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Choosing an Orchestral Library in 2024

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lishuiX

New Member
Hello everyone, I am a student specializing in film scoring and I’m looking for advice on selecting a comprehensive orchestral library without considering budget constraints. I’m aiming to acquire the best available library for each section of the orchestra. Could you please recommend libraries for the following categories?

1. Strings:
• Symphonic Strings
• Chamber Strings
• Solo Strings
2. Woodwinds:
3. Brass:
4. Additional libraries specifically for composing for a Jazz Big Band
5. Percussion

I am not looking for general suggestions like SSO or NI Komplete bundles. Instead, I prefer recommendations for the best and most suitable library for each individual section. Thank you!
Click to read more...
 
lishuiX said:
Hello everyone, I am a student specializing in film scoring and I’m looking for advice on selecting a comprehensive orchestral library without considering budget constraints. I’m aiming to acquire the best available library for each section of the orchestra. Could you please recommend libraries for the following categories?

1. Strings:
• Symphonic Strings
• Chamber Strings
• Solo Strings
2. Woodwinds:
3. Brass:
4. Additional libraries specifically for composing for a Jazz Big Band
5. Percussion

I am not looking for general suggestions like SSO or NI Komplete bundles. Instead, I prefer recommendations for the best and most suitable library for each individual section. Thank you!
Click to expand...
This depends very much on what you decide you need to prioritize. No library does everything well, and you’ll find advocates and detractors for every library out there.

ETA: if money really is no object and you want your bases covered, buying everything available and commissioning your own bespoke libraries for what isn’t would get you as covered as you can be.
 
jbuhler said:
This depends very much on what you decide you need to prioritize. No library does everything well, and you’ll find advocates and detractors for every library out there.
Click to expand...

jbuhler said:
This depends very much on what you decide you need to prioritize. No library does everything well, and you’ll find advocates and detractors for every library out there.
Click to expand...
I get what you’re saying, and I’ll consider everyone’s opinions carefully. I just want to see what most people think.XD
 
lishuiX said:
I get what you’re saying, and I’ll consider everyone’s opinions carefully. I just want to see what most people think.XD
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You’d be better asking for what people use most or see as their most essential libraries and even then it will very much depend on the sort of music they write.
 
jbuhler said:
You’d be better asking for what people use most or see as their most essential libraries and even then it will very much depend on the sort of music they write.
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Thanks! I’ve heard a lot from people around me, but I think maybe their recommendations are a bit outdated since they bought theirs a few years ago. I’m not sure if those are still the best options in 2024, which is why I came here to ask.
 
What are some soundtracks that come to mind, representing the styles of music you want to write?
 
NoamL said:
What are some soundtracks that would come to mind when you think about the styles of music you want to write?
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Yes, you’re right. But the answers I keep getting from classmates and teachers are always the older libraries like SSO, Cinematic Studio, and so on. I’m wondering, without worrying too much about the budget, if these are still the best choices in 2024? That’s why I’m here to ask for advice!
 
lishuiX said:
Yes, you’re right. But the answers I keep getting from classmates and teachers are always the older libraries like SSO, Cinematic Studio, and so on. I’m wondering, without worrying too much about the budget, if these are still the best choices in 2024? That’s why I’m here to ask for advice!
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Libraries don’t really age that way. Those libraries are still many folks’ bread and butter. Some recent libraries to consider: the new SF AR Strings (violin 1 and cello are available), OT’s Vasks Strings, OT’s Wallfisch Strings, Acoustic Samples’ VWinds, VSL’s Duality Strings.
 
There's a reason why they're recommended, because they're still workhorse libraries currently used in production all of the time. If I were starting out now I'd choose SSO as my basis, and spend at least a month (ideally a couple) learning its nuances before supplementing it with any specialty libraries if/where needed, because all libraries have strengths and limitations, and the only way to find them is to write with them for a while.
 
Spitfire Chamber Strings really still can't be beat in the distinctly chamber sized category, IMO. By that I mean it's not just chamber sized on paper, but it really has that character through and through. Apart from being legato-only, Vista is a good example of being chamber sized but sounding nothing like it. The depth and quality of sampling with SCS is unparalleled, even if other entries have shown up (Dolce for example).

A lot of the best string libraries are right in the middle of chamber and symphonic, which you should be aware of. In practice these libraries (CSS, Berlin, others) end up sounding perfectly fine for "big" applications.

If talking about true symphonic sized ensembles, then Spitfire again wins IMO. But I'm of the opinion that the symphonic strings out there aren't as good as the middle-ground ones with the right treatment.
 
lishuiX said:
Hello everyone, I am a student specializing in film scoring and I’m looking for advice on selecting a comprehensive orchestral library without considering budget constraints. I’m aiming to acquire the best available library for each section of the orchestra. Could you please recommend libraries for the following categories?

1. Strings:
• Symphonic Strings
• Chamber Strings
• Solo Strings
2. Woodwinds:
3. Brass:
4. Additional libraries specifically for composing for a Jazz Big Band
5. Percussion

I am not looking for general suggestions like SSO or NI Komplete bundles. Instead, I prefer recommendations for the best and most suitable library for each individual section. Thank you!
Click to expand...
Yeah I think the most popular ones have already been named...

The new SSO would be my starting point that I would build upon. It's overall a little superior to BBCSO (Pro) in my opinion. CSS (full series, percussion still missing) is more consistent, I love it, but I prefer the tone of AIR Studios - this is a choice only you can make.

None of these covers a Jazz Big Band or Chamber Strings. SSO has no solo strings either. As mentioned, this however would be my starting point if I would be starting from zero today with the options available these days. Also none of these libraries is "old" or outdated compared to newer releases.
 
Here's what I use in my template. My template is inspired by John Williams's 'Hook' and 'E.T', just so you know what kind of sound I try to get.

Strings:
Cinematic Studio Strings is still the most convincing library on the market because of it's legato. Only downside is that the audio engineering isn't very good. The amount of players is a bit too small for a full symphony orchestra, so I strongly recommend layering it with another string library.

For layering, I suggest Spitfire Symphonic Strings (Now SSO). Has a lot of articulations available and the sound is lovely if you use the right mics.

If you're going for realism, I suggest you get a library with multiple string sections recorded together, to add underneath your other strings. For this purpose I use Albion One or Abbey Road One.

For chamber strings, I still think Spitfire Chamber Strings has the most beautiful sound. It's legato is good enough to work with.

Can't make a good recommendation for solo strings, because I only own Cinematic Studio Solo Strings. It's good, but I don't know if there are valid alternatives.

Woodwinds:
Cinematic Studio Woodwinds has offers pretty much everything I ask for. Good clear sound, convincing legato. Heard some good things about VWinds though, so check that out.

Brass:
Cinematic Studio Brass and CineBrass are both excellent. It's worth it to use these two together if you get the chance.

Alternatively, Abbey Road One Orchestral Foundations, supplemented with Thematic Horns and Thematic Trumpets, has the near perfect sound for scoring, but you're limited to horns, trumpets and low brass with a very small articulation set.

Percussion:
I know I'm starting to sound like a Spitfire advertisement right now, but Abbey Road High Percussion, Low Percussion and Metal Percussion are hands down the best percussion libraries I've worked with. It nears perfection, if you ask me. Huge array of instruments, huge amount of dynamic layers and round robins, and the sound is so good that they put some of my other libraries to shame.

When it comes to tuned percussion, I suggest Soniccouture's Orchestral Chimes, Celeste, Marimba and Vibraphone. Bit on the pricier side, but it's worth it. Just make sure you get a good reverb such as Seventh Heaven to blend it with the rest of your orchestra.

I've burned through nearly all the harp libraries on the market, but I've recently bought World Strings Harp and I highly recommend it. Very flexible with a good amount of articulations.

Jazz Big Band:
Can't recommend anything.
 
I really like SSO but if you want to do many different styles, it might be a bit too wet. I think Cinematic Studio series with a good percussion library would be a nice starting point. Maybe adding some SM brass or VHorns for jazz stuff.
 
There's very few that could be properly described as "dated." Even EastWest's old Symphonic Orchestra gets some use despite its age and shortcomings.
Basically, if it doesn't sound good now, it didn't sound good back then, either.

Like others have said, what the best for each category is really depends on what sort of music you write. Adding on to SSO, while it doesn't come with chamber strings or solo strings, Spitfire does have its own chamber and solo strings recorded in the same hall and, as far as I'm aware, tend to fit well with SSO.

I'm not really into jazz at all, listening or making, but I know some developers have come out with some jazz oriented stuff. ProjectSAM's Swing! series and Strezov Sampling's Diamond Jazz Orchestra might be worth looking into.
 
Draco Solis said:
I know some developers have come out with some jazz oriented stuff. ProjectSAM's Swing! series and Strezov Sampling's Diamond Jazz Orchestra might be worth looking into.
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Good advice for Big Band. To add to these “classics”, definitely look into Acousticsamples VHorns and especially Straight Ahead Samples Smart Delay series. The first brings unprecedented playability to the table, while the latter sort of takes the opposite approach and has you play in stuff and then has the engine stitch together a “natural sounding” phrase after the fact. Both are very much libraries that could be considered “2024’s state of the art”. That said: a well recorded sample is a well recorded sample, so ‘older’ libraries are usually fine as well.

You may also want to look into Aaron Venture’s Infinite Brass, as you could potentially use it for both orchestral and big band work.

At the end of the day just pick something with a sound you like.
 
Getting the "best" for each category is fine in theory, but then you've got to get them to work together, both from a soundstage and workflow perspective. Totally doable but you'll have to decide if it's worth the extra effort.

That's why you'll see names like SSO, Hollywood etc still thrown about as these products are designed as a holistic solution.
 
Alex Fraser said:
Getting the "best" for each category is fine in theory, but then you've got to get them to work together, both from a soundstage and workflow perspective. Totally doable but you'll have to decide if it's worth the extra effort.

That's why you'll see names like SSO, Hollywood etc still thrown about as these products are designed as a holistic solution.
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Exactly, especially as a beginner in mixing. The full orchestras make life easier.

Otherwise I wouldn't have named SSO, but Pacific, because Pacific is just my favorite symphonic strings library by quite a bit right now, however the winds and brass aren't out yet and even when released they will never be sufficient as bread and butter sections.

Therefore I'd highly recommend a solid allrounder orchestra (SSO / BBCSO / Full CSS / Berlin Series) with separate sections (meaning no Albion or Ark library) as a starting point and expand that bit by bit afterwards, depending on your needs.
 
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