Spitfire Symphony Orchestra: Complete Overview!

[@ChristopherSiu]

Hey friends! Just a quick note - I was encountering a few sample dropouts during testing, which came down to hosting the library on an HDD, instead the preferred SSD. The disk itself is maxing out and causing the glitches. Apologies for any dropouts you hear in the vid - otherwise, please enjoy! :)

[@Metalpazallteway]

Do you think it also affected the timing? For instance when you mentioned the latency connection for the flute solo vs the strings

[@daeuscannon]

Hey Christopher. GREAT review. Thanks for taking time and sharing this.

[@Grymt]

With vibrato at 100% all the time, it's almost like a siren in stead of a violin. I think it's a pity you vary this so little, but I'm thankful too as I now know I really don't like that vibrato in full at all. And it's very nice you give your honest opinion!

[@alontrigger]

I think this re-release offers three huge benefits: 1. The most comprehensive list of playing techniques available in one package. This is a wonderful solution for comprehensive playback in a notation software like Dorico. 2. This is a Kontakt player library. This means you can do a batch re-save and use a regular hard drive and it will load fast. 3. The price, especially with educational discounts and hopefully when it will go on 40% off sale like other products is the best bang for your buck that I know of. My other favorite developer is the Cinematic Studio series. Their advantage is the meticulous programming and passionate performance. In addition to the neutral room sound. However, they do not have an all-comprehensive playing technique list like here and are quadruple the price at this point.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Thanks for sharing!

[@micwarren21]

You answered my question at the end of your video.

[@paulg3388]

ah ha !!! I opened this in the Komplete Kontrol and clicked on a number of patches and was greeted with the old UI. I couldn't work out what I was doing wrong, but in the first few minutes of your Video I had a lightbulb moment! It has the legacy patches included still, so I was just clicking on those in the list and hadn't got to the new ones. Thank you SO much, I guess I will close the Spitfire ticket and go and try to rebuild my pride :) great Video and thanks.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Glad I could help!

[@drewcollier1138]

I'm so excited that SSO is finally affordable! It's one thing that has been missing from my collection. I definitely plan on getting it at some point.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Awesome!

[@GoOKuSj33]

Bro it costs 620 dollars without the edu discount, how is that affordable? 😂

[@will.musicompositions]

Beautiful

[@gregoryivesdolbyatmosmusic]

First review that made sense. Thanks. I am able to grab it for like $345 in my account, but do not own the previous. I do had some of the other full orchestral libraries. Not crazy as a brass player how they do trumpet attacks, but usually just dub in my own parts in section as that is what I used to do in my previous career in Hollywood. Sometimes the brass are not as robust as I would like.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Metalpazallteway]

I noticed they took out one of the microphones from the original library. And also, Why do they have the original library still for purchase at original price and this website version? What are they ommiting? Great review by the way

[@jonathanwingmusic]

I got it the other day because I already owned half of the individual libraries and my upgrade price was a no-brainer. I already owned the woodwinds which I love. I have to say I'm really happy with the brass which I did not previously own, and I agree on those solo performance patches - the trumpet is especially agile and lyrical and handles legato super well! I wish all the instruments had solo performance patches, but unfortunately a few are only available in a2, which will make it hard to mix and match with the solo normal articulations.

[@g.p616]

Think this has been done as a marketing strategy. By removing SO Pro etc and replacing with this, it puts distance between BBCSO pro and the upcoming Abbey Road Orchestra sections.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Definitely interesting to think about.

[@hudsondunbar7853]

I have the full spitfire BBCO, so watching this, I’m wondering what are the main library differences between that and the Symphony Orchestra?

[@Gardener7]

​@@hudsondunbar7853BBCSO was recorded in a different room, and has less dynamic layers and articulations. However it's more cohesive.

[@noctuslucis15]

I am still trying to choose which one i should buy. Eastwest's Opus Edition or Spitfire Symphony Orchestra

[@hatesjam5300]

I have bought both. So different character, and they fulfill each other. Eastwest more Hollywood and Spitfire more British sound.

[@stormbladefh]

I'm sure someone has already requested it, but if you could react to Thomas Bergersen's first symphony titled Seven, that would be awesome! It's his first full symphony and I'm sure you'd really enjoy it. He even said on his social media that the seventh and final piece, Return to Sender, "is the best piece I have ever written or will write", and i tend to believe him 😅

[@ontrada]

I'm waiting for Audio Imperia's Nucleus to go on sale again to use as my FIRST orchestra. How much "better" would you day this Spitfire Orchestra is? Thanks in advance!

[@ChristopherSiu]

Good question! I’d say Nucleus is a bit more ‘specific’ in what it offers, with soloists and a clearer sound overall. SSO has more ‘glue’, and is more symphonic sounding overall.

[@jensjensen4038]

It’s impossible to say which is better. Different sound. it’s all about taste really

[@talnomix3164]

This is way better than nucleus. In every way.

[@GoOKuSj33]

Nucleus is very limited in articulations, but SSO on the other hand is HUGE, neither are good for my style of workflow.

[@rafaelhernandez5550]

Hi Chris, Yes when use the Performance pathes the CPU incrise 50% but it`s so good and fun to play it, in my case I play all lines, I don`t like write with the mouse I use Midi Keyboard and Nanokontrol2 for Midi CC and I just try those performance instruments It`s great and like you say I bounce to audio and move on. Thank you for share it with us.

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

Great Video Chris. You are right again this library is huge. Probably too much for some.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Thanks Jeremiah :)

[@GoOKuSj33]

Too much for me and my potato PC, I don't need all those articulations.

[@MeWreck]

When playing the strings legato patches, you were clearly hitting either the limitations of the disk speed (too slow) or streaming buffer too small. Not CPU load. Probably because you were triggering all the patches at once, and only unmuting/soloing one by one? What were the DFD buffer settings in Kontakt? Were the samples stored on SSD?

[@ChristopherSiu]

Good point - might have helped if I used one of my SSDs! I tend to store all my Kontakt libs on an HDD.

[@MeWreck]

@@ChristopherSiuI'd really want to also know your buffer settings, because that translates to the DRAM utilization per patch.

[@ridgero]

Thanks for the video, how do you get rid auf the Kontakt 7 crapy default view? It's so annoying! When I open the SSO, the Kontakt 7 Player is to small, I always have to scroll to see the rest of the GUI of SSO. This feels terrible

[@jadinisantini2558]

If you click "View" at the top and select "rack view" that should do it for ya!

[@cubaseman1487]

Hi Christopher. I'm thinking of buying this orchestra. Would you recommend it? Or do you think there is something better?

[@jeremiahlyleseditor437]

After hearing this library, it reminded me of that library from Vienna, the Big Bang Orchestra. How does this compare to the BBO?

[@_lumbel_9094]

Thanks for the detailed overview. Can you keyswitch between articulations in this rerelease of SSO?

[@ChristopherSiu]

Yes I believe so!

[@_lumbel_9094]

thank you @@ChristopherSiu

[@kennethjackson4858]

Hey Chris, you always introduce libraries with detail, but I have the Opus edition and still learning it and orchestration. Do you think I just need to stick to what I have while in learning how orchestrate? Thank you!

[@ChristopherSiu]

Hey Kenny, yes absolutely! I always recommend learning what you already have, then seeing what new libraries can add to your toolkit makes sense.

[@zaharishtonov]

Why is Vibrato stuck at a 100% the whole time?! Not sure that this was very realistic representation given that fact. Thanks for demonstrating the structure of the libraries anyway... It prompted me to discover the Legacy patches which Spitfire does not reveal by default but delivers it as a Zip file instead.

[@user-xz5mh2ev2e]

How does this different to Spitfire SYMPHONIC Orchestra?

[@tomturton]

This is a relaunch with a new UI, some new legatos, and a lower price. It's unclear if at this point Spitfire will make a pro version with the other mic positions previously included in their SSO Pro libraries.

[@ontrada]

You make very thoughtful and informative comments. The world needs more folks like you online!@@tomturton

[@nigelcarren]

Mr Siu, this is my first ever comment. May I ask, when you ordered this did you download it or did you order the drive from Spitfire? I only have a 2015 MacBook Pro, so this will mean a hardware upgrade for me too... Not sure which is best here, maybe a Mac Studio? Thank you for any wisdom you can offer. 👍🇬🇧

[@ChristopherSiu]

Download! :)

[@jamesr141]

Sounds great but how are the mockups?

[@pluginpromo]

Hello Christopher. The installation is via Native Access or via Spitfire App?

[@ChristopherSiu]

Native Access!

[@MsJovanijovani]

Hello to you, I have a small question if you allow. As someone who wishes to compose grand orchestral music for opera, film, or video games in the style of Hans Zimmer or John Williams, which orchestra would be most suitable between the BBC Core Orchestra and the Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra? To provide further guidance, I am ideally looking for an orchestra equipped with the greatest number of articulations and instruments, with a soft and warm sound for emotional music, featuring solo instruments that sound good and realistic. This orchestra will be paired with the Metropolis Ark One from Orchestral Tools to add the power it might lack during climactic moments. Thank you in advance for your response, and best wishes! 🎶

[@alontrigger]

SSO has the greater number of articulations and mic signals compare to BBC core.

[@aklosabbaothofficial]

Hi there, an unrelated question, but did you know of how many Trombones are the Bones ensemble of Cinesamples comprised of? I think it should be just one, but I´m not sure and I don´t want to adquire another one with Orchetra Tools if not needed.

[@ChristopherSiu]

I believe it’s 2 or 3!

[@aklosabbaothofficial]

Thank You very much for your repply!!!@@ChristopherSiu

[@joshbarron8961]

Is this new version all of the Symphony Complete series or did they just only bring over the essential patches? My worry is that there are not as many articulations as the previous version as the install was much larger than the 300 or so gb that this new one is.

[@GoOKuSj33]

It's the complete package, bro you have so many articulations, too much actually, I don't even like that tbh, It gets in the way of writing, I don't need 10 types of legatos, give me a playable one, it's fine.

[@landonp629]

You skipped over one of the best instruments in the Symphonic Series - the Celeste. The Spitfire Celeste is regarded to be one of the most beautifully recorded available, especially if you are looking for a john Williams / Harry Potter style sound.

[@ChristopherSiu]

Good call!

[@ronnyb5890]

strange that they didnt use their proprietory player, or was this library already made for kontakt?

[@GoOKuSj33]

Yep. And their player sucks, so it's better to say there.

[@arthursparinskij]

Curated ensembles is Masse, is it right? No difference except UI?

[@ChristopherSiu]

Masse is included in the legacy folder!

[@micwarren21]

Is it needed if you have BBCSO Core?

[@tomturton]

BBCSO Core is for a dryer tighter sound. It has newer samples than this one. SSO is a wetter cinematic sound made with older sample. So it depends entirely what you are writing.

[@micwarren21]

@@tomturton Thank you for the info. Appreciated.

[@Tremendouz]

@@tomturtonBBCSO Core isn't really dry with its one mic mix. SSO has close mics so you can get more definition out of it, although using ONLY close mics won't sound nice,

[@ivansintsovmusic]

What's the name of the piece playing at the beginning and the end?

[@ChristopherSiu]

My piece ‘Love’s Rapture’.

[@ivansintsovmusic]

Great piece!@@ChristopherSiu

[@TemmeSikkema]

Thanks

[@ChristopherSiu]

Oh man, thank you so much!!

[@RicoDerks]

Did you batch resave? Also the obvious: ssd

[@ChristopherSiu]

Yup!

[@RicoDerks]

@ChristopherSiu hmm. Thats weird. I can easily play multiple performance patches and all mics loaded. Maybe the next update is better cpu performance

[@Banoffeeee]

does it have a taiko?

[@GoOKuSj33]

Nope, look at Cinesamples for that.

[@RS-nq2sc]

35:08 indiana jones

[@lattetown]

Nothing more than a re-skinned version of the Symphonic libraries that worked in Kontakt 6, but now won't work in the exact same player. Why didn't they migrate this to their dedicated player?!

[@GoOKuSj33]

Because their play f ing sucks and maybe they finally realized that?

[@dhoch]

Why is that music playing in the background on this video? I really only want to focus on what you are saying and doing and not have to also be listening to the music. But I am still a big fan.

[@joshuanirmal9068]

Sounds so weird and unnatural to me. Is that only me who feels so? Hmmm 🤔 would love to hear this in action as a whole orchestra.

[@testowykana1763]

I have the same feeling. Its as if the 3kHz range was boosted by 10dB, everything feels extremely separated, but not in a good manner. On the other hand BBC sounds really clean, yet the instruments blend really well, while still retaining perfect amount of separation. Really strange.

[@N-JKoordt]

What happened to your biceps - they look all swollen 🤔

[@ChristopherSiu]

Did triceps just before recording 😅