solo strings

[William]

I received the solo strings and am in a state of shock. It is so great - the playing and tone, the recording quality, the detail of sampling - just amazing! I have nothing to compare it to except sitting right next to great players.

I have a question on the bowings used - The performance legato is of course like the legato in the First Edition with a fingering change on a single string with a single bowstroke, but am I correct in thinking that the performance detache and spiccato are a fingering change on a single string with a change in bowstroke direction in order to obtain the previous note's ambiance? As opposed to shifting to another string for the target note? (i.e. the short note detaches)

[herb]

Hi William,

Thanks a lot for the compliments.

Yes, you are right,
it's a fingering and bow change obtaining previous notes ambience.

best
herb

[michi]

hi, william. the played bowestroke direction is mostly up/down, the fingering depends to the intervall, to go for single string or not. but in general you guessed right. the solists are all friends of mine and they really appreciate reading such comments. at last we are all musicians on a (silent) stage and words like yours are our applause. thank you!

michael

edit: two minutes, i don't believe it, herb was two minutes faster than me, so we posted more or less the same. i need a quicker cpu...

[kcorbin]

I have just recently become a VSL User. Opus 1 and Solo Strings. While I have not finished loading Opus 1 I have been enjoying playing with Solo Strings. My Current work is a String Quartet, and I am loving the reality of the sounds. For once I feel like I am working it out with REAL string players. I do however, Have one minor gripe: there are NO HARMONICS. I love this package and would love to be able to purchase a Harmonics add on, Herb?

One other Side note, in Opus1, every instrument has a unique bank number and every articulation a unique program number. Solo Strings however did not do this, it would be great if it did, It just makes it so much easier to get going with.

Keith

[nathanmj]

i second the call for harmonics. Would nicely round out a thorough and masterfully compiled library.

[William]

I'm sure the VSL plans on doing harmonics, but when you are recording 1.5 million samples it takes just a little while to get all of them.

I thought I would take this opportunity to do some more raving since I saw this at the top again and I have just been using the Performance Detache and Performance Spiccato instruments on a solo violin piece.

Has anyone noticed this but me? I've seen nothing here. These are truly amazing, and as much of a revolution of sound as the legato. They capture the resonating strings prior to the note you are going to and create total realism in detache and spiccato. They are as different from single note samples as the legato is. The best thing is how beautiful and expressive the tone is - an intense, pure sound from great players.

[Dietz]

Thanks for the praise - I'm sure our musicians will appreciate comments like this very much, too!

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library