Anyone Have Tokyo Scoring Strings?
- Thread starter GoofyTroop
- Start date
Yes. I like it. However, I don’t have any of the big name string libraries to compare it with. Sarah has been working on a 2.0 version. She has a bunch of clips of her noodling with it in the thread below. I think a good amount of them are dry with no processing. it might give you an idea.
vi-control.net
Tokyo Scoring Strings 2.0 Development Progress - New previews on page 5 (early April)
So a handful of folks here might already know I’ve been working on a huge update to Tokyo Scoring Strings. It’s a version 2.0 that completely overhauls it with a new engine and a focus on smooth, versatile legato, with the intent being for it to handle basically anything you can throw at it...
vi-control.net
HarmonKard
Active Member
Some good info here:
Tokyo scoring strings a year after release thoughts
Hi! I saw TSS is on sale now and wanted to see how people who got it feel about it. So for those of you who did get it. How has it felt? Do you reach for it still or did you go back to your previous solutions?
vi-control.net
Hi, I got TSS and you know what? Is one of the most solid strings library out there. Plenty of Dyn layers, short arts variations, no vib to molto vib. Is between chamber and symphonic with a good reverb. If you work with grid and quantized patterns everything will play without any delay, at cost for certain things that you need to consider first in terms of workflow, if you will it would work as intended. At same time is flexible enough to adjust for your desirable workflow, once you learn how to with several tweaks, so is very costumizable. Instead of a rigid way to work with. As many other strings library it have a clear style or tone signature, is dry enough to make the most out of your fav reverb but it needs to be good, besides this, the in-house reverbs are good. You wouldn’t expect much difference in the included 4 mic postitions for where it was recorded, that is something to consider. In my experience and after years trying to get the strings and workflow I always wanted, TSS becomes a favorite between serious and much more popular contenders, because the costumizable and well designed player, the ability to work at your session tempos, without delay and consistent playing performance of the musicians and the editing process. I do encounter some rew edges in programmed or not successfully edited notes, I would say on a start or release of a note, some inconsistency in lower registers on basses or cellos for most part, so isn’t perfect yet, but in all fairness, is much more well conducted, performed and programmed than most of the bigger and prominent studios…. And that says a lot, and speak itself for the professionalism, respect of a Nation, in a extent same for the people behind the concept of the proyect itself.
So… all and all, the best part isn’t yet available, but in the works…
Now you have Sarah Mancuso onboard, to make them even stronger and consistent library, this also speaks for itself, the philosophy behind the project, not everyone has the balls to make the most of what you already have when the raw material is good enough! In a world sumerge in pollution, and where everything ended up in a trashcan between months. Besides the 2.0 perfected version that it will released soon, the entire lineup start there, is well know that more is to come from solo Strings (confirmed) to Woodwinds to Brass (maybe?) I hope so.
Besides all this, go and download the manual first of all, read it carefully and do your own research first please. There are plenty videos of how this works also. Peace
Pd:
Popular doesn’t mean better, well… this is the case, feels like a wiser man winner between complete armies man. Credits where its due.
So… all and all, the best part isn’t yet available, but in the works…
Now you have Sarah Mancuso onboard, to make them even stronger and consistent library, this also speaks for itself, the philosophy behind the project, not everyone has the balls to make the most of what you already have when the raw material is good enough! In a world sumerge in pollution, and where everything ended up in a trashcan between months. Besides the 2.0 perfected version that it will released soon, the entire lineup start there, is well know that more is to come from solo Strings (confirmed) to Woodwinds to Brass (maybe?) I hope so.
Besides all this, go and download the manual first of all, read it carefully and do your own research first please. There are plenty videos of how this works also. Peace
Pd:
Popular doesn’t mean better, well… this is the case, feels like a wiser man winner between complete armies man. Credits where its due.
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MadLad
Active Member
I have it and I used it exclusively after I got it. That's how much I liked it. Used CSS before which is fine for some stuff but I was writing a lot of (J)RPG soundtrack stuff and that is where it shines. In fact, I re-wrote the whole soundtrack for an indie project (fire emblem inspired game) with that library because it just fits perfectly. However, the intimate chamber string sound also works great for romantic and baroque stuff.
It has look-ahead and multi legato and even easyartic and so much other stuff that makes writing for it extremely easy, fast and not as convoluted as with other string libraries. You can also easily switch to a "play-mode" to just record your stuff and quantize and then switch back to look-ahead to play it back without any midi-nudging. That look-ahead mode in combination with easyartic, etc. actually let's me use almost all of the articulations I mostly need without a single keyswitch. You need keyswitches to change to tremolo and flageoletts but everything else is contained in easy artic. It works extremely well. The ease of use with this library actually spoiled me quite a bit and I can't accept any library anymore that doesn't at least have look-ahead, lol.
It's also an extremely dry library so it's easy to mix it with other libraries. I mainly use it with Modern Scoring Brass and Cinematic Studio Woodwinds and they actually blend together really well. Especially MSB seems to blend well. People here and the programmers of the library seem to recommend the seventh heaven reverb for it but I never thought it sounded that great. I use EW Spaces II for my main templates and it sounds better imho.
One caveat: The bass pizzicati don't sound that "full" and "rich". I have an extra track with CSS basses with just the pizzicato patch loaded to get that profound pizzicato sound.
Here are a few things I did with it:
It has look-ahead and multi legato and even easyartic and so much other stuff that makes writing for it extremely easy, fast and not as convoluted as with other string libraries. You can also easily switch to a "play-mode" to just record your stuff and quantize and then switch back to look-ahead to play it back without any midi-nudging. That look-ahead mode in combination with easyartic, etc. actually let's me use almost all of the articulations I mostly need without a single keyswitch. You need keyswitches to change to tremolo and flageoletts but everything else is contained in easy artic. It works extremely well. The ease of use with this library actually spoiled me quite a bit and I can't accept any library anymore that doesn't at least have look-ahead, lol.
It's also an extremely dry library so it's easy to mix it with other libraries. I mainly use it with Modern Scoring Brass and Cinematic Studio Woodwinds and they actually blend together really well. Especially MSB seems to blend well. People here and the programmers of the library seem to recommend the seventh heaven reverb for it but I never thought it sounded that great. I use EW Spaces II for my main templates and it sounds better imho.
One caveat: The bass pizzicati don't sound that "full" and "rich". I have an extra track with CSS basses with just the pizzicato patch loaded to get that profound pizzicato sound.
Here are a few things I did with it:
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As someone said above that it's "out-dated" i would never say this about this library.. it's very special for it's timbre.. it might not be for everyone I guess. If you are looking for that specific sound i would get it. Depends if you are into JRPG style string sound or not. It's quite different from other libraries. Myself, i really love TSS and it's updating to 2.0 very soon so it's not outdated. plus they have been putting out updates the whole time if you check your Pulse downloader. I know some ppl didn't notice those updates for quite some time.
Crowe
Avian Member
That was a dig aimed at OP's bizarre takes in another thread. Calling libraries 'out-dated' in any situation is idiotic to begin with.
yea i just got Fanfare , a 12 yr old brass library and i am using grumpymonkey's Niente to give it more life. Sounds really good. CSB for orchestral brass. Forzo for crazy hyped up brass articulations. and now i got Fanfare, Forzo and Fanfare both recorded at Lucas studios, I don't care how old they are, we are not getting this sound anywhere else. I still need my dream brass library tho. Infinite brass. omg that sounds so good now.
Crowe
Avian Member
Indeed. Things can certainly be old. I still use an Art Vista piano lib that is over 20 years old. It has a very particular sound. I'm sure there's people who would call it outdated just because Keyscape exists. Which could be called outdated because there's been hundreds of piano libraries since.
'outdated' is such an aggravatingly reductionist term. It says more about the user than the product being insulted.
constaneum
Senior Member
Older libraries may be outdated in terms of the legato scripting but it may still sound as good as the current contenders if it was well recorded back then. For example, East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra is a well recorded library which is still used to date. Newer libraries not necessary have better recordings. Some even have sloppy legato
OP
OP
GoofyTroop
Active Member
Great composing! Bravo. That triplet thing in the horns was so nice. Its a great sound like i did at Disney. Strings have that silky glow to them.
The running legato lines came out great and it handled it. For me they seem to be the right sauce for animation.
Your post answered all my questions. I like playability. I right fast and it ruins my momentum when i gota go back and overdub dynamic's, Its total BS when you get all tangled up in k-switch's, multiple CC data etc. it ruins my creativity.
You have to be able to run when god gives us musical ideas.
The asset to me reading about them is ability to program them. Looks like i can add layers or k-switches to velocity. If i hit hard i get marcatto, soft i can trigger pp level. I do allot of low budget animation stuff now, for free just to keep my chops up.
I found Tokyo strings from researching a string sound that sounded like old days on smaller orchestra on daily sitcoms of the 80’s.
I own most other library's, but they either choke my cpu, or i spend hrs adjusting ahead of beat to keep them in time. Its all in the workflow.
I love ensemble patches because i can play it in then in DP or CB i can separate parts out to Vi, Va, Vc, Vb . Some times i play entire thing on piano part. Then orchestrate. So the no ensemble part thing would-be new. I can put the individual sections on same midi channel i guess and then after set them on different channels.
If i dont have to shift parts a head of beats on legato in all tracks to keep in time… thats a game changer. Thats enough for me. I want a romantic sweet love scene strings that can do fast legato running lines smoothly. And lush gentle mf sustains.
I was blown away by cello sound in higher register. Sounded amazing.
I dont know either to wait until 2.0 released or buy it now. I wish they had try to buy. I have a bricasti and it has reverb patch in halls they recommend.
Again beautiful composing! And orchestration. You must be deadly with real players. I heard your counterpoint lines and transitions of melody through sections. That takes talent, and knowledge and training.
Thank you so much for your time and helpful insight! Your a master at composition!
Kind Regards
B
MadLad
Active Member
Thank you. Yes, I majored in music theory so there is a formal education that helps me compose. I'm still more of a fan of the real thing, you know, a real orchestra where you can tell the players what you want but over the last few years I've invested a lot more time in getting familiar with sound libraries and midi composing. It's a more realistic goal than hoping to find orchestras to play your music.
Btw. TSS also has "zero latency mode" which cuts off the start of samples and enables you to play them live very easily. It's very good for pianists like me who just want to record stuff fast. I think MSS has something similar with the Intuition Patches but I just got the library and haven't tried out too much of it, yet.
Regarding the CC Data: I mainly use the two standard ones, CC11 and CC1 and CC2 for vibrato control and the sustain pedal, of course. I really love the vibrato control in TSS because it transitions very smoothly, like their electric guitar libraries do. So in that regard, there aren't too many Midi CCs to worry about. I found that MSS kind of overwhelmed me with all the CCs you sometimes need to use when you need more than legato and shorts patches.
Regarding CPU and RAM: The board mix is very well optimized but if you start using your own mic setups it can get ressource consuming. That's fine for smaller ensembles but for my big orchestra template I always use the board mix because it is much more stable.
Loïc D
Monkeying with libraries
It’s a very good product, solid, easy to use, cohesive, that’s only limited by its number of articulations.
And its sound (not that it’s bad but it has that special Japan RPG character that I’m not too fond of).
TBH, I have it but I don’t use it (I’ve invested - money & time - in VSL since then which fits my « style » more.
But it’s still in my template, for layering (together with Spitfire Chamber Strings).
And I’m pretty sure I’ll use it more after the coming update.
And its sound (not that it’s bad but it has that special Japan RPG character that I’m not too fond of).
TBH, I have it but I don’t use it (I’ve invested - money & time - in VSL since then which fits my « style » more.
But it’s still in my template, for layering (together with Spitfire Chamber Strings).
And I’m pretty sure I’ll use it more after the coming update.
Trash Panda
Clueless nitwit
I love TSS. I’m an admitted middle aged weeb and it’s precisely the thing I was looking for when getting into VI orchestras. The ISW team has somehow pulled off a form of voodoo that makes the library easy to use AND very deep and customizable. If you don’t need your strings drenched in natural reverb or divisi, it’s hard to find an option that is more flexible for different genres.
Here’s examples of what I’ve used them with, ranging from orchestral to metal to pop to jazz.
Here’s examples of what I’ve used them with, ranging from orchestral to metal to pop to jazz.
Petrucci
Senior Member
TSS is very good flexible lib with quite a dry sound (especially the default board mix is very in your face kind of sound) - but can be made little wetter maybe bit close to HS kind of sound using its mics. I wish there were also nki with individual articulations since I don't like keyswitches.. I need to explore it more after new update happens cause I've been using wetter libraries most of the time..! Here's one track I made with TSS 
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TSS is very good flexible lib with quite a dry sound (especially the default board mix is very in your face kind of sound) - but can be made little wetter maybe bit close to HS kind of sound using its mics. I wish there were also nki with individual articulations since I don't like keyswitches.. I need to explore it more after new update happens cause I've been using wetter libraries most of the time..! Here's one track I made with TSS
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Did you do any of the surveys from ISW? They are looking for feedback on this library. Or at least they were recently. It might be worth it to send them an email and voice your desire about individual articulation NKIs/patches. They are a pretty friendly bunch and will probably tell you if they don’t have plans to do it and maybe even why. Or… They might add it to the 2.0 update.
