I've been working with Chamber strings since they came out - first on Giga samples then on VI. I've always liked their inimate sound, so when Ch Str 2 was announced I jumped straight in (esp. with the extended set offer). The new collection is recorded with mutes, filling in a vital missing part of the original set.
After working with them for a week I have to report that the sonic qualities of the new collection surpasse the original Chamber Strings VI by a considerable margin. Now this is obviously a very good thing, however Chamber strings 1 now sounds so dull and old by comparison, that I have been using this set as the muted section, not the new one!
I would love to hear what other users are making of the comparison. To my mind, if the new Chamber Strings 2 set was recorded with mutes, then VSL should seriously look at re-recording the original collection afresh, without mutes, to achieve parity between the collections.
Chamber Strings 1 is seriously showing it's age...
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Chamber Strings 2 make Chamber Strings 1 sound pants!!!
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Almost every time VSL comes out with a new library is seems that they also reach a new level in quality. They continue to learn and surpass what was done previously in the art & craft of sampling.
IMO, the new Chamber Strings II are elegant. Chamber Strings I are more strident overall. However I find Chamber Strings I to be the most useful library in mixing with any of the other VSL libraries to achieve the correct ensemble size and articulation I might be looking for.
I hope VSL continues to make new string libraries. I find all the articulations in Orchestral Strings to be the most useful overall. I only wish that there were more of these same articulations in the Chamber and Appassionata libraries.
I tend to cringe in advance when I begin to look for a matching articualtion in the other libraries knowing that I'm going to have to spend time trying to creatively manufacture the same effect within my sequencer instead of just grabbing an already recorded articulation.
Well I'm drifting OT now. Apologies.
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Jack - I really like you and you are a terrific composer but you are killing me with posts such as these (I am already not sending my planned VERY expensive Christmas present to Svk for his posts) - I WANT THIS LIBRARY NOW. Just ordereing today but because of a project schedule I cannot even load it in my puter for 10-14 days[:'(]
Demos would hold me over - me thinks.
All the best,
Rob
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When you do finally get the opportunity don't dismay if you can't find the new articulations in the Patch Assign window.
After doing all the install, registration and Directory Manager procedures it was a bit disconcerting (as in an instaneously sweatly foerhead and emotional distress in the solar plexus) when there were no articulations to be found.
They're cleverly nested within the regular, old Chamber Strings folders.
Perhaps the Appassionata II Strings are like this. But they're the only ones I don't have (so far).
But once again, all the CSII articulations don't match one-for-one with the CS1 articulations. In some cases there are more - in other cases there are less.
I've spent the last two weeks or so putting together my new rig so I haven't the time to do much else. Hence no demo from me. I will however at some point take the time to post all I've gone thru to make this stuff work. I'm just starting my first project on it now and it probably isn't an opportunity to use much of the sordinos.
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Jack don't you agree though that the new mutes are actually quite a lot brighter than the old library? - which kind of makes a bit of a nonsense of them being muted...
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Wow, i just listened to Jay Bacal's Tchaikovsky and as usual his work is outstanding, the Chambers Strings II sound beautiful, congrats on your new product VSL, and of course, congratulations Jay for your usual great job. Now i'm gonna take a listen at Jay's new Holst's 1st Suite for Military Band - March... the comments on Northern Sounds Forum are very good on this piece also.
