Baronvonheadless
Senior Member
True true, I just remember that not even being too big a topic before hand. Everyone was drooling over the other patches. Which are what make this library shine.
Pacific Strings - user demo thread
- Thread starter Laurin Lenschow
- Start date
FrozenIcicle
Senior Member
Man I can’t keep up with this thread with all the tricks and tips with library. By the time I go to write I’ve forgotten haha. Someone needs to make a summary and pin to OP
I like music
Senior Member
It is an interesting one. I'm one of the people constantly worrying about the legato. I think possibly because most people (who are being picky with the legato) have accepted that the rest of it sounds pretty damn good, and we're hoping that this part also fits the bill for us, because then it would be - possibly - the best library for us (until a new one comes out in like 3 weeks lol) which is why we're hyper-focusing on it.
I said to another member here that I'm tempted to buy it just for the sustains/shorts. I might even be able to get around my legato-portamento concerns by layering it with CSS and doing some tweaking there.
The good thing is that PS have given a very generous time limit for the loyalty discounts, so not many of us will be buying it and then regretting it because we felt pressured into with salesday tactics.
I like music
Senior Member
Was about to write the same thing. I've bookmarked about 5 different posts already and I haven't even bought it yet lol
FrozenIcicle
Senior Member
Haha yep Im loving the library atm, but I recently ran into the rollercoaster portamento issue and I was like “what did johnsmith say on page 21 about what to do??”
HarmonKard
Active Member
I tried the other thread, but didnt get a response, so I was hoping someone can explain this to me here.
Can someone tell me what this is about?
I am used to seeing multiple "takes" for one zone, but what is this? As far as I can tell, only the first is accessed. Ideas?
Can someone tell me what this is about?
I am used to seeing multiple "takes" for one zone, but what is this? As far as I can tell, only the first is accessed. Ideas?
MelodicAdagio
Member
I updated the video to include the normal Legato articulation and a more intense whisper sustain version. You were right, I was so enamoured of the whisper sustains that I ended up with an extremely restrained version
Here's the midi:
Great job. One of my all time favorite symphony movements. But then I'm a huge Tchaikovsky fan anyway.
Vik
Vi-k
I made a comparison today, actually, and I think Vista is much closer to Pacific than Con Moto.
Apart from being a library with lots of other stuff than legato, I think the best thing about Pacific is the stuff some of us are afraid of getting too much of: the 'semi-portamento' transitions. When listening closely to recorded orchestras, there are actually a lot of them. The levels of the semi-portamentos are gradually lower with lower CC values, so I'm sure this will work out either by learning it better or with some updates, but of course: nothing beat real orchestras.
But of course, it isn't a library that's perfect for all situations. The lack of vibrato control may be it's main limitation – since soime of us would want more vibrato in the low dynamics (since so few libraries offer that), while other would want less. For that reason, and after some time with Pacific, I know that I still need one more library. The other thing I wonder about with Pacific strings is if it's as flexible as the best other libaries in terms of being able to play soft without sounding – or if they'll feel faded down.
The intro price will last for three more months, and many topics may pop up. Maybe we should have a separate thread for this, and let this thread remain a user demo thread?
Vik
Vi-k
I'm very curious about that as well. Based on hearing alone, it seems that Pacific only have two layers here and there, but I'm not even a Kontakt amateur, so I'm not sure how I can find the needed details.I tried the other thread, but didnt get a response, so I was hoping someone can explain this to me here.
Can someone tell me what this is about?
I am used to seeing multiple "takes" for one zone, but what is this? As far as I can tell, only the first is accessed. Ideas?
The 'portamento' really is just the ff espressivo layer though. I think it's worth remembering that when playing in that top dynamic. It gets slightly masked by the large hall homogenous sound, but its ark 1 kind of loud there. No normal melodic playing happens here ordinarily - JW rarely goes there, only at the climax of his most expressive suites - and when he does, this legato nails this style of playing. The 3 other dynamics have legato very similar to CSS in terms of amount of slur. Would be nice in an update if we could eat into the slur a bit like CSS does at high velocities.
Speaking of ark 1, playing some of the top dynamic of the celli+cb trems, trills and marcatos is like turning ark 1 from 10 to 11. And yet the bottom dyn of trems and trills are tundra-like. And then there are the 5 dynamics of flautando/whispers... I'm starting to sound fanboy-ish but I can't believe that there is a single library that gives you the range of the whole albion/ark series in one unified room/library. And you don't even have to deal with the sloppy albion/ark programming!
JB does a lot of extra recording so he can do selections of the best takes, so I'd assume it was that most likely.I tried the other thread, but didnt get a response, so I was hoping someone can explain this to me here.
Can someone tell me what this is about?
I am used to seeing multiple "takes" for one zone, but what is this? As far as I can tell, only the first is accessed. Ideas?
It's 5. They're all listed on the website if you want them all.
Vik
Vi-k
Please explain? Are you saying that one shouldn't use the separate ff patch with the regular instruments, because these samples are in there already? Why are they there then, and why are there no warning against using them on top of the regular Violins, Violas etc?
Others have looked and claim it's 4. But what if these are not unique samples?
I like music
Senior Member
Thank you for the detail. Just edged me closer to buying. Will see how long I can hold out before I eventually cave.
Baronvonheadless
Senior Member
I’m bitter someone beat me to it. (It is a great job) I’ve been talking about doing it for months leading up to this release and then the day after I buy pacific I get sick and find I have a hole in my lung. So just been resting and not working in my studio at all.
At least it’s getting better.This symphony is my favorite of his by far. I probably listen to it twice a week.
As well as the classic swan lake suite. Perhaps the best thing he wrote.
No, I am talking about the 4th (loudest) dynamic of the legatos on every instrument. It is played at ff and has a more expressive legato transition type. The 3 violin fff overlay is something else entirely, with an even more slurred legato type when needed.
That is legato, which 4 layers on vln, vla cli, 5 on basses. As to if they are faked, then unless you have evidence I wouldn't worry about them not being legitimate. Crossfading through faked layers would likely phase anyway and it would be obvious. Patches with fake layers are usually easy to spot.
In fact, just looking I think JB forgot that he actually recorded 6 whisper dynamics on the violins!
novaburst
Senior Member
Jett Hitt
Senior Member
Vista has generally been considered to be a no-brainer on this forum by many, especially if you picked it up on a sale. So most of us have the loyalty discount. If not, you can get it by paying $69 for Con Moto basses, bring your total for Pacific to $318. If that's too much for this sound, let me tell you about a super deal on the Garritan Personal Orchestra. . . .
Casiquire
Senior Member
I don't believe it's 5 layers of legato dynamics though--but I'm not sure the actual number.
The legato layers for each patch match the sustain layers.
Sovereign
Senior Member
Yes, four, except the basses. This to me remains a strange issue since the website says up to five for the sustains. And with the emphasis for all the other stuff in the library on dynamics this feels a bit disappointing.
