AAS String Studio VS-2

Ordered. Installed. This is a bargain... although I can't figure out how to adjust the bend range on a patch. I guess I should read the manual.

stickman393
I can't figure out how to adjust the bend range on a patch. I guess I should read the manual.

Page 53:
The range of the pitch bend is 2 semi-tones up or down by default but can be changed. To adjust
the range of the pitch bend, open the MIDI configuration window by clicking on the MIDI button
located just below the MIDI led in the top part of the interface and use the Pitch Bend Range
drop-down menu to select the range in semi-tones.

Thanks scook.  Did not see your post  previously
 

scook
 
Bought it, if only to support the company.

Good for you.  These guys are amongst the nicest and most helpful developers your ever likely to encounter. 

Since I am a fool who has already parted with his money...for the giveaway sale my ol pal David alluded...guess I'll just have to throw some more down the rat hole for this as well.

PS...even tho AAS uses that guy for most all their demos...and he's a very good player...I think...does he ever play anything other than two handed musical gibberish??

One of the things I have noticed about the original version is that it is capable of amazing sounds....I just never bother because the interface is not very intuitive IMO and the stock presets are so-so. I am trying to get better at programming.  The few times i have used it in a project I was pleasantly surprised...yet somehow managed to forget about it again.
 
I'll do some extensive comparison and let you know

Was wondering as also what if anything significant has changed.
 
$29 means a few less paint spray cans to huff, so have to balance the tradeoff. On the fence whether to do or not to do.
 
The preset access is definitely improved and some new presets. Question is if the sound has been improved. Looks like a lot has been recycled, plus I'll have to wait for another month to get a Warez crack if I do purchase the upgrade..
 
I did this with a lot of us from the AudioMido $20 no brainer, played with it for a couple days and let it drop off into digital netherland.
 
Anyone find a hard on, burning reason to upgrade?
 
John

JohnKenn
Was wondering as also what if anything significant has changed.

AAS seems to be systematically going through their offerings and doing some kind of internal standardization/architecture-conversion.  For example, we've got 64-bit versions of the two Strum instruments, but only for PC VST.  What they just did for String Studio was probably a fairly major internal reworking to make it 64-bit across the board, although for PC users, the results don't look all that different.  But they need to do this even though it's making quite a few PC users annoyed at seemingly marginal improvement.  This is a far bigger deal for Mac owners of String Studio.  They did this a little while back for Ultra Analog, and I think we can expect it for the Strums, maybe even Tassman at some point.  I believe that Chromaphone, their most recent instrument, appeared based on the new architecture from day one and now they're working back through the earlier stuff.
 
But, hell, this is essentially a free upgrade with a mandatory purchase of an add-on library as part of the bargain.  I don't get where some people are griping about AAS being out of touch with their user base, but that's just what's happening in a thread over on KVR.

bitflipper
I'm tempted, too. Even though VS-1 never clicked with me - I've just spent the past hour verifying that it's really as disappointing as I remember - I do like the concept. And it gets so close. Maybe this version will add whatever it was that was missing before.
 
You guys be sure to let me know, won't you? Preferably before the 1st of July.

For me, I think what was needed to appreciate String Studio was a different attitude about what I expected from it.  Originally I think I expected something that did a decent job at producing violin/cello/etc tones.  It doesn't do that very convincingly.  But the video got me to appreciate what cool sounds it is capable of - ones that I'd be hard-pressed to come up with in another type of synth.  Maybe this isn't an instrument you'd use in every production, but from time to time, I believe it could be quite special.
 
I wish AAS had some kind of timeline to accompany the video that listed the presets.  I recognize a few of them like the electrified-sounding cello, but there are others which I have no idea where they are in the preset library.  There are so many presets, tracking down one using "sounds like" is challenging.

guess I'm the odd man out - I turn to String Studio and Tassman often. I think String Studio is a lot easier to program my own patches, and the new version seems to be even easier. I don't expect either of them to be realistic, but I do find them to be very useful.
 
That said I was dubious, so I downloaded the demo, took one evening to convince me that it will be $29 well spent.
 
My AAS dust collector is Ultra Analog - I really need to figure out what it is good for!

Doing an A/B of presets from String 1 and 2 that cross paths.
 
The frequency response sounds fuller in ver 2 if I'm not getting tricked by the filters.
Preset navigation is better.
 
Likely worth the upgrade if you have an extra $29 to burn, and have Strings 1 in the upgrade path. Was playing with some stacked presets with ver 1 and 2 at the same time and got some awesome sounds.
 
Saw also external review complaints that the orchestral strings fall short of the real instrument, but if they sound good, who gives a fork.
 
There goes my budget for 3 good six packs of cold Sterno, chasing some sound I'll likely never catch.
 
John
 

So, are the presets in vs2 different than the original.  From what can draw for the previous posts, it looks like there are some presets that crossover, but what percentage of VS2 presets are new, what is your best guess (25%, 50%, 75% new, best guess)?
 
I am on the fence with this one.  I can's see upgrading to get the same presets all over again, and the Frontier pack is not enough to draw me to it.  I like the new GUI, and 64bit, but money is tight and this upgrade while pretty may not draw me in, unless there are new sounds.

I think if you are a AAS VS 1 owner and you use it even not a lot then this upgrade is very worth while. I feel it is quite a lot more. A whole new bunch of sounds and they are very good and interesting. I found the whole export from VS 1 and import into VS 2 painless. I am not sure but some of the more complex ambient soundscapes sound a little different in VS 2.
 
I feel the effects are a worthwhile addition and can add a lot to sounds now. The GUI is clearer and better and a little easier to use. It has been well thought out and improved. I like the fact VS 1 is still intact and untouched so you can choose which one you want to work with.
 
Overall this is a beautiful sounding instrument and for me I am drawn to it for very realistic string plucked and attacked sounds but also for its wonderful synth electronic sound it has too. Thanks David for bringing it to our attention. It is pretty cool and well worth a relook in terms of exploring again.
 
Carrying over from the 96K thread too it might sound pretty nice at 96K as well. I might do some tests again and see if that it the case.
 
Update Just investigated more deeply the new included presets with VS 2 and there are some incredible sounds in there for sure. Very interesting indeed. I also loaded the free Frontier library and it is definitely great and worth having. Some great patches in there too. It is just a matter of how you make use of them and musically one would hope. They are quite inspirational.
 
The effects rack is fun and can be treated as a whole identity. You can mangle some great effects onto patches with this now. All in one place and easy to fiddle. Arpeggiator allows for some interesting original stepping and patterns etc. Very good the way you can program this too.
 
It has a big beautiful sound most of the time and it blends well with everything else you may be using.
 
 

 
 
I really like it. I think of it is being in a plucked, bowed struck sort of vibe and for some reason a great electronic sounding vibe to it. It can sound so much like a great analog synth for some reason.  Think of the string motion/action as a starting point for the creation of a very unusual electronic instrument.
 
I agree the bowing and other aspects of it may not sound completely real. But in a way think of it not that way but more a very interesting sustained portion preceded with a very interesting attack transient. And it takes on a different purpose. Yes it does do some string effects with great realism and I have used it that way too but I tend to think of it as adding textures amongst other things. And some quite unusual sounds in the process.
 
For example check out all the patches in the new VS 2 factory sounds Ambient section. Any of those sounds represents amazing material for soundscape production that is for sure. It forms the basis of interesting ambient soundscapes to be created. It can also be a very expressive tonal musical instrument working with other parts to form total musical concepts.
 
Because of its percussive nature of String Studio I feel it sits well with very natural percussive sounds, but it has a foot in the camp of interesting electronic sounds bridging those two genres together well. It seems to combine well with my other virtual instruments and hardware setup. That is a force to be reckoned with in itself.
 
I can get it playing at super low latency making it enjoyable to play from a drummers or percussionist perspective. It can respond fast and that is great. The compressor in the effects rack is important now too. Some patches can produce wildly swinging output levels and the compressor really helps to tame all that down and keep it sounding level and sweet.