Orchestral VSTs

[AnimatixReels]

All right, so I have Edirol and Sonatina Symphony Orchestra, but I'm wondering if there is something better (cheaper/free). I tried DSK Virtuoso, and used to think it sounded good (it seems to "synthy" though.)

I would love to get my hands on an EWQL product, but we all know money doesn't grow on trees (wishful thinking).

Any suggestions?

[Step]

Obligatory link to blackattackbitch's amazing orchestral soundfont package.

[ArcadiaDiv]

I think you'll be hard pressed on finding a good free orchestral smapler but the cheapest ones I know of are Kontakt 5 or Garritan Personal Orchestra or Instant Orchestra

I have Kontakt myself, but it's version 4 not 5 and I love it. I've wanted Garritan Personal Orchestra for a while.

[samulis]

At 9/10/12 06:38 PM, ArcadiaDiv wrote: I think you'll be hard pressed on finding a good free orchestral smapler but the cheapest ones I know of are Kontakt 5 or Garritan Personal Orchestra or Instant Orchestra

I have Kontakt myself, but it's version 4 not 5 and I love it. I've wanted Garritan Personal Orchestra for a while.

GPO has some good strings... I wouldn't care much for their brass though. In addition, Garritan sounds always seem very dry to me (so be sure you have a nice, rich reverb you can use).

Definitely good quality for their price though. I'd recommend them as long as you aren't going to try to digitally score a major game using them. :3

The above link to the BAB collection is very useful. Even compared to EWQL, there are some great sounds in there that are worth the massive investment of $0.

[Bosa]

I understand that financial crisis and economic downfall has affected us all, but I must say that the top quality virtual instruments available are EWQL products regardless of the price. It is a worthy investment to buy their products.

I see that you're still in school, so maybe right now you should focus on honing your skills and using soundfonts which are easily accessed across the web. Spend as much time studying classical and modern music as you can, and develop a taste for contemporary orchestral music. A soundfont which I used a LONG time ago (and really had a realistic sound for its time) was squidfont orchestral. This soundfont has everything you need, including a percussion bank among other things. Sf2midi was my best friend back in the day, so maybe it will help you too.

[AnimatixReels]

I have to say thanks, guys, cause I needed the help, and you guys had interesting solutions.. And yes, when I get the chance, I'm gonna get me some EWQL (might have to skip out on the car...)

But I guess I should just practice, to quote you guys.
I really need it

[sorohanro]

Here some more budget friendly or free options:
IK Multimedia Sample Tank Free - it comes with several instruments from Miroslav Symphonic.
Papelmedia GS SoundFont SF2 - one of the best free choirs, some more than decent brass and flute, some solo voice...good to have.
Precisionsound Amore Grand Piano - a free Yamaha grand piano sample library for NI Kontakt.
TekâEUTMit Audio RECsoprano - a free soprano recorder plugin instrument, adding envelope control, a selection of tunning, polyphonic voices and a polyphonic portamento. Samples recorded by me.
Embertone Intimate Strings Lite - Sound of a string quartet playing in unison sample library for NI Kontakt.
Philharmonia Orchestra Sample Library Tuba Samples - A tuba library, 3 articulations with key-switches for NI Kontakt.
Vowel Ensemble Choir Pack - A morphing choir developed by me together with Richard Osborn for Mu.Lab Multisampla and Selcuk Bor (from Symphony of Specters) for Kontakt.

[AnimatixReels]

At 9/11/12 04:21 PM, sorohanro wrote: Here some more budget friendly or free options:

Thanks, sorohanro, but I've got all these from you already in the past!
Isn't that weird? Not really

But seriously, you've been my top provider of free digital instruments.

[sorohanro]

At 9/11/12 06:49 PM, AnimatixReels wrote: But seriously, you've been my top provider of free digital instruments.

LOL :))

screen capture for history...

Then, here some budget friendly ones:
Cakewalk Dimension LE with Garritan Pocket Orchestra Download - at 39 EUR it's a steal, and probably the most CPU and RAM friendly orchestral VSTi.
Miroslav Philharmonik - a bit old, no round robins, not many articulations... good for beginning level or doubling another library. Recorded with stage microphones only, you can use it as stage mic and another library as close mic, and mix between those two.

[ArcadiaDiv]

What's EWQL? Does anyone have a link for that?

[sorohanro]

At 9/13/12 02:25 AM, ArcadiaDiv wrote: What's EWQL? Does anyone have a link for that?

East-West-Quantum-Leap.
THIS WEBSITE pops out on the first Google search on EWQL.

[AnimatixReels]

At 9/13/12 02:25 AM, ArcadiaDiv wrote: What's EWQL?

(jaw drop) Y U NO...

Anyway, EWQL have one of the best orchestra products ever (although some say they're a bit overrated; and nothing beats a real life orchestra, but its close!)