String Sample Library Shootout

8 thoughts on “String Sample Library Shootout”

1. Great info guys and a great idea. I am not in the huge orchestral template style, I just don’t write or have the talent to do that kinda stuff.
   I seen my fellow composers over the years go through the various incarnations of Giga sampler/ Vienna etc. From what I have seen is that they use loads of different libraries for different things and styles. There isn’t one super, do it all orch library. From my very limited experience LASS sounds great but I am certainly no expert.

   What really interests me is the Symphobia/ Albion approach which makes life much easier for me and much less CPU hungry. I don’t know how you compare this type of library. Albion seems like incredibly good value and the demosI have heard lovely.

   Reply

   • http://www.youtube.com/user/dazexus

     As an addendum this guy does great video reviews of sample libraries of all types.
     Aswell I remember a discussion on one of the serious orchestra sample users sites about wether Symphobia should be banned (seriously), as it gave the user access to too many of their arranging techniques. Which leads the novice like me to believe, it must be pretty good if it worries people so much.

     Reply

   • Hi Denis,

     SLB-O.com is by no means restricted to comparing orchestral libraries – we’d welcome the opportunity to feature challenges and responses covering any compositional genre. After all, it’s usually the genre you’re not familiar with where you really need the help!

     Aside from a couple of intonation issues I love Albion. I know a lot of my peers figure it is a silver bullet for quick mock-ups (as Symphobia has been before it). I think they’re excellent tools if orchestration isn’t really your thing (personally I prefer to choose which instrument plays which note – but then again orchestration is my thing 😉

     Where the big orchestral libraries tend to struggle is where you’ve layered lots of individual instrument together (as you would for real orchestra) and it all gets a bit muddy and unbalanced. For that ‘chordy’ kind of stuff the two libraries you mention come in really handy – giving you sections which are clear, open and nicely balanced.

     Any yes, once you’ve worked out how to EQ and programme it to your liking, LASS produces amazingly musical results.

     Anyhoo – if you want someone to test drive Symphobia or Albion for you – submit a challenge on the site based on the kind of thing you want to use them for!

     cheers,

     David.

     Reply

2. “So, it’s not just about choosing a library, it is about learning how to get the sound you like by combining specific libraries with programming and mixing techniques to get the sound you’re looking for – so the other element is submitters offering tutorials to go with their ‘bake-off’ submissions.”

   Excellent.

   Michael

   Reply

   • Cool!

     Just hope you & me aren’t the only ones who think so 😉 I built it in the hope I wasn’t the only one who figured such a site might be useful!

     Thanks for your supportive comments.

     D.

     Reply

3. Hi,

   You may be interested in a new site I’ve launched:

   http://www.slb-o.com

   Sample Library Bake-Off has the purpose of allowing potential purchasers to hear different libraries programmed to perform the same pieces so you can get a ‘level playing field’ comparison.

   There full detailed explanation of how to use the site you can view when you get there – but it is proving slow going getting people to contribute (no-one likes being the first, eh) so I’d be really grateful if any of the MLR community helped me get things kicked off.

   Cheers,

   David.

   Reply

   • Hey David,

     Interesting concept. To be fair, each sample must be recorded with exactly the same fx, reverb etc. Many virtual instrument string users rely on user input at the vi control forum, where people are constantly discussing this sample library v. sample that library.

     It has been widely discussed, for example, that LASS strings, particularly the violins, take a bit of EQ adjustment to warm up. However, LASS short samples are often preferred, while other libraries, eg., Hollywood Strings sustain samples are preferred over LASS. As a result, many writers use both, not either/or. On top of that, some writers layer in Symphobia strings, Cinematic Strings, Albion and Orchestral String Runs.

     Additionally, it’s fairly well accepted that LASS take a bit of controller manipulation, which BTW, sounds uneven in your sound clip. Others, like VSL, which are recorded dry, need the addition of ER impulses (early reflection) to get a similar sound to HS or LASS.

     So… if you’re taking all of the variables into consideration and putting your sample clips on an even playing field great — that will be valuable.

     Good luck.

     Michael

     Reply

     • Hi Michael,

       The creation of a level playing field is the plan – as well as giving the opportunity for people to post examples that combine the use of multiple libraries in one demo. The string examples I’ve used as place-holders while we build up some bake-offs in the forum aren’t intended to be optimised – they’re just to show the layout and tools, I guess I need to make that more clear.

       Funnily enough I have been discussing EQ, Reverb etc., consistency with a contributor today and we’ve decided they don’t need to be the same for each example. Our logic is that a ‘secret sauce’ combining specific settings might be required to get just the right sound for a particular library – and the listeners will arguably get the most benefit from knowing that library ‘x’ with EQ setting ‘y’ and reverb setting ‘z’ is the best way to get the sound they’re listening to (I don’t say the ‘best’ sound as that is a choice for the listener + I’m not interested in providing another platform for ‘holy war’ debates about which library is best!)

       So, it’s not just about choosing a library, it is about learning how to get the sound you like by combining specific libraries with programming and mixing techniques to get the sound you’re looking for – so the other element is submitters offering tutorials to go with their ‘bake-off’ submissions.

       Any user can submit challenges and any user can respond – feel free to dive in with one of either (or both!) 😉 Suggestions for improvements to the concept are also most welcome!

       Cheers,

       David.

       Reply

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