https://www.applied-acoustics.com/modeling-collection/
http://www.wallanderinstruments.com/?mo...mp;lang=en
http://www.samplemodeling.com/en/products.php

I claim no experience with any other than listening to a few snippets on Soundcloud.

Greg.

MIDI CCs is the usual suspect. That'd be a lot of foot controllers.

Then again, there's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkPvmr93K8

Wow. That's the best implementation of the Leap Motion that I've seen. Thanks for posting that.

This is exactly the beauty of Spitfire libraries - they sound ALIVE, there are imperfections in samples (because it was recorded with vintage microphones directly onto 2" tape!), and every instrument was recorded positioned as it should be, so you really don't need to work a lot at the mix stage to make the orchestra gel together.

I mean just go to the Spitfire Audio website and listen to those demos for Sable and Mural. Then tell me that it doesn't sound good. It sounds extremely good - and very plausible!

You're absolutely right, they sound amazing. Maybe best strings out there.

But in case I wasn't clear enough, I will one more time clarify my main point: because of those imperfections those libraries can be difficult or time consuming to use. This does not mean that you cannot make them sound good or great. I will give you an example. With my string library (which is Cinestrings Core btw) even 1 bar phrase with 16th notes can be hard to make it "groove". Some notes have different attack times than others and it's difficult to say what is the one you should put earlier or later. And if some notes are little out of tune there's nothing you can do it fix it. I am not saying that I am searching for perfect music - in perfect/quantized time or in perfect tune - quite contrary, but I would like to be in charge to decide when something is out of rhythm or out of tune and how much. With too much "imperfection" libraries can be annoying to use.

Maybe modeling would give us at least an alternative to them. As I said, in my opinion situation is quite same as it is with pianos...

A string essamble like double bass, to cello, viola, and  up to violin, along keyrange.

The problem is that Modartt reached a level of perfection, quality and reputation, that nearly forbides them to create a nice simple thing for fun.

http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...aming_.mp3

Problem arises when you start making music with them. It's hard to make them sound exactly how you like as performer or composer. I mean many small imperfections which make them "alive" start to control you instead you controlling them. Maybe I have had worst string libraries (which btw sounded great on demos) cause I've needed too much time to make them sound right.

This is exactly the beauty of Spitfire libraries - they sound ALIVE, there are imperfections in samples (because it was recorded with vintage microphones directly onto 2" tape!), and every instrument was recorded positioned as it should be, so you really don't need to work a lot at the mix stage to make the orchestra gel together.

I mean just go to the Spitfire Audio website and listen to those demos for Sable and Mural. Then tell me that it doesn't sound good. It sounds extremely good - and very plausible!

Well IMHO the "key" (pun intended) is the controller... How could you give to a note played on a keyboard all the variety you can with a bow ???

Another example here, other style, other skill but very impressive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyorUijach0

I have to agree that some of those libraries sound pretty impressive but I fear situation is quite similar with sampled pianos. They sound realistic simply because they are real in sense that they are real instruments recorded in real space. Problem arises when you start making music with them. It's hard to make them sound exactly how you like as performer or composer. I mean many small imperfections which make them "alive" start to control you instead you controlling them. Maybe I have had worst string libraries (which btw sounded great on demos) cause I've needed too much time to make them sound right. I have been scracthing my head how to make good sounding crescendos or tweaking pianoroll to make attacks times even etc. IMO Pianoteq isn't the most realistic piano sound but it's one of the most playable and flexible. With strings I could give up little of realism if I could get easier and more flexible strings. Quite often you would like to have strings "feeling" instead of ultimate realism, get kind of a perfect orchestra to play exactly how you want as a composer. And put your time and creative power to composing, not to endless tweaking of CCs, velocities, start times etc. And this is not to say that other times you may want to have realism which needs sample libraries.

Anyway many thanks for interesting tips! I am quite newbie here with string software...

P.S. I believe sample libraries perform best for percussive style (staccato, marcato) but have most trouble in long legato lines. Situation is quite equivalent with sampled vs. modeled piano sounds.

Then again, there's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkPvmr93K8