you got this library. 16 CDs as well and it comes to about 67 bucks a CD. A very good deal if I must say.
I don\'t think you will be pleased with Advanced Orchestra strings. They sound like they were mic\'d \'within\' the instrument itself. The soft sustains patch is an exception. It does have a nice sound, but it is a full string sound, so you can\'t place each section in its own space.
Advanced Orchestra does have a great solo English Horn though.
Solo Strings-Dan Dean. A beautifully recorded library of great solo string sounds. The cello vibrato and cello pizz are especially outstanding. The viola and violin arco are terrific as well.
The sound quality of Dans library is definitely A+. No EQ or anything needed for these samples IMHO.

[This message has been edited by Damon (edited 10-23-2001).]

[esperlad]

GOS are very good, and you will get updates too!

If you really tight on money, then I would suggest buying the string sections from VR sounds. The prices are great, and you can buy excatly what you need. I use these strings mixed with x-sample strings. The strings in x-sample are solo, but they still mix well.

[Horst]

Esperlad,

could you detail out what you mean wit VR sounds ? What, where etc ?
Thanks

Horst

[bart]

hi Horst, i mailed www.vrsound.com.. (\"http://www.vrsound.com..\") this is the info they gave me..

Currently available strings:
Solo Violin $ 79.-
Solo Viola $ 79.-

Violin Section:
2 + 2 chairs of all techniques (bow, vibrato, pizz, tremolonde, stacc.,..) with 3 addl legato solo violins 179.-
Giga instruments include: x fade between chairs for most techniques, x fade to vibrato,..... huge variety of samples!!!
Viola Section:
2 + 2 chairs of all techniques similar to violins 179.-
Celli section:
2 + 2 chairs of all techniques similar to violins 179.-
Basses section:
2 basses all techniques plus ripps and other effects. 149.-

Extremely realistic and powerful tools for string composition. Load \"KF\" layers on the same midi channel to form a full range string instrument.


In the works: Solo Cello, Solo Bass coming soon!

Order separately or get all currently available strings for 749.-. (no coupons!)

[Z6]

Dan Dean\'s Solo Strings are quite superb. AND you can probably get them for around $100. If you\'re on a tight budget there is no better value. Everyone rightly praises the cello, but the violin and the viola are also (in my opinion) brilliant.

You could try the Prosamples Volume 11 (I think). This\'ll give you some section stuff for less than fifty bucks while you save for the GOS.

Seven hundred and fifty dollars for the VRSound stuff is looney Tunes: Has anyone ever purchased these? If so, please let us know what you get for the best part of a thousand dollars.

It wasn\'t so long ago that the VRSound site had to take down a demo of the strings because everyone was laughing at it for sounding like a school orchestra (miles outa tune).

Sorry to the VR guy but Bart (like the rest of us) deserves to know that people posting here often have a vested interest in \'pushing\' certain products.

Dan Dean\'s strings are great. The GOS are undoubtedly unrivalled. VRSounds? For twenty bucks I\'d give them a try.

[Horst]

Z6,
again the same: what/where is Prosamples ?
Thanks
Horst

[Z6]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Horst:
Z6,
again the same: what/where is Prosamples ?
Thanks
Horst<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Prosamples are cut-down versions of sample libraries. Volume 11 IS the AO that costs a lot in its full form. (I think it\'s Volume 11, I haven\'t checked, but when you find one volume marketed, you find them all)

If you go to www.timespace.com (\"http://www.timespace.com\") (in the UK so it might be \'.co.uk\') or .com in the US, you\'ll see the whole collection. I don\'t have Vol 11 but I am planning to buy it. I\'m not entirely sure what\'s in it but I think that there are a couple of velocities of slow strings and a few other bits and pieces. Others in this group could enlighten you as to the value of Prosamples, but bear in mind that it\'s your needs/budget that counts. I don\'t do any large orchestral stuff so I only need a nice string section now again for fun (although I\'d love it if GOS was sold in pieces).

But I do own Dan Deans\' solo strings and again, I\'d recommend them; they are superb.

You might also want to look at Donnie\'s new orchestral release for an orchestra under $300 (post a question to Donnie and I\'m sure he and others will chime in with some help).

If you\'re relying solely on opinion then you should use the web to hunt down as many demos as possible and drive people here crazy with questions. If it\'s all new to you, then the Prosamples are certainly worth researching, as are the Xsample strings - not too expensive with a lot of happy customers.

[runamuck]

Hello All.

I own several ProSamples CDs including Volume 11. They\'re ok in my opinion: you get what you pay for. They are kind of like a readers digest version of old, well known sample libraries. Nothing any where near as good as what is being produced today but then again not nearly as expensive. All in all, I\'m not of the opinion that they deserve the title \"ProSamples\".

[clueless]

Has anyone used Denny Jaeger violins? Curious if they are useful.

clueless

[Damon]

Clueless, Bruce wrote a review on Jaegers violins at prorec.com. Here\'s the link: http://prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/files/FED0356340D3F9568625687B0029D955 (\"http://prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/files/FED0356340D3F9568625687B0029D955\")

[clueless]

Thanks Damon. The review is very positive. It is, however, a little dated (Feb 2000). It turns out that has the Roland version of the Denny Jaeger master violin library in its clearance section for 75 percent off. Very tempting.

clueless

[Robert Kral]

clueless:

75% off might be tempting. It certainly isn\'t worth the full price. Technically, the DJ violins are very well recorded and looped. But I find them very clinical sounding: VERY VERY thin and cold, with absolutely no expression. That\'s why they must be easy to loop: there\'s no character to the sustains.

I bought the Roland version years ago. Its programming was good: you can adjust the level of the attacks independantly of everything else, using a controller number and a slider.

Its liner notes rave about tuning adjustments and attack samples being detuned to sound thicker or more aggressive. It then lists all of this by way of seperate patches (variations). Patch after patch I couldn\'t hear any difference so I think the theory was much better than the result.

You can play fast passages easily, with your choice of attack levels etc, this is probably the library\'s best feature. It\'s unlooped FF violins patch is also pwerful. But elsewhere it lacks so much in terms of warmth, character, expression and sounds so thin I don\'t recommend this library.

[This message has been edited by Robert Kral (edited 10-27-2001).]

[gaucho]

dan dean solo strings would\'ve been great in a roland 760, or other similar devices. it is a major disappointment for giga user, though.

there is ONE sample for ARCO. no velocity, mod wheel or keyswitch choices of arco straight notes in varying expression. (yes, there\'s pizz, trem, etc. big deal.)

also, the samples, which are unlooped, are short (about 1 bar of a moderate tempo). just try crossfading solo strings to extend them! its much harder than an ensemble sample, and will take all night. what a waste of tme.

wait for garriton to do solo strings.

[bart]

thanks everybody for your input..
gaucho i just ordered the dandean strings.
hope its worth my money.. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif)
thanks anyway..

[Haydn]

Archangel,

I will be holding on to these libraries because of the licensing agreements. I would recommend saving up your money for GOS for excellent strings. For woodwinds I would recommend Dan Deans Solo Woodwinds. You will save money by saving and purchasing these libraries.

[Archangel]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Haydn:
Save up for GOS!! I\'m removing all other string libraries off my hard drive.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Haydn,

what are the string libraries you\'ve got? I\'m a beginner and I\'m looking for realistic sounds (but I got a low budget now)..... will you sell your old libraries or keep them? And what do you suggest me?
I\'m searching mainly for woodwinds and strings...E-mail me if you want http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Archangel

[MuzkGuy]

You should check out the Kirk Hunter Virtuoso Series Strings now in the giga format. Some MP3 demos are at www.kirkhunterstudios.com (\"http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com\")

[clueless]

I just bought the Denny Jaeger Roland strings on clearance at . I translated them with Chicken Systems. Their latest version (2.5 build 6) did the translation very well.

Robert Kral was correct: they were technically very good. Their clinical sound was just what a piece I was working on needed. I was able to coax some expression using MIDI controls. Their thin sound sits well in a mix with french horns and trombones. I added violas and cellos from other libraries. To fill out the strings.

Altogether, $49 was a good deal for what the CD offers.

clueless

[tomhartman]

The DJ strings were miked so close it\'s ridiculous.

And if you really want to hear something God awful, try playing high violin line, indeed, try playing anything over an octave above middle C and you\'ll hear fingernails on the blackboard.

http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif