East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra is a reference library on the market of the orchestral sounds banks. She is in competition with libraries such as the Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL), Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO)... What differentiates her of her rivals and made its success?
This library declines in several versions of the least expensive to the most expensive:
- Silver version
- Gold version
- Platinum version
- Platinum plus version
These libraries are different according to several criteria:
- The number of offered instruments
- The number of articulations and available keyswitches
- The totality of recorded notes (hromatically sampled or not).
- The available microphones (close, hall, stage)
- Samples available in 16 bits and/or 24 bits
Different versions give following characteristics:
| Version |
Instruments |
Articulations |
Sampling |
Microphones |
Bits |
| Silver |
Limited |
Limited |
Not chromatic |
Hall |
16 bits |
| Gold |
Suit |
Suit |
Chromatic |
Hall |
16 bits |
| Platinum |
Suit |
Suit |
Chromatic |
Close, Hall, Stage |
16 bits |
| Platinum plus |
Suit |
Suit |
Chromatic |
Close, Hall, Stage |
16/24 bits |
Review concerns Platinum plus version. It contains the different sections of an orchestra: strings, winds, copperwares and percussions. Every section is then made up of instruments in sections (18 violins, 6 horns) and in version soloist (flute, trumpet player). Every instrument has group of articulations allowing to reproduce in most near the game of the orchestra (staccato,
sustain,
legato). Play version adds an important modification in the management of
keyswitches. There is not any more a series of
keyswitches for every instrument but only two (long and short articulations) for whom they deactivate the articulations which they do not like to use. This allows to have all articulations to hand with a descriptive text. It is however it's a shame that the description of articulations is not more clear (Known
Mod Leg,
DXF,
XF...) . Ambiguous terms harm the quick understanding of articulation.
This library is of very good quality. Coupled with the convolution reverb of
Play, a big "Hollywood" sound is very easily got. The new engine of
Play is really more competitive than the previous engine of
Kontakt. The number of
samples managed without artefacts is higher. As test on the same computer, 70
Pieces String saturated in 40
samples with interface Kontakt while with
Play they attain easily several hundred
samples played at the same time.
In negative points, it would be possible to name the unequal quality of some instruments. Some articulations (trumpet player, flute) are worse recorded and usable more hardly. There is some parasitic noise on some instruments with high volumes (triangle). The volume of recording of some instruments differs (violas>> violins). The main pressure in a library of this type is the realism of the
legato. With some articulations, the script of the
legato works well while for others result is more reserved.
In use, result is satisfactory very fast for an average ear. It is however necessary to give a considerable work to get a perfect orchestral simulation. This passes generally by:
- General knowledge of orchestration / instrumentation
- An exploration specifies possibilities of the library
- A recording in general via keyboard midi to humanise game
- A balance between the different microphones
- A modification midi to bring realism in instruments (legato, lasted...)
- A big variety of articulations to bring nuances
- A sound mixing allowing to avoid having a sound mass
In conclusion, East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra is a very good orchestral library. Indeed, in part its report quality / price, it is one of the sounds banks privileged of users. This is however a disadvantage because many compositions have from now on the same colours. It is necessary to succeed in distancing itself by offering an use more pushed by the library, more realistic... The library is not however exempt from small defects but these do not harm its use. Interface Play is particularly well adapted and allows even to use the library on a modest computer. East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra is therefore part of the top 3 of orchestral sounds banks.
UDUN
