4 Different Sized String Libraries Compared (CSS, SSS, SCS, SSoS)

#CinematicStudio #Spitfire #Strings
From Solo players to 4 down, 10 down, and 16 down, comparing four different sized string ensembles, and showing you how I use them in my work!
Hint: Layer CSS and Chamber strings! It's amazing!!
Cinematic Studio Strings: cinematicstudioseries.com/str...
Spitfire Symphonic Strings: www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-...
Spitfire Chamber Strings: www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-...
Spitfire Solo Strings: www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-...
_
www.didchoi.com
DIDCHOI
/ didchoi

[@The_Rock_That_Floats]

Just a little something I need for comparison :) 0:50 CSS 1:33 SCS 4:03 CSS + SCS 2:11 SSS 2:47 SSoS 3:26 SSS + SSoS

[@tnbee]

love the comparison! do you have any opinion on the new appasionata string library from spitfire?

[@DIDCHOI]

Thanks man! I do have an opinion, but of course, it's only my opinion: Thought it was disappointing. Of course, it sounds great, a mid-sized ensemble between Chamber and Symphonic recorded at Air Lyndherst is wonderful. But I found listening to the demos that Spitfire hasn't improved the programming at all, still their jumpiness can be heard in their demos. Also, a little over priced for a legato library with meh legato and not much else IMO. If they had muted legato, Sul G legato, Sul pont/tasto legatos, and such, then it would be worth it. But I would personally stick with Vista if you want a mid sized legato library with fantastic programming and layering capabilities. Of course, you'd massage the EQ and reverb a bit to match the lyndhurst sound if that's your base sound.

[@tnbee]

@@DIDCHOI damn thanks for the comprehensive reply! what I thought is the sound is kinda similar with my bbsco core, so yeah I am probably not getting that xD.... I heard that CSS is also great programming? which one you recommend, vista or css? or both serves different purposes?

[@DIDCHOI]

@@tnbee I don’t personally have vista, though I have their free limited range demo version. CSS is my go to main library. It’s a symphonic size, but smaller numbers than 16 down. Think it was 12 down? so they layer nicely. It has amazing shorts and legatos, the marcato patch is perfect. Vista is mostly a legato only library so I wouldn’t use it as my only library. But from the demo version I played and what I heard, it plays smooth like butter and sounds lush and gorgeous. It’s not a small chamber sound like what you might expect, which is both good and bad

[@DIDCHOI]

Both very different purposes. Both libraries have some of the best programming I’ve tried out, so if you can get both! Otherwise, CSS is the perfect all rounder and you can download the free demo vista patch and see if you like it

[@paopis]

Very beautiful piece! I like SSS more than SCS. SCS sounds a little harsh... CSS is gorgeous!

[@DIDCHOI]

Yup. Chamber groups will sound “harsh” or more detailed depending on your perspective. More high end is captured, more tuning discrepancies. But a more intimate sound. I love using it for adding a layer of detail on top of a bigger library!

[@MagicianPrestoDC]

Hard time choosing? CSS from Australia is my recommendation to anyone in doubt, the after sales service is just awesome and they gave everyone a free upgrade to their newest version, their prices are reasonable, (no I am not paid or endorsed to write this, I do this purely out satisfaction), I was happy when I bought it but the true joy came in the second turn with their great never stopping support for even small budget clients like me, I can recommend it. I also own other string libraries also the more expensive Vienna Synchron Strings but Cinematic Studio Strings is my recommendation to people who are having a hard time to choose ! It's fast, easy to work with and affordable.

[@DIDCHOI]

I agree!

[@MartinBergnerGuitar]

Very nice! I absolutely love the combination of CSS and SCS! Can you explain a bit about your thought process to combine these two and the steps how you get there? What I mean is: are you trying to view them seperate at first and try to get them individually as close as possible to your sound-vision and then just put them together and hope for the best? Or are you already thinking about how they complement each other and try to emphasize the sound that make them great individually? Also: when you record the midi data do you start with first violins and then just go through the other sections? I often find myself going back to the first violins after that and make a second recording to adjust the sound cause the first lines that I record are isolated and usually come out a little different than what i want in the context of the entire ensemble.

[@DIDCHOI]

Great question! I often write with CSS as the main and then chamber is written to complement it (or if I’m lazy I copy paste and tweak). having slightly different dynamic curves adds more humanism, BUT, sometimes you don’t need that because the libraries are programmed differently anyways so sometimes that’s enough. I like to start with the bassline, whether that’s cello or bass depending on the piece, then first violin, then cello (if bass was the only bass), second, then viola. But this changed of course. I also re-record the first afterward if I feel it needs something different. Hope that helps! It’s a great combo!

[@MartinBergnerGuitar]

@@DIDCHOI thanks so much for elaborating! Love what you do man, keep up the great work!!

[@slimyelow]

I got BBCSO and was almost immediately disapointed when I attempted to compose anything that contained short notes, especially for strings and solo horn and winds. Now I am envious of CSS and Infinite Brass / Woodwinds.

[@DIDCHOI]

Yeah spitfire stuff is quite inconsistent...

[@rgferreira78]

Most informative video on libraries I have ever watched, so thank you. You have picked my picks after just a couple of weeks, now I'm sure that the right path is layering. Just one silly question: did you just copy/pasted your tracks when layering or did you edit the midi input? I just watched another video that libraries just react different and not always are "ready to copy paste" when layering. Thanks in advance.

[@DIDCHOI]

Thanks! Glad it helped. I mention in the title cards that I played them in separately in CSS and SCS. Spitfire libraries react in a similar manner (though not consistent), so I copy and pasted the SCS performance for SSS and SSoS and tweaked so each sounded the way I wanted. The real gem is CSS, CSB, CWW, which are specifically programmed to just work with a copy paste between each of its sections. But that's not in this video haha

[@rgferreira78]

@@DIDCHOI thanks again!

[@OfficialHarsha]

Thats brilliant, so with CSS are using any script in kontakt for the legato delay or are you full on manually moving notes?

[@DIDCHOI]

Scripts have been buggy for me in the past so now my workflow is fully manual. Doesn’t take long at all though. Just quantized everything (to whatever percent), select by articulation, then hot key to nudge 10ms at a time

[@DavidMaurand]

I like the one you didn't - solo strings - because that is pretty much what anyone playing my work will hire for a band; my music is performed live, my clips aren't comps or trailers though I want them to sound like what they will in actual performance. All the others are too big for my use case, even the 4-3-3-3 of SCS.

[@DIDCHOI]

Interesting! Definitely true that solo stuff is more common in real life, but for me, sampled solo instruments never stand a chance against the real thing, so I find myself hating solo samples, while I can tolerate and even appreciate samples ensembles.

[@manuelfilho11]

Nice comparison! I wonder if you have tested CSSS and how do compare it to SSoS. Thanks!

[@DIDCHOI]

I never ended up getting CSSS for a few reasons, but I'm sure it'll sound just as great layered. I found the tone too dull and a little artificial in isolation. SSoS has a more realistic tone IMO. But of course, no one can beat CSSS's programming and consistency, making it much easier to work with. But I would say that makes it a just as good investment as long as it's for layering. Exposed solo work would be different, but in that case, you'd probably want Joshua Bell, Tina Guo and others anyways.

[@muzikmystro]

This is so cool! My new M1 max MacBook is due in the next week or so. Can I ask when running Logic, do you have to run it in Rosetta if other plugins aren’t native too or can you run it native with everything else being Rosetta? Are you able to mix and match? :) also is Rosetta part of Monterey and is installing spitfire instruments more difficult?

[@DIDCHOI]

You have to open in Rosetta once to activate all the plugins, then you can open Logic in native mode and it should work. But sometimes some plugins glitch out and forced Logic to restart, so depending on the project I’ve been switching back and forth

[@DIDCHOI]

Spitfire can be a little bit of a pain, but that was always the case honestly with their native stuff. I think if you switch between Rosetta and native, spitfire will suffer. Best to install it for one and stick with it in my experience

[@muzikmystro]

D.I.D. CHOI thanks so much. What I did was cancel my laptop order and ordered the 5k iMac and bought 128gb ram separately. I’ll get the M1 max in the new year when Apple have sorted out the charging and crashing issues people have been experiencing :)

[@DIDCHOI]

@@muzikmystro That's a good solution~ people have been having charging issues? I did hear anything

[@javierestevez9680]

Hi how can i set the keyswitches of the articulations on cinematic studio strings to a pad on my keyboard

[@DIDCHOI]

Rather, you set your pads to key switch CSS. If you can remap your pads, set them to the right notes. If you use articulation sets like Babylon Waves, you can have a unified key switch system for every library and the same pad will always do the same thing

[@javierestevez9680]

@@DIDCHOI where can i remap? sorry for ask but i cant find content like this on youtube

[@DIDCHOI]

@@javierestevez9680 depends on your midi controller. Most have an included software to remap faders and pads

[@zaharishtonov]

No human being can read those subtitles as quick as they were going on screen…🤪 Otherwise, CSS and Chamber is the ultimate combo!

[@bartmuz]

using more legato - especially with portamento would give much better effect - your version sounds like you using longs instead of legato

[@DIDCHOI]

Valid feedback. This was made a long time ago, maybe it's time to do an updated version

[@macavalon]

CSS blow SSS out of the water !

[@DIDCHOI]

Hahah yeah. SSS was my first library and I struggled with it a lot because of the repetitions. CSS has much better programming while tone might feel a little dull to some. But EQ and it’s great

[@slimyelow]

Hell yeah!

[@oconnerr]

Hello, I just downloaded Cinematic Studio Strings but I can not play chords on them, when I play chords only one note sounds. How can I fix this ?

[@DIDCHOI]

Hey, by default the instruments are in legato mode, which is what they are famous for. To play polyphonically, disable legato!

[@DIDCHOI]

Though it’s always more realistic to program each line separately rather in chords

[@oconnerr]

@@DIDCHOI Hmm you mean for example in a triad, violin top note, violas or cellis middle and basses roote note ?

[@DIDCHOI]

@@oconnerr yeah, on the right track. look into voice leading. Every instrument is made up of human players. Make the parts interesting and beautiful to play!

[@DrGameTazo]

Still cant make a decision between CSS and SSS....

[@DIDCHOI]

Definitely CSS! Hahaha. The time goes by, the clearer it is

[@slimyelow]

100% CSS. I got BBCSO and you can see my complaint....

[@DrGameTazo]

@@slimyelow Afterward...I bought CSS CSB and CSW.They all worked well.But Its hard to tell Good or Not. Because I have on other Sample libary to compare.I only have those three...

[@josephaldrich4023]

Why does nobody takes Audiobro seroiusly? LASS is a great library

[@DIDCHOI]

I take it seriously! It's been used in lots of great stuff. Notably the Clone Wars series I believe. Been considering MSS, but just don't have a need for more at the moment.