Not nearly as flexible as I expected. You only get a few ways to alter the sound, and I can't approximate a real instrument.
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Product details
Brand: Spitfire Audio
Our highly acclaimed Violin (Virtuoso) Total Performance instrument is now available to purchase as a single patch in its own Kontakt Player library. Our most detailed and advanced solo violin to date has been performed by world-renowned virtuoso concert violinist Jack Liebeck in The Hall at AIR Studios. It contains all of the techniques you need to create an ultra realistic solo performance, including five different types of true legato — fingered legato, bowed legato and portamento legato, runs and arpeggios. It also features spiccato, staccato, tremolo, trills, molto vibrato, progressive vibrato and non vibrato — all combined together to enable musical phrasing without the need for key-switching, and programmed to react to playing speed and touch. Easy to play and intuitive, it allows you to focus entirely on your composition, without the need to ‘stitch’ together performances. This patch can also be found in our renowned Spitfire Solo Strings library.
All reviews
Spitfire Solo Violin feels like a genuinely living instrument. Of course, no virtual instrument can fully replace a real human performance, but with a little careful work on the MIDI CCs, it can come remarkably close. The tone is expressive, organic, and full of subtle movement. Once the dynamics, expression, vibrato, and phrasing are shaped properly, the instrument responds in a very musical and convincing way.
I did not realize that this didn't come with the ability to manually switch performance modes. And since it seems to be dependent on phrasing/velocity, it makes it both inconsistent and unreliable for improvisation
The sounds are quit nice, sometimes slightly to sharp and hars. I am not satisfied with the vibrato. From no vibrate sliding up does not work as a sliding increase but it works as an on of switch. This makes the difference in sound much to abrupt. I use a Nuances slider/ controller, this one works perfect with other libraries.
Unfortunately, I think it is unusable. I did spend considerable time working with the controllers, etc. The vibrato is not graceful or musical, and I would say it’s even hard on my ears. Using cc to “Crossfade“ from non-vibrato to vibrato was really just an on and off switch. Way too sudden and artificial. Also, the type of non-vibrato technique that was sampled is a very specific stark technique. Not at all a preamble to a lyrical note that would naturally swell into vibrato. I know you guys make great products. But I was terribly disappointed in this one and unfortunately, I won’t be able to use it.
A truly fascinating instrument… intelligently allows beautiful legatos without the need for cumbersome key switches. Legatos like butter
When playing in my DAW, there is a lot of clicking going on. When rendered to WAV, it's all fine, but hard to be creative when this happens in the DAW.
It is a high quality sounding and decent performing sample tool. Enjoy using it.
I cried when I played it the first time.
I have a clicking sound when there should be legato. The other aspect of the sound is great but i bought it to have some variations in the legato
Works well on the iMac. Can't get it to install AT ALL on the laptop. Same OS, same DAW, same process. Just doesn't show up AT ALL on the laptop.
An excellent option when it comes to price/quality.
Solo violin has character, warmth, and expression.
Beautiful, realistic, and easy to use
The promotional video was very useful to discover the extent of what is possible with this virtual instrument. The quality is excellent apart from extended held notes which have a distinct and quite obvious re-bow sound after a certain duration. It is possible to minimise this with adjustments to the vibrato and MIDI level. Overall, when mixed well with other instruments, the solo violin sounds extremely realistic.
Exquisite samples & attention to detail
Pure Violin sounds
Wish there was an option for the harmonics of the violin - or violin at its softest level where it's basically a whisper. Very helpful in soundtracks to have that.
Unplayable
This violin sounds like the real thing. The only thing is that I haven’t yet found a way to use different bowing strokes. Like I said in my previous review, you get what you pay for. This is the best legato violin I’ve ever used/heard. I featured it in one of my recent songs.