Abbey Road Orchestra 1st Violins - REVIEW

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Abbey Road Orchestra 1st Violins - REVIEW: Spitfire Audio have embarked on an epic project to produce what they hope will be the ultimate orchestral sample library. They have just released the first major instrumental section, 1st Violins, with new legato technology, new shorts, new everything. But how does it sound in the real world? In the first part of a two-part review, Guy Michelmore takes a look at the library and what you get for your money.
Thanks to Spitfire for the review copy. I am not paId to review products and Spitfire had no prior knowledge of what I was going to say.
00:00 Hello Everybody
00:45 What does it do well?
03:20 Longs
05:12 Shorts
08:28 Core vs Pro
11:39 Nostalgia
13:20 Caveats
14:52 Mic Positions
17:52 Resources
19:40 Conclusion
Check out Guy’s "How to Write Music" course!
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Опубликовано:

22 май 2024

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Комментарии : 118

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Part Two: Scoring with Abbey Road Orchestra 1st Violins - 3pm this Friday!

@Hugosanches594 7 месяцев назад

How do you compare them with orchestral tools options like berlin strings or symphonic strings.

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Berlin Strings is a much smaller section so this is big film sound and Berlin is more focussed. The legato technology here is really really good but Berlin have more articulations@@Hugosanches594

@graham-kirby 7 месяцев назад

And I thought the video stopped suddenly because Guy had been attacked by his old keyboard on the way to get his tea.

@league6 7 месяцев назад

I remember once taking a screenshot of Alan Silvestri's Cubase template on his desktop in the background during a video interview about his workflow a couple of years ago.. I then zoomed in on his choice of string library. I was surprised that it was something that was at least 15 years old and no longer available. Later, in another video, Jake Jackson (as Chief Engineer for Spitfire Audio) said to Guy: "It doesn't matter how good your sample library is, it's not the same as the real thing". The key point from these interviews is surely that you should spend your time mastering your existing libraries and having the best workflow presets you can create to speed your composition. I stopped buying the latest new libraries a few years ago, because the $64,000 question is: Do you actually need them?" The answer is: "No, you don't!"". Save your hard earned money. Learn to create your own SFX sounds.. Focus on the quality of your composition and orchestration techniques. Learn how to mix your sounds. If your string library is as old as Alan Silvestri's, you're probably on the right lines!

@tronam 4 месяца назад

It does matter though because Alan Silvestri only uses those samples for sketching, and they're probably perfectly fine for that purpose because ultimately all of his professional work gets orchestrated, conducted, and performed by real orchestras. For those of us without that luxury we might want more modern and sophisticated sample libraries with far greater nuance and versatility so that we can get as close as possible to the real thing. Obviously learning how to best utilize them is equally important, but the "gear doesn't matter" philosophy has rarely been true in any content creation industry. Most who are passionate about what they do invest in the best quality tools available, at least within their budget. Just don't forget to invest in yourself too.

@lofomuses 7 месяцев назад

I love Spitfire Audio products, but I have one big thing against them. I put $ after $ after $ into their Abbey Road One series... only to NEVER get high string legatos. They gave us low string legatos with 'Legendary Low Strings', but never followed up with 'Heavenly High Strings' (yeah, I made up that one name).. Instead, they completely dropped Abbey Road One (in my opinion), and jumped straight into their next big money-maker...... Abbey Road Orchestra. I'm not sure I am going to jump into this one, because I cannot be sure (or convinced) that they will ever FINISH it. They have proved to me that they can't finish what they started!

@jeffbird5082 7 месяцев назад

I totally agree and feel the same way. Especially cause there isn’t even a con sordino articulation which I have a feeling will be ANOTHER add on you would have to purchase but at this price it should be already included in my opinion.

@lumpielump3576 7 месяцев назад

absolutely right - Spitfire only cares about CASH.

@Setheth 7 месяцев назад

Spitfire libraries are great but they’re a terrible company and take advantage of their customers

@arcaears 7 месяцев назад

@@Setheth And their owner is an absolute tool

@joshstead6078 7 месяцев назад

These have been the comments under Spitfire's releases for a while now, the same thing happened with the BBC suite. Spitfire are really damaging their image which is a massive shame

@lazul6611 7 месяцев назад

Oh look! Spitfire released yet another string orchestral library! Imagine my shock. :-)

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Ha! I know

@downyc 7 месяцев назад

Thanks, as always, for your input! You make it clear that people need to understand how to use the software to get the amazing features and quality. After I saw Paul Thompson's video about the Abbey Road Orchestra 1st Violins, as someone who grew up playing the violin, I realized this product was going to allow me to give the actual violin sounds and usage I have been wanting to show, so I knew I definitely had to purchase the Pro version, while it was at an introductory discount price. Now, you are helping explain and clarify things, which I appreciate. This software will make me improve my fingering technique on the keyboard, for sure. Now, I am going over to watch your "Part 2" video on this wonderful orchestral violin sample!

@doodle6497 7 месяцев назад

Very sensible review. Thank you!

@devanplayspiano 7 месяцев назад

Yesss I’ve been waiting for this review!

@leefoster4171 7 месяцев назад

Thank you for the review 👍🏻

@kurtbestormusic 7 месяцев назад

Guy - I always look forward to your reviews as they are useful to a working composer like myself but accessible to other levels of musicians. Bravo and thanks! I bought this library a couple of weeks back and haven't regretted it a bit. The only trick is to get my older libraries (even some of the Spitfire ones) to sound like they belong in the same mix. However, it's nothing that some tweaking won't solve and the tweaking is a lot of fun! (Now - to do that drug deal to pay for the anticipated REST of the orchestral library to be slowly unleashed upon us bit by expensive bit!)

@chester6514 7 месяцев назад

Wanna cook?

@ASX2001 7 месяцев назад

Nice to see You inspired, good Review, thanks!

@HugoPaulo 7 месяцев назад

Fantastic video Guy! Would love you to check out Pacific Strings by Performance Samples. It is in my opinion the best commercial string library out there.

@benyendle2584 7 месяцев назад

Guy, I abolutely love your music for the queen of trees documentary from 2005, did you ever release the music somewhere I can hear it? I love it very much. I will buy it on cd or streaming I just can't seem to find it.

@BenjaminNaman 7 месяцев назад

The sunglasses of doubt never fail to make me smile.

@andrewhdurand 7 месяцев назад

Guy, thank you for sharing another instrument library! What is the main piano library you are using now?

@mrdali67 7 месяцев назад

I noticed up around 150 notes used on that fairly simple line played with just 1st violins. Which brings me to what kinda PC power level one should aim for if its not gonna choke when you add up the tracks. We have quite lot of cpu power today, but if just the violins is taking up so many voices, and that in eco mode, I don't wanna think of how much a full orchestra arrangement is gonna require in cpu power and ram if you want to use Full mode without bouncing each instrument track first. Will 16 cores and 64gb ram cut it ? or more direct put Intel 13/14 gen I9 xx900k or Ryzen 9 7950 ?

@clarenceoveur9497 7 месяцев назад

1:29 out of tune Bb 😭 Is this a pre-release version of ARO1V?

@alexchristodoulou 7 месяцев назад

I have been using BBCSO strings only as a layer till now, as their legato and dynamic levels suck. I just got this library and at last I can have the “fat” spitfire string sound as a primary library. Can’t wait for cellos and brass!

@shabbirahmed178 7 месяцев назад

Simply awesome💖

@benedictnichols1539 7 месяцев назад

Guy, what are you streaming the library from? Ive had zero luck with any of Spitfire's libraries using their own player...can never play more than a few notes at a time and completely puts me off any of their new libraries, however good they might be... Also, how do you feel this compares to MSS? The sound is different obviously, but MSS basically has all the features + more that you've mentioend here.

@chuckphillips856 7 месяцев назад

As you demonstrate, Spitfire uses velocity for Portamento in this library - just like they did for BBCSO two years ago. Other than a different room, what does the new library give us that BBCSO did not? At that price, just for 1st Violins, adding just one more section in the series is almost as expensive as BBCSO professional which covers the entire orchestra with many mic positions and articulations. I’m not seeing how this library makes any sense.

@steph1918 7 месяцев назад

'I honestly can't imagine anybody's going to do sampled orchestration any better than this' → Well people have said this time and time again in the past because they didn't have any better reference to compare it with. Technology and knowledge doesn't stop here.

@theashen 7 месяцев назад

Maybe they’ll do one that actually sounds nice, it’s one thing to have all the impressive bells and whistles but having it sound pleasant is something they’ve studiously avoided

@TheConsideredMan 7 месяцев назад

So Guy, will you be getting the Native Instruments S88 Mk 3 I wonder?😉😉

@NorfolkTraveller 7 месяцев назад

Love the pro 1st violins, will probably use them with Pacific (might get cellos but don’t think I need this level of control over the other sections) still way too many mic positions for me though . Four would be fine.

@JanBLarsson 7 месяцев назад

Spitfire has received a lot of flak over this product, and had it been a real Spitfire, it would have been shot down before reaching Dover. Most complaints are about abandoning AR1, and I can't chip in on this since I haven't got it. BUT price is also something that have people go up in flames. I can't invest in this since VSL got my €2000 earmarked for sample libraries. Time will tell what happens, and if - as some believe - SA will abandon it for some new, top notch product before it is complete. I don't begrudge you getting a review copy, and you included pros and cons in the video, so if you liked it... great! Looking forward to Friday. And btw I have your Sampled Orchestration in a Weekend. It is very good. Keep it up!

@robertwisden7202 7 месяцев назад

I, too, have run out of funds for new string libraries as I, too, invested major money in the VSL full Synchron Series. The good news is now I know how to drive it, the VSL library is amazing and I don't need much more. I have SF's BBC pro and Apassionata for a bit of lovely lush, and Nucleus and Novo for bolshy trailer-style layering but for straight ahead orchestral? VSL Synchron is the horse I'll ride home every time. (no choice now! lol)

@corrosive135 7 месяцев назад

So $450 for 1st violins, I'm guessing $450 for 2nd violins, $450 for viola etc. etc. $50k later you have a full orchestra in time for Abbey Road 3?

@jaymurray6051 7 месяцев назад

GM now it’s the greatest time of the year are you going to give us a Halloween special composition? Maybe a re-working of a Harry Manfredini Friday the 13th or maybe the simplistic 5/4 Halloween by John Carpenter ? Maybe you’ll could create a darkly written score to accompany the sweetest moments in cinematic history to make them sinister.. How’s that for a challenge?

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Great idea!

@soulgirl62 7 месяцев назад

Hia Guy, at 60 i am just diving into Abelton and using my Komplete Kontrol MK2. What is that small box you have connected on the left hand side of your keyboard and what does it do ?.. thank you

@musicaldude9429 7 месяцев назад

watching this to see once they add all instrument groups, if its worth switching from EastWest(cloud composer x )

@johnhill762 7 месяцев назад

Miss me with this. Spitfire lost my business long ago.

@ComposerMichaelDow 7 месяцев назад

Why is one note 50 voices? Would be good to know why, obviously each microphone takes up one voice normally. But what's going on here that 50 "voices" are playing when only one note is pressed? Thanks :)

@charliemcgrain 7 месяцев назад

It's beautiful and I love Spitfire..and have spent thousands. BUT, another 400 buckeroos? I already have the Chamber Strings so I just supplement BBCSO Core with those closer mics and legatos. But it raises questions: with what I already own I can create realistic enough scores to actually use them on films. Good enough so the average audience would never notice, if used judiciously. However, if you are a pro, the BBCSO Core edition is fine, easily good enough for convincing sketches that you are then going to bring to a proper orchestra. So, who is this library for? I can only assume this library is only for people who didn't already own the Chamber Strings? Is there somewhere or someone in the middle that needs this?

@Harrysound 7 месяцев назад

I have it and it’s probably my go to top strings but there are many bum notes , I find it incredible that they release a product with out of tune notes

@LloydeSorrow 7 месяцев назад

I can't say I'm surprised, tbh.

@Harrysound 7 месяцев назад

@@LloydeSorrowI had issues with the brass in BBCSO also and the timings of the short string articulations. Buying ARO violins 1 core was a test to see if they were going to up their game for their flagship product.

@colinjames2469 7 месяцев назад

Ok. Which notes? I would like to check them.

@Harrysound 7 месяцев назад

@@colinjames2469 for me B4 is about 10 cents sharp or flat, especially on the lyrical legato. Lyrical legato transition E above middle C a whole step down to D and also D to Bb one octave above middle C on the lyrical legato

@lazul6611 7 месяцев назад

That’s Spitfire’s modus operandi. Release a bunch of stuff half-baked, hype it up, never fix anything, release another product that’s the same product basically, rinse and repeat. I used to buy their stuff early on but it got annoying.

@alexsandroaraujofreitas5145 7 месяцев назад

Will this library be a challenger to VSL strings pro? And if so, would both stages match each other (blending)? Curious for a feedback please. Appreciated :-) cheers

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

I think Synchron and abbey road one are not that far apart in terms of space and sound. Aro is a big lush filmic sound and vsl is an incregibly accurate realistic sound.

@alexsandroaraujofreitas5145 7 месяцев назад

@@ThinkSpaceEducation Hi Guy, many thanks for answering! Highly appreciated, just one more question, in terms of legato what would be your preference based on your experience (AR strings or VSL)? With this question I don't have any mean to say that one is better than the other, it is just a matter of preference/ feel. Hopefully one will be slightly better from each other or even be complementary. :-) Cheers

@cachelesssociety5187 6 месяцев назад

Can AR2 Violins play back very fast runs? (120 BPM 16ths and up?) Some libraries begin to sound incredibly fake when they do. Spitfire Chamber Strings Performance Legatos do pretty well in my experience. What do you think about AR2 and other libraries when it comes to these faster runs?

@jimmyonkeys 7 месяцев назад

Astonishing

@cyrilcalmes4208 7 месяцев назад

I mean this Abbey Road Orchestra will be the most expensive ever... Even in in string, you donc have sordino, so there should be more than 5 strings library. But what a sound. I bought the core version that I uses with Abbey Road One, layered with the High Strings. It adds the missing legato and it sounds great.

@nyanko2077 7 месяцев назад

I think I will go for pro cellos and everything else core personally. Cause it's quite pricy.

@paultumelty 7 месяцев назад

In all seriousness, what will be different with the 2nd Violins library? They basically use the same instruments don’t they? Will they just be a bit worse because the better players play first violin? :) Will they release a new library with exactly the same samples but badged as second violins?

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

My friend who orchestrates for big hollywood people say Vln2 play differently and like Vln2 so to speak. So there will be probably 14 rather than 16 of them and when you double them up or put them in octaves they wont be the same sound. But ........ point taken

@jorgefpramos 7 месяцев назад

Position in the studio?

@paultumelty 7 месяцев назад

@@ThinkSpaceEducation I’m sure i won’t be able to detect two less violins in the mix! :)

@paultumelty 7 месяцев назад

@@jorgefpramos Yeah. I did think about studio position. Would be a lot to pay for subtly different sounds though

@kurtbestormusic 7 месяцев назад

On stage, the 1st violins usually have a stand or two MORE than the seconds which makes SOME sonic difference. The sound quality,(and I mean no disrespect here 2nd Violins!) is sometimes a little less vibrant due to the "pecking order" of better players in the firsts. Knowing Spitfire, however, it may have more to do with a slight difference in the stereo spread and perhaps Simon Rhodes' mixing. But I TOO wondered why they called this library "1st violins." MY cynical side immediately thought: $$$

@huntoriginalmusic-wy2rc 7 месяцев назад

I agree the samples are very good but Spitfire typically does not include an "attack" and "release" options like other libraries and that's why I won't purchase Spitfire till they fix this flaw in their libraries. Not enough control for me. Excellent sound however.

@markholmes7322 7 месяцев назад

So you're not quite done with the S88 MkII just yet? Thought she'd been dumped for good!

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

No - S61 is for my mobile rig really and Cubase integration is there yet for the new NKS2 stuff

@markholmes7322 7 месяцев назад

Good to see the old girl back, either way. I knew you'd miss those extra keys!

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Yeah for orchestral stuff in particular 88 is very useful@@markholmes7322

@steph1918 7 месяцев назад

Spitfire needs to integrate a new knob in the GUI: 'Amount of Swooshiness'.

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Absolutely Swooshiness (TM)

@petersvan7880 7 месяцев назад

Sorry, no more Spitfire purchases for me untill they release ARO legato high strings. And their player could also use an update or two.

@Kingstonlomusic 7 месяцев назад

why not map vibrato with aftertouch I wonder?

@ComposerMichaelDow 7 месяцев назад

You can if you want 👍 as with any library

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Yes good idea

@mustuploadtoo7543 7 месяцев назад

W Guy W Video

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

thank you

@ZoolsEpicMusic 7 месяцев назад

the runs on this sound very synth like to my ears unfortunately. But great video overview Guy - thank you

@freemusicforvideogames266 7 месяцев назад

Guy. Has your computer not exploded yet with all the libraries? After I downloaded composer cloud and native instruments, my computer left me for an Ipad!

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Cracked it - there is a separate legato runs patch and that works extremely well. If yo try to do runs with the performance legato, although runs are part of it it doesn't sound so good. If you just load the runs legato it works great

@ZoolsEpicMusic 7 месяцев назад

@@ThinkSpaceEducation thanks for the update, good to know!

@paullebon323 7 месяцев назад

Oh, there will be a better symphonic library eventually. But, it will probably be modeled, not sampled.

@higltypig 7 месяцев назад

they make some stunning stuff. I think they should get a wriggle on though because modelling will get there eventually.

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Very true

@music_creator_capable 7 месяцев назад

Hello ^^

@StutzVanH 7 месяцев назад

“Dive straight in” Guy you can’t be saying that, you’ll have Paul Thomson’s lawyers on your back!!

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

OHHH he says that doesnt he?! I watched his walkthorugh to get my head around how it worked so that was unintentional plagiaarism your honour

@DennisCaunce 7 месяцев назад

@@ThinkSpaceEducation you'll be saying your very excited next!

@HOBBITSODYSSEY 7 месяцев назад

This is miles behind Vsl.

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

VSL is right up there

@colinjames2469 7 месяцев назад

er No. and vsl is not Abbey Road.

@HOBBITSODYSSEY 7 месяцев назад

@@colinjames2469 LOL

@HOBBITSODYSSEY 7 месяцев назад

@ThinkSpaceEducation Hi Guy, you seen Duality Strings Sordino? Cant wait for your review.

@Eally1979 7 месяцев назад

@@ThinkSpaceEducation come on Guy, you know this one is a dud... I miss old Guy that we could trust to give reliable advice on gear. Now it seems like one product placement after the other...

@5ammy13 7 месяцев назад

The legatos sound great to me, but the sustains that the legatos lead to sound dead to me. Like there's no life. This library excels in runs or agile playing as you don't hear much of the sustain, but if you play long soaring lines, that's when the static sustains stand out.

@apocryphal_man 7 месяцев назад

Sorry, but there is no sensible relation between the pricing and what is offered - again. I feel that this piecemeal release strategy going on with Abbey Road has the sole purpose of coaxing more money out of customers.

@charlesyateschalfant 7 месяцев назад

The sound is good but the strings are not that realistic and IMHO there are better options. Also, their app is terrible. Load times, as with all their libraries, is far too slow.

@DennisCaunce 7 месяцев назад

As much as I love this library, I won't be buying it.. Firstly, it's priced at professionals - which I am definitely not! Secondly, the average listener (not us composers!), listening to a piece of scored music, wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this and say BBCSO Pro (which I already own). Just my opinion. Take as you will.

@ThinkSpaceEducation 7 месяцев назад

Entirely fair this is definitely aimed at the professional market where every extra bit of performance counts. BBC SO is wonderful and we recommend core as the default starting position for anyone looking at orchestral music

@Harrysound 7 месяцев назад

I have BBC Core and I’m definitely not a pro but the core version of these strings is superior to BBC in my opinion. It’s smoother and the legato works better

@DennisCaunce 7 месяцев назад

@@Harrysound well, yes. The first violins alone, without mutes, cost more than core BBCSO! I'd expect it to be way superior. My point is - if you recorded some music (fully orchestrated, not just violins) and played it to your granny - would she be able to tell the difference? Probably not! Again, this is just my opinion, but as a hobbyist, there is no way I could justify spending the kind of money that this orchestra is going to end up costing. I'd like to keep my kidneys!

@Harrysound 7 месяцев назад

@@DennisCaunceI bought the core version of these strings for £159 which I think is a lot of money but not obscene. They are easier to work with because they’re so smooth. Spitfire does have a lot of issues though and this technology and way of doing things is definitely at the end of its life….

@stevegalante 7 месяцев назад

While I always love your presentations I must admit I’m not impressed at all on this one, besides the price. I feel with more and more string libraries around our ears become more educated. Legatos are just ok, transition between notes doesn’t sound real enough, and all samples sounds too “perfect”. IMHO.