NEW STRING LIBRARY -- announcing LA Scoring Strings (LASS)

[Thonex]

Hi Everyone,

LA Scoring Strings, a new paradigm in string libraries produced by Andrew Keresztes, will be exhibited at the Art Vista Booth (# 6427) at the NAMM show from January 15th -18th.

I’ll be demonstrating the library myself and look forward to seeing many of you there.

Below is a description of the library... it will be released in Kontakt format (unlocked editing, but locked samples and scripts). This library is in its final stages of development and demos will be posted soon after the NAMM show. Also, the price has yet to be determined... that too will be determined soon after the NAMM show.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


LA Scoring Strings (LASS) brings a whole new level of expressiveness, realism and real-time playability to sampled strings.

At the heart of its revolutionary sound are Real Legato performance sample patches and a unique "layered ensemble" approach. These ensembles were all recorded individually in a large film scoring studio. Because they're made up of different players (avoiding the dreaded "same player" sound), the ensembles combine seamlessly to produce entirely cohesive small, medium, or large sections with the right divisi ratios.

LASS also features solo instruments performed by the section leaders. Rather than sounding like "guest soloists," these instruments sound like the first chair players they actually are, blending perfectly with the sections they come from.

The players are recorded in position on the scoring stage and mixed in the traditional orchestral seating perspective, making it simple to get a magnificent string mix out of the box. Meanwhile we took the utmost care to ensure that the instruments can be panned anywhere with virtually no phasing problems should you need to do that.

And to make it easy to get just the right sound, all LASS patches and programming are consistent from the first chair to the full mix. If a part sounds right using the first chair patch, the same sequence will sound right with the full ensemble—no MIDI reprogramming should be required.

The result is unprecedented control over dynamics, performance, and section size.


Featured LASS Scripts
Note that these are just 3 of many scripts.

LASS Real Legato — REAL legato performance samples — meticulously programmed and scripted for non repetitive legato transitions and real-time control of legato articulations.
A.R.T. (Auto Rhythm Tool) — an advanced (yet simple to use) rhythm and accents script with humanization features.
Trill Script — the script intelligently triggers trills diatonically in any key with just 1 Key Switch.


List of articulations:
There will be over 40+ legato patches (different performances) that in-and-of-themselves are like premium virtual instruments. Note that “L” means Legato, “P” means Portamento and “G” means Glissando. All dynamic layers are controllable in real-time via mod wheel (CC1).

• Espressivo Real Legato LPG
  Espressivo Real Legato LP
  Espressivo Real Legato L
  Espressivo Real Legato P
  Espressivo Real Legato G
  Espressivo Sustains
  Non Vibrato Sustains
  Staccatos (with Intelligent 4 x round robin and random modes as well as A.R.T. — Automatic Rhythm Tool)
  Spiccatos (with Intelligent 4 x round robin and random modes as well as A.R.T. — Automatic Rhythm Tool)
  Pizzicato (with Intelligent round robin as well as A.R.T. — Automatic Rhythm Tool)
  Tremolos (with multiple dynamics)
  Trills Maj/Min (with multiple dynamics and Trill Tool that allows diatonic performance of trills in any key)
  Con Sordino (with "formant correct" legato)
  Harmonics (Natural and Artificial)
  Bartok Pizzicatos for Basses

Instruments and sections:

• Violins
  1 player First Chair
  4 players ensemble A
  4 players ensemble B
  8 players ensemble C
  16 players full section mix
  
  Violas
  1 player First Chair
  3 players ensemble A
  3 players ensemble B
  6 players ensemble C
  12 players full section mix
  
  Cellos
  1 player First Chair
  3 players ensemble A
  3 players ensemble B
  4 players ensemble C
  10 players full section mix
  
  Basses
  1 player First Chair
  2 players ensemble A
  2 players ensemble B
  4 players ensemble C
  8 player full section mix

[kosi]

Wow, sounds very interesting !

Any infos about the platform ? Standalone or Plugin ? Kontakt based ? Own engine ?

Any audio demos yet ?

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by kosi

Wow, sounds very interesting !

Any infos about the platform ? Standalone or Plugin ? Kontakt based ? Own engine ?

Any audio demos yet ?

Thanks Kosi

It will be Kontakt based, will operate as stand-alone or in as a plugin, it will be open to editing but the scripts and samples will be locked.

Demos will be coming soon after NAMM (within a few weeks)..

Cheers,

T

[jamwerks]

Hi Thonex,

Congradulations on your new product. It sounds very interesting. Try to get somebody to film your presentation at NAMM and then post it on your site or on UTube. And keep your price low and you'll have lots more customers!

All best........

[pigcat]

Ah, annoucement without demo is a little turn off. I'm in search for the ultimate strings and hopefully this turn out to be the one.

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by pigcat

Ah, annoucement without demo is a little turn off. I'm in search for the ultimate strings and hopefully this turn out to be the one.

yeah :-) Totally understand your feeling. This is a pre namm announcement... shortly after namm (I'd say within a few weeks) we'll have official demos being posted. So hang in there... not too long yet. ;-)

Cheers,

T

[Farshad]

Let's see how it will compare to DVZ stuff (both sound- and price-wise)...

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by Farshad

Let's see how it will compare to DVZ stuff (both sound- and price-wise)...

Hi Farshad,

Thanks for the interest.

This is completely different in concept to DVZ. For one, this is heavily based on real legato performance samples. And there is no "DVZ" script here. All layers are patches that you decide how you want to layer.

Cheers,

T

[gsilbers]

dvz is probalby better but at a price point that almost no one can afford.

i still wana hear this ones and know the price!

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by gsilbers

dvz is probalby better but at a price point that almost no one can afford.

i still wana hear this ones and know the price!

Thanks gsibers,

We'll be posting demos after NAMM... I'm confident you'll be impressed.

Cheers,

T

[audiomichael]

Originally Posted by gsilbers

dvz is probalby better but at a price point that almost no one can afford.

In one sentence you're probably wrong twice.

[Farshad]

Originally Posted by Thonex

Hi Farshad,

Thanks for the interest.

This is completely different in concept to DVZ. For one, this is heavily based on real legato performance samples. And there is no "DVZ" script here. All layers are patches that you decide how you want to layer.

Cheers,

T

Great. Any ideas on the sound itself? dry? stage? hall?

[Jack Weaver]

I can understand any unbelief in a new string library. Especially from a 'new' developer.

There was one unofficial demo of just the sordino strings being played live behind a soprano sax from another manufacturer's library. It was very lush and natural sounding. And it was just comping chords realtime.

I do own pretty much all of the currently available string libraries. I'm not counting AI's DVZ in the list because it's pretty much unreleased except to a few people right now.This library (LASS) pretty much floored me with even this small display. I'm acquainted with the person who did that demo and he told me a couple days ago about many of the things it can do. Feel free to review the first post in this thread.

Thonex most likely has a big time winner on his hands. I look forward to seeing it in action at NAMM later on this week.

IMHO, AI's DVZ is much thinner sounding overall. I've done a personal demo of it some time ago. What makes me consider at all getting it (AI) is the time & pitch smear capabilities. Nobody else comes close to that.

It seems these are completely different animals. LASS is the wonderful Hollywood studio string sound perfect for all sorts of lush things - and wonderful for layering with itself and/or other libraries - and AI is the 'play it like a piano and pretty much comes out like an orchestra' thing. Not a lot of tweaking involved.

C'mon gird up your loins, you know the GearSlutz motto, ' If you can't decide between two pieces of gear - then get them both!'

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by Farshad

Great. Any ideas on the sound itself? dry? stage? hall?

Hi again Farshad,

It was recorded in a large scoring stage... so it has more of an intimate detailed scoring stage sound as opposed to a hall. I was aiming for a good 1rst reflection of the scoring stage combined with enough stage tail to "round out the sound" without committing you to a reverb sound.

So, I would say it has an intiate stage sound. It is meant to be used with the reverb of your choice.

Hope this helps.



@ Jack W,

Thanks Jack for the kind words. Yeah, craigs sax demo was very nice.. and the LASS sordinos he used were (I believe) only one of the 1/4 section ones... which gave him the intimacy he was going after. And yeah.. he did play it in like a piano

Cheers,

T

[kosi]

Any chance to listen to Craigs sax-demo ?

[lorenzo]

hi

there

v.i. control forum • View topic - Chris Hein Soprano Sax Demo [ Guest ]

[noiseflaw]

Originally Posted by lorenzo

hi

there

v.i. control forum • View topic - Chris Hein Soprano Sax Demo [ Guest ]

Checked it out. (I have a whole bunch of string libraries VSL included).


For a simple support comping that ain't bad - not bad at all.

Sounded nice and lush actually with a comforting warm roundness. Quite silky too.

Hmm..

Interested.

[HOTC]

i dont know is there any point to another string libary..like they sound good but when you compare to a real orchestra they just sound shit

[kosi]

Oh yeah, thanks for this, the strings sound very nice !

I'll stay interested

[jamwerks]

Sounds interesting, although I think that the demo with the Chris Hein Sop. Sax isn't very well done. The string programing is often a bit heavy handed, but I get the impression that the sound is there, it just needs to be done better. And the Sax doesn't at all sound like it's in the same room or "sound space" as the strings. I know that it's hard to do with just samples, but I think (and have heard lots better) it could be better done by a real mixing engineer.

Can't wait to hear more stuff!

[noiseflaw]

Originally Posted by jamwerks

Sounds interesting, although I think that the demo with the Chris Hein Sop. Sax isn't very well done. The string programing is often a bit heavy handed, but I get the impression that the sound is there, it just needs to be done better. And the Sax doesn't at all sound like it's in the same room or "sound space" as the strings. I know that it's hard to do with just samples, but I think (and have heard lots better) it could be better done by a real mixing engineer.

Can't wait to hear more stuff!

Yes the string orchestration is a bit leaden as its just block chord comping - but the quality of the strings sounds promising...

Need to hear more - something more expertly arranged though.

[Thonex]

Thanks guys,

Yes... regarding Criag's demo -- that was not an official LASS demo... it was a Chris Henze Soprano Sax demo with string pads to support it. Craig is very talented, and he'd be the first to admit he just "plunked" chords down pianistically as opposed to playing in the lines 1 at a time (which invariably yields much better results). And that was with 1/4 compliment of the sordino strings.

Just wanted to be clear on what you guys are listening to.

The official demos will start to be posted within a coupe weeks after NAMM. We're almost there.. so hang tight..and most of all.. thanks for the interest and patience.

Cheers,

Andrew

[pigcat]

Hey, the strings sound nice! Definitely up on par to many libraries available now!

All dynamic layers can be controlled with modwheel? Great!! Can't wait to hear the official demo!

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by pigcat

Hey, the strings sound nice! Definitely up on par to many libraries available now!

All dynamic layers can be controlled with modwheel? Great!! Can't wait to hear the official demo!

Thanks Pigcat (pigcat.... my 5 year old son has drawn and written a series of homemade picture books called Catpig... funny combination of animals.)

Yes.. all layers are controllable via CC1 (mod wheel), furthermore, this is done without a phasing or doubling sound -- especially important on the solo instruments. This was accomplished without the use "Sample Modeling" techniques.

Cheers,

T

[pigcat]

The more I listen, the more I'm looking forward to this strings library! This one sound more up front, more like you really hear the the players in the front and at the back, which is what I wanted all the while!

I find many strings library are sampled in a more orchestra way where it need to blend with other sections. But this is more dedicated to strings. It's actually similar to Peter Siedlaczek (holy crap I managed to memorize the spelling!!) Strings Essential but I like this one a tad more to be honest.

I'll be monitoring this thread.

[Thonex]

Originally Posted by pigcat

This one sound more up front, more like you really hear the the players in the front and at the back, which is what I wanted all the while!

Good ears!

Also remember those are sordinos.

We experimented a lot before we chose that balance of mics. The testers (all accomplished orchestral composers in their own right) and I kept on coming back to the mix we chose because it it provided so much detail and possibilities.

Any wetter and it would preclude you from getting certain types of sounds... whereas one can always add more verb.

Cheers,

T

[pigcat]

Originally Posted by Thonex

Also remember those are sordinos.

Were they? What more I can say, I'm impresed!

[pigcat]

Originally Posted by pigcat

It's actually similar to Peter Siedlaczek (holy crap I managed to memorize the spelling!!) Strings Essential but I like this one a tad more to be honest.

I quote myself here. And I have to correct this utter shit statement I made earlier - I digged out the old demo I downloaded long time ago and listen again, well, it absolutely no comparison to this! LASS is much much better.

[noiseflaw]

Originally Posted by pigcat

It's actually similar to Peter Siedlaczek (holy crap I managed to memorize the spelling!!)

lol!

I always, always have to google his name before spelling it!

Yeah I am looking forward to hearing this library too - it sounds like it has 'vibe' something sorely lacking in many libraries out t'day.

Let's hope.

[The MPCist]

Very interested in this and will be keeping an eye on this thread for sure!

From the demo, sounds promising but would like to hear a more 'strings only'
well-programmed demo......

Is there a website or something? I googled but didn't find anything except
this thread.