Hey SQ friends,

 

So I'm setting up a new home studio around Cubase.

 

I would like your recommendations for the best VST libraries out there. My goal is to bring the awesomeness of the SQ4 soundtrack into the 21st century.

I already have the Garritan Personal Orchestra as well as LASS and Edriol's Orchestral.

 

Honestly, if this is the this is at best that's out there? Meh.

 

But, you musician working stiffs, you know what's best. What do you recommend?

 

As always, your music pal, Ken Allen

Off the top of my head, here are a few free ones I use often:

• DSK Brass
• DSK Mini DrumZ 2 (vintage drum machine sampler)
• DSK Strings
• eSLine (Solina simulator)
• Majken's Chimera (great softsynth for more ambient stuff)
• MinimogueVA
• MrRay73 (very convincing Fender Rhodes simulator)
• LUCEifer (Polymoog simulator)
• SxMJune (Moog/ARP-ish synth)
• tb_tapeworm (a great Mellotron simulator)

As you can tell, I'm a sucker for vintage synth sounds.

My preferences in orchestral VST:

for strings: LASS 2

for brass: I use Orchestral Brass Classic (oldie but goodie), however I tried CineBrass and it sounds amazing (it is the next thing I am buying)

for solo brass: the SampleModeling series are as good as the real thing

for a more casual brass sound: Mojo Horns is the best

for percussion: Elite Orchestral Percussion. True Strike is another alternative

for exotic percussion: World Impact

for pianos: I prefer the Galaxy Pianos series

for harp: CineHarp

for woodwinds: I prefer the Westgate series, although Wallander Wivi might be something to look into

 

EastWest Symphonic Orchestra is a good backup for most of the sounds, however there are better alternatives in the above and now I use this very sparely.

Realistic SQ4 soundtrack?! DUDE.

 

EastWest is the best I've ever heard. I also have Garriton Personal Orchestra and Edirol Orchestral and neither of them light a candle to its vast and excellent sounding library. However, you can spot EastWest a mile away and everything that uses it sounds all the same. I've never had the pleasure of trying the ones Vega mentioned. There's just never enough money. sigh

Realistic SQ4 soundtrack?! DUDE.

Indeed. I don't have any VST suggestions but I'm excited to hear what's in store here.

Doubtless this thread is helpful for Ken Allen, but I'm finding it a great help as well. I've become weary of using the GenMidi instrument bank, and while I've had satisfactory results with the Synth1 VST, I would quite like having a few others in my repertoire. Thanks all!