Vienna Symphonic Library Forum
Forum Statistics

200,892 users have contributed to 43,216 threads and 259,147 posts.

In the past 24 hours, we have 2 new thread(s), 9 new post(s) and 59 new user(s).

  1. Home
  2. Sample Libraries
  3. Vienna Instruments Libraries (legacy)
  4. DS Strings in quartet setting?

  • DS Strings in quartet setting?

    B
    B

    Greetings VSL Community,

    Well, I'm at the point where I regularly keep the VSL website open in hopes of soon affording a new string library. I'm curious if the Dimension Strings library will work well for solo string music, or do you you hear a little bit of the audio from other mics at other desks? It would be nice to know that I could kill several birds with one stone by buying this library. 

    Best,

    Bobby

    www.robertchastain.net
  • C
    C
    I only own Solo Strings, not Dimension Strings, but based on my experience with SS, I can't imagine DS doing it better. From the opinions of others in these forums, I've read that DS is made to blend very well, whereas SS is meant to be a library of soloists, so they really stand out from the rest of the orchestra and cut right through. Also the SS articulations are intended to be able to play more virtuoso-style playing than DS. I've also heard that DS has a bit of spillover from one instrument to another, but I couldn't tell you how much this would affect the sound of a quartet. My un-helpful answer is...get both! Lol. I can't imagine being without Solo Strings.
  • C
    C

    Hi Bobby, the spill on the DS violins is minimal - you can use the instruments in solo.
  • N
    N

    IMO, it really depends on the sound you are after.  As another owner of solo strings, the articulations included for the solo strings really help to bring out each instrument as a true soloist, something that could be very important when writing string quartets.  By contrast, Dimension Strings (which I don't own) strikes me as having great strength in blending sounds from individual players within an orchestral string section.  Thus, while there is potential overlap, the libraries are designed, at their core, for two very different purposes.
  • C
    C
    Aah, here's the post I was looking for: http://community.vsl.co.at/forums/p/34154/213594.aspx#213594
  • W
    W

    For solo string music you should not use Dimension Strings.  They are not designed for solo use, but rather for orchestra with divisi, layering with other ensembles for added complexity, and alone for smaller orchestras.  If you use them for solo it will be a slight distortion of the effect, because there is sound from  the other 8 players audible on each individual instrument.  It is the same thing with Dimension Brass - you would never use them for a brass quintet for example, because you can never hear the tuba without a little of the bass trombone, etc.  The whole idea of Dimension is for ensemble, not solo use.     

    For solo string music you should use the Solo Strings exclusively. 

    However, the Solo Strings blend extremely well with Dimension Strings, creating an even more complex sound for orchestral.  In general, I've noticed how the Dimension Strings act almost as "glue" for putting together the other string libraries into new orchestral combinations. 

  • ronaudio_13968R
    ronaudio_13968R

     I would say, if you have a Piece where the Violine (a.e.) sounds all alone in some or the whole Part, the bleeding of the other Players could be audible.

    When you mix with other Instruments, i would say you wouldnt hear it.

    Espacially the Listener would never hear it.

    Thats only my Review..

    Ron