Thanks for all the responses. This forum is always very helpful!
Casiquire wrote:Funny enough I actually feel the opposite. Other libraries don't just let you hear the articulations, they let you hear it in-context with who-knows-what kind of effects applied and who-knows-how-many articulations layered. Though I agree with your point as well, it's useful to hear a demo of the library's practical use.
A fair point. It's hard to know sometimes what's really going on in the audio demos. Some of the video walkthroughs are a bit more transparent, though.
Paul wrote:
What are you looking for, in terms of sound?
The Orchestral Strings are often described as the most "european-sounding" string ensemble we offer, with a clear and elegant sound.
I currently own Dimension Strings and Appassionata Strings. I like them both, but sometimes want a sound that's larger than Dimension Strings but more defined than the Appassionata Strings. I can achieve this to some extent by layering the Dimension and Appassionata Strings, but that adds complexity to my workflow that I'd sometimes like to avoid.
My favorite VSL mockups include "Quiet City" and "Battle of the Heroes" if that helps (I was told the former uses both Appassionata and Orchestral Strings, though I'm not sure if they're layered or alternating). In fact, Copland and Williams are two of my favorite composers, and while they sound very different, they both have sounds I'd like to be able to reproduce.
Beat Kaufmann wrote:
We often can listen to spectaculair demos with imposant sounding libraries in a cinematic context.
Nice! But when it comes to play a classical mockup - silence - nothing.
You are absolutely right. Lack of flexibility in competing products is why I'm most heavily invested in VSL.
My main point is that the Orchestral Strings page advertises itself this way: "Both collections cover an enormously wide variety of playing techniques built on the foundation of the essential string orchestra, whether you’re recording Mozart’s 'Kleine Nachtmusik' or your latest movie score." So based on that, I'd expect the demos to run the gamut of styles. But it sounds like this issue is on Paul's radar, so I won't belabor the point.
And by the way, your Eine kleine Nachtmusik mockup sounds fantastic!