I use Dorico as a composition tool. As part of that, I just need to be able to produce an audio file straight out of Dorico to accompany the score that’s “good enough” to illustrate to musicians how the piece should sound. In that spirit, I’ve tried various libraries, the latest being Spitfire Solo Strings. (I know that it’s not intended to be used for quartet, but I don’t need it to sound truly authentic.)
Anyway, in case someone else has similar needs, I’ve attached an expression map and the Kontakt nkm file that I created. I’ve tweaked the UACC EM that Spitfire provides to get better rendition. I also created a détaché technique with shortened note durations. I found that the articulations in the library were not well balanced. Staccato, in particular, was way too loud. So I’ve individually rebalanced the articulations. The EM drives Volume and CC1. In the nkm, I use CC1 to drive both dynamics and expression.
Thank you for sharing the tweaks (I’ve had in the back of my head that I would like to do similar, and now do not need to!), but also for sharing what you composed—it’s lovely, as is your other work as I’ve been listening to it on SoundCloud.
TTB, it’s a pleasure to be able to take advantage of your initiative. I’m going to give it a try.
Question: in over a year, have you modified these files, and are you still satisfied with them? I also hope I won’t have too many problems installing them. I’m no Kontakt expert, which I find rather obscure. Thanks in any case.
Hi there. No, I haven’t modified the files. Tbh, I’m not all that satisfied with them. I’ve tried a number of string libraries now, and I’ve yet to get a quartet sound that I’m happy with. I’ve considered buying the Cremona quartet, but I haven’t been convinced by demos I’ve heard. I think strings are very hard to emulate.
To load, open Kontakt, select File in the top menu, then Load and select the nkm file.
Good luck. I’d be really interested if you’re able to tweak the sounds to get a better result.
other than choirs, solo strings are the thing that seem hardest to emulate. In some ways, I’m a bit surprised you didn’t try out the Cremona library before the Spitfire solo strings as that was specifically designed for quartet writing and I know one or two real experts that use it. VSL are probably the most flexible of all the libraries but I’m not always happy with the somewhat nasal tone. For more gentle romantic music, CSS can be nice (don’t know if you caught my thread demoing that one) and modernists are sometimes impressed by the XSample offering – though for what sounds like a classical style, that’s less likely to be useful. I like a lot about Chris Hein but the tone can change dramatically with small differences in note length apart from anything else so isn’t that easy to handle in Dorico-- one for NotePerfomer NPPE perhaps!
Yes, I bought Spitfire solo strings when I was first getting into all this, and in retrospect, it was probably a mistake. Thanks for your summary of other options. Your point about NPPE is a good one. I’ve now decided to see which string library is embraced by NPPE and, if it sounds good, invest in that one. I’ve found NPPE to be such a boon for orchestral music.
I’ve tried the Spitfire Solo Strings via NPPE (it’s inside the SSO engine). I generally like it, the shorts especially - they have a nice bite and sound great in Air Lyndhurst. However the vibrato is sometimes so excessive. CC21 allows you to automate this but even set the its lowest setting is still a bit much.
I recently built some expression maps for OT Berlin 1st Chairs, which technically isn’t necessarily a chamber/quintet library, but rather are the orchestra leaders recorded in situ. But OT records things quite dry so I’ve found that using just the spot mics, and re-routing to the stage map to a more chamber-like configuration, it sounds quite convincingly like an ensemble group. The library sounds great, everything is very beautiful, but the articulations are slightly limited for small ensemble writing. I’m going to keep tweaking it and will be happy to share the results at some point if anyone is interested.
I’ve not myself heard convincing evidence from listening to a number of demos that either Spitfire solo strings or OT first chairs are really suitable for quartet writing. Both libraries seem designed for soloists within an orchestral setting. Which of course is fine if that’s what you’re after and they both have strong points in that department.
I discovered OT’s entire Berlin orchestra. It’s now my favorite library (I have BBC Pro, VSL, EW, etc). If you can share the results of your work on Expression maps, it would be much appreciated.
If you’re not satisfied, I don’t think I’ll try it myself.
On Crémona, I find the demos very good for my part, but that’s often the case with demos…I don’t know what the result would be here.
I have several quartets, but I’m equally dissatisfied with all of them. There are two not mentioned here that are interesting: LASS, but which is very difficult to handle (at least for me), and Sacconi Quartet, which I find quite pure and very rich. The basic sound is less spectacular than the Spitfire solo, for example, or the VSL, but a good mix corrects this. The problem with these two is that they use Kontakt, which I hate. Old interface, tiny (worse on a 4K), cluttered. NI is really behind on this front.
That said, despite the promises, you have to understand that working on a virtual instrument is as time-consuming, in fact, or not far off, as working on a real one. You have to invest a lot of time in the technique. That’s why I think it’s best to get to know a library well, and to tarnish your skills there. I haven’t chosen mine yet, after years, but I think it would be VSL for the richness of the articulations and the development of Expressions Maps.
I would agree. Berlin 1st Chairs has some nice things going for it which can work in a pinch, but as I pointed out it’s still basically orchestra leaders in situ. I feel like the perfect solo string library is the holy grail - we’re all still on the search for it!
Yes, I also thought about the Sacconi. For me, I just need something that is “good enough”. My focus is on writing the music, not on an authentic sound experience (though I quite understand that others have different priorities). I’m not prepared to spend a lot of time trying to refine the sound.
I totally agree re Kontakt. It has a very cumbersome and antiquated UI. It needs a complete redesign.
actually when I initially wrote Cremona, I meant to say Sacconi as I was making a Spitfire comparison. Apologies for the confusion there! Cremona is a very different kettle of fish with strengths and weaknesses of its own
Okay, I’m with you. I’m doing the playback of a rather complicated violin-cello duet and I tested, in Nuendo (there’s no Expression map for Sacconi-Dorico), on a few bars, VLS solo string (Synchon), Spitfire Solo String and Sacconi. I opted for Sacconi. The sound is more classical, less seductive, and the phrasing possibilities are very rich. Spitfire’s work on this project, well explained in the introduction to the manual, is very advanced. It’s less “popular” as an approach, and less profitable, but more interesting creatively, I think, and more realistically. So I’ve decided to delve deeper into this library. As I said, that’s what counts. Touching everything a little too quickly doesn’t work. You have to master the instrument, virtually and in real life. I would, however, have liked some Expresion maps for Dorico, but that’s not so important, the composition’s done, I’m at the rendering stage.
Incidentally, I’d like to mention here that, despite my preference for the realistic, I don’t ask my projects to imitate real sinstruments in every respect. I have compositions intended for performers, but also compositions intended for the virtual instrumentation itself. I mean: sampled, with all the technical possibilities that ultimately distance themselves from the human (although they keep him as a reference, otherwise it’s all nonsense). The further we advance in technology, the more virtual instruments stand out and find their own fields of application.
I don’t see this one listed any more – it is very old anyway. We already had a discussion on XSample last year when I decided for the time being not to invest but still keep an eye open. I don’t see anything new since then. I don’t know what the likelihood is of NP getting involved with their libraries but it shouldn’t be to hard to set up Expression Maps for the libraries as – unlike many – they are designed to be used with notation software.
I have the Spitfire Solo Strings and they are probably the best solo strings library that I have, but I’m dissatisfied with them in part due to the very reverberant AIR studios they were recorded in. It’s great if you want them to sound like they were in a big hall, but I prefer a slightly smaller ambience baked in so that I have more options for matching without having to add too much reverb.
VSL is coming out with their new Synchron Solo Strings library this year, and I’m hopeful that’ll become a really nice option as the Synchron stage isn’t nearly as big sounding as AIR studios.
One solo string library I just picked up yesterday that I think is really phenomenal is the Joshua Bell Violin by Embertone, there was this 24 hour leap day sale where it was only $85 USD for the full library. I haven’t tried using it in Dorico yet, but even just playing it on the MIDI keyboard it sounds wonderful. If it is so playable on the MIDI keyboard without having to do anything, I’m sure it’ll be fine in Dorico too. Not really suitable for a quartet, more for a featured solo violin part, but it is really great I think.
which is precisely why they’re widely regarded as not suitable for quartet writing and is probably also the reason why Spitfire released Sacconi.
yes, in the interview with Herb they’ve said they’re working on it. No great surprise there as it’s the most important thing that’s not yet been rerecorded for Synchron. I’m hoping the tone at least will be improved from the original solo strings as there not much else wrong with them.
this is widely regarded as the best solo violin. If I’d known it was on sale for $85, I might have even been tempted to have a go even though I’ve no idea how well it can work in Dorico and will be interested in getting your feedback in due course.
