Can someone find me an authentic sounding one?
I need it for ballad or slow rock
My budget is up to $1000

Thank you.

 

If you're talkin'bout a synth "string ensemble," try the overhelming selection of free synths at Modular Samples.

Commercial Kontakt sting-synth libraires: Hollow Sun's String Synths and Stringodyne; freepack Poylmoog Strings.

If you'd meant "orchestral," there's BigCat's Maize VST/AU Sonatina Orchestra (free).

 

Authentic is subjective and relative to your mix. My personal favourite companies (I mostly score commercial and film work) are Spitfire Audio, Orchestral Tools Berlin Series and ProjectSAM. Some other colleagues of mine like LA Scoring Strings, Vienna Symphonic and some of the older guys still use EastWest Symphonic.

There are others from 8dio, CineSamples, Native Instruments and other big names but I'm not a fan as they are too 'glossy' and not rich sounding enough in comparison to the others.

 

Spitfire Audio or Orchestral Tools and you are covered.

 

BOOM!!! https://vsl.co.at/en/Strings_Complete/Orchestral_Strings_Bundle

1 & 2 bundle... Or you could go with the Chamber Strings bundles. Not sure how intamate or big of a string backing you're looking for. But I'd choose VSL any day over any of the above..

 

For ballad/slow rock you might need contemporary strings like Session Strings Pro.
Spitfire/OT stuff is better suited for classical pieces.

 

yeah, totally agree. most of the suggestions given above are not appropriate for rock. i did like the suggestions made by stevitch. i would also add the solid state symphony library by indiginus.

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2015

Soloists I NOCTURNE VIOLIN
http://orchestraltools.com/soloists_series/libraries/nocturne_violin.php

Berlin strings
http://orchestraltools.com/libraries/berlin_strings_menu.php

 

thank you for all the suggestions, generous people.

I have session strings pro and kirk hunter pop rock strings but sadly doesn't sound that realistic IMO.

From all the demos I've heard the
VSL looks great, I'll check it out later.

 

Last edited: Aug 10, 2015

Here is one more.

http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/orchestral-cinematic/emotive-strings/

 

Nice sounding but the phrase-based idea is not a flexible way to write IMO.
Thanks anyway

 

For a VST based plugin, i would recommend Miroslav Philharmonik
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/philharmonik/

Lovely plugin, lots of room to shape the sounds !

 

GUI looks nice.
How much is the RR? because there are no details about round robin on the site.

 

Ive Built PCs for a couple of composers here in Germany. Basic setup has always been Mac G5 with either Protools or logic and a separate PC running Giga studio and VSL libraries controlled via GiGA teleport. VSL is pretty awesome.

 

Im not quite sure what you mean by that. (Bad English Syndrome)

Can you explain it, in other ways ?

 

Yes and I've been considering to purchase VSL too. Maybe next month if I don't find anything as interesting as that one.

"Round-robin is simply a way to let sample developers play back a different sampled version of the same sound each time you hit the same key, so that just like most acoustic instruments each note sounds slightly different for more realism.

This feature becomes particularly important with drum libraries to avoid the 'machine gun' effect of rapidly repeating the same (for instance) snare drum sound.

By having two, four or eight slightly different snare samples, played back in sequence, you avoid such artificial-sounding effects, since if you keep hitting the same key it will play back (for instance):

Sample 1, Sample 2, Sample 3, Sample 4, Sample 1, Sample 2..."
-Martin @ KVR