FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE "OLD" SOLO STRINGS AND THE "NEW" SOLO STRINGS?
Whilst we still love the character of the legacy product, it was one of our oldest and longest serving libraries. Times have changed, and we have returned to AIR Lyndhurst to revisit and improve on a Spitfire favourite.
WHAT'S NEW?
Everything! We’ve recorded entirely new samples, updated scripting and created a cleaner and easier to use GUI, all of which is presented as an NKS compatible Kontakt Player library. And unlike our old Solo Strings library, this product also includes double bass, and three different violin styles - Virtuoso, 1st Desk and Progressive - each with their own unique articulations.
IS THERE A CROSSGRADE PATH FOR ORIGINAL SOLO STRINGS OWNERS?
Yes! As a thank you for your loyalty, owners who purchased the original Spitfire Solo Strings before the firesale began on 15th March 2018 will receive a special discount. Add Spitfire Solo Strings to your cart, and our cart will intelligently calculate your crossgrade. Make sure you’re logged in first!
WHY DO I NEED THIS PRODUCT?
Since we recorded Solo Strings in the Lyndhurst Hall at AIR, the library will blend perfectly with most of our existing libraries, including our Chamber Strings, Symphonic Strings, Brass, Woodwinds, as well as all of the Albions. And just like those libraries, Solo Strings was recorded by award-winning engineers, using world-class equipment: priceless ribbon and valve mics through Neve Montserrat preamps, the largest 88R Neve console in the world, and onto pristine 2” tape before being converted with the top-of-their-class Prism AD converters at 96k. There’s a reason that this hall has been the choice for Hollywood directors for decades.
WHAT ARE THE SPITFIRE SOLO VIOLIN AND SOLO CELLO TOTAL PERFORMANCE PATCHES?
Spitfire Solo Violin Total Performance and Spitfire Solo Cello Total Performance both contain all the techniques you need to create realistic solo performances — five different types of true legato: portamento legato, fingered legato, bowed legato, runs and arpeggios. They also feature: spiccato, staccato, tremolo, molto vibrato, progressive vibrato and non vibrato, plus pizzicato & Bartok pizzicato in Solo Cello — all combined together to enable musical phrasing without the need for key-switching, and programmed to react to playing speed and touch. This patch is easy to play and ultra-intuitive, allowing you to focus entirely on your composition, without the need for ‘stitching’ together performances.
CAN I PURCHASE SPITFIRE SOLO VIOLIN TOTAL PERFORMANCE AND/OR SPITFIRE SOLO CELLO TOTAL PERFORMANCE ON ITS OWN?
Yes! Spitfire Solo Violin Total Performance and Spitfire Solo Cello Total Performance are also available to purchase as individual libraries. Both are included in Spitfire Solo Strings at no extra cost.
IF I BUY EITHER OR BOTH OF THE TOTAL PERFORMANCE PATCHES ON THEIR OWN, IS THERE A CROSSGRADE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE SPITFIRE SOLO STRINGS?
Yes! To see how much you can save, add Spitfire Solo Strings to your cart and the crossgrade price will automatically generate at checkout.
HOW DO I UPDATE THE SOLO STRINGS LIBRARY?
Log into the Spitfire Audio App and you will see your update waiting for download. If you can’t see it straight away, click the ‘Update’ filter at the top of the screen, or use the search bar.
To begin updating Spitfire Solo Strings, click the ‘Update’ button beneath the product image. Navigate to the folder icon which is to the right of the “select location” bar. This enables you to choose the install location. Choose your “Spitfire Audio - Spitfire Solo String Library” folder. Click “Update”
For any help or support please visit our Support Center here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/support.
IS SPITFIRE SOLO STRINGS AVAILABLE WITH AN EDUCATIONAL DISCOUNT?
Yes, this library will be available with an educational discount. It’s worth noting that if you’re eligible for the loyalty crossgrade, you cannot “stack” the discounts, but rather “top up” to the EDU price of 30% off.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPITFIRE SOLO STRINGS AND ALTERNATIVE SOLO STRINGS?
Alternative Solo Strings was recorded dry, with the players performing in a very raw style. Our Spitfire Solo Strings is a direct counterpoint to this and very much plays to a traditional, virtuosic sound, recorded in the pleasurable ambience of the Hall at AIR Studios.
WHAT CONTEXT IS THIS LIBRARY BEST USED IN?
Spitfire Solo Strings are perfect for lyrical solo passages, quartet writing, and even for layering with a full section to add definition. Due to the recording location, Solo Strings will blend effortlessly with our other AIR libraries, and truly ‘completes’ the Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra.
WHICH OTHER SPITFIRE LIBRARIES MIGHT WORK WELL WITH SPITFIRE SOLO STRINGS?
Any library within our Symphonic Range, and any that were recorded at AIR Lyndhurst would work well with this library.
WHAT LEGATOS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN SPITFIRE SOLO STRINGS?
As well as the Total Performance patches mentioned above, this library features portamento, fingered & bowed legato patches for Violin (1st Desk), Viola and Cello. Watch Paul’s Walkthrough of the Spitfire Solo Strings Legatos here.
WHAT DO I USE LEGATOS FOR?
Long articulations typically include an attack sample, a sustain sample which is then looped and a release sample - all stitched together to make what you hear when you press a key. A legato articulation adds the sound of the transition between notes so that you can play a phrase of music that sounds more realistic than if you were to play it using all long notes.
You would use our “fingered” legato for notes which are connected by or contained within a slur on a musical score; the “bowed” legato is best used for notes which are marked détaché which means each note is played with a new stroke of the bow; and “portamento” legato is used where you want the pitch to slide between notes, usually indicated by a wavy line connecting the notes in the score.
HOW IT WORKS: SOLO STRINGS
Jack talks us through the user interface controls for Spitfire Solo Strings.