jbuhler
Senior Member
I'm hoping this also fixed the dead spot near the top of the violins on the modwheel where basically nothing happened...
Orchestral Tools : Berlin Symphonic Strings
- Thread starter muziksculp
- Start date
lettucehat
Senior Member
I finally got through the whole video and didn't see them mention this explicitly, did they say this somewhere else like on VI-C? I think it would be the first time they are announcing upcoming updates to the main Berlin libraries. If they're anything like the large additions we've seen to BSS and if they take advantage of the updated legato I'm looking forward to it. But in the video I only heard them mention that they will generally be adding to the Berlin series as whole.
MelodicAdagio
Member
My BSS download picked up speed and finished reasonably quickly after seeming to be stuck forever on Violins II.
I was hoping this update would include a fix for the prominent thunk sound on the celli at the outset of the notes at and around middle C--from the A below it to the D above. It happens on most articulations and is annoying. I have to work around the note attack to hide it the best I can so that it kind of disappears in the mix. I reported the issue six months ago, and they acknowledged being able to reproduce it and put it on their bug tracker, but it unfortunately it didn't get addressed with this update.
I was hoping this update would include a fix for the prominent thunk sound on the celli at the outset of the notes at and around middle C--from the A below it to the D above. It happens on most articulations and is annoying. I have to work around the note attack to hide it the best I can so that it kind of disappears in the mix. I reported the issue six months ago, and they acknowledged being able to reproduce it and put it on their bug tracker, but it unfortunately it didn't get addressed with this update.
FrozenIcicle
Senior Member
Not many people talk about BSS as their bread n butter and when it came out it had a lot of flaws and meh responses to its fast legato…. Does anyone still recommend it and use it often?
Virtuoso
Hoarder
Just playing around with the updated Celli, there are lots of oddities. Notes randomly wandering from left to right, background booming noises, odd resonances, strange ricochet sounds, tuning issues. Maybe it somehow got mixed up with an upcoming aleatoric FX library?
View attachment OTBSS.mp3
Nashi_VI
Active Member
here
lettucehat
Senior Member
Nashi_VI
Active Member
yeah to me it sounded like "just" a general legato update in the coming months, i am not thinking of new recordings but "just" tweaks for the existing samples thanks to the new version of Sine....but the BSS update certantly is promising...but also they got a lot of feedback (and backlash) at the launch of BSS soooo....i don't think there are many other products of them on Sine that had so much criticism/problems ....maybe the Woods are a close second...i mean they even had to make a video to compare the 2 legato in kontakt and in Sine.....personally i would love for a lot of their legato patches to be updated and not only for their Berlin series but for other libraries as well.
Better legato is never not a good thing even in already good libraries.
Last edited:
MelodicAdagio
Member
I use it fairly often because I like the overall sound. I'm able to get what I'm looking for without a lot of tweaking. The aforementioned celli note attack thunk on a few notes is my only real complaint. I have to work around that or at least be sure it's not evident.
As for legato, those looking for a strongly slurred legato need to look elsewhere. But for me it's been fine. It looks like some legato updates may be coming. I haven't really had time to check out the latest update in any detail to see if there have been any changes there yet.
BSS does have its limitations. For instance, it would be kind of nice to have portamento, even if it's not used often. But having certain limitations, pros and cons is basically true of any string library. So BSS is definitely in my rotation, but certainly not the only string library I'm using.
Last edited:
Rudianos
Senior Member
what articulation are you using - send details mics etc - cannot replicateJust playing around with the updated Celli, there are lots of oddities. Notes randomly wandering from left to right, background booming noises, odd resonances, strange ricochet sounds, tuning issues. Maybe it somehow got mixed up with an upcoming aleatoric FX library?
View attachment OTBSS.mp3
Nico Schuele
Tolerated Member
Yes.
ALittleNightMusic
Professional Amateur
I bought BSS and do not use them very much at all. A lot of that has to do with SINE, but I also didn't find the new legato types very good. Will need to revisit after the 1.5 update. Pity because I really liked the demos.
OP
OP
muziksculp
Senior Member
The only complaint I had about BSS is the lack of the Molto-Vibrato for the Vlns. Everything else sounded great to me. It's a very good sounding symph. strings library, and now with the new improved legatos, expressive, and molto-vibrato for Vlns 1 , I'm guessing it's quite improved compared to it's original release. I haven't had the chance to download the 1.5 update yet, but will do so, and post some feedback about it.
reids
Active Member
Are you going to buy or complete this collection? I admit it's tempting me with this bundle offer compared to waiting for Cinestrings Pro which I know little about except that they wont be offering con sordino. Bummer. This however is a complete collection of extensive articulations as well. You mentioned some issues still with the Berlin main collections. Could you elaborate on what are some of those issues as I do not have any of the main libraries yet from OT.
Tinesaeriel
Member
So:
During my wait for Pacific Strings, I bought this library on impulse - I wanna say, sometime in late November/early December. I think they were having a sale.
Back then, I was super impressed by the tone: really big sounding, but also really clear and detailed, and it responded nicely to the post-processing I usually put my pieces through. I even didn't mind the pared-down vibrato on the 1st violins. My biggest concern back then, and what ultimately stopped me using it was the legato. I won't be the first to admit that CSS has me spoiled rotten when it comes to legato, and it's set an near-unattainable benchmark that most other libraries haven't really been able to match. This library was no exception, and so, I didn't really use it.
I just checked out the latest 1.5 update, and my opinion is very changed. The legato plays, responds, and sounds so much better now, and the molto vibrato option absolutely makes the tone of the 1st violins much, much sweeter. It's not CSS level, but it's close enough that when I play on either keyboard or with musical typing in Logic, I'm decently satisfied with how it "feels" under my fingers, if that makes sense. It's improved enough that I can absolutely see myself using this for projects going forward.
Made this quick piece in about an hour to really dig into the sound of the legatos. Included both the final version and an unprocessed version (except for reverb and a side-only low cut EQ on the stereo output).
Best,
Adam
During my wait for Pacific Strings, I bought this library on impulse - I wanna say, sometime in late November/early December. I think they were having a sale.
Back then, I was super impressed by the tone: really big sounding, but also really clear and detailed, and it responded nicely to the post-processing I usually put my pieces through. I even didn't mind the pared-down vibrato on the 1st violins. My biggest concern back then, and what ultimately stopped me using it was the legato. I won't be the first to admit that CSS has me spoiled rotten when it comes to legato, and it's set an near-unattainable benchmark that most other libraries haven't really been able to match. This library was no exception, and so, I didn't really use it.
I just checked out the latest 1.5 update, and my opinion is very changed. The legato plays, responds, and sounds so much better now, and the molto vibrato option absolutely makes the tone of the 1st violins much, much sweeter. It's not CSS level, but it's close enough that when I play on either keyboard or with musical typing in Logic, I'm decently satisfied with how it "feels" under my fingers, if that makes sense. It's improved enough that I can absolutely see myself using this for projects going forward.
Made this quick piece in about an hour to really dig into the sound of the legatos. Included both the final version and an unprocessed version (except for reverb and a side-only low cut EQ on the stereo output).
Best,
Adam
ALittleNightMusic
Professional Amateur
Great to hear the feedback on the 1.5 legato. That was my disappointment with the initial library. Also pattern legato vs. actual recorded arpeggios was quite poor (I posted a comparison somewhere here months ago). Glad OT has spent some time improving this.
reids
Active Member
Thanks for sharing these examples. Agreed, I read mixed opinions on this library as well, especially in regards to the legato. These examples sound great. Now I dont know if I should continue to wait for Pacific Strings too. Either one of these is going to burn a big hole in the wallet. Haha. Difficult choice.
constaneum
Senior Member
i'm curious with the update on BSS. How good is it with the extra molto vibrato ? especially on the violins. appreciate for some user demos.
holywilly
Senior Member
Although I'm still missing the molto vibrato option, I firmly say that the legatos are much much better, more responsive and smooth.
Not just Symphonic Strings, legatos from entire SINE catalog have been improved, thanks OT for the new legato system.
