A Guide to Spitfire String Libraries

String Sections

Formally known in previous volumes as Mural, Symphonic Strings is a symphonic sized string section recorded in the famous Lyndhurst Hall at AIR Studios.

Featuring 16 1st Violins, 14 2nd Violins, 12 Violas, 10 Cellos & 8 Basses, this library is aimed towards composers needing a full and rich sound at their fingertips. Symphonic Strings is often compared and combined with Chamber Strings, and both of these libraries serve as Spitfire Audio's main "flagship" string libraries.

Developed over 4 years from the Mural range, Symphonic Strings features a huge number of articulations, versatile microphone positions, and also includes our unique performance legato patches.

By nature, Symphonic Strings is a very ambient library due to the huge hall that the samples were captured in, and is included in our Symphonic Range of libraries all recorded in the same space.

Similar to Symphonic Strings, Chamber Strings is a combination of previous volumes named Sable.

Chamber Strings features a chamber sized string section, which is made up of 4 1st Violins, 3 2nd Violins, 3 Violas, 3 Cellos & 3 Basses. In comparison to Symphonic Strings, Chamber Strings focuses on the small beauty and detail of a string section, and aims to capture those tiny nuances that a larger section would struggle to achieve.

As a direct counterpart to Symphonic Strings in terms of section size, both of these libraries have a very similar number of features, and both were recorded in the same space in AIR Studios. Chamber Strings is noticeably smaller sounding in comparison to Symphonic Strings, and is a personal favourite of ours at Spitfire HQ.

Chamber Strings also features a Professional version, which will give you access to many more unique microphone positions.

In a different light to our Symphonic and Chamber libraries, Studio Strings is Spitfire Audio's first "dry" string library, and was recorded in Studio One at AIR rather than the large hall.

Because of the dry recording location you will have more control and flexibility when processing the samples. This makes the library great for pop and library tracks as well as film scoring. Studio Strings is also available in 2 volumes: Core & Professional. 

The Core version features a standard (8, 6, 6, 6, 4) player setup, with access to the default Tree microphone position. In Professional, you have access to 7 extra unique microphone positions, a large band section (16, 12, 12, 12, 4) and 2 divisi sections (4, 3, 3, 3), on top of what is offered in the Core version. You can use these divisi options to create a chamber section, or even layer them with larger sections. 

If it’s control, fine detail and versatility you’re after, Studio Strings is your core component for fresh new avenues of composition

Hans Zimmer Strings is the biggest project that Spitfire has undertaken to date; featuring a near impossible number of players that can only be achieved in the world of virtual instruments. 

Over 344 players, all recorded in left, central, and right positions of the soundstage in the huge Lyndhurst hall by Geoff Foster. HZS adopted multi-award winning composer Hans Zimmer's groundbreaking approach to large group sampling, and took this it to another level. From thundering basslines to glass-like high strings, this library is symphonic strings maximised.

Hans Zimmer Strings features more microphone positions and articulations than any other string library available on the market, and is perfect for any composer seeking a huge and thunderous string sound.

London Contemporary Orchestra Strings is unique among our other String libraries, featuring articulations that focus on the 'performance' and player techniques alone. 

The library comprises 6 Violins, 4 Violas, 3 Celli and 2 Basses with the Celli in octaves, all in a tight and dry room in Spitfire HQ. Over 100 articulations were captured across all sections, giving you a huge palette of experimental sounds.

Creating this library allowed us to do two things: capture the unique techniques and styling of an extremely exciting group of musicians for use in our own compositions and create new instruments with them that could only be possible by harnessing the power of modern sampling technology. 

Solo Strings

Featuring only soloists and recorded in the Lyndhurst hall, Solo Strings is the perfect addition to any other library in the Symphonic Range.

Solo Strings was released in 2018 and features 6 players: Virtuoso, Progressive and 1st Desk Violins, as well as Solo Cello, Viola, and Contrabass. This library is perfect for lyrical solo passages, quartet writing, and even for layering with a full section to add definition. Featured in this library is our most complete single patch yet, the "Total Performance" patch for the Virtuoso Violin.

Somewhat a direct counterpart to Alternative Solo Strings, this library very much plays to a traditional, virtuosic sound, recorded in the pleasurable ambience of the AIR soundstage. 

Recorded at the Wigmore Hall specifically for those looking to write for string quartet. Sacconi was a unique opportunity to sample a library in arguably one of the best chamber acoustics in the world with award winning musicians. 

Featuring the standard Quartet setup; 2 Violinists, a Violist and Cellist, Sacconi was created specifically for those wishing to write for Quartet.

The library contains 6 different microphone perspectives, including the main stereo position which gives you the classic sound of the hall. Other positions include two close mics, decca tree, outriggers and ambients. 15 different articulations are included with the library from tight spiccatos to longs with complete vibrato control and a whole host of others in between. 

In a similar vein to London Contemporary Orchestra Strings, Alternative Solo Strings was an altogether different approach to solo string sampling and aimed at capturing the unique and raw performances from the players themselves.

Recorded dry in the studio at Spitfire HQ, this library is perfect for any composer looking to add unique and interesting textures or performances to their compositions.

The signature patches in this library are the "Long Alternative" articulations, in which we asked the performers to add some of their own 'quirks' and 'character' to the phrases, with the belief that a certain amount of realistic unpredictability leads to some very exciting results.

Alternative Solo Strings features 4 sampled instruments, Violin, Viola, Cello and Contrabass.

Evolution Libraries

Previously known as Mural Evolutions, Symphonic Strings Evolutions is a direct extension of Symphonic Strings. 

Featuring 16 1st Violins, 14 2nd Violins, 12 Violas, 10 Cellos & 8 Basses and recorded in the same space as Symphonic Strings, this library is unique in that it uses our EVO Grid technology. This allows you to create and perform engaging, sophisticated and emotional music from the simplest arrangements. 

As a layering tool it can bring static arrangements to life with elegant, modern and progressive orchestral techniques. This library is all about creating beautiful evolving string textures with ease.

If you already own Symphonic Strings, you are eligible for a 10% off crossgrade, just add Symphonic Strings Evolutions to your cart while logged in.

Heavily inspired by the music of Ólafur Arnalds, we worked in collaboration with the man himself to produce an evolution-based string library.

Ólafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions is made up of 4 1st Violins, 3 2nd Violins, 3 Violas, 3 Cellos & 3 Basses, and is also the first Spitfire string library to feature the "waves" articulation. Waves are notes that move along a wave-like dynamic arc, appearing from nothing, swelling, and then dying away again to nothing. 

The library can be used stand alone to create beautifully textured string music, or it can be used with your existing string libraries to add colour, life and detail to your productions.

With 19 different ‘evolutions’ and 3 types of ‘waves’ there is a huge variety of sound here to keep you inspired!