Thinking about an article about free & affordable orchestral libraries

[bigcat1969]

That's legit. SSO has pretty much become synonymous with 'free SFZ orchestra' and I think SFZ is becoming bigger as some don't like all the dongles and copy protection crap that is becoming more common as NI is doing more net protection now. I asked VSTBuzz to take several things, but the SSO VST was the only one they wanted. I still don't know what you did to a couple hundred semi-bad samples to make them sound good and place them in space. The closest now is probably Aspen and that is Kontakt only. I love VSCO2, but it is dry. You ever magic those up and you would break the net.
In a way I shouldn't be surprised. For instance I was asked to put the Kontakt shells up without the samples because people didn't want to redownload the samples. That little file has 3273 downloads and Kontakt shells isn't likely the biggest seller for SSO.

Did you actually take down the file? I'm getting it as available here. I didn't dl the file but seemed to have the option to do so.
https://free-sample-packs.com/sonatina-s...a-samples/

Yeah I'm seeing it and the rest in your samples directory?

[Mattias Westlund]

Shit you're right, I also have the file under mw.net/samples/, not just sso.mw.net. :o

[Terry93D]

Gents, this project lives, and it's going to be an eBook, most likely.

I've largely settled on this list for the libraries - though I still need to go looking for more. A budget library, for the purposes of the book, are going to be sub-$300. I'm also excluding libraries that require a specific DAW, so only SFZs, VSTs, and Kontakt libraries need apply. And as mentioned previously, libraries which are chords or palettes only - with which one can not simply get the instrument playing a single note and nothing more, to try and be more clear - are straight out of the running.

• the Alpine Project
  
• Amadeus
  
• Complete Orchestral Collection (Siedlaczek)
  
• DSF Studio Orchestra
  
• Emu Virtuoso 2000
  
• EWQL SO Silver
  
• GPO 5
  
• HALion SO
  
• Kirk Hunter Virtuoso Ensembles
  
• No Budget Orchestra
  
• Prosonus Orchestral Collection
  
• Rhapsody: Orchestral Colors
  
• SSO (and 2.0)
  
• SONiVOX Film Score Companion
  
• VSCO2
  
• Vienna Smart Orchestra
  
• VPO 3
  

[Nayrb]

(07-16-2019, 07:07 PM)Terry93D Wrote: Gents, this project lives, and it's going to be an eBook, most likely.

I've largely settled on this list for the libraries - though I still need to go looking for more. A budget library, for the purposes of the book, are going to be sub-$300. I'm also excluding libraries that require a specific DAW, so only SFZs, VSTs, and Kontakt libraries need apply. And as mentioned previously, libraries which are chords or palettes only - with which one can not simply get the instrument playing a single note and nothing more, to try and be more clear - are straight out of the running.

• the Alpine Project
  
• Amadeus
  
• Complete Orchestral Collection (Siedlaczek)
  
• DSF Studio Orchestra
  
• Emu Virtuoso 2000
  
• EWQL SO Silver
  
• GPO 5
  
• HALion SO
  
• Kirk Hunter Virtuoso Ensembles
  
• No Budget Orchestra
  
• Prosonus Orchestral Collection
  
• Rhapsody: Orchestral Colors
  
• SSO (and 2.0)
  
• SONiVOX Film Score Companion
  
• VSCO2
  
• Vienna Smart Orchestra
  
• VPO 3
  

Cool idea. I remember back in 2006-ish looking at the Siedlaczeck stuff and wishing I could afford it. Now it's under $200! I do in fact have the "Classic Orchestra (from Advanced Orchestra) sample disc" which served me decently in the realm of percussion and, I think, pizzi violins.

Are you going to seek out information from people who have used the libraries to compile your info for this project?

[Terry93D]

(07-20-2019, 02:26 AM)Nayrb Wrote:

(07-16-2019, 07:07 PM)Terry93D Wrote: Gents, this project lives, and it's going to be an eBook, most likely.

I've largely settled on this list for the libraries - though I still need to go looking for more. A budget library, for the purposes of the book, are going to be sub-$300. I'm also excluding libraries that require a specific DAW, so only SFZs, VSTs, and Kontakt libraries need apply. And as mentioned previously, libraries which are chords or palettes only - with which one can not simply get the instrument playing a single note and nothing more, to try and be more clear - are straight out of the running.

• ~snip!
  

Cool idea. I remember back in 2006-ish looking at the Siedlaczeck stuff and wishing I could afford it. Now it's under $200! I do in fact have the "Classic Orchestra (from Advanced Orchestra) sample disc" which served me decently in the realm of percussion and, I think, pizzi violins.

Are you going to seek out information from people who have used the libraries to compile your info for this project?

I'd definitely like to, yes. Get thoughts besides my own, especially if they're people who've used multiple of the mentioned libraries. 

My dream, ultimate project would be to write a history of orchestral sampling, but though you can find any information on the Internet, some information is more diffuse then other information...

[Nayrb]

(07-20-2019, 02:51 PM)Terry93D Wrote: I'd definitely like to, yes. Get thoughts besides my own, especially if they're people who've used multiple of the mentioned libraries. 

My dream, ultimate project would be to write a history of orchestral sampling, but though you can find any information on the Internet, some information is more diffuse then other information...

What are you basing your assessments on? Are you providing assessments at all or just  an overview of the features? This is perfectly fine, if so; but I would definitely try to find at least some videos of these items in action, and maybe try to get in touch with people who have used them (maybe those who made the videos).

In other news, I pulled out the Pro Samples Advanced Orchestra disc and realized that it was actually kind of disappointing, even back in 2006 (though the perc was still nice to have). And the packaging led me to believe it would include playable brass (it does not). I would hope that the full edition would be more useful. I sounds like a big part of that library is all those pre-recorded orchestral performances, or "building blocks," as they call them.

[Terry93D]

(07-20-2019, 03:04 PM)Nayrb Wrote:

(07-20-2019, 02:51 PM)Terry93D Wrote: I'd definitely like to, yes. Get thoughts besides my own, especially if they're people who've used multiple of the mentioned libraries. 

My dream, ultimate project would be to write a history of orchestral sampling, but though you can find any information on the Internet, some information is more diffuse then other information...

What are you basing your assessments on? Are you providing assessments at all or just  an overview of the features? This is perfectly fine, if so; but I would definitely try to find at least some videos of these items in action, and maybe try to get in touch with people who have used them (maybe those who made the videos).

In other news, I pulled out the Pro Samples Advanced Orchestra disc and realized that it was actually kind of disappointing, even back in 2006 (though the perc was still nice to have). And the packaging led me to believe it would include playable brass (it does not). I would hope that the full edition would be more useful. I sounds like a big part of that library is all those pre-recorded orchestral performances, or "building blocks," as they call them.

I'm basing my assessments on... well, a variety of things. How many auxiliary instruments, how many articulations, how easy it is to use, how it sounds "out-of-the-box" with only reverb and MIDI parameters, no layering, and the core, musical assessment is two tests: the Haydn test, which is the rendering of the first and last movements of Haydn's Symphony Nr. 80, as a test of how it performs in a realistic, classical situation (realism of balance and performance); and an "epic test," utilizing an original composition (yet to be written).

Because there are so many libraries here, I don't expect to be able to fully utilize many of them to their best without dedicating more time then I have (practically speaking) to it, which is why I'd like to interview people who've used one (or ideally more) of the libraries, and in doing so, get a more varied and balanced perspective on them all.

[Nayrb]

(07-20-2019, 04:07 PM)Terry93D Wrote: ... the core, musical assessment is two tests: the Haydn test, which is the rendering of the first and last movements of Haydn's Symphony Nr. 80, as a test of how it performs in a realistic, classical situation (realism of balance and performance); and an "epic test," utilizing an original composition (yet to be written).

Interesting idea there. It will be interesting to hear how the "epic" test comes out. I think that's a rather misunderstood area of VO that your project could help demystify.

[Samulis]

I know a bit of history about the EMU Virtuoso 2000 samples. They're from the same source as the E4 (Emulator 4) series samples, the same used in numerous game scores of the late 90's and early 2000's (e.g. Age of Empires). The virtual instrument appears to be a faithful conversion of everything that came in the original hardware Virtuoso 2000, which was as far as I can tell basically a souped-up Proteus 2000. You can also think about it as a stripped-down, ROMpler cousin of the ESI-4000.

I put together a very short history of sampling as part of my first draft at making video guide to sampling. It's super abridged, but here it is-
https://youtu.be/2cNQA0L9mkM?t=1471

[Nayrb]

(07-21-2019, 05:15 AM)Samulis Wrote: I put together a very short history of sampling as part of my first draft at making video guide to sampling. It's super abridged, but here it is-
https://youtu.be/2cNQA0L9mkM?t=1471

Please release a subscription based true legato triangle collaboration with Hans Zimmer.