Best Realistic VST instruments

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

This 'Community' version of Versilian Studios' VSCO is free, and comes in many versions incl. SFZ and WAV

https://vis.versilstudios.com/vsco-comm ... l#versions

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Sonatina Orchestra. Free, and wrapped in it's own VST/AU player:

https://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/ ... dules.html

[musicjunk]

best free relatistic and great sounding vsts is LABS by Spitfire audio

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

The op has been back to edit their original post, but not to thank anybody for taking time to help

[Harry_HH]

Yeah - and the funniest thing is, that he add the word ”free” to several places - except there, were it really helped the Forum member, namely the thread header...

[Erisian]

What is the point of punching somebody up over an oversight and then expecting him to thank you for the privilege?

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

What is the point of punching somebody up over an oversight and then expecting him to thank you for the privilege?

I wasn't "punching" anybody for an oversight. I only mentioned the edit because it shows that they have been back and are aware that members have made efforts to help. They just can't be bothered to thanks anybody

[SparkySpark]

Well, ANYWAY... there seems to be some good suggestions here for free or inexpensive orchestral/strings options, so I'll try to hijack the thread a bit. If I remember correctly, the LABS strings are realistic but like a very intimate section. The rest I don't know really.

I am now looking for some cheap or free strings for choruses of piano ballads (and such). So no strange wood-knocking or so in a monumental library, just nice and usable ballad-y legato strings in a relatively small download. What library would that be nowadays? (I don't have Kontakt, BTW.)

UPDATE: I looked at the video for https://www.orchestraltools.com/store/collections/45 and was blown away by the fact they released it for free! Haven't tried it yet though myself.

[thecontrolcentre]

Looks like a similar setup to LABS ...

[SparkySpark]

Looks like a similar setup to LABS ...

Well, I would say Layers is much like Virtual Guitarist/Virtual bassist. One key to select a root note for a chord, another key to select "version" (minor, major, sus4 etc). So there are no individual instruments, only sampled groups. Also high quality samples. So: just like the UJAM offerings, it's a limited set, but high quality and super easy to use. (Apple products come to mind. )

Still amazed it's released as freeware. If I were them, I would have sold it through UJAM, and with UJAM's UI.

For anyone interested, I'd like to point out you can choose what articulations and instrument groups to download, so you don't have to download the entire 17GB library.

LayersDownloadSamples.png