String Library Comparison - Best Legato String Libraries Compared

10 String Library Comparison | Best Legato String Libraries Compared. Find your sound quickly for the right melody. Yay! I compared Spitfire Audio, 8Dio, Cinesamples, East West Hollywood Strings, Audiobro Lass, Cinematic Strings, Cinematic Studio Strings and Musicsampling Soaring Strings. No tweaking or post-production. Straight out of the box approach.
If you own a lot of string libraries this helps to find the sound you like quickly. I write a quick melody, put it in a nice setting with foundational supporting strings, a woodwind and then I add a solo violin on top, to enhance the legato strings. It seems to work well. I quickly write the parts for each library, or simply (if it works) copy and paste the midi part. Libraries are different and playing style too. This may not always work.
There is no tweaking, production, post-production or changing of any kind done in this video. I used the string libraries as is to help you understand which one eventually will need the most tweaking.
Check out my website for all my music: www.willemvanwykmusic.com
You can find all my music on Spotify, Itunes, Amazon etc.

[@anggawibisono7448]

I love how you compare the library, not too much talking. Just play the sounds

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you! Yeah, when I watch tutorials I like it to get to the good stuff vast. Glad you liked it!

[@rolandtriton]

the melody touched me very much, and it feels like I hear those libraries for the first time, very good job

[@ArthurKlisiewicz]

Beautiful music, nice explanation and minimum talk. All sounds great. You are an example how to do great videos. LOVE AND PEACE !

[@macavalon]

A really moving score and great comparison !

[@artemi-music]

thanks man, I enjoyed hearing cinestrings in that context, much love

[@WillemvanWyk]

My pleasure!

[@NHockerJazz]

Awesome video. This is what my ear tells me: I love the Spitfire Chamber Strings background part, that's amazing. However, I didn't care for the same Chamber Strings on the melody part. I found Soaring Strings, EastWest, and LASS to be odd in some way, whether it was phrasing, blend, intonation, or a combination of those as well as other things I don't fully understand. Cinematic Studio Strings has a beautiful and heart-wrenching sound, but their legato is hit or miss, hard to work with like you said. Cinesamples Ensemble was also kind of in the middle for me, but the Cinesamples Solo Violin is ridiculous. The libraries that stood out to me for their ensemble patches were 8Dio and Cinematic Strings, which came as a pleasant surprise. Greatly appreciate the work to make these comparisons!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Hey everyone! Hope you find this video helpful. This is literally a quick run-through on how to find the right string library sound by layering and demoing them all. I like to layer a solo violin to really make any string ensemble shine. No tweaking, midi editing or EQ here. Just out of the box playing through a single reverb instance. I like to demo them in an actual melodic setting with some ensemble strings and perhaps a woodwind, not just the raw section itself. IMPORTANT: Each library has a unique playing style. I did change midi data a little for each, but what I wanted to show, is how I demo. Not a review of the patches of a string sample library. For me, it's all about speed, convincing sound and how quickly I can get the project out and get paid. Libraries with 30 patches for 1 Legato sections is overkill and history. Modern libraries do the work for you, so you can play and tweak and MOD/Expression is enough.

[@Aceguy2001]

Wow what a beautiful piece... I need more....

[@WillemvanWyk]

Coming soon!

[@VoidloniXaarii]

Thank you very much. Wonderful sound

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thanks for listening

[@WillRaj]

What a gorgeous song. Genuinely beautiful.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you so much!

[@henrik5284]

Thank you for doing this!

[@WillemvanWyk]

My pleasure!

[@NathanDavidCarltonSoundbed]

20:00 is where it's at!

[@Auddictaudio]

Good concise comparison!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thanks!

[@rossanobonacchi]

This is outstanding. I am a pioneer on computing programming since the first mono Sequencer came out in the ealy 80's. I have explored everything and listened to anything in the last 40 years and your demo is one of the most realistic I have ever heard.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Wow! This is VERY kind of you to say. Thank you so much.

[@pr4vus.studios]

Very beautiful piece!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you very much!

[@karl.weaver]

Loved, subbed.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Awesome, thank you!

[@eminem2000jianghua]

感谢您的对比视频，可以让我们更快捷地了解各套音色的特点！谢谢

[@WillemvanWyk]

You are most welcome!

[@seanfourie7]

Very nice programming

[@OliKember]

Wow, what a beautiful track. It was a joy to listen to it on repeat, congrats. Would you be up for sharing the MIDI from this? I'd love to try it with my template and see how it feels. I think the star of the show here is the Cinestrings solo patch, it adds so much life and bite to the playthrough. Cheers!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you Oliver. I can check for the midi and publish it when I have time. No worries!

[@MrAshrafAfifi]

Great work

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you so much 😀

[@MrAshrafAfifi]

You welcome!

[@MrShwir]

Thanks man) Good video)

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you too!

[@Roberto_Zarate]

Good job!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you :-)

[@Movocorp]

09:25 oh... my tears

[@tristanjohn]

Ouff such a beautiful composition.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you so much. No longer making music.

[@tristanjohn]

@@WillemvanWyk This is saddening to hear, but with all thats happening in the industry, entirely understandable. It was so nice to hear this pice again after a year ❤

[@henrik5284]

Patch name says Hollywood Strings Gold, but in the VST window you can see it must be HS Diamond because it's got the multiple microphone positions.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Yes you are correct. It's Diamond. Sorry about that.

[@Aleo458]

music is masterpiece

[@WillemvanWyk]

That's so kind! Thank you!!

[@tcb6771]

The flautando patch in SCS sounds like a horn playing in the background.

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

I always here horns listening this!

[@NOAHSCORE]

Super review, congrats :) .... Willem, what's your opinion about Synphony series of Native Instruments?. It seems that there are not reviews about. Cheers!!!.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you, Nelson, I don't own them, so I would suggest you find a review on KZbin to get a feel for them. Ashraf uses them and they sound pretty good. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nV7UiKZ3hrB9jrM

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

Lovely piece Willem! LA strings seems best to me. Which reverb did you used?

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thanks so much! I used Lexicon Hall (Med Hall, Reverb Time 1.7 sec) on this specifically. However, I also use East West Spaces 2, and the S.Cal Hall preset most of the time. I just LOVE how the Lexicon Hall makes things sweeter, softer and warmer. When using Reverb as a send bus, in Lexicon hall I have the Mix tab at 100%, and if I used Spaces 2, I would have the WET signal as default with the preset and the DRY signal all the way down/zero. Then I control with the Send how much reverb I allow on a track/instrument. Hope that makes sense and helps. Ask away if you need help!

[@MartinJG100]

Excellent arrangements. Haunting. Reminds me of Geoffrey Burgon's work in ' Brideshead Revisited'. PS - On CSS, have you tried adjusting the timing with a MIDI negative offset. It should help without compromising the 'natural bowing' attack that they strive for at CS.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you so much! Yeah, you are right on the offset. I usually do a -5 to -20. That does help. I was trying to show out of the box though. I should also say that the Classic Legato Patches of CSS is actually much better for legato work than the scripted/automated regular version. Thanks for listening!

[@MaxiGoethling]

@@WillemvanWyk There is a CSS Control Script you have to add that automatically adjusts the legato timing with a track adjustment of -330ms. The classic patches are only intented if you're new to the library, or at max for sketching. I personally wouldn't want to compromise the realism I get with their advanced legato mode.

[@MustacheVerra]

Thanks a lot for the test. And maybe you know that by now but I'm pretty sure Anthology vi leg 2 and Adagio vi leg 2 is the same. Adagio is when you buy them separately. Beautiful music btw

[@WillemvanWyk]

Yeah, this was made a while ago. Thanks so much for the kind words.

[@joshtackett]

Hey Willem. Thanks for the great video. I'd be interested to see if you could do another video with Legato used in a different context where the strings are required to go much faster. I personally own only Cinematic Studio Strings and I totally agree with you on the fact that it is very difficult to get it in time. I'm looking for another great legato library to be my go to for quickly putting in String legato lines without too much need to correct timing. Do you have any recommendations? since you own so many great libraries! Also, I noticed you didn't show Berlin Strings. If you have that one I'd love to hear it up against these as well! Thanks for the help!

[@WillemvanWyk]

Hey Josh! Thank you so much. Man, I've blown so much cash on String libraries. It's addicting because the promos makes it seem like THIS is the best, and the easiest and the greatest. And then you realize it's not. To answer your question: Yes, I can make another video soon. Cinematic Studio Strings is phenomenal in Short strings. Best in my opinion. If you have the budget, Berlin is killer! If not, try Lass 2.5, you will not be sorry. It's unbelievably good. I don't own Berlin, because I had to stop buying and use what I have. I now rely on Spitfire Chamber Strings, Lass 2.5 and those two are fantastic. However, as seen in this video, when the string patch is not that convincing, I layer a solo violin on top and it works good. Cinesamples Solo Strings and again Lass i.m.o are great. If you do get LASS 2.5 just learn it a tad bit, put on the included reverbs/presets and be blown away. The memory footprint is incredibly small too. It's an old library, but few come close to it. ..... That was a long reply :-)

[@joshtackett]

@@WillemvanWyk Great! Thanks for the tip. LASS wasn't even really on my radar yet. I will go check out now!

[@kocydxii2103]

great vid, watched multiple times tbh , is the midi files for this available? Cheers

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you so much. I don't mind sharing the midi file. Let me prepare it.

[@wardy2783]

hi there...great stuff...can you tell me what solo violin you used? not sure if you mentioned it or not...thanks

[@WillemvanWyk]

CineStrings Solo

[@wardy2783]

@@WillemvanWyk thanks man

[@MorphingShadows]

Spitfire + Cine samples the best

[@bartmuz]

8:50 sounds like with use advanced „legato performance patch”, which has much better legato contains portamento.

[@simonhafner4750]

Beautiful! Thank you very much for this video! Did you study counterpoint? Your technique is really good.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thanks so much. Actually I cannot read or write music. I play by ear. I feel it, I compose it, and virtual instruments and technology has made it possible for guys like me, to make our creative dreams come true and make a career out of music.

[@A.borealis]

@@WillemvanWyk you doing very great man, keep that up. Don't let that bother you to keep composing.

[@NathanDavidCarltonSoundbed]

@@WillemvanWyk makes me wish I'd never gotten my degree! so much to "unlearn" :)

[@karl.weaver]

@@NathanDavidCarltonSoundbed You will open far more doors with that 'bit of paper' well done.

[@2drex116]

Lekker man

[@unrealone1]

Should do another one of these videos, highest views.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm no longer making music.

[@sevchyk]

@@WillemvanWyk Hey man, don’t abandon it, at least hobby-wise. If you did this, you can go forward.

[@ASX2001]

Very touching, beautiful composition. Libraries today are not yet realistic, when compared to real life legato. Real strings play notenotenotenote-legato, libraires play note note note note ... legato (except in portamento) in my opinion. Can't wait for the next developments.

[@WillemvanWyk]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@AlanJunior1]

in your opinion..what would be greater choice? cinesamples core or chamber strings? (i know they are completely different sections)

[@WillemvanWyk]

Honestly, people do wonders with both of these and if you are capable of good midi orchestration (I'm not that great at it) you'll make any of them shine. I just love the playability of Chamber strings so much. Their sound, the legato, the tone. It sounds incredible and when I add it to any string composition, it increases the realism so much. I use chamber strings more. I do use Cinestrings Solo all the time.

[@AlanJunior1]

you helped me a lot! thank you! 🧡

[@WillemvanWyk]

@@AlanJunior1 You are very welcome!

[@gdg_music]

Chord progression??

[@sevchyk]

Hello. Which sound library sounds the most realistic out of the box in terms of fast passages, fast runs etc.?

[@WillemvanWyk]

Hi there! Sorry for the extensive answer on this. It's been a while since I have bought or updated any new libraries as I decided to learn and perfect what I have. Just my opinion though, personally, for lyrical fast passages I would say Cinematic Studio Strings, Cinematic Studio Solo Strings, and Spitfire Chamber Strings. Those are always my top selection and go-to libraries. What I do, also, is I layer solo strings (violin, cello, viola) on top of ensemble string patches, and that gives it that very lyrical, fast, clear sound. Doing it just with an ensemble patch does not always work or sound convincing. Don't fall into the trap that so many of us did, by buying every string library that comes out believing it's better. It's not. It's a waste of money. I promise! String Libraries I own and what percentage of use they get: - All Cinesamples/Musio (Use it 50%) - All Spitfire Strings Libraries (Only Chamber Strings 100% Use) - Hollywood Strings + Opus (70% use) - Project Sam (40% use) - Nashville Scoring Strings (nope). - Cinematic Studio Strings (100% use) - All 8Dio String Libraries (5% use) - Vista + Pacific (Have not used them for work or real scoring yet. I kinda regret buying them. They are amazing, but they need a LOT of work to sound great. Not out of the box. I am not that skilled or trained to apply that much time and effort to get them to sound the way I like, which is a sound I immediately get from Chamber Strings, Cinematic Studio, and Hollywood Strings/Opus. This is just me and my opinion. Others are much more skilled than I am and do marvelous things with many of these string libraries. Hope that helps, and sorry for the long-winded answer. Just trying to be helpful. Have a great day!

[@sevchyk]

@@WillemvanWyk Yes, I appreciate your answer. Basically you shared your experience of trying vst instruments. So, here is my choices in plugins, maybe it will help you. Most realistic strumming guitar sound: Acousticsamples Sunbird Most realistic acoustic piano sound: Art Vista 3 Most realistic drums sound: NI Studio Drummer Good enough bass sound: Scarbee bass libraries, including Rickenbacker Best Roland synth emulations: Roland Cloud.

[@WillemvanWyk]

@@sevchyk I just no reread your questions, and saw you wrote "sound library" and not "string library". So sorry. I answered only about string libraries. If it is about general sound-libraries, gosh, I own too many and it's too hard to pick some.

[@sevchyk]

@@WillemvanWyk No, no, I asked specifically about string libraries, you understood correctly. What I wrote was my observations, just for exchange of information of what I decided as the best sound of what I tried. Speaking of the string libraries, I’m in the search of best sound.