Hi everyone,

After recently becoming aware of/researching the new aleatoric/atonal/FX libraries by Sonokinetic (Espressivo), Spitfire (London Contemporary Orchestral Strings) and 8DIO (Symphonic Shadows and CASE Solo series), I've become fascinated by this area of composition which seems rich in experimental techniques and sound design possibilities. Why this sudden rush of orchestral FX libraries? These are not hybrid or synth libraries, but they attempt to present pure orchestral techniques that are generally underrepresented in traditional libraries.

As far as I can tell, these techniques have been explored before in older, existing libraries, some examples being:

• Berlin Strings EXP E FX
• Berlin Woodwinds EXP D FX
• Berlin Brass EXP C French Horn SFX
• 8DIO CAGE Strings, Brass & Winds
• Strezov Aleatoric Modular Series Brass
  
• Zero-G Animato String & Flute FX
• Big Fish Audio Tension

I'd really love feedback from anyone who has tried or uses these new libraries to know if they offer anything the existing libraries don't - such as being more playable and dynamic for example. Many of the libraries I mentioned essentially trigger static samples with no articulations, round robin, velocity layers, crossfaded dynamics, etc. and can't really be played like an instrument (a notiable exception would be Strezov's AMS library which let's you control things like dissonance with the mod wheel).

Are there any other libraries out there that explore this territory? And what sort of things do YOU look for in these type of libraries, and how do you use them in your compositions?

Thanks!

 

Last edited: Aug 12, 2017

Why don't sample contemporary music directly? The result is often interesting...

 

Native instruments Thrill.
You should be able to create realistic custom fx with physically modeled instruments. There was one good violin in the Reaktor library.

 

+
Spitfire Albion IV Uist (a big one)
Spitfire Evo (1,2,3 and 4)
Spitfire Mural Evolution
Spitfire Olaful Evolutions
Spitfire Scary Strings

Some are "playable", some not... all of them have their own purpose. Because of the performance based nature of these libraries, in terms that they are basically captured unique performances that cannot be recreated by traditional samples, every library brings something very new and it is very welcomed by it's (composer's/producer's) market. I love them all.

 

You could add: Projectsam "Symphobia" 1 and 2\ Projectsam "Orchestral brass classics"
Dargalon instruments studio "kangling"
Forgotten voices series: Barbara, Terrie, Cait and Francesca
Sample logic "Fanfare"
Sonokinetic "Tutti", "Tutti vox"
Soundiron "Cymbology"
Soundlabel "piano attack"
Tonehammer "Bowed grand piano", "Waterphone".
Modified or processed ethnic instruments\voices offer many inspiring sounds, ambiences or textures. There is a wealth of such libraries and instruments out there. Same goes for choirs, percussion, traditional and non-traditional instruments or objects. The potential for "electro-acoustic" compositions in the style of Stockhausen, is immense and endless.

 

Thx...did't know about Kangling and Piano Attack, great libraries!