Hi Rob,

I have both libraries, and they're definitely different. If you had to summarize them, I'd say that SOV is more classical in nature, including soloist lines and some evolving sounds like ooh-ahh etc. Voices of the Apocalypse is more cinematic-sounding, like those dark choirs you hear in thrillers or action movies - very Carmina Burana-like. It also has key-switchable vowel sounds as well as single consonant sounds, so you can sort of create "words" or phrases. They do have some choral pad-type sounds (lik eooooh or eeeeh or mmmmmm) but those don't sound as legit or as realistic as the SOV choirs that do the same thing. If you're familiar with the composer E.S. Posthumous (they use a lot of his stuff in movie trailers), the stuff he writes sounds like VOTA, although I think he uses a real choir.

Ultimately, they're both strong if used the same way you use the VSL -- if you combine different sounds or "articulations" vs. just playing them straight-up, they'll sound much more realistic.

Kerry

I also use both. VOTA has a much more 'epic' feel, but it is very limited as far as styles go. Where SOV covers Boys Choir, Gregorian Choir, Soloists, etc and is a bit more diverse. Save your $$, there is a new comprehensive choir library coming out in Q1 2005 by I believe East West on 3 DVDs. Perhpas we will get a VSL choir soon. I really hope so.

Thanks to the both of you for sharing your helpful opinions on this. It will be a tough call to decide only on one, when both seem to have differing strengths. Maybe I should wait (damn it!) to see if East West comes out with a more comprehensive library of choir that combines more styles together. 3 DVD's? Any info on this?

Rob

You should definatley wait! The newlib from EWQL features both solo men/women, full choir and boys choir...

wait![:)]

Herb,

How's your choir lib coming along? Will you be close to EW's release? I own VOTA and use it often, but my gut says you will come out with something special.

Rob

Sorry, too early to make any announcements.
We have to finish a lot of other stuff the next months.

best
Herb

No problem, thanks Herb. I know you have to be busy working on those fantastic art files for PE owners [:P]

the best,

Rob

I've got both libraries, and are happy with both, but for different reasons (as has been pointed out). The big feature of VOTA is the stringing together of phonemes to form custom words (usually only half intelligible, but cool nonetheless). SOV has more unique sounds, like a boys choir, Gregorian chants, soloists, and more traditional men and women's articulations and sounds.

However, I disagree with the advice to "wait for the next big thing". There's ALWAYS a next big thing. Get what you need now, use it, and be happy. My advice: if you want a more general-purpose library, it's SOV. If you want to form your own articulations with a cinematic-sounding choir (think big movie scores), then VOTA. Both are fine-sounding libraries.

Or, if you don't mind waiting, that's up to you.

I think there is a point in waiting atleast in this case. SOV and VOTA are practically the first generation of choir libraries and the technical improvements should be dramatic in the new libraries from EWQL, Bela D and possibly VSL. When SOV and VOTA were released there wasn't a need to do things thoroughly because nobody expected libraries to be dozens of gigs in size and nobody had computers powerful enough to use such libraries. Nowadays the situation is different. There isn't a point in waiting for a new car model if it's going to be just a facelift for the old model which already was a facelift for the model before it. With choir libraries this certainly isn't the case.

No way are these the first generation of choir libraries. I know because I've suffered through the HELL of using older choir libraries. You are obviously a young person spoiled by these new 3rd or 4th or higher generation libraries that have incredibly beautiful sounds on them with a large amount of detail and expressiveness.

Try one sample, spread over the entire keyboard. That's the 1st generation.

I have both SOV and VOTA. The weird thing about them is that SOV is much better recorded and edited, while VOTA is badly edited (IMO) with some weird programming (low pass filters and serious aliasing sounds) and completely faked consonants (not sung by a choir but by a bunch of random persons in a small studio, if you ask me).

Yet VOTA can often outperform SOV in terms of realism. I really find that paradoxical, but every demo seems to confirm this to me. VOTA is meant to have a Hollywood, "in your face" sound. You won't get that from SOV. For more pad-like choirs, nothing beats SOV, though.

VOTA has release triggers, which SOV doesn't. However, with some programming you can make your own SOV release samples from the few included Staccato programs. This allows you to make the releases a lot shorter, allowing for more responsive playing.

Just some thoughts from

Peter
www.PeterRoos.com

Since choirs are always background instruments for me, VOTA and SOV are more than adequate for my needs. I guess if you need an significant amount of subtle detail in the performance (if you're featuring a full choir performance), then you might want to consider waiting. However, for basic choir tones and background chords, these are both exellent libraries (and extremely realistic sounding in this role, btw). For me, the requirements weren't like, say, what I would demand of a symphonic set of instruments (e.g. VSL). It really depends on what your demands on the library are.

And you're correct, William. If you've ever suffered with the cruddy choir samples supplied with synths and earlier sample sets... <shudder> you'll know the good ole days aren't that good...

@William said:

No way are these the first generation of choir libraries. I know because I've suffered through the HELL of using older choir libraries. You are obviously a young person spoiled by these new 3rd or 4th or higher generation libraries that have incredibly beautiful sounds on them with a large amount of detail and expressiveness.

Try one sample, spread over the entire keyboard. That's the 1st generation.

I don't think this is an age related issue but more related to semantics. [8-)] One sample spread across the whole keyboard isn't a choir library, it's a synthesizer patch. As far as I know VOTA was the first attempt to make a library where you could build the words yourself instead of being limited to complete phrases or pads of ahs and ohs. Still it is a very limited when compared to the possibilities companies such as VSL can give us these days. The programming isn't too sophisticated and it even lacks the usual SATB choir structure. Therefore I think it is the first although a very nice attempt to making a realistic choir library but there is a lot of room for improvement. And yes, I have used the old choir techniques but I never thought they were sophisticated in any sense of the word.

I am glad to hear the opinions of first hand users of both of these libraries. It clears up what compromises (along with the good points) one must live with until a next generation product is released.

I have VOTA and it sounds great. I agree that it has a really epic feel to it. However I have never got the word building tool (a bit like the legato tool - only for er... word building) to work. Then again I may just be a bit thick!

I remember a thread about this from about a year ago (or more). It may be worth doing a search...


cheers

steve