KVR Audio

KirkHunter · Post by **KirkHunter** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:24 pm

Los Angeles, CA, January 13, 2014 -- Kirk Hunter Studios CEO Kirk Hunter believes orchestral sample libraries are too expensive and his company seeks to change that.

According to Hunter, "High end orchestral sample libraries are invaluable tools for today's composers, musicians and producers, whether it's professionals, semi-professionals, students or hobbyists. Specifically, they're often priced far out of the reach of young, up-and-coming musicians, composers and producers -- and particularly for students and those located in less affluent parts of the world. Very simply, I want to change that."

"Orchestral sample libraries are very costly to produce, consequently, sample library developers price these libraries fairly high, expecting to sell a relatively small number of libraries, largely to pros, semi-pros and advanced hobbyists with serious budgets. Even more, these sample users commonly purchase libraries from various developers and mix them together. Starting today, our company's objective will be to continue to offer the same level of high quality orchestral libraries but to make them more affordable to musicians, composers and producers around the globe. We want to change the landscape. We hope that our fellow developers will follow on the path we have forged and all of us can make these tools affordable enough so that, for example, they are accessible even to a student on a tight budget. Consequently, effective immediately, we're lowing the prices on all of our sample libraries across-the-board, without exception."

Even more, Kirk Hunter Studios is now in the midst of a Group Buy sale, which provides sample users with discounts as high as 50% off the new list prices. The new list prices on Kirk Hunter Studios libraries are as follows

Spotlight Strings Reg Price - WAS $299 USD NEW LIST PRICE: $249 USD
Our most advanced and playable string library.

Concert Strings 2 Reg Price - WAS $799 USD NEW LIST PRICE: $399 USD

4 String Sections in 1 Library - Symphonic, Studio, Chamber and Solo. For EXS24 too!

Concert Brass 2 Reg Price - $349 USD NEW LIST PRICE: $249 USD
4 Brass Sections in 1 Library - Symphonic, Studio, Chamber and Solo.

Pop/Rock Strings Reg Price - $249 USD NEW LIST PRICE $179 USD
Built from parts of the popular Concert Strings 2 Library, and works with the FREE KONTAKT Player. Full version of KONTAKT not required!

Diamond Symphony Orchestra Reg Price - $549 USD NEW LIST PRICE $299 USD
Our entry-level strings, brass and woodwinds and several orchestral percussion instruments.

Solo Strings 1 Reg Price - $99 USD NEW LIST PRICE $79 USD
Taken from our Diamond library, Solo Strings 1 s a long time best seller!

More information is available at www.kirkhunterstudios.com.

Breeze · Post by **Breeze** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:00 pm

That's a grand and welcome gesture. So much talent in the world is invisible or under exploited because of a lack of opportunities. Given the nature of our exploitation-based economies, it's rather exceptional to see things move in this direction. Some may claim you're doing this because your libraries aren't as coveted, or that you personally need to generate more income... whatever! The end result is that this creative resource will find its way into more hands and I for one strongly applaud this.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:22 pm

So, to take advantage of current group buy, one has to have $550 to get a $225 worth of software (Diamond)? I mean, if the policy is to provide a refund after the group buy, that's kind of shooting oneself in the foot because while i certainly can afford a $225, i'm not sure i can scrap up $550 to buy the $225 library... Lost sale?

Other than that, great move! I'll probably pick up Spotlight Strings since i've been looking for good (and affordable) solo strings for a while, and this one seems to sound very nice...

bigcat1969 · Post by **bigcat1969** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:37 pm

I'm hoping the group buy takes off. A couple years ago you could get Diamond for under $150, I'm not sure I want to go over that for a library that is now two years older.

From a two year old cockos thread.
"Diamond (Orchestra) - ($549.00) $137.25"

chroma · Post by **chroma** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:52 pm

Burillo wrote:So, to take advantage of current group buy, one has to have $550 to get a $225 worth of software (Diamond)? I mean, if the policy is to provide a refund after the group buy, that's kind of shooting oneself in the foot because while i certainly can afford a $225, i'm not sure i can scrap up $550 to buy the $225 library... Lost sale?

Other than that, great move! I'll probably pick up Spotlight Strings since i've been looking for good (and affordable) solo strings for a while, and this one seems to sound very nice...

you don't have to pay in advance... it's optional.
if i remember correctly, there are two options: 1) Wait until the end of the group buy, then buy & download it at those prices. 2) Buy & download now, and at end of group buy, get refund for price difference.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:06 pm

chroma wrote:
Burillo wrote:So, to take advantage of current group buy, one has to have $550 to get a $225 worth of software (Diamond)? I mean, if the policy is to provide a refund after the group buy, that's kind of shooting oneself in the foot because while i certainly can afford a $225, i'm not sure i can scrap up $550 to buy the $225 library... Lost sale?

Other than that, great move! I'll probably pick up Spotlight Strings since i've been looking for good (and affordable) solo strings for a while, and this one seems to sound very nice...
you don't have to pay in advance... it's optional.
if i remember correctly, there are two options: 1) Wait until the end of the group buy, then buy & download it at those prices. 2) Buy & download now, and at end of group buy, get refund for price difference.

could you please point me to where this is written on Kirk Hunter Studios website? i must have missed something obvious, although i've looked through entire site...

don1thedon · Post by **don1thedon** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:37 pm

It refers to it in "Instant Gratification"
If you buy now you will get the library now and a refund of whatever the difference is when the GB completes, if not simply wait and pay the GB price.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:05 pm

ah yes... found that... thanks! i knew i was missing something

eDrummist · Post by **eDrummist** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:04 am

I don't think anyone has brought it up, but Kirk added an additional discount of 5% off the Group Buy price for past customers (prior to the Group Buy). It's listed near the bottom of the Group Buy landing page, easy to miss, but good to find!

(Hopefully, this info will make somebody's day a little happier.)

http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/signup ... up_buy.php

eDrummist · Post by **eDrummist** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 3:46 pm

On the topic of Diamond, here's something kinda cool. It's a cue used in the official game "Captain America" -- not someone's version of the cue, but the original cue by composer David Logan who gave his permission for Kirk Hunter Studios to use it as a customer demo. It features Kirk Hunter Studios' Diamond Orchestra (unfortunately, it's an MP3, but it still sounds really nice):
http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/demos/ ... dlogan.mp3

eDrummist · Post by **eDrummist** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 5:12 am

Here's a snippet of Kirk playing one of his customer's famous songs, Dust in the Wind (Kerry Livgren, a KHS customer, is best known for his days writing and playing guitar and keyboards in Kansas, one of my favorite prog rock bands) using Spotlight Strings:
http://www.kirkhunterstudios.com/demos/ ... e_wind.mp3

Musical Gym · Post by **Musical Gym** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 5:58 am

I'd mostly have bought more than one library in the GB if I'd known about it a month or two before it was announced. At any rate, I'm looking forward to the one library I will be buying!

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:01 pm

Are there any woodwinds libraries planned (akin to Concert Brass)?

eDrummist · Post by **eDrummist** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:12 am

Burillo wrote:Are there any woodwinds libraries planned (akin to Concert Brass)?

Kirk doesn't seem to be around tonight, so I'll share what I know.

Kirk has talked about doing a woodwinds library. Of course, it all depends on demand, and if enough people want a woodwinds library, I would bet Kirk would do it. Perhaps after the Group Buy, I can work with Kirk to create a customer survey to ask KHS customers what instruments they'd most like to see KHS offer in the future. I suspect that woodwinds would be high on that list, especially based on requests I've seen posted in the last couple of years.

I'd encourage you and others to feel free to post your suggestions for future Kirk Hunter Studios libraries you'd like to see in this thread or the Marketplace Group Buy thread and I can add instruments that two or more people want to see (or that Kirk agrees would be a good fit) to the survey questionnaire that will be sent to customers.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 2:12 am

i have no need for detailed woodwinds or brass for immediate future (Miroslav covers my needs very well for now), but at some point i'd certainly like to pick up brass, and woodwinds would provide a nice complement

Kirk Hunter Studios Lowers Prices on All Libraries