Appassionata strings - a necessary addition

[William]

These Appassionata strings are absolutely NECESSARY to anyone doing sampling. I have been using the violins in several arrangements already, and they are probably the best strings ever done in MIDI in pure sound. They are beautiful, and you get all the really needed samples, and they cut through a mix with natural sounding violin ensemble vibrato more than anything else I have found - and I have all the sample libraries. The only thing similar in natural, espressivo sound is the old Miroslav library, which unfortunately has far too few samples to be used nowadays.

I wonder what other people using these think?

I have just finished an arrangement for strings of a piece that had been done with previous less-expressive strings, and it is now unthinkable to do it without the Appass vioiins.

[mpower88]

Just going on the Violins that I have (don't have the full library right now), yes I agree, they sound fantastic.

Miklos.

[wolfgang]

I agree. This is a wonderful and necessary addition to an already excellent library.

Cheers,
-Ron

[JWL]

No doubt-- AS violins fill a much needed gap-- and for a seemingly simply add-on, they will no doubt prove to be indespensable many times over.

The complete set of AS? Bring it on!!

[SyQuEsT]

I'll order my copy next week [[;)]]

[mpower88]

To quote the old hecklers from the Muppets

"I hated it"
"It was terrible"
"Some of it was OK"
"Actually I kinda liked it"
"There was some real genius there"
"You know what I love it"
"Me too!"
"It was great"
"It was wonderful"
"MORE MORE!!!" [:P]

http://www.monkeyouttanowhere.com/movies/graphics/2005/2005_06_24muppets.jpg

[Guy Bacos]

Can't wait to hear the demos!

[William]

Well I agree completely with these statements. Especially Miklos and the Muppets - my feelings exactly.

On another thread that shall be nameless and should be shunned because it was written under an evil spell by orcs controlled by Saruman, I was going to write that the Appass violins, (which I for one am using normally now), make an excellent 1st violin section, and the orchestral violins make a beautiful 2nd section. Though the distinction is not necessary to make, since they can be mixed. Also, with specialized articulations, such as ponticello, or col legno, you can use the orchestral without any clash whatsoever. Add to that the Chamber and solo for layering and it is enormous in its potential. So this is a huge addition. And I am talking about violins only. I shudder to think of the possibilities with all appassionata! Perhaps some extra heart medicine will be in order when they are ready. Since we are talking about extreme levels of PASSION

[mpower88]

Yes it's a really fine addition. I really admire the VSl team for their skill and dedication.

As for that nameless post (he he) I think everyone has their right to an opinion, and to say "lets expand this great idea" or "add something that I think is missing" - what people are objecting to, and myself included I think, is really the ungrateful way it was portrayed, a really downbeat negative post *in that context*. Afterall, timing is everything, it's not nice when the first post about them is a downer we have to consider the people at VSL should be rightly very proud of their newest contribution to music in the world, and it's only fair that we congratulate before nitpicking, not just dive right into nitpicking. Anyway for myself I have no nits to pick.....

Miklos. [*-)] [:D]

[Rob Elliott]

AP are the closest thing out there now. I think they sit well in the mix but most importantly to me that in the upper range (normally on string samples - is very weak) seem to have power.

I sketched this out the other day for a cue of a film I was working on. This is straight over LAN - no mixing or mastering. Which is another thing I like about the AP violins - they don't need a lot of 'fixing' EQ.

I can't see passing up on the full set.


http://www.robelliottmusic.com/mp3s/Americana/Hero%20Compassion%20idea.mp3


Rob

[Mahlon]

Excellent to know that folks are liking them. Let me ask this: only having just bought the solo strings, and intending to buy the rest of VSL string library throughout 2007, would you say that I might buy the AP set and Chamber Strings first, and then later add the 'regular' strings 1 and 2? Does the AP set have enough raw horsepower to cover most situations alone (or combined with Chamber Strings)? Or should it really fall under, as you say, a necessary addition?

Thanks very much for your input

Mahlon Bouldin

[JWL]

@Mahlon said:

Excellent to know that folks are liking them. Let me ask this: only having just bought the solo strings, and intending to buy the rest of VSL string library throughout 2007, would you say that I might buy the AP set and Chamber Strings first, and then later add the 'regular' strings 1 and 2? Does the AP set have enough raw horsepower to cover most situations alone (or combined with Chamber Strings)? Or should it really fall under, as you say, a necessary addition?

Thanks very much for your input

Mahlon Bouldin

I would say Str 1&2 and AS would be a good pairing. Chamber and Solo strings is a pairing I find used a little more often. It depends on what you're writing. Eventually, all the strings will be put to very good use, of course.

But Str 1&2 is the "core" section with AS being a great compliment to it.

[William]

Those are good questions of Mahlon and one can come up with different answers for them, since the strings are so complex. I agree on that with JWL, and also what I am noticing is a really huge, wide-ranging string sound is being formed by all these "sub-libraries" put together (Solo Strings, Chamber Strings, Orchestral Strings and Appassionata Strings) and they each have their different strengths. It so far seems to me that besides small, soloistic things (such as a string quartet or an actual chamber piece) that layering the Chamber Strings or Solo strings with either Orchestral or Appassionata works best in quieter music. Because you cannot crank Chamber or Solo up in volume as high without being unnatural. So if you are doing loud, heavier things, especially a "Hollywood" style film sound, the Appassionata are essential. Though they have their quieter side as well. The Orchestral Strings form a backbone for all of them, almost like a painting medium to mix the other colors in.

So anyway, a good approach could be to determine the scale of most of the music you are writing and go from there. If you are exploiting absolutely every technique, then you want the Orchestral Strings. If you are using more "normal" string writing that is big scale and but also molto espressivo, then maybe Appassionata combined with Solo would be the best combo of any two libraries put together. Though you will be missing some specialized articulations. Of course, you cannot go wrong getting ANY of them. [[;)]]

[plowman]

"Though they have their quieter side as well."

So true. Coincidentally, this evening, I was continuing to experiment with p to mf violin melodies in and around C4 -- the alto range where notes often fall to the bottom string G. I was EQ'ing the daylights out of VI_14_mV_sus, but it seemed either too grainy or too dull.

One would think that the sound of twenty violins would only make it more unmanageable. But the p to mf Appassionata violins sat just right with two solos for detail. In its own way, as it lilted, the AP's became more transparent. Eight more players, and yet, more transparent.

That said, VI-14's remain the core of the library, as noted above.

[Mahlon]

Thanks, JWL, William, and Plowman,

Yep, I may be purchasing chamber fisrt (already have solo stings) because the upcoming piece these next few months is... well a chamber piece of just strings woodwinds and harps. Very light. So should fit nicely.

Then I'll probably add App Strings after that -- if those three libraries sound good together with enough aricultations I may be able to ride things for a while -- until I get the funds for the Strings 1 and 2 (that being the most significant amount). Meanwhile, I'll be able to substitute some of the sounds from my Opus 1 strings.

It's hard to figure out what you need and how sounds are going to combine without being able to sit down and orchestrate a mockup or two. I guanantee, I'll know a lot more once I've been able to work with them.

Being a non-refundable purchase requires the asking of lots of questions, though, so thanks for the answers and insight.

Mahlon

[synthetic]

Nice piece, Rob. Can't wait to hear more from this library.

[JWL]

@synthetic said:

Nice piece, Rob. Can't wait to hear more from this library.

Yeah, that was nice, wasn't it?

I like the use of wide intervals in those welcome "gentle rubs". A romantic tear jerker? A theme of resolve or victory? No matter-- it's a most effective and promising teaser of something wonderful to come.

[dpcon]

Rob very nice indeed. What Fr Horns are those and what sample is giving you that great slide? I have Brass I but haven't used it hardly yet so I'm looking forward to getting that kind of sound (unless those were Epic from Brass II)

I should add that I just purchased the AS collection which sound very nice there as well.

[William]

I agree on that, some very interesting music from Rob Elliot. Impressive also how it is not tweaked a lot.

[JWL]

@dpcon said:

...I should add that I just purchased the AS collection which sound very nice there as well.

Bravo, Mister Connor!! [:P]

This calls for another steak!!