Thoughts on non-vibrato string sections?
Not sure why instrument makers assume everyone will want vibrato on their strings. Probably because that's usually true.
I'm looking for non-vibrato string sections to get that gorgeous Roger Norrington sound. Options I've considered:
• Versilian Studios solo contrabass. Very generous of them to give away so many high quality samples. This only goes up to about middle C and sounds a little funny when I stretch it to substitute for violins. 😀 And there isn't that slight tuning discrepancy to sound like an ensemble instead of solo.
• Versilian Studios bowed psaltery. Again, this sounds even funnier stretched down to cello territory. Combining with the contrabass produces an awkward break where the sound switches.
• Versilian Studios string sections, open strings only. Sounds decent up to around middle C, but the violins' open G string only gets you so far before you get a tinny nightmare.
• Versilian Studios paid string sections. The demos sound enticing, but $230 is hard to justify when I don't need 95% of the instruments. I don't see string sections spun off on their own. Even if you buy this, everything is locked down in NKI and Kontakt, which sounds like a tremendous hassle.
Any other HIP purists out there who have found a good solution?
Comments
I have a strings part with no vibrato which can give you the "Norrington" feel that you're looking for... Though it is in a set of other instruments, and it's not up-to-par with some people's currents standards of a strings SoundFont (I still like it way better than Musescore's strings though). But it does stay very consistent in quality at any pitch (unless you want to go laser beam high), and like butter to your toast, it mixes very pleasantly with the rest of your MIDI ensemble. If you are interested, give me a reply.
In reply to I have a strings part with… by Nonchalantree
Thank you for your reply, Amanda! The for-pay products (which I'm still mulling over, real life has been too busy to act 🙂) tend to have a license allowing someone to distribute original works created using the commercial samples. However, their license does not allow redistributing the samples themselves. Of course the gold standard would be cc0 like Versilian Studios Community🏆
At the risk of looking a gift horse in the mouth, do you know what license your set comes under? I want to stay on the right side of the law, but copyright law is so **** complicated.