Page 1 of 1
Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 2:52 pm
by Tomas E
I would like to know your opinion about the Garritan libraries. From what I've learned they are well assimilated with Finale when it comes to ease of use, human playback settings etc. What I often encounter with string samples is the lack of a real legato feel between pitches, a "con" I've been reading about in a review of Personal Orchestra 5. Does this apply to all Garritan string libraries?
Any pros and cons you come to think of would be great to read about.
I've also been checking out the VSL libraries. They sound great but are very expensive, and from what I've learned difficult to assimilate with Finale.
I guess that's my dilemma, ease of use and lower pricing with some irritating issues, or a great sounding library that I would have to spend quite a lot of time with before I could make use of it in Finale.
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:41 am
by BuonTempi
I would recommend Noteperformer, which is cheap, works 'out of the box' with Finale, and has surprisingly good sounds. It uses patented technology to render phrasing.
Most other libraries are both expensive and difficult to use with Finale, as you'd have to define your own Human Playback settings. There doesn't seem to be (m)any 'community-created' HP settings for other libraries.
Garritan's strings are the weakest part, IMO -- which is quite surprising, given the huge number of different samples. They often sound 'tinny' or 'hollow', and there are lots of missing articulations -- the legacy strings have no harmonics; the GOS strings have no tremolo, etc.
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:02 am
by Tomas E
BuonTempi wrote: ↑Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:41 am
I would recommend Noteperformer, which is cheap, works 'out of the box' with Finale, and has surprisingly good sounds. It uses patented technology to render phrasing.
Most other libraries are both expensive and difficult to use with Finale, as you'd have to define your own Human Playback settings. There doesn't seem to be (m)any 'community-created' HP settings for other libraries.
Garritan's strings are the weakest part, IMO -- which is quite surprising, given the huge number of different samples. They often sound 'tinny' or 'hollow', and there are lots of missing articulations -- the legacy strings have no harmonics; the GOS strings have no tremolo, etc.
Thanks! I'll check out Noteperformer.
Missing articulations seems to be common in other libraries too. I can't see why the standard for so many makers of these kinds of libraries seems to be "Don't give the customer all that he needs".
I could of course only buy the Vienna strings, their choir library is also interesting. Wind-sections seem to be the easiest ones to replicate so in that case I think I'm already covered.
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:54 pm
by michelp
AFAIK, Vienna offers a Human Playback Preferences file for Vienna Special Edition.
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 1:29 pm
by BuonTempi
Good to know. Perhaps there should be a sticky thread somewhere, where known HP prefs for third-party libraries are listed?
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:45 am
by heinzfan
michelp wrote: ↑Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:54 pm
AFAIK, Vienna offers a Human Playback Preferences file for Vienna Special Edition.
I've been using Vienna Instruments libraries for a few years now. There is a preference file and within Finale you can create additional instrument techniques. However a word of caution: the new Synchron libraries do not integrate well with Finale and really require a DAW's mapping to play back through Finale and access all available instrument articulations, otherwise their use is very limited.
Re: Just want to know more about Garritan vs VSL
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:23 pm
by Tomas E
heinzfan wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:45 am
There is a preference file and within Finale you can create additional instrument techniques. However a word of caution: the new Synchron libraries do not integrate well with Finale and really require a DAW's mapping to play back through Finale and access all available instrument articulations, otherwise their use is very limited.
