The most EXPRESSIVE Strings EVER? SWAM String Sections first look!

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[dgsoundCA]

2:57 it is the main theme of the second part of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 also named the "Pathétique" 🤓
Thank you so much Dom for everything you do for the community! 💖

[esoteric_teachings]

SWAMs products are AMAZING! I recently purchased their Saxophone bundle and I can't stop playing them, their great. I want their flutes and strings next.

[constantin_singer]

This is honestly mind-blowing! 🤯 Such a huge time saver compared to messing with all the articulations in classical sample libraries!

[DCPImages]

Thanks Dom, Really really interesting. For what it's worth, here's some thoughts.

1. Although expressive, SWAM still needs a prominent 'humanise' slider - no section can be this tight?
2. SWAM tremolos seem way too defined, regular, exaggerated, especially for sections?
3. I think we are about to witness a pandemic of portamentos.

I have all the SWAM solo instruments, but on top of them, price might be a barrier, at least for me.

🙂

[tophorus]

Thanks for the video Dom! It's certainly expressive, but I think the issue is that it still sounds like a single person playing it, just with the sounds multiplied. In a real group of musicians there will be subtle differences between the timing, articulations, etc that are missing here, such as the tremolo. It would be amazing if they could truly model multiple players with their variations rather than applying exactly the same modulations and expression values to every instrument in the group. (My musical training was a long time ago so sorry if I used the wrong terms.)

[aleksamrkela]

Love SWAM's solo strings; they're so agile to play, and that puts them a peg above most sampled libraries. :D

[ShantanuSudame]

its extraordianary.. so so so expressive. I use some of there indian instruments and a clarinet as well that they have created for geoshred. I m mind blown. Great insight.

[MeWreck]

Playability, flexibility, agility, section sizing, positioning in any hall, bow pressure adjustment, in one consistent instrument? Wow!
I don't mind if it sounds like any other sampled library. It sounds like an organic, expressive instrument.🚀
And doesn't take much footprint on SSD!

[diegoalejo]

Swam is amazing, I love the brass instruments

[Harrysound]

Great playing Dom. For me I need more bow and scratchy string noises

[charlesyateschalfant]

They're not realistic, too synthy. Far better options out there.

[Ceejayilc]

I think the samples are brilliant especially the solo instruments. But I think the modelling for multiple instruments sounds like its the same source so its almost a "kind of" phasing. Not audible as in true phasing, but perhaps not enough differentiated character to make a section. I hope it makes sense.

[HowlingUlf]

That godfather theme is in my top 10 sickest melodies of all time. It doesn't hurt to have them played from a great library hehe! :D
Physical modeling is the next big thing, and no I know it's been around at Standford before the Yamaha VL1 in the early 90s so it's not "new", but it hasn't caught on until fairly recently.

[DarkSideofSynth]

Great. It's all about playability and expressiveness. Let's face it. Dom could make a matchbox win an elastic band sound like the Wiener Philarmoniker ;)

[godofrainbows]

I think the thing that needs the most improvement, is it needs to be less perfect. They need to have a “looseness “parameter that can be adjusted to try to simulate a group of individual players that have more imperfect timing and pitch. In other words, everything sounds too tight. It needs to be a little more sloppy.

[Ahmad-Mounir]

I am not sure Dom! Don't get me wrong, SWAM is fantastic for live performance I guess? But it sounds artificial if I use it in trailer or an epic orchestral track. Like you said, it uses physical modelling rather than sampling which makes it unrealistic for film/tv composing. The sound is so similar to Korg or Yamaha arranger keyboards in live gigs so I think it does fit the orchestral pop genre more than film music production. I maybe wrong though :) Thanks for the review 👍

[futurelustmedia]

I recommend checking out the Expressive E touché also. It's quite good for expression. Great video so far! I'm halfway though

[jerrykjt]

Amazing sound Dom ! and playing as well !!

[aaronTmusic-]

Dom have you demo'd Pacific Ensemble Strings by Performance Samples?

[djrbfmbfm-woa]

These do not sound like a string ensemble, at least not the ones i've worked with over the years. As another poster said, they are too tight. even the best sections have some looseness. in addition as most sections get into the higher registers, the intonation suffers from human error. this is a good thing as it broadens the sound without being out of tune. i have a number of SWAM libraries and like them very much, especially the Saxes. i'm not convinced by this new edition though. j.