SYNCHRON STRING DEMO: Holberg Suite (SynPlayer version)

[fatis12_24918]

Here the new version of my Synchron Strings 1 demo, with Synchron Player.

Holberg Suite Preludium

Room Mix Ambience preset - No player reverb + very little MIRacle for the tail (2.1s with wet at -15db)

Holberg Suite Preludium (dry)

Naked Room Mix Ambience preset - No player reverb

I had several issues during production, in both Cubase Artist 9.5 Mac VST3, and Logic/GarageBand with AU.

I suspect that something is still not optimal in my system with Synchron player (but all the rest of my lybraries including VSL VI work fluently and sound perfect so I'm pretty confused and a bit disappointed).

[William]

That is a great job you did!  The staccati sound about perfect.  The fast legato  - like those fast pickups - sounded artificial - like fingers running over a keyboard - instead of strings playing legato.  That is not your fault of course, but I am guessing it is the ensemble's "stiffness" in legato of that kind.  I know that what I like doing on fast legato such as that, which can result in a very natural quality, is to use the Dimension strings totally humanized in timing, each player doing the run slightly different, and so it becomes exactly like a live ensemble.  But you can't do that here obviously. Also the sound is overall a little too bright in the high violins which is the bane of sampled strings.  I haven't really wrapped my head around Synchron strings yet though it  obviously has huge potential.  Anyway very impressive work! 

[fatis12_24918]

@William said:

That is a great job you did!  The staccati sound about perfect.  The fast legato  - like those fast pickups - sounded artificial - like fingers running over a keyboard - instead of strings playing legato.  That is not your fault of course, but I am guessing it is the ensemble's "stiffness" in legato of that kind.  I know that what I like doing on fast legato such as that, which can result in a very natural quality, is to use the Dimension strings totally humanized in timing, each player doing the run slightly different, and so it becomes exactly like a live ensemble.  But you can't do that here obviously. Also the sound is overall a little too bright in the high violins which is the bane of sampled strings.  I haven't really wrapped my head around Synchron strings yet though it  obviously has huge potential.  Anyway very impressive work! 

Hi William,

Thank you. I agree 100% with your technical comments. I'm still in love with my Dimension strings for the reason you mention, and I'm missing the VI Pro features when working with Synchron. On the other side the shorts of Synchron are objectively the best (even better than previous VI) while sustain and mostly legato tend to sound synthy too often, and I didn't find yet the way to avoid it (probably a matter of EQ and ambience, because the demos with more reverb, by amateurs but by official demo makers as well, sounded always the worse in regard of this detail).

[Beat Kaufmann]

Hi guys
Please do not forget the meanwhile and unfortunately somewhat underrated Chamber Strings Library. Although the library is about 14 years old, it still has not gotten a real "Holbersuite demo challenger" - even not from non-VSL products (see demos). The great thing about the Chamber Strings Library is that it does not have any weakness. Furthermore, it has many articulations (through all the instruments), it is extremely precise, it sounds very musical and it is at the same time soft and lively...

Beat

[johnstaf]

@Beat Kaufmann said:

Hi guys
Please do not forget the meanwhile and unfortunately somewhat underrated Chamber Strings Library. Although the library is about 14 years old, it still has not gotten a real "Holbersuite demo challenger" - even not from non-VSL products (see demos). The great thing about the Chamber Strings Library is that it does not have any weakness. Furthermore, it has many articulations (through all the instruments), it is extremely precise, it sounds very musical and it is at the same time soft and lively...

Beat

Chamber Strings is the next on my list. There's a litheness to the VI libraries that I haven't heard with anything else. I don't think the age should make a difference, as sampling hasn't changed much in that period, although more modern computers can make light work of it. 

[William]

Really agree with that about Chamber Strings.  The basic sound quality is perfect for each ensemble and also because of the smaller size very expressive.  Also very useable with Orchestral Strings or Appassionata as a divisi.  Or as a second violins with Orchestral as first, etc.  Or layered with Dimension/Solo the transparent espressivo is unmatched.  Many uses and since they have so many articulations they are extremely versatile.  

[fatis12_24918]

@Beat Kaufmann said:

Hi guys
Please do not forget the meanwhile and unfortunately somewhat underrated Chamber Strings Library...

Well Beat,

no need to say that to me 😊 I'm a great supporter of it from the beginning, and I also posted something made with Chambers. I also consider the blend between Chamber and Orchestral or Chamber and Dimension even better than Appassionata. (and by the way very similar number of total players).

But of course it's another story... this post was about SYNCHRON STRINGS. Your first demo convinced me to buy them!!! Unfortunately your demo was focusing on the shorts... and the shorts are simply fantastic in Synchron. It didn't show the limitations yet. Anyway I was also curious, very curious about the new Player, and even if it's not yet as powerful as the VI Pro, it is already interesting and I hope it will improve in the close future (1 or 2 years usually).

[fatis12_24918]

@Beat Kaufmann said:

 it still has not gotten a real "Holbersuite demo challenger" - even not from non-VSL products (see demos)....

P.S. Sorry Beat, but I don't agree. It's a matter of taste, we had this discussion already 10 years ago 😉

you did a great job but: the repetitions are better in Synchron. The espressivos were better with other lybraries, and the divisi is real only with Dimension strings (you also had to use Solo Strings...). Anyway Chamber Strings are in my opinion one of the best VSL lybrary ever, and I consider them still better than several competitors despite years past and the technology evolution.