Quality strings?

[nate_dennis]

Do any of you have any suggestions for quality string samples? I'm not sure on budget yet, but inexpensive is always better. Thanks everyone.

[warble2]

Are you looking for soft-synth stuff (VSTi's) to use with a DAW or hardware based?

I've been happy with my Roland XV-3080 and the SR-JV80 orchestral expansion cards. Software wise, you might look into Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO). Very decent samples of most all orchestral instruments (violins, violas, cellos, etc.)

Can probably help better if we know spefically what you're looking for - hardware vs. software.

[nate_dennis]

Well, i'm recording to analog, but I don't mind using a computer to act as a MIDI module. If there is any advantage to using standalone modules then I'd take that route, so I guess I'm not sure. What are the relative pros and cons of each method?

[warble2]

Only advantage would possibly be that modules have their own processing power and you're not reliant on using a PC/Mac (and tweaking that for best performance). I think there are great sounds available down both of these roads and I have something in both hardware and software.

I like taking my Roland module with me, and use the orchestra and many other patches live. In the studio, it just fires up quicker and I can get my ideas down quicker. If I need to get more elaborate, I can always fire up my softsynths and work-out separate parts.

[pkdasilva]

Originally Posted by warble2

Are you looking for soft-synth stuff (VSTi's) to use with a DAW or hardware based?

I've been happy with my Roland XV-3080 and the SR-JV80 orchestral expansion cards. Software wise, you might look into Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO). Very decent samples of most all orchestral instruments (violins, violas, cellos, etc.)

Can probably help better if we know spefically what you're looking for - hardware vs. software.

Hi I'm also interested in this. I run strings through an old korg ag-10, where some sounds are really cool but I need to expand... Does the GPO come as an audio unit/vst? Does it need a lot of processing power? expensive?

Best regards,
PK

[warble2]

http://www.garritan.com/GPO-features.html

I initially ran GPO on an AMD Athlon XP 2.0 Ghz, 2 gigs of ram when I first used it. I really haven't used it much lately, but with a quad-core and 4 gigs of ram, I think it would work without a hitch.

[pkdasilva]

Originally Posted by warble2

http://www.garritan.com/GPO-features.html

Seems like a beast!!!!

BR,
Pekka

[DavidK]

Originally Posted by warble2

http://www.garritan.com/GPO-features.html

I initially ran GPO on an AMD Athlon XP 2.0 Ghz, 2 gigs of ram when I first used it..

I run it with a gig of ram. I bounce everything to audio so I dont have problems with resources. Great bang for the buck.

[nate_dennis]

How is the realism? Is it recording quality?