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High quality film music mock-ups - Best string libraries and or best combination of libraries?

There's something I don't understand here. How can one grow tired of CSS...? ;)

Seriously, though: If CSS produces convincing sound, why abandon it? There's so much you can do to tweak its sound, layer with sordino, play with mic signals, control vibrato, control legato, layer with CSSS, let alone things you can do on the orchestration or mixing side.

Having said that, I sometimes layer my CSS with Vista. In those parts I usually turn down expression of CSS to where it's barely audible in order to give Vista a spotlight yet maintain consistency in the overall sound.
 
AliciaMusic said:
my ears are getting tired of the same sound again and again.

I wanted to ask about one or two really AMAZING string libraries for film music production, specially for legato/espressivo.
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Another CSS, it sounds like. I'm wondering if you're actually wanting something completely different entirely? There isn't much detail in your post, so I'm going to hazard some assumptions about what I think might satisfy you the most.

1. Find things to change in your process, or find a reference in a style you enjoy but aren't already comfortable with which is exciting to you but challenging. Breaking the pattern and doing something completely different is a sure way to have a new sound, if it isn't just the tonality and the spatialization of your string library that you are finding to be samey.
2. Solo strings instead of ensemble strings give the listener a different musical perspective.
3. An ensenble string library with a complimentary legato style or space. Soaring Strings, SCS, NSS for example sound good, but pretty different.
 
Hi!

Thank you very much for all your replies, I wasn't expecting so much help :)

As someone said, at the end of the day it's mostly a matter of working with the specific library for a long time and know how to mix it properly - which is a very interesting topic: best plug-ins and best ways to mix a mock up and make it sound super realistic-.

It's true that everyone has their personal preferences, so I guess it's hard to get one specific response. The thing is, I used to work with Cinematic Strings and CS2 for a long time. I considered them very good until I found CSS.

The feeling I had the first time I tried CSS was just... Wow. Sounded to me very close to what could be a real orchestra without even touching the expression CC. One note after the other blended...Wow... The amount of CPU that it takes... Wow... :rofl:

I don't get this same feeling with other libraries as Eastwest, CS2 or LASS when I directly play on them on my MIDI keyboard.

And yes, I got tired of CSS... Why? Because it's like using the same orchestra again and again, playing the same sound all the time. So, I want to get this same AMAZING (yes, haha) feeling just by playing two notes and using the modwheel (that doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be mixed afterwards) with other library.
 
Soaring Strings perhaps? Legato and sustains only though.

Pacific Strings are great. I think of them as "CSS but larger".

The strings in BBCSO are lovely, imho, and BBCSO Core is cheaper than Pacific Strings (especially now with the sale).

But since you're looking for variation I think you'd get more out of trying out VSL.
 
Zanshin said:
Yep. Everyone is going to just trot out their own favorite "horse". There is no best. probably no best for a particular person even.

That said the Berlin String Bundle is miles ahead of all the trashy recommendations so far ;)
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Pacific is better than Berlin Strings bruh
 
Take my word with a grain of salt since I haven’t bought it yet, but Venice Modern Strings seems to come close. Legatos are expressive and sound gorgeous. It’s also on sale now.
 
For me, Pacific satisfies a large amount of my strings wants. I have a lot of strings libraries. A lot. Way too many. Its a problem haha.

Pacific has a lovely legato, very emotional, then you get the sordino sustains (beautiful!), and the whisper sustains also <chefs kiss>... throw in the wide dynamic range (I forget the number of layers but I don't need to know because it feels good).

I do think you need to like the sound though - which to me is a bit 'old timey?' somehow haha - anyways I love it.

In joint second for me are both Spitfire Appasionata and Strezov Afflatus. These are very different libraries - Afflatus is huge! But when it comes to expertly programmed legato I know both libraries are easily capable of delivering.

All three libraries play so well on the keyboard - they are all great for writing, but I also want to put this here, since what you do with the MIDI CC is so crucial:


And then there is a whole world of string processing - mic mixing / reverb / enhancing / EQ / saturation / AAARRRGH hahah which I don't fully understand but shouldent be ignored....
 
syrinx said:
Soaring Strings perhaps? Legato and sustains only though.

Pacific Strings are great. I think of them as "CSS but larger".

The strings in BBCSO are lovely, imho, and BBCSO Core is cheaper than Pacific Strings (especially now with the sale).

But since you're looking for variation I think you'd get more out of trying out VSL.
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I guess it is just me, but the legato BBCSO patches for strings are unplayable, because of random crazy jumps in attack velocities. I always resort to using just longs or other patches. Maybe these kinks have been ironed out in Noteperformer 4 by brute force.
 
bababooey said:
Im which way berlin symphonic Strings are better?
I have Berlin Strings and its good and more versatile but pacific has a better Sound and legato, mich more dynamic layers and is cpu friendly.
So again, in which Point besides the clinical Sound) is Berlin Strings better?
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Given you've missed the nuance and irony in my post proclaiming Berlin to be the best I'll try to be plainer here.

Better sound and legato is subjective. The other attributes you bring up might not be important to someone else - so their value is subjective.

Pacific is better to YOU.

I'm a big fan of Performance Samples. I also own Pacific (and Vista, and Con Moto, etc). Pacific is a nice flavor/color. The portamento you can't turn off on the highest dynamics quickly fatigues my ears. To me, it's like making a dessert of the sugar bowl. I would also say that now that I've had Pacific for a while, I don't feel like it has a unified sound across the articulations (almost like they are different libraries). The parts are better than the sum total. I am happy to have Pacific, but would I want to write an hour of music with Pacific? No, I'd want something like the Berlin String bundle for that.
 
bababooey said:
Im which way berlin symphonic Strings are better?
I have Berlin Strings and its good and more versatile but pacific has a better Sound and legato, mich more dynamic layers and is cpu friendly.
So again, in which Point besides the clinical Sound) is Berlin Strings better?
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I could take the time to walk through it all, point by point, but I suspect that would be a waste of time, so I'll keep it brief.

2nd violins.
 
I would love to see another strings library from Cinematic Studios, just with a different tone. He’s already made such a stellar library, maybe a second flavour of ensemble strings with everything he’s learned and all his attention to detail is just the thing some of us would be looking for.
 
ka00 said:
I would love to see another strings library from Cinematic Studios, just with a different tone. He’s already made such a stellar library, maybe a second flavour of ensemble strings with everything he’s learned and all his attention to detail is just the thing some of us would be looking for.
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CSS is 10/7/7/6/5. It would be interesting if CS could make something slightly smaller, like eg Spitfire Studio Strings/Appassionata (both are 8/6/6/6/4) – or even smaller (6/5/5/5/4)!

Or do what Seiji Ozawa occasionally does here: use only one bass player!

 
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