I did search this before posting just so you all know, and the last post was 2019 about best libraries.
I know this is subjective and every one has a preference, but If I got into scoring and cinematic work. What do you all think would be the best libraries/companies to check out or you would recommend?

Best orchestral
Percussionist
Sound FX libraries etc.

I really like horror scoring.
oh and I ain't spending $800 on the Hans Zimmer strings from Spitfire either

 

I really like the stuff from crow hill.

Glass Strings - Cinematic, excellent library.
String Murmuration & Small String Gestures- very expressive, pretty unique libraries.
Nocturnal Gestures - Woodwinds and Brass, also expressive and unique
Concussion drums - EPIC library. No sequencer which is annoying, but the sounds are top notch.
Dot Allison - fun vocal library

I have not tried their pianos, but im sure they are also great.

There are plenty more great libraries from other sample houses / dev's but those are my favorite as of lately. I can chime in more later when im back at my studio. For horror, i would focus more on drones, FX, granular stuff etc.

 

I don't have a sound library but I have virtual software synthesizers that sound great. Maybe you'd like to try a different way of working. The four are also available as a cracked version

ujam - Symphonic Elements VST3
Make Anything Epic! Brass, drums and strings from Hans Zimmer’s library www.ujam.com/symphonic-elements/

ujam - Striiings VST3 www.ujam.com/symphonic-elements/striiiings/

The Primal Force
Drums and percussion from Hans Zimmer’s forge www.ujam.com/symph

ujam - Braaaas VST3 www.ujam.com/symphonic-elements/braaass/

 

For the first time, I would be honored to tell my own recommendation.
What truly matters is knowing the good quality of Realistic sound of Strings

Here's what 5 Strings libraries is the most recommended:
01 - Cinematic Studio Strings (The Best Overall)
02 - Pacific Ensemble Strings (The Great Peak)
03 - Modern Scoring Strings (The Impressive All-in-one Strings)
04 - Areia + Constructor (The Awesome 2 Libraries)
05 - Spitfire Symphonic Strings (The G.O.A.T. Library)

It depends on hearing sound with ears to make sure which Strings Library is good for you.
I'm not good at explaining, but I hope this will help.

 

Thanks, yea I've heard some of their stuff and I have some of their freebies as well, good company.

 

I actually have the UJAm STRIIINGs it's awesome too, I have the BRAASS as well

 

Thanks solid input bother I'll have to check those out.

 

Only thing about those libraries are they come with 2 blobs and with the cracked versions it won't give the option to upload both blobs so you only get the strings and not the bass, same way with the BRASSS.

I do love those sympthonic plugins though, I hear cinematic when I hear it. Sounds freaking amazing

 

Released today: Ample Sound - Ample China TP for percussion. ToonTrack - Superior Drummer VST3.
For Bass: Spectrasonics - Trilian www.spectrasonics.net/products/trilian/overview.php

 

You have to make up your own mind obviously, but perhaps looking at the Orchestrators you like and seeing what they use is a good idea? You can get two of these on the sister site, the other two , no.
Many seem to use these four in no specific order:

• BBC Orchestra Pro Spitfire
• East West OPUS and Fantasy, and
• Project Sam Symphobia 1&2, and
• Orchestral Tools Orchestra

 

Dang I have Trillian too I installed it but then I had to go download the STEAM folder it was freaking HUGE

 

I love East West stuff, I was actually thinking of their monthly sub. I love Spitfire too and I have some Project Sam libraries as well.

 

Awesome. Symphobia is possibly the best if you have to do it quickly. OPUS and Fantasy combined have all the standard orchestral instruments as well as all the unusual and Ethnic ones, and Orchestral Tools also are excellent, their Berlin Strings are very good too.

If I was to say where each could be better - OPUS winds could be better, Orchestral Tools winds and Project sams are better I think, The BBC Pro overall is very good and consistent. Percussion-wise, I think OPUS/Fantasy and Project Sam are the stronger. and The Hollywood Strings 2 by East-West if you are getting composer cloud is fantastic if you want a full sound that is more intimate. Only my opinion though. I think they have the composer cloud cheeeeep at the moment Black Friday if you're thinking about it?

 

If you can handle Cinematic Studio Strings, I think it's the best overall. I can't really do it, so the only library I use from them are the woodwinds, that I think there's nothing around with the same silky beautiful tone.

Usually, in my work, I'll do a mix of a few libraries to get the strings tone I want. Most of the time I start with Afflatus Strings, then I'll add Albion Neo or British Drama Toolkit for texture, and lastly Chris Hein's solo strings or Spitfire Chamber Strings for definition. Very often Afflatus is just enough for what I'm doing, maybe a mix of two or three patches from it, it does have a billion tones available and something always works. I also think Afflatus is extremely playable for lazy people like me, I don't like doing dynamics and legato that much, and it just works right out of the box. After everything is laid out properly, I do the dynamics and some tweaks.

 

Thanks, I actually have A LOT of libraries I just wanted to see if I had the right ones and if I needed others. The VSL is collection is huge too, cost a grip as well.
I have A LOT of stuff, stuff from 8dio, Sonuscore, Vir2, Best Service, Spitfire, Heavyocity, ProjectSAM, The Native Instruments collections, Big Fish Audio, Sonixciema, Audio Ollie, Keepforest, cinematique instruments, Audiobro, Zero G I have a lot of shit.

 

I will have to look into those, is that the company? I saw the Chris Heins stuff but I think it runs on Engine 2. I don't think I've seen Affaltus strings

 

I like LA Scoring Strings 3

 

With so many string libraries out there, it's hard to say any are the best. They all have their pros and cons.

Cinematic Studio Series gets high marks for its consistency and their strings specifically for its legato, but not everyone is a fan of their tone or the room they were recorded in.

Spitfire's SSO has a lot in the overall package and the strings specifically have a great out-of-the-box Hollywood sound and a ton of articulations, but there are consistency issues galore. Spitfire's LCO Strings are wonderful, contemporary and expressive articulations recorded dry that are best paired with a more comprehensive library rather than to stand alone. Lastly, what can be more horror than the Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit, recorded dry and with instrument couplings that are oozing with vibe.

Audio Imperia products have a more in your face, "modern" sound, some feel it's a little over processed, but their short articulations make a bold statement, and if you are doing mostly horror, Constrictor is great.

Orchestral Tools' Metropolis Ark series is expensive but excellent, although probably best for someone with a collection of libraries already for the purpose of layering, to steer a given library in a less familiar direction. Standouts are Ark 1 and 3 for horror, although my personal favorite overall is Ark 2.

Performance Samples string libraries are probably a bit too romantic (think Shostakovich or Korngold) for horror, although the legato is quite expressive, like CSS they are more workhorse for submitting a mockup, but in my humble opinion the recordings aren't clean enough to rely solely on for an actual track.

 

Last edited: Dec 2, 2024

Everything I mentioned is made for Kontakt.

Albion Neo, British Drama Toolkit and Chamber Strings are made by Spitfire Audio. Afflatus Strings is made by Strezov. Chris Hein is... Well, Chris Hein. I think his stuff is pretty underrated, I personally like it because they can be velocity controlled.

 

Dang you are a treasure trove of information.

I'm about to get the Cinetmatic Strings but the full library is like 60gb, would I be good with the minified version?

I have a lot of Spitire stuff I've yet to load into kontakt since they aren't iso installers.

I loved that library when I heard it last week, Constrictor sounds bad ass for sure.

I will have to check out Performance and Orchsetral Tool Ark series for sure.