So, Sample libraries are getting larger and larger and I want a small workable setup on my laptop that I could use anywhere for scoring.Please suggest keeping in view that I need the following instruments and articulations
1.STRING INSTRUMENTS
For Violin,Violas and Cellos I need the following articulations

• legato
• portamento
• pizzicato
  
• staccato,
• staccatissimo/spiccato
• tremolo
• trills
  
• grace notes(optional)

Articulations needed for Basses:

• legato
• pizzicato
• staccato
• staccatissimo
• tremolo
  
• Bartok pizzicato
• Col Legno

2.SOLO STRINGS:a cello and a violin (legato v/n-vib ,pizzicato,staccato ,staccatissimo/spiccato)
3.BRASS (I need a library that could be used both for epic as well as fantasy scores)
4.WOODWINDS ( I tend to use them for thematic fantasy scoring mainly)
5.MELODIC PERCUSSION:Melodic percussion(xylophone,marimba,glockenspiel,celeste etc)
6.EPIC PERCUSSION:
7.PIANO(That could be used for slow solo soundtracks)
8.ACOUSTIC GUITAR(FOR STRUMMING)
9.BASS GUITAR
10.LEAD GUITAR
11.RISERS AND DOWNERS

 

I'd suggest asking this question/searching over at the VI-Control forum. That forum is full of film-scoring buffs.

 

80GB is a tough ask based on current Kontakt library sizes, and especially for those specific articulations, some of which only appear in full versions of libraries! You may have to compromise, and use FX to achieve the result you want, e.g. use FX intelligently to mimic tremolo or trills.

I would suggest something like the below to cover orchestral and/or hybrid/scoring type of stuff to fit within 80GB:

• Audio Imperia Nucleus (Orchestral) (20.5GB)
• Audio Imperia Areia Lite Edition (Strings) (12GB)
• Audio Imperia Chorus Lite (Choirs) (3GB)
• Heavyocity Damage Guitars (9GB)
• Heavyocity GP06 Scoring Bass (3.6GB)
• Heavyocity GP07 Scoring Acoustic Guitars (1.9GB)
• Native Instruments Rise & Hit (6GB)
• Native Instruments Symphony Essentials Percussion (3.8GB)
• Native Instruments Symphony Essentials Woodwinds Solo (1.6GB)
• Native Instruments Symphony Essentials Brass Solo (2GB)
• Soundiron Apocalypse Percussion Elements (2.2GB)
• Soundiron Emotional Piano 3 (2.5GB)

...totalling about the 70GB mark, but still with one or two gaps to fill based on your requirements maybe, but not much at all, mainly just one or two specific articulations maybe.

Understand though, for this 80GB limitation, you and indeed placing that upon yourself and the libraries, i.e. a limitation. That means you will have to compromise in all likelihood, by either using low quality libraries with a small footprint that will sound awful regardless what you do, or get better libraries such as those above that still may have some limitations, but are professional grade libraries that will sound good.

Ideally, you would be able to get full libraries to get all articulations, mic positions, and so on to make sure everything can blend together nicely, but you can achieve that with the above, but maybe not as well and it will take more work. Use quality reverbs like Samplicity's Berlin Studio which is based on Orchestral Tools' studio in Berlin I believe (and so pretty much specifically tailored for scoring orchestras), and this will help place the entire orchestra in the same space, and it will help get you to and improved blend of the above instruments.

 

Last edited: Apr 5, 2024

I was wondering if Spitfire Audio Studio Strings is a good replacement for Audio Imperia Lite Edition Strings.Do you think Spitfire Audio Studio Strings could sound nice with Audio Imperia Nucleus?Also Audio Imperia Areia Lite Probably has no Bartok Pizz,Col Legno and Portamento articulations.Can you suggest any Solo Strings that could sound nice with these instruments?

 

Studio Strings Pro is what has all the artculations and mic positions, and that is 196GB! The lighter version is about 14GB I believe, and probably has a lot stripped out to bring it down to that size.

It entirely depends what you want it for as you made no mention of musical style, which people will need to help you better.

I presumed you were wanting some more akin to hybrid/film score style due to your inclusion of risers and downers, which wouldn't appear in regular orchestral music. On that basis, Areia is designed more for that hyped, epic, film score type of feel (but can also do less intense well), whereas Spitfire Studio Strings is just that, strings recorded in a studio, being Air Lyndhurst, and has the dryness and rawness of strings recorded in a studio. Therefore, for something more focused on film music, I'd suggest Areia personally, but if more classical orchestral music, then maybe the more raw and less hyped sound is what you'd need. Like I said, you've not mentioned style of what you are wanting to do, so difficult to advise on that basis.

Also, why exactly is it are you so focused on needing these specific articulations? Is there a specific reason, or are you just trying to hoard articulations for the sake of it is something you may want to ask yourself too.

 

Even since I got Garritan CFX, i just realized how much I was missing & what potential a Piano can have. I bet the same will apply for other instruments [else if they're are modeled - If on windows get UVI Falcon R2R & get Ravenscroft piano & acoustic samples orchestral stuff & if you're on Mac...bad luck man!]. Here's a list of decent stuff anyway:
https://audiosex.pro/threads/plugins-megalist.74331/

My Libraries occupy around 930gigs [most are scrapped to have only essential stuff], SD3 by itself 100s of gigs per library. If you can buy a t7 1tb, do it. It's cheap & the headache is not worth it.

 

Last edited: Apr 5, 2024

I would like to score epic soundtracks,fantasy game music but occasionally also write pop rock and soft romantic music.That's why I asked for those articulations.I have found that while composing for strings many times I like to use portamento legato for romantic music and Col Legno/Bartok,Spiccatos and Grace Notes for epic/adventurous kind of music.I am not very good with Brass and Woodwind writing and do not want a comprehensive set of articulations for these sections(sustain legatos,staccatos and trills should be enough...I think all of them are present in Nucleus for these sections). Melodic percussion is required for fantasy game music and Epic Percussion for Epic Soundtracks.I think the string samples in Nucleus are the same ones used in Jeager and Areia Lite.Moreover, the Spitfire Studio Strings has a nearly similar number of players i.e Violins 1 (8),Violins 2 (6),Violas (6),Celli (6),Basses (4) to that of Nucleus i.e. Violins (12),Violas (10),Celli (6),Basses (4)) but having more articulations can also help me in soft romantic/thematic scores as well.For this reason and its small footprint, I thought may be it could do well for epic scores with a nice reverb and layering with Nucleus string section.

 

Maybe with Orchestral Tool´s Metropolis I you could do the trick. Its about 68 gb, then add OT´s Nocturner Violin & Cello, and you´ll be just lacking a small library of melodic percussion and maybe a riser.

 

It's only 30gigs download only 2,3,7 & 24-36 [Just Orchestral & Perc without Drums & Guitars]

 

But it says 75 GB here
https://vi-control.net/community/th...polis-ark-i-released-new-intro-special.50203/

 

I believe it doesn't have individual string sections(Violins,Violas,Cellos, Basses) but only High Strings and Low Strings?...If so I'll pass

 

My folder is 69.7 gb

Right,i just forgot you needed the individual sections. Maybe the Native Instruments Symphony Essentials can do the job, but i just cant remember if they included all the articulations you need.

 

You can remove the samples no. 1 & 8-23 (about 30 gigs of just guitar) & Choirs too [4-6]

 

What about shelling out ~$70 for another 1TB SSD?

 

this

 

If you can't really get a 70$ ssd for some reason, here's a list:
1.CSS Strings [Mix mics only] - 12 Gigs or Tokyo Strings [Board Mix only] - 17 Gigs [Choose CSS if wanna do stuff other than anime/jrpg]
2.Ravenscroft [UVI_5gigs] or Golden Age Grand [7gigs]
3.VWinds from AcousticSamples [UVI] or CSW [Mix mics only] - 24 Gigs or Berlin Soloists I & II [10 Gigs]
4.VHorns from Acoustic Samples [UVI_500 mb]
4.Orchestral Tools' Timpani & Pacific Perc Demo [10 Gigs]
5.Ample Strat [10 Gigs] + Ample Bass [4 Gigs] + Ample Taylor [7 Gigs]

That'll do it. I won't be too greedy to fill all that 80 gigs that's left. 7% is safe for SSD to be empty. If end up getting CSS or CSW mix mics only, you'd need Kontakt 6.10-11 for Skip Samples & Batch Resave & then again Batch Resave from your regular Kontakt.

 

my advice is to get a 1tb gen3 nvme

 

I got the new SSD folks ... Thanks a lot for your feedback and suggestions...

 

I'd use Nucleus + a perc library + a hybrid sfx library if I only had 80 gb
that will get all the basics covered

 

There may also be minified versions available for some of the huge Kontakt libraries.