11 Solo String Libraries Reviewed

SOLO STRINGS MEGA-SHOOTOUT! Solo strings are a vital part of any sampled orchestral template but which library should you choose? There are so many to choose from! In this review, Guy Michelmore puts 11 Solo String Libraries to the test in this Solo Strings Mega-Review! He looks at what you get with each one, what resources they use and then writes a few bars of music so you can see them in action. Use the chapter markers and index below so you can skip to the libraries you are most interested in.
00:00 Start
00:50 Spitfire Solo Strings
05:09 Berlin Strings First Chairs
11:39 Cinematic Studio Solo Strings
17:23 Cremona Quartet
26:57 VSL SYNCHRON-ized SOLO STRINGS
35:05 Samplemodeling Solo & Ensemble Strings
43:15 Peteris Vasks Strings from Orchestral Tools
50:56 Musio - Cinestring Solo and Tina Guo Cello
57:22 East West Composer Cloud
01:04:44 8dio Deep Solo Strings
01:15:19 Spitfire BBC SO Leaders
Check out Guy’s "How to Write Music" course!
Download our FREE guide: thinkspaceeducation.com/htwm/
- - - - How To Write Music - - - -
How To Write Music explores the fundamental skills that underpin every great piece of music whether it’s a song or a film score, string quartet or video game sounds track.
Check out the free guide here to get you started: thinkspaceeducation.com/htwm-...

[@benfletcher5696]

Mr. Michelmore. It's really great to see another long format video, I miss these. Thanks for all your fantastic work.

[@Zaleskee]

Amazing and brillianly done!! Thank You Guy!! glad to see you back in The Shed!.

[@swessels]

Guy, Your on-the-fly creativity is inspirational. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@jonasbalzer]

Thanks for this! verry nice to see all of these librarys next to each other and hear your opinion on them!

[@lindabrittain4392]

So very ,very helpful Guy.The opportunity to hear so many of these in one video. So important when are investing your faith as well as your money in these libraries.Thank you!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Glad you liked it

[@DrGlu]

Very appreciate your effort to demo all the libraries by making a hold demo for each

[@GregHarradineComposer]

Great video Guy, just what I needed right now, thanks!

[@clydesight]

Thanks for this extensive explanation of these VSTs! I have the Hollywood Orchestra and it is wonderful! We live in such amazing musical times! Wonderful.

[@toshaymusicgroup5589]

Im blown away!!! Absolutely amazing!

[@robertrust]

Wow! What an epic Guy Michelmore video!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Yup!

[@Parukero]

Oh my gosh, this was exactly the type of video I was looking for. Thanks for making these for us, Guy!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Youre welcome

[@pixelrancher]

Love your energy. Infectious.

[@martijnvanbeek4387]

Hi Guy, the piece you wrote with the VSL solo strings really stood out to me; lovely composition and sound!

[@jkruppa]

Really fantastic, thank you. I've got the Spitfire library and subscribe to East West, but that Cremona library is now VERY tempting.

[@Dakilangmanok]

I think this is the best way to review things. Actually seeing them used in something.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

That’s my view yup

[@toyokenstudio]

Wow! A really exciting comparison!

[@jamesnic7]

Fantastic more of this please 🎉

[@Daniels_Rose-3.7]

best string libraries review ever waiting for sax and woodwind ones thanks for sharing

[@JanBLarsson]

This is so great Guy. Thank you!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

youre welcome

[@AnthonyBadenSaggers]

Thanks Guy! I've been looking forward to seeing the VASKS strings in action. I just wish it wasn't so darn expensive!

[@teoriamusicalesupereasy-jo3783]

Really nice work. Also your on-the-go creativity is always inspiring. These are all wonderful libriaries but to me, if we speak about the bare violin solo vsts, Joshua Bell remains unbeatable. Thanks for the video!

[@StockMusicLicensing]

Love this, thanks Guy!

[@ricgus3]

Here i was just now googling bout solo strings and Guy hears my wishes and makes this!❤

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

tadah!

[@pierrebroccoli.9396]

I don't have Cremona Quartet but I do have Stradivari Violin and I love it's expression capabilities. Just having a mild issue playing double stops with it. Tripple stops - not an issue but not so doubles. An exhaustive overview of solo strings there Michael - thank you for your time and showcasing the options. I think I will just expand what I have when I can and go the Cremona route.

[@ludovictrottier425]

To me VSL is a clear winner. Thanks for video!

[@BarronimoMusic]

I'd LOVE to see a video that tours your workspace, and how it all works, including the Monogram and that very fancy live video camera switching device thingeymebob, Guy!

[@stiffiron]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@2ndRodeo_Keziah]

Back in the shed! Hooray!!! 🌞💐🦜

[@AKComposing]

@ThinkSpaceEducation Hi Guy, if someone hasn't already said, Cubase has retrospective recording. If you look at the inspector on the left at 1:18:07 you should see it. Click and press "insert as linear recording" and it will insert what you played even though recording wasn't engaged. Hope that helps! Thanks for yet another amazing video!

[@chisangakalulu8424]

Honestly Guy😂 its like you where in my head. I needed this

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

yup!

[@intranexine8901]

You should do something like this for Choirs, strings are easy to come by but I still haven't found a good choir plugin.

[@i_jetlag]

What about Hollywood Choir Diamond? I don't have composer cloud though.

[@TiagoNugentComposer]

Eric Whitacre Choir is my favorite. such a beautiful tone and amazing legatos!

[@intranexine8901]

are any of these actual plugins or do I need kontakt for all of these?

[@lefty5221]

Thank you for this, really enjoyed the reviews and quirky behavior

[@trinitybrahos8094]

Dominus Choir by Fluffy Audio is really good if you're looking for a softer sound!

[@matthiasrother9743]

I recently bought the Sample Modeling Strings after owning East West Hollywood and some VSL Libraries. I highly recommend using cc11 for dynamics over cc1 for vibrato. You can go from ppp to fff with now noticeable crossfades. That's huge. What's great for Ensemble strings ist, that they are build from several patches with different humanization settings. So runs sound very natural. Once you know how to use the library it's MUCH easier to program than any other library I have. BUT the short repetition of the lower (solo) strings can sound machine-guny

[@FlartusMenix]

Lovely stuff !! My favorite solo string library is Joshua Bell one

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Ah I forgot that one

[@Jetaru]

This is a brilliant video, very thorough and informing as always, though I suggest throwing in free options as well for those of us who are poor or (more likely) students! Would be very useful to know what kind of free stuff is out there!

[@maleake56]

I have most of these. I've got to say that one I don't have--Cremona--sounds amazing. That's now on my future must buy list.

[@RotoGluOn]

I love you, you make me laugh and you're really an amazing composer :) Cheers from France!

[@rdpatterson2682]

lot of work putting this together. thx!

[@charlesyateschalfant]

CineStrings Solo plus CSSS layered offers superb results. These are my go to's.

[@starholm]

Very useful, indeed! Than U!

[@charlie.3210]

Honestly none of the instruments in this video really catch my attention too much aside from the Cremona quartet. But i watched all of it regardless of that because your narration and presentation of it is spectacular, taking into consideration all of the personallity you show through the video, it's the only reason i watched it. Thanks for making this

[@SylvainMillepiedComposer]

Thanks a lot for this amazing video , very helpful .for now i love bohemian violin from virharmoniic, easy to play , amazing sound and very realistic. The alto library could out soon . Emotional cello is my best cello . Embertone fisher viola great too .

[@dlbcomposer]

Great video! You really showcased a lot of the strengths of each library without trying to shoehorn each one into the same demo or use case. I'd love to see what you do with Virharmonic's Bohemian series as well as Audio Modeling's solo strings. Perhaps a part two? Either way, good stuff, and thanks for the extensive comparison.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Always good to hear about the ones I missed!

[@stevevaughan78]

i love Audio Modeling's solo strings

[@Ken13Dude]

I'd recommend Chris Hein Solo Strings over any of these. I own Spitfire Solo and BBCSO Pro, but Hein is is so deeply and vastly sampled it's mind-blowing. It does have a particular tone you should check first, and by default the dynamics are controlled by velocity on the key, but they're so incredible. So many instruments in the Extended version too. 4 different Violins, 4 Celli, 3 Violas, 3 Basses, and ensemble patches using them. It goes on sale once a year I think, and yeah, it's my favourite library hands down.

[@dacapo3750]

Totally agree ! they are so underated

[@christopherwilliams3293]

What price is it when it goes on sale?

[@astraia5881]

hi guy! the music you created with orchestral tools is very very VERY Good.

[@astraia5881]

@Guy_Michelmore i really wanted to refer with the Berlin ones! :0

[@lahattec]

Really good show!

[@TheUnderscore_]

A review on Samplemodeling, huzzah!!

[@AndyMan-mr1hy]

Thank you ya crazy guru. You're epic!

[@Harrysound]

I have Cinematic studio solo strings but I have to say those Cremona plugins I got with komplete are some of the best I’ve used. Just gorgeous.

[@jklappenbach]

I just got the Cremona as well. My wife was shocked when I showed her how they work after listening to a track.

[@davidlee-michaels9430]

Really? Maybe I need to play with the mics more but if that's what a Stradivarius sounds like they can throw them in the bin. It's got a horribly harsh twangy sound especially in the upper registers. 😮‍💨

[@DonaldBarnett2014]

I was a little dissapointed not to see Tableau Solo strings from Orchestral tools but enjoyed listening to what I need to upgrade to.

[@kruasan1]

My favorite string library at the moment is Session Strings Pro 2. It has like 26 articulations, and I find it to be very useful when you write complex and realistic string music

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

I need to check that out

[@nickycigarella805]

I agree this is by far the best string library

[@auberginedreams00]

I genuinely can’t tell if this is a joke or not. You mean the NI one that comes with Komplete 14 Standard? It sounds like garbage to me, even the free Spitfire BBCSO Discover sounds better. Maybe less articulations but SSP2 sounds like a synth from 2002.

[@twocanucksful]

Epic review. The libraries with phrases are particularly interesting.

[@oussamaboulazhar1255]

Dude is rly dishing out bangers one after the other while we over here overthinking a reverb setting

[@johnnythomas-compositeur9634]

Solisti from Salm Audio Tools is the most realistic violin solo library for short notes! Incomparable! Phrasing is natural between each articulation, and the sound is purely dry! 😎

[@DirkRadloff]

I have waited for a comparison like this. As a violin-player I think, that still nothing comes close to the real instruments. Meanwhile I realize string-quartet recordings with the cello-part programmed using VSL Solo strings, but I record the upper three voices live. In the past I have tried to program all parts, but with VSL alone it sounds stiff and lifeless. Now when I listen to all those libraries I think, that Samplemodelling is capturing the dynamic range of the strings much better than the other libraries, while the sound seems to be a bit artificial. Soundwise I prefer Spitfire. In fact string-instruments are much harder to recreate via sampling than many other instruments.

[@Aksaarben]

Guy, you had me cracking up as I watched this educational and informative video. I yell the same phrases at myself when trying to record... "noooo!" "this is not my finest work." "pfffffff rubbish!"

[@anatomicallymodernhuman5175]

The Cremona sort of blew my mind.

[@High-Tech-Geek]

Guy, thank you for this! Can you do one for BRASS? Particular Big Band trumpet hits hitting those crazy high note blasts and portamento runs or tubas hitting those super low buzzy blahs and wahs. Or explain the proper names of all those various brass techniques. I've the hardest time finding free or

[@els1f]

I was looking at that Vasks strings collection thinking it was pretty cool, but omg it's perfect! 🤯😱

[@AndyGrayedout]

Iconic Violin looks interesting .. see if you can add that to the shoot out :)

[@ItsEphora]

If I'm not mistaken, SampleModeling and AudioModeling were the same company that split. AudioModeling now makes the SWAM stuff, which has great woodwinds and solo strings but the brass isn't great. SampleModeling has amazing solo brass on the other hand, even though it doesn't look as good as SWAM in terms of UI.

[@mrdali67]

SWAM is absolutely amazing for their expressiveness if you can control it well. Still think the base sounds of sample libraries is better. Propably also a matter of opinion tho. But I really don't think at least non pro's could afford a full orchestral library of it. Expensive stuff 🤥

[@REALDOCREVIEW]

Another amazing film Guy was just what i was looking for

[@jaymurray6051]

As usual your zany nutty professor personality makes you such a joy to watch, I would like to see you come up something different like composing a piece of American civil war folk music like a Cumberland gap or fisher’s hornpipe

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Im doing a wildlife film set in Missouri soon so maybe that will happen!

[@jaymurray6051]

Well that’s not too far from my home here in Nashville just over 6hrs drive time A small distance in my world, anyways gd luck with your adventure, just thought it would be good for some of out]r beloved composer to take on some traditional American folk or triumphant military tunes anyways gd luck

[@Auntystatic]

come on Guy when you forget to record, just hit retrospective recording to bring it up, I'm sure I learned that in one of your previous videos, great review loved it going to watch it again

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

I d di o that all the time but it doesn’t always work

[@ComposerMichaelDow]

I love that you can change the speed of vibrato in the cremona series. Random speeds across patches that dont relate to the musics tempo or feel is all that most libraries offer and that's not really how vibrato is played a lot of the time right? Normally in time in 8ths or triplets. Or even speeding up and slowing down with the swell.

[@ComposerMichaelDow]

Lower volume, slower vib, getting louder and faster vibrato for more intensity etc

[@sashakindel3600]

Can the Cremona Quartet do dry? I'd like to be able to combine a bunch of libraries and put them all through a single reverb plugin for the sake of consistency, which rules out libraries with unavoidable baked-in reverb.

[@music_creator_capable]

Nice!

[@baronnorbert6474]

My favorite violin is the Joshua Bell Violin. It's super easy to play + it sounds amazing. As a former violinist I have some issues with the realism of the BBC solo strings, even tough I love the spiccato and pizzicato sounds and use them a lot.

[@aldo34]

Same - Joshua Bell / Embertone streets ahead for me

[@TheUnderscore_]

@@aldo34 How about the Bohemian?

[@stefevr]

​@@aldo34thanks pierce

[@oliverostermann2612]

With Samplemodeling I strongly recommend to use the breath controller

[@TheAgent4125]

I want one of those boxes!

[@BF-up5xw]

And just as I was thinking - at last! Samplemodelling sounds so alive! - along comes Peteris Vasks to show that full, detailed sampling of characterful performances has so much to offer!

[@TheUnderscore_]

As Guy himself said, he didn't at all show Samplemodeling's full potential (which you know, but I'm still saying anyway). Using a breath controller or even an MPE keyboard such as the recent Seaboard RISE 2 would show what Samplemodeling truly has to offer.

[@BF-up5xw]

@@TheUnderscore_ Good points.

[@ronricherson6685]

That one struck me as particularly refreshing, realistic and most importantly, musical. I have Musio (and a few Cinesamples), Spitfire BBC and E/W Hollywood Orchestra. As Guy said, they all have their own character and such, and you can't really go wrong, although some of these sounded harsh or uninspiring.

[@thomandy]

I would love to hear your opinion on the Haunted Strings 2 too. Cant really find anything other than the demo videos made by the creators. But yes, will watch this now, perhaps some of these can work in its stead :)

[@GregoryDumont2]

Love the 8dio Deep Solo libraries. And best thing about them, apart from how great they sound, is they are sometimes on sale, $25 each instead of $98 each.

[@dustintheblacklight]

Yes. And what is even better, a new customer can combine sales, autobundle option and 15% for the fist purchase. As a result I bought each of them for $15!!

[@jhardindrums]

Currently on sale for black friday bundle for $88. Heavily considering it.

[@chadr1003]

Like the 8dio

[@dddocmusic]

Hi Guy, I love strings with guitar and bass which one of those would fit in a band set up. Thanks.

[@HeimburgerMusic]

I think the best solo violin EastWest has is the violin from the Gypsy library. I've found it more useable than their symphonic strings solo violin.

[@TheUnderscore_]

He also demo'd the HOOPUS violin, but your point still applies.

[@dustintheblacklight]

Yes and whole Gypsy library is wonderful.

[@ettiennelane9173]

Yes

[@Prod.4D]

agreed, surprisingly

[@AntonioCasoriaComposer]

i lihe so much , i'm italian, u so fast on speaking , but clear, great man . thanks for your videos

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Scuzi - oggi sto a San Gemini vicino di Terni e fa affa!!! caldissima!

[@toyokenstudio]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation ahah! Grandissimo Guy!

[@stevevaughan78]

@@ThinkSpaceEducation oh oh , how nice , I live very close to terni and yes today is very hot

[@AntonioCasoriaComposer]

@@toyokenstudio usually the heat drops the pressure, but I think the air conditioner is set very low

[@AntonioCasoriaComposer]

@Guy_Michelmore 🤝

[@IanWaugh]

Hi Guy - really interesting to hear those side by side. Here's a thought - with the developments in synthesis technology,do you think we'll reach a point where it outdoes sample libraries? Maybe a vid...? 😊

[@cvrart]

Very nice! QUESTION: considering that different instrument sets may make different articulations available in different ways (e.g. different patches vs mod controller), how would one go about turning a composition produced using any of these instrument sets to an orchestral score that could be followed by a real orchestra? That seems like it could be a challenge, with a different approach needed for each different instrument set. Is there any known software solution for cracking this tough nut?

[@nawrasodda9966]

Thank you, this was awesome. Would be great to hear have you ever tested Emberton’s Joshua Bell solo violin? I love that thing but unfortunate bugs on UX side..

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Next time....

[@diemcarpemusic]

Check also Iconic Violin by Streamtech Music it was released two days ago. It has 21 articulations plus very smart performance samples. I think it's beautiful solo violin with top notch programming behind the samples which identify your playing style.

[@igordrm]

Peteris Vasks is really cool.

[@CalLewisLundgren]

Excellent Sir! I love your channel, topics and talents. If you have time... could you please tell me what the make and model is of the "Control Surface" product sitting on your keyboard? Thank you so much if you can. (I'm in the market for one.) ____Much appreciated Mr Michelmore 🙂

[@JoanieAdamms]

Ah! A lucky day in the shed; look at you glowing there in the sun!

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Yes warming up nicely

[@finchat368]

I Bought BBC Pro to have a general library with orchestral parts and soloists, to be honest, I learned how to use it and to hate it but in the end, I don't regret the decision. Quite solid in my opinion but for heaven's sake ... wait for the discounts.

[@LeeGee]

But don't wait for the promised updates. Or a piano...

[@finchat368]

@@LeeGee So true ...

[@jamesbrecknell]

@@LeeGee Spitfire as already released BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano.

[@MFJMD564]

For SampleModeling, it's almost impossible to manage all the settings with sliders. That's not the right approach. I'd suggest using a breath controller or MidiPaw software that works with a LeapMotion. I use the later and can control 9 different CC in real time and EASILY! MidiPaw is amazing. I move my hand up to make level up the dynamics, and progressively turn my hand while doing that to add vibrato. So natural, so easy, so expressive. I set different hand moves for different CC, and that makes the instrument very expressive and real. Also know that you can EQ your strings if the tone is not perfectly what you want. And don't use SampleModeling dry, with a good convolution and reverb plugin, their violins are unbeatable in term of real term performance and musical expression.

[@matthiasrother9743]

I recently bought the SM-Strings to use in Dorico. In the Expression Map editor you can set any cc Parameter or key switch and assign it to any notation marking (like "no vibrato", "Pizzicato", legato) and even can set the note length relative to notated length. Along with the playback rules that are becoming better every year I can just notate my music an load the SM-Strings. So around 80% of my music is done. And than I export MIDI to finish it in cubase. Great. I also recommend the Aaron venture WW and Brass. Similar approach.

[@paulysguitarjournal]

Hey Guy, how about a tutorial on how to use the mod wheel (with actual exercises)?

[@herbertmetzmusic]

My favoutites are JBV and the Emotional Violin, Viola and Cello by Bestservice.

[@Sosha666]

The Cremona set says write string quartets, spitfire stuff is predictably ok, I like the 8dio. The modelling one is way beyond me.

[@josegalan13]

How is it possible to clip the Spitfire library by itself? How much CPU does it require? Thanks for the video.

[@DarksiderDarmoset]

Hah, Thomas Bergersen showing up was fun. I knew that sounded familiar.

[@ThinkSpaceEducation]

Cant escape a great tune

[@maplefoxx6285]

What CC is the vibrato in CSS and CSB? I really want CSSS because obviously it blends with those well but also i know a game composer blending CSSS with Tokyo Scoring Strings, Which is the only other pro level string library i own. So they will be a good pair of libraries to have. It really has a nice sound with Tokyo Scoring. Very Anime sound. The Virharmics solo libraries are super nice too. I'd love to get those down the road some day. They coming out with a Viola any time now. I'm sure next will be the Bass.

[@LeeGee]

Bohemian Violin and Cello are half price atm! Viola due soon.

[@cachelesssociety5187]

Can you explain how you deal with the latency of the Cinematic Studio Solo Strings? Do you just nudge to get them in time, or are you strictly playing it in live and leaving it as is?

[@jmichaelstone]

Interesting video, thanks for making it. I'd echo others in suggesting Embertone's Joshua Bell Violin is a great one, too - easy to get a wonderful, convincing result with virtually no effort. Of course, that's just a single instrument, so it doesn't really fit into this video anyway. I'd also recommend the Chris Hein solo strings libraries as being pretty fantastic. They require a great deal of finessing to get the best result, but it can be worth the effort. I've played the cello for nearly 40 years, more than half of that in a professional string quartet, and the Chris Hein solo cello is the only one that actually fooled me in a blind listening test. On the subject of the Samplemodeling offerings... oh boy. I've seen so many people rave about their instruments, but they have never sounded even remotely realistic to me - to the point that I wonder if I (or they) have taken crazy pills. The level of control they offer is great, but the end result always sounds over-processed and unpleasant to me. Samplemodeling is to real instruments as Cheez Whiz is to real cheese. Different strokes, I guess.

[@martinjeppesen6520]

Which is the most dry sounding? I want super close and intimite strings. I own the ones from 8DIO and have tried spitfire solo strings. Both are basically drowning in reverb. Any recommendations?

[@LindaMissad]

Thank you, Guy. This is so helpful.... hmm, hearing these all back to back, and being a composer cloud subscriber, I realize that I probably have the worst sounding string library 😛 that's not a good realization. Unfortunately my wallet doesn't support my tastes 😄

[@ThomsenTower]

"Unfortunately, my wallet doesn't support my tastes" can be applied to so many things in life... 😁

[@LindaMissad]

@@ThomsenTower 😁

[@LeeGee]

That's funny. I just researched this last weekend and am delighted with Bohemian Violin, much more so than my Spitfire Solo Cello, whose cc ranges I find very hard to play. The BBC SO Peo leaders I find very disappointing out of context.

[@squeakD]

What would be the more CPU friendly of the lot?

[@tomschaffner9704]

I’m addicted.

[@AndrewPRoberts]

There's also Solo by Audio Imperia

[@dustintheblacklight]

As Guy mentioned, it depends on your taste, your feeling, your purpose, your ease of use. I would add to the price, because you can get some products at a discount at very good prices, and some are almost never discounted. Sound vs. price plays a significant role for most of us. There is no obvious winner in libraries, and a skilled and talented musician can create a masterpiece even with a relatively poor library for a few bucks. BTW Audio Imperia Solo is another very good sounding library (without double bass) just for a more lyrical purpose. Additionally I like 8Dio Anthology Strings.

[@es__music]

I have solo by auduo imperia and all the instruments sound like a saxaphone lol. Perhaps I’m missing something.

[@dustintheblacklight]

@@es__music I know sax pretty well and it sounds very different for me ;-)

[@es__music]

@@dustintheblacklight It’s probably the nasally sound I’m hearing