Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, 32bit & 64bit. Min. Pentium/Athlon XP 1.4GHz. Min. 512MB Ram. Recommended: Pentium/Athlon XP 3.0GHz, 1GB Ram. Interfaces: Standalone, VST, RTAS. DVD drive. Internet connection for product activation required (on any computer). Additional hard disc space according to the library size. An internet connection on any computer is required to authorize / activate the product.
Mac OS 10.4, 10.5 or higher. Min. PowerMac G4 or Intel Mac 1GHz. Min. 512MB Ram. Recommended: G5 or Intel Mac 1.8GHz, 1GB Ram. Interfaces: Standalone, AU, VST, RTAS. DVD drive. Internet connection for product activation required (on any computer). Additional hard disc space according to the library size. An internet connection on any computer is required to authorize / activate the product.
Please note:
The Miroslav Vituos license agreement allows this product to be used to produce library or production music.
Breathtaking string ensembles from Miroslav Vitous
"...a significant investment but could well become the go-to string library for producers and film composers alike." - Residentadvisor.net
"String Ensembles is a fantastic composition tool that adds great realism via an intuitive working method. I would certainly recommend it over other libraries as a starting point for your string writing, and, as I said earlier, it may become my main writing tool for strings." - Sound on Sound
The return of a legend!
Versatility, elegance, and immediacy: from the legendary artist, composer and string virtuoso Miroslav Vitous comes the breakthrough String Ensembles virtual instrument. This collection, "a composer´s dream," brings a stunning level of elegance and expressiveness to the world of orchestral strings.
Two different ensembles are included:
Full size Orchestra ensembles (24 violins, 14 violas, 12 celli, and 9 basses)
The collection offers individual control of each instrument section. Multiple articulations are included, such as long sustained notes, detaches, legatos, staccato, tremolo, sforzando, sul pont, and more.
Extensive custom programming yields unique results that distinguishes Miroslav´s String Ensembles from any other string library. Sections respond musically and flexibly according to the performance of the player, automatically alternating samples and providing an unprecedented degree of realism and vitality. The library is designed to be extremely easy to use; simply load up the desired patch and begin creating beautiful string arrangements.
This library was made for composers and plays music like magic.
"This library is made for high end composers and focuses on the performance itself and not on using any marketing hypes such as midi tools etc (I have tested those and they do not work very well). Samples edited by hand do a much greater job and are much more realistic as you will hear. There is no need (like in my old library and other large products) to study the contents for a long time as you just simply open – for example, the harmony medium fast instrument – and it will accomplish the exact music for that kind of articulation. It is made for harmony played up to medium fast speed. Aside from this function, it will also play long notes, quite fast lines etc… but it is at its best to play this specific function.
That goes for all the other instruments as well as they play many other functions but I picked them at their best performance for each specific function. You will hardly need to do any editing at all. Only the music or your keyboard playing, if you need to change, would be the issue here. No tweaking the midi etc. is necessary! (All of you composers who have experience in this will know what I mean.)
The beginning attacks are correct as they sound live – no need to fix them in any artificial ways – and they truly sing and express as the live players do (without changing that with technology). All of this is included already within the instrument itself, slight detune (actually the violins even have different tunings for different functions), the vibrato is not the same everywhere. Different samples by using the Alternate feature in the ENGINE software will make it as realistic as a live orchestra. And it plays highly inspiring music – perhaps that is the biggest asset of this library.
Aside from full size Orchestral ensembles and Chamber, there is an update of a further Chamber orchestra in completion and Orchestra programs for both sizes which will be specially prepared – Violins/Violas/Cellos/Basses. The sonic spectrum is kept as free as possible in each program (so you don’t have overlapping sonic problems with too many instruments playing the same note). Those will be magic in full force.
In this library we have played all the instruments in four different ways. As I found out, testing each of these ways makes you play music differently because of the way they are set up and they feel and function. Most of the instruments are in Keyswitches but there is a lot more in Velocity zones as well as in Alternate samples functions (because there is not enough Keyswitches to cover all the possibilities and is convenient having the change done automatically). All this allows you to use all the different samples we have used.
For the fourth possibility I also decided to have those instruments in MF-F and MP –PP levels (as you may need to play music staying in the same volume and not have to worry about the velocity changing). I found this to be a problem if I wanted to play some intense music in PP inside the velocity zone and I kept getting hung up on the keyboard volume producing louder notes than I wanted. Therefore I include these instruments (as they are the same material which is in Velocity Zones and some extras) so it is possible to get into one volume and stay there. It is sometimes better. These instruments have a high dynamic range already MF plays MP velocity anyway.
This is in comparison with other tremendous products because the amount of patches for each articulation far surpasses other libraries´ content. At least 6-8 different patches on each articulation style. LN/DET/STACC/LEGATO/ – that of course makes it even more highly realistic.
Just for the record, each of these patches are the cream of the crop. We did not, for example, put the best patches in the general Keyswitches because we don’t know what the best patches are. They are all great - slightly different tone, texture, attack etc….
All the patches play very well on their own, doing legato mostly as well as expressiveness and quite fast speed (LN can play faster than medium fast tempos). It is amazing how much you can do with 1 LN patch without even having to go to a specialized patch. There are however specific patches playing faster and slower, legatos, runs, beautiful expressive long notes as well as non expressive etc. To me, these samples are no longer considered as samples because they each have some kind of a performance in them. Expressiveness or diminuendo or simply crescendo, decrescendo is all within the built-in instruments.
The highlight of this product is having programmed instruments at your disposal which make it possible to play any specific way you need in your composition. It has all been prepared for all of these musical parts you need to create.
All the latest ´technology hype´, where other producers use machines to achieve these ways, was done here by hand in original sound and therefore completely natural. We have gone as far as not even digitally tuning the samples as we could clearly hear that the sample digitally adjusted degraded its quality. We believe in a healthy balance between using the technology and human capabilities but always keeping the highest sonic quality. Inspiration is another huge issue here which is perhaps the largest part of this library – we can not say anything about that other than thanks to the spirit of music for making this possible.
It was made for the music, not for the money and not for the marketing hypes etc……"
Miroslav Vitous
Best Service ENGINE Sample Player is included with this product!
In December 2010, a FREE update to the Miroslav Vitous String Ensembles, "Composers Dream" library will be released. Starting today this first volume of the Composer´s Dream series will have a new lower price of £449.00.
Update includes:
Chamber Orchestra and Large Ensembles.
New Ensemble layers also includes 1st chair.
Looped Sustained notes, improved tuning and additional programing.
Organizational improvements that make it is even quicker to locate exactly what you need. The structure of the library is changed in order to locate the 1st and 2nd violins and its compatibilities at the touch of the mouse.You can choose from four different 1st and 2nd violins and Full sections just on the basic sustains!
The Large Ensembles and Chamber Ensembles have been refined to have a lighter sound providing ease of movement.
Improved Sustains and Detaches are rich, warm and beautifully expressive.
Mod wheel programs have been added. A special programs for particular composer needs has been also much improved and are now both Chamber and Large ensembles.*
Moving key split has been added.*
Much improved Legato (man made) includes 1st chair improving melodic movement and timber.
Sharp violins staccato have been added.
String orchestra programs edited for one shot play thorough for scoring and for live performance perfectly balanced for realistic sound for both Chamber and Full String Orchestra.
A Detail description of each program capabilities is now included.
* Details MOD WHEEL programs for scoring in particular so you can change the velocity zones with the Mod wheel instead of having to worry about your keyboard touch capabilities. Play in your parts this way as you can use the full range of 1 -127 midi volume doing so. There are also some cross fade Mod wheel programs allowing the crescendo and decrescendo capabilities.
MOVING KEY SPLIT You can now play in the violins/cellos program (for example) - cellos can play all the way to violin range without violins playing. (As the cellos are playing into the violins range violins are dismissed). When you stop your cello phrase the keyboard split will return to its original settings and the violins will be there again. It also works on the way down for violins dismissing the cellos until the end of violins phrase or range.
PART I is now available for price £449.00
PART II will be available in fall of 2011 for price £449.00
All existing customers who bought the library already will receive Part II FREE!
PART II will include the detail composer needs such as Glissandos - Trills - Legatos - Spiccato - Con legno all in real time in 2 velocities and 2 speeds (or more). In glissandos there will be also extra concert glissando which is more melody oriented than the orchestra glissandos. For each articulation it also includes 1st chair a side from the ensembles.
