My frustration with midi strings
- Thread starter CosmicDebris
- Start date
NoamL
Winter <3
You need CSS
(I don't like this mix anymore but the mockup demonstrates the library's agility)
The advantage of CSS is that you have multiple options for any given note and they're all interchangable and sound natural going into each other.
- Spiccato, Staccato, Staccatissimo
- Sforzando (which can be used for detache bowings at fast enough speeds)
- Legato bow-start with a firm or soft attack
- Legato transition from a previous note, with various transition speeds
- Marcato bow-start with or without an accent
- Marcato transition from a previous note
(I don't like this mix anymore but the mockup demonstrates the library's agility)
The advantage of CSS is that you have multiple options for any given note and they're all interchangable and sound natural going into each other.
- Spiccato, Staccato, Staccatissimo
- Sforzando (which can be used for detache bowings at fast enough speeds)
- Legato bow-start with a firm or soft attack
- Legato transition from a previous note, with various transition speeds
- Marcato bow-start with or without an accent
- Marcato transition from a previous note
Maybe you can try the VSL SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition Volume 1 (“Essential Orchestra”) that contains over 30 of the most common instruments and ensembles with basic articulations. It include 2 solo violins and 2 solo cellos, orchestral strings, solo instruments and ensembles of the brass and woodwinds.
If interested, this library is currently on sale for €185. Take into account that, before buying, you can try it because VSL is also offering a free 30 days demo.
Volume 1 - Vienna Symphonic Library
The SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition Volume 1 (“Essential Orchestra”) features the most common orchestral instruments and articulations in a resource-saving, affordable package. It contains 28 instruments and ensembles.
Sean Linge
Active Member
Perhaps it would be best to state what libraries you already have, so people here can maybe offer possible workarounds rather than push you towards yet another purchase.
Matt Godbey
Active Member
I'm on a fast track to CSS as soon as funds allow. Noam, do you have any more Tintin example mockups (not necessarily only strings)? I love that soundtrack and will likely use it to balance ye olde template.
Good stuff.
M.
fakemaxwell
Senior Member
The only other libraries that can do that are VSL's, specifically Duality. The older libraries recorded dry (like SE1 mentioned above) are similarly agile but I think you're better off just getting the big Kahuna if like VSL. CSS obviously a good choice too. Everything else you really have to do single track per artic, unfortunately (imo).
OP
OP
CosmicDebris
An Old Bit and a Minor Third
Sorry for my ignorance...CSS = Cinematic Studio Strings?
?
?
OP
OP
CosmicDebris
An Old Bit and a Minor Third
Well, okay.
I'm broadcasting my cheapness, here, I suppose:Spitfire Originals: Epic Strings
Studio One PSO and Contemporary strings (all)
Spitfire Labs Labs and BBC Orchestra strings (BBC has Long, Spiccato, Pizzicato and Tremolo)
Kontakt (free) String melody
Kontakt (free) Afflatus Minimalist strings (free)
Kontakt TFO 1 and 2
Vienna Synchron Hello Free Instruments (Celestial strings)
Sine Helix (Spiccato and Sustains) (I haven't used this much)
kitekrazy
Senior Member
Weclome to VI Control where people like to assume everyone knows what they are talking about using capital letters. As you can see though the other way involves a lot of typing.
OP
OP
CosmicDebris
An Old Bit and a Minor Third
S'okay, looking it up was easy enough. I'm the learner in this discussion, it's the least I can do.
Saxer
Senior Member
The better string libraries from the last few years use to have "performances", so patches that can do exactly this: playing shorts and different length of notes without articulation switching. They are called differently depending on the developer.
In CSS it's the Marcato-Legato patch.
In Spitfire BBC (not the free one) and SSO it's called legato performance (or performance legato?)
Samplemodeling and Audiomodeling instruments are based on playable performances, so no extra patch: that's how they are.
VSL and Orchestraltools and most others use key switches but they have long notes with different attacks. Long notes with fast attacks work fine in combination with stacc & spicc.
In CSS it's the Marcato-Legato patch.
In Spitfire BBC (not the free one) and SSO it's called legato performance (or performance legato?)
Samplemodeling and Audiomodeling instruments are based on playable performances, so no extra patch: that's how they are.
VSL and Orchestraltools and most others use key switches but they have long notes with different attacks. Long notes with fast attacks work fine in combination with stacc & spicc.
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JohnS
Note Absorber
Have you tried "Live" patch from your Spitfire Originals: Epic Strings?Well, okay.
Spitfire Originals: Epic Strings
Studio One PSO and Contemporary strings (all)
Spitfire Labs Labs and BBC Orchestra strings (BBC has Long, Spiccato, Pizzicato and Tremolo)
Kontakt (free) String melody
Kontakt (free) Afflatus Minimalist strings (free)
Kontakt TFO 1 and 2
Vienna Synchron Hello Free Instruments (Celestial strings)
Sine Helix (Spiccato and Sustains) (I haven't used this much)
CSS=YES
You might need to define what you mean by "convincingly".
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume what you're finding is that velocity-mapped staccatos for the the 16ths sound fine but when you want the same kind of attack on a longer note, the articulations available don't make that possible. Is that right?
You also have the issue that you can't get these articulations into the same DAW lane. That is going to be tricky with different libraries and a lot depends on the DAW. Weirdly, though it's broadly not a great choice for orchestral work, Ableton Live's racks make it possible to combine multiple instruments in a single track and use automation to switch between them. I don't think Studio One does that but could be wrong as I have almost zero knowledge of what's in Studio One.
However, if your core issue is wrangling articulations, the lack of one-lane control may simply be a side issue that you just have to live with. This is particularly true if you need better control over the sustain patches as one technique for getting a sharper attack on a longer note is to simply trigger a short and long at the same time, with the short at a lower velocity to prevent it sticking out too far. For that reason alone, you're going to need more than one DAW lane.
However, before you are presented with a rapidly growing shopping list, it would be better if you can go through the problems you're having. For example, you may find that some of your issues are more due to orchestration choices that make the shortcomings of the sample libraries more obvious.
Onemandown
Probably an AI
You might want to try (if you haven't already) breaking out separate tracks for each of your string parts. For anything sustained that's more chordal, use the long preset. Anything melodic that is an eighth note or higher value, use the live preset. Anything fast, use the ostinato shorts preset. When I was using that library I had multitudes of tracks. And also just make sure to put enough overlap between any notes you want to sound legato. Also, if you have the money, the originals intimate strings sound absolutely beautiful.Well, okay.
Spitfire Originals: Epic Strings
Studio One PSO and Contemporary strings (all)
Spitfire Labs Labs and BBC Orchestra strings (BBC has Long, Spiccato, Pizzicato and Tremolo)
Kontakt (free) String melody
Kontakt (free) Afflatus Minimalist strings (free)
Kontakt TFO 1 and 2
Vienna Synchron Hello Free Instruments (Celestial strings)
Sine Helix (Spiccato and Sustains) (I haven't used this much)
NFO: Orchestral Swells – Pianobook
www.pianobook.co.uk
OP
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CosmicDebris
An Old Bit and a Minor Third
I haven't but I'll have a look, many thanks !
