What do I purchase? Need advice.

[Rocky1]

I need violin and cello for background tracks. I write ballads, folk, country, pop, light rock, jazz. Thinking of getting solo strings 1 with full articulation because of the non vibrato feature and instrument pro player. Running Logic pro x with universal audio 8P and plugins. What is in my head is single cello lines at the moment but will experiment with violins. Would be nice if I could get a fiddle sound somehow. Even a bohemian swing sound would help.  I know, probably a bit sacriligious to mention a fiddle on this site especially so close to easter but Vienna has the most "real" sounding samples to me so far. Thanks in advance. 

[mschmitt]

You might want to look at Solo Violin 2 and Solo Cello 2.

[Beat Kaufmann]

Hi Rocky and welcome in the forum

All what I can say after years of using the solo strings (violin 1): There are so many articulations and possibilities with the Vienna Instrument (sample player) that you are able to play nearly all the styles you like.

Unfortunately I never played a country-style piece for the solo violin. The only piece (neary country music) is the one I prepared in 2006 (!) for comparing the sounds of the solo-, chamber-, and the orchestra strings:

http://www.beat-kaufmann.com/VSL_New_VI_U/BK_The_Solo_Chamber_Orchestra_VI_06.mp3

So I believe you want be wrong with the VSL-Solo Strings (or Viol2/Cello2). It depends more if you are willing to change the articulations every new note for getting a very natural sounding violin and for getting out all the potential you will have with it.

The question "Violin 1 or Violin 2?"

...you can probably solve here (No 40. and No 41). You will find two different pieces of music. Both played once with Violin 1 and once Violin 2. Further: I used for both violins the same effect-settings and the same articulations (Violin 2 does not quite contain the same amount). I ma sure one sound will be the one you will like for your projects.

Keep in mind that sometimes a small string ensemble also can do the job. With the Chamber Strings you get nearly the same important articulations as you have with the solo strings - and this for all the instruments Viol, Viola, Cello and Bass. Example: Flight close the clouds. The Chambers will do a good job in the background...

All the best

Beat