Vertigo Strings by Cinematique Instruments Review
These days it is tough to find a new approach on a string library that stands out in the full range of existing and continuously newly added libraries. In this review, we are looking at Vertigo Strings by Cinematique Instruments which is a new approach to produce new and exciting string sections that are unique in this congested market.
Vertigo Strings is the selection of several complex and exciting sounds. Cinematique Instruments did send a review copy with no strings attached.
Installation
After you obtained the library, you download, unpack and install the library into your standard Kontakt library location. Kontakt 5.6.8 full version is required to run this library, the free version of Kontakt will not work.
Sound
You have 16 different sounds that you can mix into one string pad and can change the position and pitch of every instrument included.
As you have up to 16 string instruments that you can combine into an original sound and with the tuning features you can produce matching sound when you compose to picture.
The included presets are great to get started and as such are unique sounding already and shows the possibilities of the library. Combine a string pad with a felt piano and you are done for some scenes already.
Overall you get:
- Four different violins (ponticello-pianissimo, arco, draft, harmonics)
- One arco viola
- Two celli (ponticello-pianissimo, harmonics)
- 2 upright basses (draft, arco)
- bowed guitar, psaltery, and a vintage harmonium
- a synth string patch, resampled Zilhouette Strings, tape machine re-recorded strings and bowing noises
User interface & Usability
Cinematique Instruments has figured it out on how to design a UI that is usable and provides easy access to the most used features. The UI for Vertigo Strings allows you quickly to pull in the different strings, dial in Cello and FX or other combination. You can change the mood through the useful Interface.
The included presets are a high starting point, even if you sketch a new idea. Changes are made quickly so you can adapt the sound presently.
Rating: Four out of five stars
Vertigo Strings is finally a current and different string library that stands out in the market of string libraries. I would characterize the tone and vibe as an organic sounding lush, deep or rich string ensemble. You can change the mood quickly to match the scene on screen.
While this library looks small its power comes from the possibility to produce charming pads that work great as an underscore and support many other leading instruments. It is a gem, take a look.
