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I'm looking for a modestly priced VST that I can use for sting parts (cello, viola, etc). EastWest Hollywood strings virtual instrument looks interesting. Does anyone know if this is compatible with real band. I'd be interested in other recommendations too. I'm currently using coyote for most of my instrument sounds, and want something that sounds more real.
Brian
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EW is excellent but it's fairly costly IIRC. I picked up a free version many years back and it has some really sweet sounds in it for sure. I also think it uses dongles which.....depending on how you feel, may be OK or not. Other options would be the following: Native Instruments Session Strings and Kontakt. SS is obviously focused on strings but Kontakt has the complete orchestral sample set included and there are a ton of 3rd party samples for sale for every conceivable instrument. Garritan Personal Orchestra is a middle of the bunch option..... medium price and good sounds. Look around as you can sometimes find this bundled on the Sonar site with DimPro at a really killer price. Currently, they are in the cakewalk store for $50 bundled GARRITAN And another option is Miroslav Philharmonic, also a medium priced orchestra.... I have, and use all the things I mentioned above depending on my musical needs at the time. They all sound good. Much much better than the TTS and Coyote GM sounds. I would advise you to look into the lower cost ones first....Miroslav and GPO.... also check out NI's Session strings since it also falls into the middle price range. Kontakt is slightly more costly than MSP & GPO.... but like I said, it is comprehensive and has many more sounds available. There are quite a few good options available.... do your research and see what works and sounds the best for you. And yes... to the question.... these can be used in BB & RB as VST's
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 04/19/14 05:12 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Hi
I'm using Native Instruments Session Strings, and am very pleased with the results. Do explore the other options mentioned though, but Session Strings was my choice
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Professional & Windows 11, Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors
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Go back and play with your Games, little boy!
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It's hard to answer the question without knowing what sort of sound you're after from the strings. Do you want dramatic orchestral strings like a contemporary film score, or an intimate string trio? Different libraries are targeted at different sounds.
If you want a pop strings sound, Session Strings is an affordable choice - it sounds good and fits nicely into the mix. You won't be able to get solo sounds from it, though.
Miroslav is an older library, but has some excellent sounds, both sections and solo instruments. It's more orchestral than pop, but fits nicely into a mix. Plus, you get additional instruments other than strings.
Garritan is also relatively inexpensive (although it used to be cheaper). If you know what you're doing, you can get some excellent sounds from the string sections. The solo instruments are usable, but disappointing. However, I really like the woodwinds in the library.
Kirk Hunter has a Pop/Rock Strings library which gives coverage from solo strings up to large sections. I don't think it sounds as nice as some of the other libraries - not a "real" and resonant, especially the cellos - but it's certainly worth considering. Again, it'll work well in a mix.
If you like the lush sound, you might look at the LA Scoring Strings (LASS) library, which focuses on the orchestral sound. Personally, I think it's probably a bit much for a song mix.
There's also a LASS First Chair library, featuring a reduced set of the full LASS library, with only the solo strings. Layer these on top of a nice string section and you've got the best of both worlds. They're not designed as such, but they work pretty well as solo instruments - the slurs are very cool.
I can't comment on libraries that use dongles, since I avoid using them. The last I saw, the EW Gold Orchestral was around $100US, which is a nice price.
Many of these libraries go on sale at various times of the year, so that could save you a chunk of change. I've bought them all over the years... a sort of modified GAS. All lovely sounds, but the ability to get great sounds from the library ultimately rests on your ability to write for strings.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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I'm currently using coyote for most of my instrument sounds, and want something that sounds more real.
Brian Coyote Dx is free and Coyote Forte is 40 USD. Which one are you using? cause you get what you pay for.
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just for info Miroslav Philharmonik is on sale here http://audiodeluxe.com/products/ik-multimedia-miroslav-philharmonikits announced at $29.99 but when you actually order there is another $3 off so the total is $26.99. A nice price indeed for 7Gb of samples
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that seems like a great price. I already have GPO4. and I just noticed the SampleTank I have with BIAB includes some of the Miroslav Philharmonik. Do you know if this is a significant upgrade to that?
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its a massive upgrade to the sounds included in biab
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For $30, it's well worth the money.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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Thanks so much for posting this...I got it!
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For $30, it's well worth the money. Thanks David! I appreciate your advice. Downloading it now...
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So now that you've got them, what do you thing about them, JohnJohnJohn?
I'm just curious.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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So now that you've got them, what do you thing about them, JohnJohnJohn?
I'm just curious. Hey David, honestly I have not installed them yet! I went through the whole download process and I am noticing my hard drive is starting to fill up a bit! So this weekend I hope to clear off some space and install them. One of the first things I wanted to do is to try and compare to GPO 4 for common instruments. And then explore to find new stuff. I'll post again as soon as I get to play with them!! Thanks again for the recommendation.
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We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
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XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 21.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 21 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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