Re: Spitfire Albion Download
Linda Berens
They're the first company I've ever liked any orchestral samples from aside from VSL. The woodwinds blend better than any other library, imo. The strings have a few things I like more, like being a little less lifeless. Although, depending on the assumed 'divisi string library' we'll see from VSL... this may not be an issue if it's divisi enough to create a very fluid performance. Although, most things I like about VSL more for strings, I just found a few things I liked about spitfire also that promt this consideration. The spitfire trumpet demo had a few things I really liked a lot, but with a couple I thought VSL was better on. Mostly it was an even match, with benefits in both.
Either way, I've considered getting Albion (as I in NO WAY could afford a $19k brass library, a price that their demo's haven't quite lived up to). With not having a Violin II from VSL, and with my liking the sound from Spitfire as a 'VSL gap filler', I think that they'd make a great adition to my VSL collection (something I've yet to say about anyone else). But, the limitiations of 'ensemble only' really bother me in Albion. Anyone own it and have used it with VSL? Any thoughts on the ensemble restriction in use with VSL samples also? Any thoughts at all?
I'm not a fan of wet samples usually, but I'd rather have entirely wet with a good room or entirely dry. I like spitfire as an addition in that sense, but not as a replacement library by any means. I should have also asked what people think VSL does better and spitfire does better. No library has 100 perfect everything so I imagine someone on here has to like a few things on both sides.
Spitfire's trumpet has much louder releases than VSL. This can add a very human sound to the performance and it can be unwanted also. I wish this was available as a modifable option (Either a fader or another option anyway).
My woodwinds comment- I like VSL woodwinds in every way. I only thought that the blend had a far more natural blend in spitfire's demo's than anything I've been able to accomplish. I like that blend a lot. But otherwise, I like VSL woodwinds far more.
I love their percussion. I've never been a big fan of VSL's percussion. I don't have the full perc library at my disposal, but from demo's only... there are benefits on both sides it seems. I think I'd prefer to own both in the end, rather than one over the other.
From information in other forums, if I understand things correctly (I could be wrong), first, there are a very limited number of licenses for Spitfire, and when they are gone, they are gone, and second, one of the requirements for purchasing the libraries is that you will not use them in commercial releases, but only for mock-ups. The use of live musicians for the final product is required. Spitfire is specifically aimed at top tier professional (primarily film) composers.
The reason why I think this is worth discussing though, is that there are many things VSL users may desire from VSL's future products. VSL's legato interim patches are limited by 1. Why not more? I have had instances where I hear a subtle machine gun effect because of quickly going back over the same notes, or a kind of fanfaring c g, c g. There are small things that matter. I don't know that Spitfire is any different. But I do know that I liked the trumpet release samples and other things I wish I either had with VSL, or at least had the option of choosing with VSL.
From information in other forums, if I understand things correctly (I could be wrong), first, there are a very limited number of licenses for Spitfire, and when they are gone, they are gone, and second, one of the requirements for purchasing the libraries is that you will not use them in commercial releases, but only for mock-ups.
Hmmm. I don't know, if I'm going to drop 19 grand on a sample library I think I have the right to use them however I darn well please. I can't stand arrogance in any company let alone a sample library. What reason do they have to limit the use of their product to mock ups. I wonder how their customer support is.
That aside, as much as I adore VSL I think a composer should have other options on hand. If you use VSL all the time in every project you ever work on your music will develope a homogenous sound to it. It's like hiring the same trumpet player over and over on all of your projects. You may really like that trumpet player but it's nice to have some variety every once in a while. I've been crossing over into other genres of music and I'm finding that VSL can be a bit difficult to work with when you're trying to do a string arrangement for a Pop song or Hard Rock. Of course, it could be that I need to remove myself from the Classical mentality when composing.
I've seen a lot of down-talk from VSL users (not so much here, but elsewhere) on Spitfire's modules. Personally, I've liked very little out of East West and I see many users on here owning VSL and EW, praising both. But I think Spitfire is far better than EW, imo and that their libraries have advantages and disadvantages and in every way they are just as viable as VSL on several different things. I think Spitfire is producing very high quality instruments.
I like how much Albion comes with out-of-box. For the price, I think they offer a great bundle. It's certainly restrictive in it's limitations, but for producing fast and usable results and for adding to what I already own with VSL... it is a very useful offering. I plan to get it fairly soon. I've been having a very hard time deciding on whether I want to purchase VE Pro, Albion, or Spitfire percussion right now.
I agree with your observation of Spitfire's demo. Spitfire's sound far superior in a sense the whole orchestra sounds blended very well, not only the woodwinds. The sound it's very close to the Hollywood Orchestra sound. Although some users might not like the wet sound (it seems it comes default that way) I don't mind. It's too pricey...
I own Spitfire Albion as well as their Harp and I do love the organic sound of their library. That said, VSL always finds a place in my music. I find it still to be the best as far as over all quality, flexbility and sound. No other library as a whole matches the legatos from VSL. I don't regret buying any of the various products I've purchased from them over the years. Albion blends quite beautifully with VSL IMO.
Thank you!! I've been wanting feedback on that. Good to hear! VSL and Spitfire are the only two orchestral companies to ever impress me sound-wise so I eventually plan to own Spitfire's Albion and percussion libraries soon enough. But I have limited myself entirely to wait until VE5 cause I can't make up my mind on anything lately. [*-)]
There is no question that VSL samples are top. But I do believe it has some issues in the final mix when VSL is used as a stand alone orchestra. My observation doesn't deal with the quality of the samples but the spacing of the orchestral sound. I may suggest VSL to use more omni microphones when recording intead of cardiod. There is this one little upgrade fix that VSL need to do and they are undisputable number one
I love Spitfire. Some seriously killer sounding stuff. I love VSL as well, breathtaking the scope of all their products both software and samples. EastWest however, are the worse company on earth; I will never buy another EW product period.
Long term investment and believability (realism in sound) are always the most important traits to any library for me. VSL and Spitfire are the ONLY two libraries that have ever lived up to my standards for realism. With that in mind, one cannot ignore that Spitfire has a highly restrictive license and libraries. The expensive stuff requires that you regularly hire performers (which my being in the 'I'm pursuing a career' stage in my life, does not function within their policy). The affordible stuff has a good sound, but 1) It's nothing I can't obtain from VSL. It's just a good 'out of the box' sound, meaning less tweaking required. Also, 2) that 'less tweaking' point is paramount to me. The lower cost libraries offer no flexibility and very limited articulations. One can only make something sound believable with such limitations.
Another point is software. Spitfire has no desire to persue software development. While I used to love Kontakt (and still find occasional uses for it), Vienna Instruments Pro 1.0 blew Kontakt out of the water. It truly was a night and day difference for my productivity and ease of use. Yes, there was a learning curve. To get my samples sounding how I want, I had to put forth a bit of hard work and effort. But now that I do, my only owning the Special Edition, SE Strings Plus, Fanfare Trumpets, and Epic Horns dwarf any other library's ability to sound real. VI Pro 2.0 is now out and it is even more phenominal. The enveloped time stretching has given me tremolo and trill possibilities previously unavailable. I now have performances that no other library can even acheive.
By all means, Spitfire is good. If you want quick and easy and one style only, I'd say go for it. But if you want to actually write anything according to your composing choices, style, and so on- AND if you want to write for multiple styles of music... I'd say VSL is the far more logical choice. In the end all of those points boil down to investment to me. My priority is VSL. Why? Because I can do anything with it and sound better than any other library available. Because I am not limited by wet samples. Because their software allows for far more productive approaches than Kontakt could ever dream.
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