Softphonics Encore Review
Posted: 19 Feb 2017
Before I write my opinion about this string refill, I introduce myself with a few lines:
My name is Sascha, I'm 36 years old and I'm from the city of Essen / North Rhine Westphalia in Germany. And i make music in my free time. After nearly 10 years of break, I've been involved with music again in 2016. I have no solid music stalked direction, I do what I like from electro, dance, pop, handsup, trance to the king class (in my opinion) orchestral and film music on the computer.
Have already tried a lot of libraries and DAWs. And I finally ended up at Reason
Oh, it's my first review! So do not complain
The biggest problem I have ever seen with Reason was that in the field orchestra always very badly equipped for today's conditions. Well I must say that I have worked with East West Hollywood Orchestra for a long time and am therefore very spoiled.
In the meantime, I've noticed that Reason is in the filmcore area on a good way, which is why my decision to get Reason to me even further. (Thanks to Softphonics and Impact Soundworks).
But what I've never liked are the Strings Refills for Reason, there are already a few good Rack Extension or Refills but for Orchestra or filmscore, sorry but no. In my opinion all not good. Since you have a lot of tricks and be creative to get some good strings sounds. Okay, Reason is well known, but not everyone would like to spend the whole day producing sound sound. It can be a huge effort is needed. As an example, I take the rack extension of e-instruments Stringwerk.
No question the RE is qualitatively the highest what Reason had to offer a few days ago. But it is a Chambers String library and not a full Ensemble library for the full orchestral sound. ihave alot of work to fill up the sound with much performance cost.
And now I would like to come to the library of Softphonics. Encore Refill.
I would like to say something more, almost everything negatively, which is written is complaining to the highest level.
The sound of this library surprised me. A complete ensemble with clear sound. WOW!
There are several folders in the Combinator area where you do not have to search for long.
Combinator
NNXT
Samples
The main folder of this refill is the Combinator folder where it is again divided into 5 subfolders:
1. Instruments
2. Legato Instrument Ensembles
3. Split Instruments
4. Keyswitch patches
5. Animated Instruments
The instrument folder contains all ensemble strings instruments with the most famous articulations from sustain, staccato, spiccato, pizzecato to runs, tremolo and trills. So all important articulations are available. What is not available are round robin samples which are not present in the short strings staccato, etc. Whereby through Dynamics via Modwheel in combination with Velocity is a nice compensation to get nice sound passages in the opposite set to other Refills (Miroslav etc.). So as I said complain at a high level. It has not bothered me very much, because the sound is still the best thing I have heard so far.
the integration of the player for playing chords is really good too.
The main feature of this refill is the legato patch in the 2nd folder. A slur sound is generated with the pitchwheel, they called it Re Lego. Simply put, awesome.
I spent a lot of time creating different melodies with the Cello Ensemble Patch, unfamiliar to me but I got quite fast with it. One can determine the dispersion of the instrument with the modwheel, in combination with the master Mic Botton nice dynamics in the passages. With the legato patches you have the possibility to also switch microfone position on or off with front, middle and far Mic. Nice feature.
The only one where I was disappointed was just that in the intro video solo instruments was mentioned where I just thought that the legato feature is also available for solo strings. Unfortunately no, the solo strings are only available in the NNXT folder and only in sustain, so as a small bonus to make a first chair ambience sound, for example in the cello ensemble with first chair.
But my hope is that there will be a solo string refill with this feature in the future. (Or Softphonics? )
What I had not seen at Reason so far were Keyswitch Patches, so it was also very difficult for me to get that clear. So times you for example Cello KSW patch must keep the C0 pressed to produce sound. As I said I did not know I also very rarely use Keyswitch. Find it but very handy, as you can change the articulation in real time and not as with East West or contact player only from the next sound. So, as I said in real-time of change in tremolo, find very good.
What I had not seen at Reason so far were Keyswitch Patches, so it was also very difficult for me to get it clear. So times you for example Cello KSW patch must keep the C0 pressed to produce sound. As I said I did not know I also very rarely use Keyswitch. Find it but very handy, as you can change the articulation in real time and not as with East West or contact player only from the next sound. So, as I said in real-time of change in tremolo, find very good.
The Animated folder I have honestly not yet fully tested, since I have not yet come so far but I find the integration of the propellerhead players in this folder very well as far as I can judge. There is also an empty patch where you can create your own animation. Nice feature.
I hope I have not forgotten anything (please do not hit me )
Conclusion: for me this is definitely a compulsory purchase for each of the orchestral music with Reason wants to make what you get for the price performance is simply said great, so for me the best ensemble strings refill for Reason ever, basta .
+ Really great sound
+ Many articulations
+ Re Lego Feature
+ Large selection of combi patches
+ Good integration of the players
- No round robin in the short strings
- Solo Strings sustain patches only
If I had to score points 9/10
I hope this review is ok, and makes you a little easier with the decision
thx alot and greeting from germany
Sascha
My name is Sascha, I'm 36 years old and I'm from the city of Essen / North Rhine Westphalia in Germany. And i make music in my free time. After nearly 10 years of break, I've been involved with music again in 2016. I have no solid music stalked direction, I do what I like from electro, dance, pop, handsup, trance to the king class (in my opinion) orchestral and film music on the computer.
Have already tried a lot of libraries and DAWs. And I finally ended up at Reason
Oh, it's my first review! So do not complain
The biggest problem I have ever seen with Reason was that in the field orchestra always very badly equipped for today's conditions. Well I must say that I have worked with East West Hollywood Orchestra for a long time and am therefore very spoiled.
In the meantime, I've noticed that Reason is in the filmcore area on a good way, which is why my decision to get Reason to me even further. (Thanks to Softphonics and Impact Soundworks).
But what I've never liked are the Strings Refills for Reason, there are already a few good Rack Extension or Refills but for Orchestra or filmscore, sorry but no. In my opinion all not good. Since you have a lot of tricks and be creative to get some good strings sounds. Okay, Reason is well known, but not everyone would like to spend the whole day producing sound sound. It can be a huge effort is needed. As an example, I take the rack extension of e-instruments Stringwerk.
No question the RE is qualitatively the highest what Reason had to offer a few days ago. But it is a Chambers String library and not a full Ensemble library for the full orchestral sound. ihave alot of work to fill up the sound with much performance cost.
And now I would like to come to the library of Softphonics. Encore Refill.
I would like to say something more, almost everything negatively, which is written is complaining to the highest level.
The sound of this library surprised me. A complete ensemble with clear sound. WOW!
There are several folders in the Combinator area where you do not have to search for long.
Combinator
NNXT
Samples
The main folder of this refill is the Combinator folder where it is again divided into 5 subfolders:
1. Instruments
2. Legato Instrument Ensembles
3. Split Instruments
4. Keyswitch patches
5. Animated Instruments
The instrument folder contains all ensemble strings instruments with the most famous articulations from sustain, staccato, spiccato, pizzecato to runs, tremolo and trills. So all important articulations are available. What is not available are round robin samples which are not present in the short strings staccato, etc. Whereby through Dynamics via Modwheel in combination with Velocity is a nice compensation to get nice sound passages in the opposite set to other Refills (Miroslav etc.). So as I said complain at a high level. It has not bothered me very much, because the sound is still the best thing I have heard so far.
the integration of the player for playing chords is really good too.
The main feature of this refill is the legato patch in the 2nd folder. A slur sound is generated with the pitchwheel, they called it Re Lego. Simply put, awesome.
I spent a lot of time creating different melodies with the Cello Ensemble Patch, unfamiliar to me but I got quite fast with it. One can determine the dispersion of the instrument with the modwheel, in combination with the master Mic Botton nice dynamics in the passages. With the legato patches you have the possibility to also switch microfone position on or off with front, middle and far Mic. Nice feature.
The only one where I was disappointed was just that in the intro video solo instruments was mentioned where I just thought that the legato feature is also available for solo strings. Unfortunately no, the solo strings are only available in the NNXT folder and only in sustain, so as a small bonus to make a first chair ambience sound, for example in the cello ensemble with first chair.
But my hope is that there will be a solo string refill with this feature in the future. (Or Softphonics? )
What I had not seen at Reason so far were Keyswitch Patches, so it was also very difficult for me to get that clear. So times you for example Cello KSW patch must keep the C0 pressed to produce sound. As I said I did not know I also very rarely use Keyswitch. Find it but very handy, as you can change the articulation in real time and not as with East West or contact player only from the next sound. So, as I said in real-time of change in tremolo, find very good.
What I had not seen at Reason so far were Keyswitch Patches, so it was also very difficult for me to get it clear. So times you for example Cello KSW patch must keep the C0 pressed to produce sound. As I said I did not know I also very rarely use Keyswitch. Find it but very handy, as you can change the articulation in real time and not as with East West or contact player only from the next sound. So, as I said in real-time of change in tremolo, find very good.
The Animated folder I have honestly not yet fully tested, since I have not yet come so far but I find the integration of the propellerhead players in this folder very well as far as I can judge. There is also an empty patch where you can create your own animation. Nice feature.
I hope I have not forgotten anything (please do not hit me )
Conclusion: for me this is definitely a compulsory purchase for each of the orchestral music with Reason wants to make what you get for the price performance is simply said great, so for me the best ensemble strings refill for Reason ever, basta .
+ Really great sound
+ Many articulations
+ Re Lego Feature
+ Large selection of combi patches
+ Good integration of the players
- No round robin in the short strings
- Solo Strings sustain patches only
If I had to score points 9/10
I hope this review is ok, and makes you a little easier with the decision
thx alot and greeting from germany
Sascha