Orchestral Tools' "Salu" is a creative force

Take a dive into Orchestral Tools' new library "Salu" through my score for "Winter of the Echowood," a brand new winter special for the podcast series, "Tales of the Echowood," out now anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Huge thanks to Orchestral Tools for sending me the library. You can get it here (still at a reduced introductory price!): www.orchestral...
Join my discord community! We talk all things composition and support/encourage each other along the way: / discord
Thanks to Zac Prosser for the thumbnail to this video.
Thanks to Jordan Di Donato and Jason Di Donato for mixing the Winter of the Echowood score.
Thanks to Trevor Van Winkle and everyone else involved in making the Winter of the Echowood special!

[@MrAbrantes1]

First time I hear a sample library with natural sound. 99.9% even orchestral tools the strings are super artificial, Bravo! Congratulations for the composition Jesse!

[@jessehaugen]

Yeah! Totally understand. There’s definitely something special about this one. Thank you so much!

[@lovelymusicnow4404]

99%.. you dont know what your talking about lol

[@MrAbrantes1]

@@lovelymusicnow4404 No??? Ok!!! loool

[@MrAbrantes1]

@@lovelymusicnow4404 Of course, of course. Lol

[@markozirkovich7101]

I've been torturing myself these last few days, watching the walk-through videos, listening to the official audio demos on repeat, counting the pennies in my wallet etc. The inner dialog has been oscillating between "You already have strings and choir sections, percussion, textures and felt pianos. Have mercy on your finances and just get the Kannel and the Kannel, Harp & Piano combo patch. That should be enough" and "This library is something special. It has that special Arvo Pärt magic baked in. You'll be able to sprinkle that intimate, earthy quality on top of other libraries as well. You'll never get a similarly low price as during the introductory period for this library again. So, it's now or never." Your video has been the final straw. I guess, the time is now. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm. All the best for the new year. :-)

[@jessehaugen]

Well, I apologize to your wallet..... ....but you're gonna be stoked 😎

[@markozirkovich7101]

@@jessehaugen Hi Jesse, apology accepted, and yes, you are right - I am stoked. :-) I only had a little bit of time to play with Salu, but it truly is an exceptional library with lots of character and soul. Thanks again for pushing me over the edge to get it. Again, all the best for 2023! :-)

[@thephotodetective8507]

World class! You did such a great Job! I have to buy this Library right now! 😅😅😅 Love your channel, thx for sharing!

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. And you totally should. Its incredible!

[@Zaleskee]

thank you , this was brilliant!.

[@jessehaugen]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching!

[@dandenning6499]

15:02 - that's really fantastic Jesse, sounds beautiful for a few hours work and yes, so inspiring :-) love it!! I'm waiting to see what the OT Black Friday deals are this year! Have some of their creative soundpacks and they're great.

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you so much! Yes, always trying to grab as much as possible on sale lol

[@Orchestral-Tools]

Thank you very much Jesse!

[@jessehaugen]

Thank YOU! Such a great library.

[@ArdaRen]

Such a stunning demo

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you!!

[@rabornjohnson]

Beautiful composition!

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you so much!

[@tekdotlun]

amazing

[@jessehaugen]

Thanks for watching!

[@christopherpederson1021]

Spitfre did the same thing awhile ago with Olafur Arnolds collection and eric Whitacre choir. The choir in particular is stunning!

[@jessehaugen]

Yeah they did! Those are great as well.

[@cherrysound]

Amazing music and great library! Thank you for this showcase) 😁👍🏻

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you so much! It's my pleasure. I appreciate you watching!

[@garimusica]

WOW! amazing library! Congratulations for the video. Wich reverb used on the project? souns great...

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you so much! The majority of the verb here is Native Instrument's Raum on the "Air" setting. It's a really awesome reverb! Use it ALL THE TIME.

[@garimusica]

@@jessehaugen Thanks! great KZbin channel Jesse, I have already subscribed, let's keep in touch, I hope you can listen to my music!

[@jessehaugen]

Thanks again! You should join my discord so we can connect! Link is in the video description. We have a showcase channel where you can share your music!

[@123songsao]

I decided to buy Salu after watching this video. Thank you for sharing.

[@jessehaugen]

That's awesome! I hope you enjoy it!

[@Doty6String]

that last cue is lit

[@jessehaugen]

Eyyy thanks man 🙏

[@DJKLProductions]

I am also a happy owner of a copy of this library. It's incredible what Orchestral Tools keeps coming up with after the Berlin and Metropolis Ark series have basically been completed. According to OT, the former is always being provided with updates and supplementary libraries, but the basic framework stands and is very extensive and leaves hardly anything to be desired. Now, however, Orchestral Tools is going in a different direction, which they had already begun before the MA series was completed, but are now increasingly continuing: just remember the Time series, the Tom Holkenborg series, or the Creative Soundpacks collection. They have even developed and published a Baroque library, Tallinn (what a dream!) and now Salu as a logical consequence. (Yes, I know, more products have been released, but what I'm getting at should be clear). While Spitfire Audio follows a less creative path (which is not necessarily a bad thing), OT stands out from the crowd and shines with new sounds and ideas in the world of samples. The development of them and what is still to come is more exciting than The Rings of Power and makes you want more. But before I just sing praises about Orchestral Tools, I would like to say that your presentation and walkthrough is one of the best on KZbin, because you don't just improvisingly test out all the articulations, which is exhausting to listen to. Your demonstration using a real example is much more entertaining and keeps you engaged. Thanks for that!

[@jessehaugen]

Incredibly kind! Thank you!

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

Like it a lot, heard it for first time ever here!

[@jessehaugen]

Oh wow! Thanks You should definitely check it out for yourself!

[@drew6524]

Lol yeah I understand- 10 minutes in 3 hours is a great turnaround. II just got into OT Time Micro and Amber and wow incredible!! And the workflow increases are exponential!

[@luckysharma2]

Hello, could you please share which MIDI fader you're using? Thanks, great video!

[@jessehaugen]

Thanks! It's the Behringer BCF2000

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Love that they are using very little vibrato playing the strings. It goes more direct to the heart. Not pompous... Thanks for convincing me.

[@jessehaugen]

For sure! Thanks for watching!

[@ronnyskaar3737]

@@jessehaugen And thanks for showing your work! Wonderful piece.

[@waterman121]

Hello! I'm curious, are you programming MIDI (EDIT: I mean writing automation) with SINE Player at all? And which CCs are you assigning to your faders? Also I love your composing desk so much!! Where did you find such a beautiful piece? I particularly enjoy the cello samples from Salu, which I got a la carte when it was first released. Now I'm excited to get the rest of the samples!

[@jessehaugen]

I'm always doing a combination of modulation and expression. I use almost exclusively modulation and then expression sometimes. (cc1 and 11 i think?) That the answer you were looking for? And thank you! I built the desk myself. It was a labor of love! And great! You'll love them.

[@cg.man_aka_kevin]

Reminds me of Melodysheep vibes! :D

[@daleclay]

Great video. Thanks for taking the time to walk through. I've been trying to get similar "intimate evolving" sounds from Albion Neo Segla Textures, but haven't been completely satisfied. I've been eyeing SA Chamber Evolutions, but now seriously considering picking this up instead. +1 to the studio tour.

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you! Yeah, the SF evolving stuff all sounds great, but for whatever reason this library just sounds... real? In comparison. Likely because it's less players, but also the randomness in the patterns just comes across as more performed to me. Especially when changing chords and things. And sweet. I put the studio tour on my list. So it'll happen!

[@tomsocha]

I enjoyed your review so much I bought it the same night. Where did you get the Cubase template you show in your clip?

[@jessehaugen]

That's awesome! thank you so much. I built it myself! Been working on it for years now. It's getting too big haha

[@rossquaresmini5834]

Spettacolo!! Assolutamente oki (;=))

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you!!

[@aldo34]

You can extend the range on the keyboard icon - just drag the range left or right?

[@jessehaugen]

I have since learned this! Makes a big difference Although I think it’s just pitching existing samples, which still works, but I’d prefer a full range cello samples all the way down!

[@aldo34]

@@jessehaugen Agree, that would be ideal. I only just learned this myself tbh!

[@frattuncbas]

I will cry,i bought Eastwest Opus last month.😢

[@sivaramakrishnanmeenakshis167]

Amazing work! Please do a template walkthrough

[@jessehaugen]

Thank you! I did one actually in the first Q&A video on my channel! Check it out

[@sivaramakrishnanmeenakshis167]

@@jessehaugen Sure thank you

[@jeaysjeays]

Regarding your point about wider range (19:50) it looks like you can stretch the available range like this person does at 3:15 in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7Pcnp7ZZx2aZo I’m certainly no expert and I may have misunderstood, but I’ll post this anyway in case it helps.

[@jessehaugen]

yes! I have since realized this. Thanks!

[@braydendukes6633]

how would you compare la scoring strings to OT's Salu?

[@jessehaugen]

Salu is a characterful/stylized library containing several different instruments that all seek to be a vibe (intimate, close, etc). LA Scoring Strings is a robust string orchestra that is more “traditional” in character and more practical in application. Both do things the other doesn’t. A little like comparing apples and oranges in some sense.

[@yousefyaqub661]

new studio tour?

[@jessehaugen]

Yes! I'll do one soon. Finally settled in.