Review: Cinematic Studio Series – Cinematic Studio Strings

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So what is Cinematic Studio Strings?

css_boxartThis is the latest string library from the company that brought us Cinematic Strings and Cinematic Strings 2.

This is the first part in a series that will feature various orchestral sections/instruments all recorded in the same environment.

The idea is the have a clean and intuitive interface with dynamic, realistic, and expressive string sections for film, game, and TV composers.

However…you know me, and if it sounds good it can be used in any type of music that calls for great sounding strings.

Quick Specs

How does it sound?

Reel to Reel Tape RecorderI really dig the sound here, it definitely has that “move score” quality to it. A bit bright overall, open sounding, and very dynamic.

Though it isn’t really a part of the sound, I feel the interface lends itself to expressive playing by making it simple to switch articulations and other settings.

I particularly liked how the short articulations can be switched with the mod-wheel, that makes it more comfortable to change it up on the fly for me at least.

The legato sounds amazing and I really dig how it is tied to velocity so you can get super expressive and realistic sounding passages without thinking too much about the technical aspect of things.

I feel it allows those without a super deep understanding of orchestration or composition to still be able to pull out some great productions without totally changing their workflow.

So yeah…it sounds great.

What’s the bottom line?

There are a lot of string libraries on the market, and like any sound, it really depends on the style and flavor that you’re looking for.

To me, another huge aspect is how easy it is to navigate, play, and even look it.

4andhalfsubsI give Cinematic Studio Strings 4.5 out of 5 subs, it sounds amazing, is super intuitive to play, and the interface is nice and clean, which makes it a joy to use.

Not to mention the fact that it is in NKS format so I can immediately control various aspects of it from Maschine or my Komplete Kontrol keyboard.

I’ve been a fan of these guys since the original Cinematic Strings, which was one of the first professional string libraries I had used at the time.

To follow up with Cinematic Strings 2 and now this just shows they are dedicated to constantly improving both their sound and playability while still keeping the instruments intuitive.

Go on over and check it out: http://www.cinematicstudioseries.com/strings.html

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

6 Comments

  1. Nice demo!! One thing I didn’t see, which, to me, is an important feature, especially with orchestral instruments, is the ability to manipulate the dynamics with the mod wheel…I know some of the more expensive packages on the market do offer that…again, I love the way you go right into demonstrating the sounds!!

    Reply

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