Purchase advice please...

[jamsa]

I am still trying to get my head around all these myriad options with VSL products, as I am nearing purchase.  I guess my main question here is this: If I were to get the Complete Solo Strings Bundle on DVD, what might I consider to get in addition to that if I want to have some very basic brass, woodwinds, percussion, etc.?  

To put it another way.   I am going to be focusing primarily on String Quartets PLUS small chamber ensembles with other instruments as well. It would be nice to have some basic "full orchestral" choices as well.

If I wwere to also get the special edition bundles 1 and 2 for example, won't I be paying twice for a lot of the solo string articulations which I will already have with the  Complete Solo Strings DVD bundle?

This is the kind of thing that confuses me about these products.

I want to focus on small sized ensembles, but would like the ability to work with larger orchestras as well from time to time.

thanks for any advice you may have to offer!

[Paul]

Hello jamsa, 

I´d start with the Special Editions, as you get upgrade prices when adding the bigger DVD Collections, that take the samples you have already registered into account!

Best, 

Paul

[noldar12]

The Special Editions have the advantage of giving a few basic articulations for a wide variety of instruments. They would be a very fine starting place for occasional orchestral works.

As Paul said, if you purchase them first, you will get (modest) discounts when you purchase the full libraries.  Those discounts apply to extended full library purchases, not the basic standard libraries.

However, for chamber music in general, and particularly for string quartets, Solo Strings I would be a very strong suggestion, both standard and extended.  The extended portion of the library contains a wealth or dynamics articulations and those help tremendously in creating realistic demos.

Another option, particularly if you do woodwind quintets would be Woodwinds 1, again both standard and extended.  If you did not want the a3 woodwind ensembles, the full download libraries for solo flute, French oboe, clarinet and bassoon might be an option.  Also, if all of  Brass I was not needed, the download Vienna horn would be of use, again for woodwind quintets, septets, etc.

Another library to consider, again for chamber works, would be chamber strings.  Chamber strings has a much more intimate sound than orchestral strings.  A couple of the string demos (don't recall which at the moment - though one is an Irish something or other)  contrast all four of the string libraries: solo/chamber/orchestra/AP.  That is a useful demo for getting an overall feel for the overall sound of each of the packages.

Ultimately, the best libraries to purchase are those libraries that will help you render the type(s) of music you wish to write.

[Beat Kaufmann]

Hello Jamsa

I can support all the "previous speakers": Buying the SE-Library for a hudge amount of instruments and one full Strings Library is a very good point of start.

The Solo Strings and the Chamber Strings are containing both all the instruments from Violin to Bass with nearly the same amount of samples for each instrument.

Here are two pieces for comparing all the strings and their sound.

The Compare-Rag (Solo-Chamber-Orchestra-Appassionata)

http://www.vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=1&DemoID=5243

BWV 622, O Mensch bewein dein Sünde Gross (Solo-Viola0:00-1:10/Solo-Strings 1:11/Chamber 2:18/Orchestra 3:02/Appassionata3:45-End)

http://www.beat-kaufmann.com/VSL_New_VI/BK_Bach_BWV_622_O_Mensch_bewein_VI08.mp3

On the one hand you will be able to produce perfect strings with this collection. On the other hand you also have an orchestra beside the strings for larger arrangements.

Collect experiences with this starting set and soon you will know which instruments you need as full version as well - or not.

All the best

Beat