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Recommend £250 Budget

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Deanodirector

New Member
Hello, I've been seriously impressed by the mockups of EastWest Hollywood Orchestra and it's £240 right now. The downsides are that it's 900+ GB so i'd probably need to buy another hard drive as well and that it might be a RAM hog. Also I hear the woodwinds are bad.

The main alternative is BBC Symphony Orchestra by spitfire audio. Again, really impressive mockups. £240 during their sales. The downside being that only one mic is included and apparently the brass isn't great.

Also sonuscore the orchestra at $299, with an option to buy the cheaper essentials first at $99. Audio imperia Nucleus I believe goes on sale for a similar amount but I haven't heard many mockups of these two.

Would anyone here suggest I build up an orchestra out of separate sections instead? If one has weak brass and one weak winds maybe the £250 budget would be best split across different companies?

My interest is in composing and film scoring. I've been using discover and VCSO but their downsides are quite off-putting. I think i should buy a sketching ensemble orchestra first but my favourite sounding mockups (EW and BBCSO) don't have those.

Suggestions much appreciated, thank you
Click to read more...
 
I made a guide on how you can download the main mics only for OPUS, which comes in at 211GB:
It is a killer library, and for me, the main mics are more than enough. And the orchestrator works with these mics, so that is a huge plus for me. The Orchestra Complete is also very good, and is much softer on the RAM and harddisk. The other libraries I cannot speak for.

Speaking of TOC3, I have an unused license for the essential version I can sell to you for half off if you'd like. (50 USD)

Install HOOPUS Orchestrator Using 211 GB Instead Of 944 GB

Hi there folks! Here is a walkthrough of how to install just the bare minimum to run the orchestrator in HOOPUS (Main Mics Only) - please excuse my capital letter OCD: 1. Register HOOPUS in the EW Installation Center. 2. Open Opus -> Open Preferences ("cmd" + ",") -> Select "Locations" -> Set...
vi-control.net vi-control.net
 
You can set in the settings for each articulation you select to stream from disk so it only takes up RAM for the notes you play (pre purged). I personally find it okay for RAM for that reason.
 
Deanodirector said:
Hello, I've been seriously impressed by the mockups of EastWest Hollywood Orchestra and it's £240 right now. The downsides are that it's 900+ GB so i'd probably need to buy another hard drive as well and that it might be a RAM hog. Also I hear the woodwinds are bad.

The main alternative is BBC Symphony Orchestra by spitfire audio. Again, really impressive mockups. £240 during their sales. The downside being that only one mic is included and apparently the brass isn't great.

Also sonuscore the orchestra at $299, with an option to buy the cheaper essentials first at $99. Audio imperia Nucleus I believe goes on sale for a similar amount but I haven't heard many mockups of these two.

Would anyone here suggest I build up an orchestra out of separate sections instead? If one has weak brass and one weak winds maybe the £250 budget would be best split across different companies?

My interest is in composing and film scoring. I've been using discover and VCSO but their downsides are quite off-putting. I think i should buy a sketching ensemble orchestra first but my favourite sounding mockups (EW and BBCSO) don't have those.

Suggestions much appreciated, thank you
Click to expand...
Do the free trial of East west composer cloud. That will give you some perspective on whether or not you get along with their offering. Better than any recommendation you can get on here.
 
peterharket said:
I made a guide on how you can download the main mics only for OPUS, which comes in at 211GB:
It is a killer library, and for me, the main mics are more than enough. And the orchestrator works with these mics, so that is a huge plus for me. The Orchestra Complete is also very good, and is much softer on the RAM and harddisk. The other libraries I cannot speak for.

Speaking of TOC3, I have an unused license for the essential version I can sell to you for half off if you'd like. (50 USD)

Install HOOPUS Orchestrator Using 211 GB Instead Of 944 GB

Hi there folks! Here is a walkthrough of how to install just the bare minimum to run the orchestrator in HOOPUS (Main Mics Only) - please excuse my capital letter OCD: 1. Register HOOPUS in the EW Installation Center. 2. Open Opus -> Open Preferences ("cmd" + ",") -> Select "Locations" -> Set...
vi-control.net vi-control.net
Click to expand...
Oh that's really useful, thanks. I imagine I wouldn't use all the mics anyway.

I'll listen to some TOC mockups and get back to you, thanks
 
I would not get TOC as a main library. It has a neat orchestrator, but the sample quality and depth is FAR below OPUS for a similar pricepoint. For the price, OPUS is unbeatable in terms of sample depth and quality. It's the clear winner for me here. And yes as others suggested, you can try OPUS out for a couple of bucks to see if you like it or not. You can also try out BBC Discover for free to see if you like the workflow for that as well.
 
I find OPUS a real resource hog but it is a lot more detailed than TOC. Both have nice orchestrating arpeggiators. Against OPUS - TOC is easier to use and really light on resources - it's probably better for sketching ideas quickly - I love it for this - although I would probably swap most instruments out (they aren't as bad as people say, but some are a bit rough and ready and they don't have anything like the number of round-robins OPUS has). Another alternative (although I don't know much about it) could be to explore Musio by Cinesamples (I think they offer a free 30 day demo)?
 
My feeling is that the woodwinds of the EastWest Hollywood Orchestra aren't bad.
It takes up a lot of disk space, but the RAM is okay.
And it's great value for money on sale.
 
peterharket said:
I made a guide on how you can download the main mics only for OPUS, which comes in at 211GB:
It is a killer library, and for me, the main mics are more than enough. And the orchestrator works with these mics, so that is a huge plus for me. The Orchestra Complete is also very good, and is much softer on the RAM and harddisk. The other libraries I cannot speak for.

Speaking of TOC3, I have an unused license for the essential version I can sell to you for half off if you'd like. (50 USD)

Install HOOPUS Orchestrator Using 211 GB Instead Of 944 GB

Hi there folks! Here is a walkthrough of how to install just the bare minimum to run the orchestrator in HOOPUS (Main Mics Only) - please excuse my capital letter OCD: 1. Register HOOPUS in the EW Installation Center. 2. Open Opus -> Open Preferences ("cmd" + ",") -> Select "Locations" -> Set...
vi-control.net vi-control.net
Click to expand...
Thanks for the offer but I've listened to a few samples and it all seems be be the same kind of tracks. I don't really like the sounds so I think EW would be my pick over TOC
 
Satorious said:
I find OPUS a real resource hog but it is a lot more detailed than TOC. Both have nice orchestrating arpeggiators. Against OPUS - TOC is easier to use and really light on resources - it's probably better for sketching ideas quickly - I love it for this - although I would probably swap most instruments out (they aren't as bad as people say, but some are a bit rough and ready and they don't have anything like the number of round-robins OPUS has). Another alternative (although I don't know much about it) could be to explore Musio by Cinesamples (I think they offer a free 30 day demo)?
Click to expand...
I don't understand how musio works. If the company goes bust will I lose all the instruments?
 
Deanodirector said:
The main alternative is BBC Symphony Orchestra by spitfire audio. Again, really impressive mockups. £240 during their sales. The downside being that only one mic is included and apparently the brass isn't great.
Click to expand...
BBCSO is such a bargain (esp at sale time) that it almost hurts to think how much I've spent on lesser tools for more money over the years.

Yes, the one mic isn't great - but it's all balanced and easy to work with. It's almost automatic pilot. Just arrange and orchestrate for good results. An upgrade to Pro is also available should your budget increase in the future. Oh, and the brass is fine. It's classical style, not braaahm.

Musio 1 also looks extremely sweet, though I have no experience of it. My word, we're spoilt these days. I remember when <tiresome rant about mono samplers etc..>
 
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Don't let marketing and influencers get the best of you. Get your dopamine from sex instead.

I would start supplementing your Spitfire Discovery by doing all the free series from ProjectSam, Fracture Sounds, Arturia, uhe, Layers from Orchestral Tools, AudioBro, VSL, Westwood, Pianobook and Heavyocity - then supplement with only what you'd need from the Spitfire Originals (if you have space left on your HDD) - and put at least half of your budget into high quality ThinkSpace courses on sale.

Discipline yourself with a need-to rather than a nice-to mentality, otherwise you'll get stuck in a bottomless unproductive pit of getting the latest, hyped thing, online. Don't buy a lot of specialized tools until you've done a lot of music, and know what you like and want to be able to do - the free tools available right now are amazing. That's the hot take.

Practice and learn how to mix, and you can do Pro tracks with todays free tools. Go go go!

 
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Alex Fraser said:
BBCSO is such a bargain (esp at sale time) that it almost hurts to think how much I've spent on lesser tools for more money over the years.

Yes, the one mic isn't great - but it's all balanced and easy to work with. It's almost automatic pilot. Just arrange and orchestrate for good results. An upgrade to Pro is also available should your budget increase in the future. Oh, and the brass is fine. It's classical style, not braaahm. 💣

Musio 1 also looks extremely sweet, though I have no experience of it. My word, we're spoilt these days. I remember when <tiresome rant about mono samplers etc..>
Click to expand...
Agree with this. BBCSO has been wonderful, and I recently picked up Museo at $200 which is an absolute steal, even if you only ever use a fifth of the library. When I was getting in two years ago I tried the EW sub for a couple months, but ended up going with BBCSO. Mind you, their Fantasy orchestra is included now too.
 
Iconica Sketch might work for you. It is $119. It runs in the free Halion player.
www.steinberg.net

Iconica Sketch

Iconica Sketch is the perfect starting point for composers. It offers you a complete orchestra with 34 different instruments and 140 articulations.
www.steinberg.net www.steinberg.net

You could then invest in some nice soloist libraries, a neat synth or two or a nice reverb and still be within your budget.

There's also VSL special editions. They have a free trial available.

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.
www.vsl.co.at www.vsl.co.at
 
Deanodirector said:
I don't understand how musio works. If the company goes bust will I lose all the instruments?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure either. You can rent (in which case I'm guessing you'll get all the future upgrades), but you can also get a perpetual licence which means you get to keep the libraries. I don't know if perpetual means you will also get all the future upgrades (if so that sounds like a fantastic deal)? Or what happens if you stop renting (do you just not get the upgrades)? Maybe @Guy Rowland knows a bit more, I'm sure there are some threads on here which explain this but I haven't checked them out in detail yet. I don't really need Musio 1, but I've heard people seem happy with it in terms of quality/value.
 
Satorious said:
I'm not sure either. You can rent (in which case I'm guessing you'll get all the future upgrades), but you can also get a perpetual licence which means you get to keep the libraries. I don't know if perpetual means you will also get all the future upgrades (if so that sounds like a fantastic deal)? Or what happens if you stop renting (do you just not get the upgrades)? Maybe @Guy Rowland knows a bit more, I'm sure there are some threads on here which explain this but I haven't checked them out in detail yet. I don't really need Musio 1, but I've heard people seem happy with it in terms of quality/value.
Click to expand...
I'm not the Ultimate Musio Authority, but they have said multiple times that should the company go belly-up, lifetime subscribers and permanent license owners (Musio 1) will get permanent access to their libraries. Don't know about subs folks.

Make of it all what you will.

In some ways I feel a bit sorry for Musio people who keep being asked this. Every product that has a call and response to authorise is in this boat, and most of them get a free ride.

Anyway, this isn't a Musio thread - I just mentioned Musio 1 as a good budget option. Suggest anyone jumps on one of the many Musio threads if they want to drill down.
 
Nigel Andreola said:
Iconica Sketch might work for you. It is $119. It runs in the free Halion player.
www.steinberg.net

Iconica Sketch

Iconica Sketch is the perfect starting point for composers. It offers you a complete orchestra with 34 different instruments and 140 articulations.
www.steinberg.net www.steinberg.net

You could then invest in some nice soloist libraries, a neat synth or two or a nice reverb and still be within your budget.

There's also VSL special editions. They have a free trial available.

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.
www.vsl.co.at www.vsl.co.at
Click to expand...
Iconica sketch looks interesting! thanks. individual sections for £100
 
The VSL SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition (SE) Volume 1 is my first orchestra essential library which I bought when I was in a tight budget. At that moment I also purchased the Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 that came with Epic Orchestra for free. The only downside is that SYNCHRON-ized SE Volume 1 has a small size of articulations for each instrument (which can be boosted by Volume 1 Plus, and they are in a sale now, and as being said VSL provides a free trial). Another thing to notice is that the VSL SYNCHRON-ized series are 'dry' libraries (which I prefer actually).

But these days we have many more choices than ever, so I am not sure if I buy today will I go for VSL SYNCHRON-ized SE first. But it's still one of my favorites.
 
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