Great Plugins for String Production
Now that I’ve been a full-time arranger producer in Hollywood for several years, I feel like I have enough experience and knowledge under my belt to make some recommendations, I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while, but I wanted to be sure of my advice. I am achieving consistent results that I vibe with, so I feel good about sharing this now. This will likely change as I grow, but this is what it is now.
Working as a producer and cellist in LA is so fun, I get to work on all kinds of music! I get to play on modern orchestral-hybrid scores with colleagues at companies like Remote Control and Bleeding Fingers, playing for Planet Earth and video game scores like Assassin’s Creed/Brawlhalla and League of Legends. I also get to compose, write, and produce with EDM/pop producers who come from a purely production world, playing with pop acts like Olivia Rodrigo, Jax, Ava Max, R&B acts like Brent Faiyaz, I recently aided a pre-record with Brent for our slot on the Tonight Show. I joyfully pick the brains of the people in these fields, and I feel so blessed that my work gets to transcend so many creative boundaries. I really fucking love my job. Bruh.
So the advice presented here is both from my own work, and from the templates and workflows of other non-string player producers. There are other incredible arranger-producers in the string world who I know and love, like Stevie Black, Chris Woods, Tina Guo, Connor Vance, Jonas Petersen, a lot of these people aren’t household names but their work is incredible and I’m proud to call them friends. We all use very different methods to create our art and none of them are wrong!!! So I have to start by encouranging anyone interested in learning string production that the best way to learn is to just explore, keeping in mind the sound you want to create. As long as you have a good idea of what you want the world to hear, you’re ready to start experimenting!
With that in mind, these are the strings-specific plugins I use for my own template as of January 2023.
General Housekeeping
Before we get into the details, there are a few items of business to cover first that are vital context.
Production mindset over performer’s mindset
Achieve the sound by any means necessary
One thing I’ve noticed over the years while working in production is that the people on the receiving end of the masters aren’t in the room with you when you’re working, so that means they don’t care how you achieve something - the only thing that matters are consistency (for you) and impressive results when you play the music back through monitors… so. many. different. monitors. XD
This is a really important mindset to have, it means you have to be okay with using autotune, compression, carved out EQ, quantization, verb, etc. Production will show you just how human you are, don’t fight it. That perfectionist mindset is important for live performances where the listener is taking in 360 degrees of space and doesn’t have a grid in the form of timecode and frequency analyzers, but it is not appropriate for music production. One must consider psychoacoustics and what it means to change sound into signal and approximate acoustics with a limited number of output sources, usually 2 for stereo, and 5.1 or 9.1. (“360” sound is never truly 360). You’ve got to squeeze brass, low strings, percussion, low woodwinds, and the entire ensemble’s room sound through one sound source, things HAVE to be more refined and carved out.
The more fun side of this is that you can also make sounds by any means necessary. Just get it into the mic. Not usually a guitar player? You can be now. Fuck with tape, fuck with granular snthesis. The possibilities are literally endless. Embrace this novelty, achieve the best sound by any means necessary.
ISSUES in STRING ENSEMBLE RECORDING
The most common issues string producers face in production, in no particular order, are harshness, Intonation, residual resonances, phasing, low-mid build-up, and high end processing resulting in artifacts. Therefore, the template is constructed to address these issues. These issues can be combated with EQ, FX plugins, panning, and smart routing, with the caveat that heavy-handed processing can destroy the high end. I find that when you aim for very transparent effects, separate mic positions, and use FX as parallel busses, you can keep things really clear, clean, and smooth.
Context - My Modern Strings Template
Main window in Logic Pro X when I open a blank template.
Before I get into the details about specific plugins, it’s important to know where in my routing a lot of these plugins work.
My current template is in Logic Pro X 10.5.1 on my desktop Mac and 10.7 on my M1 MacBook Pro.
It has a total of 40 functional busses in the mixing window, and on the main window, 34 tracks. The first track is a slot for me to drop any audio files from clients and has no input source and no plugins.
The second track is a software instrument track with a yummy piano VST and decadent, emo verb so that I can sketch ideas and analyze chords and FEEL THE MOOOOOOD.
Tracks 3 and 4 are audio tracks where I can record any solo instruments, track 3 is for hi strings and 4 is for lo strings. These are routed to their own reverb.
Tracks 5 thru 9 are tracks I use to record string sections, Violins 1, 2, Violas, Cellos, Basses. These are routed all to live string outputs which are later routed with the VST section busses into master string outs, Violins, Violas, Cellos, Basses.
Tracks 10 through 32 are string VSTs I use to support the live recordings, I find this is essential in order to mimic a true room e.g. a “realistic” orchestral sound. (An alternative to this method of layering live and VST I know is to use only live takes, placed in Altiverb’s virtual IR space, which has really reliable IRs for halls around the world.) With the mindset of achieving the best sound by any means necessary, I have to say, I prefer the variety of instruments that good VSTs use in their sampling process and it can mask redundant overtones from tracking the same live instruments over and over, even if you have an incredible reverb and you are mindful of mic placement variation. At some point I’ll get Altiverb and use both, just haven’t spent the 700 fucking dollars for a virtual reverb. orfounditreliablycrackedamiwrongtho
The part of the mixing playground I spend most of my days, chillin out, maxing, relaxing all cool.
Visible in the mixing window are the mic positions for these VSTs. I separate the mic positions this way because the high end sounds much clearer to me through my monitors, and it gives me an opportunity to treat the individual positions differently (e.g. harshness of decca tree). I know orchestral composers who don’t do this and their music still sounds fantastic and they make up for it in super reductive EQ). It’s just something that is right for me, I like to preserve the high end if possible.
At the end of my template, I have some tools for light hybrid-orchestral production, some synth support from synths that are designed to blend with live strings. I also have an instance of Nicky Romero’s kickstart side-chained to my master string output so I can audition quickly how it would sound if I’m working with an EDM or pop producer who is likely to duck my strings under a kick, or vocals. More on this later.
A nOTE ABOUT setting up a teMplate, LATENCY & Recording
If you are going to create a template with heavy processing, remember to set project preferences and global settings before saving. For me as a Logic user, this looks like enabling MIDI chase, changing the Sample Rate to 48khz, changing the default buffer size to 1024, and also enabling Low Latency Recording, which will automatically flip to a lower buffer size and bypass any heavy plugins so your audio will track right in the pocket. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU RELY ON LIVE RECORDING.
One last thought before I begin: my template will likely crash a laptop, so I can make some CPU-efficient alternative recommendations through this post. XD
It is time.
Specific Plugin Recommendations
Soothe 2
Soothe 2 is a game-changer for harshness on individual tracks and busses.
How I use it:
I use Soothe 2 in a few places. I use it on Decca tree mic positions for the VSTs. The preset Orchestral>Violin Warmer is a great place to start. I typically widen the node’s frequency band and back off a little on the depth. I also use it on the live string section busses, reducing harshness in the violins and violas, and containing low-mids on the low strings (this could be done just as well with Gullfoss). I will sometimes set up an instance of Soothe 2 on individual tracks if they need it.
GULLFOSS MASTER
Gullfoss is essential for a clear and balanced master.
In the same realm of dynamic harshness reduction, Gullfoss is also an essential game-changer, especially for those arrangers who are producing from home and don’t have fancy ass hardware. It is SO worth the price.
When to use Gullfoss:
Gullfoss is the first plugin on my mastering chain, it will broadly reduce harshness and over-pronounced frequencies, and it will recover frequencies that are difficult to hear. Gullfoss makes “approximately 1000 auditory perception model updates per second and approximately 300 equalizer updates per second”. All without any artifacts.
Fabfilter Pro-C & Pro-MB
I rarely, if ever, use compression on strings before the mastering stage, but every once in a while, I find that I have to use compression within the mixing stage to trouble shoot something in the mix. If I do, I ALWAYS compress strings parallel, and I never send more than like 15% of the signal through it, unless I’m trying to mimic rap vocals (which happens once in a blue moon with live performances), then I might send more signal there.
When to use downwards compression:
You’d use very subtle parallel downwards compression if you want to make the strings a little more audible, and/or emphasize or shape articulations, both in section mixing and also on solo live instrument tracks.
For downwards compression on solo lines, esp like. pop cover scenario, I like to use the Spoken Word Squeeze preset in the Fabfilter Pro-C plugin, and tweak from there.
When to use upwards compression:
I would use upwards compression for a solo live instrument when I’m happy with the actual output volume of the track itself, but I want it to cut through a thiccer section of strings, or a loud track, but I don’t want to loose sexiness and delicacy. Downwards compression can turn a beautiful daisy into a laminated duct tape rose, we don’t want that in string playing. Upwards compression helps bring out the sound without compromising beautiful detail.
For upwards compression, l like to use the two-band dynamic upwards compression preset in the Sound Mangling category and reduce the range on both bands. This is a really good preset for cello, that low omni band and the mid and upper bands are placed perfectly and really do operate independently. This is a perfect plugin for bringing out solo lines!
I might also use this for section buses - this brings up quiet details and when used on section it can bring out a bunch of hidden warmth.
JJP - Jack Joseph Puig - Strings & Keys
This is one of the plugins I purchased after picking the brains of some of my non-string playing EDM producer friends. This is a very affordable Waves plugin, like $25 or something like that.
As a string player, I am a little wary of this plugin because it really slams the highs and can make them sound a little artifact-y, it also totally changes the imaging from an orchestral imaging mindset to a pop producer mindset, where you frequency band blankets, I guess you could call them, have to be managed, rather than thinking of a musician in a big acoustic space.
When to use JJP:
I use JJP as a parallel compressor of sorts, on individual instruments in a small ensemble pop setting, e.g., recreating the Beatles, or you could think of the strings on Ariana Grande’s Positions album. It will bring the strings to the FRUNT of your mix and make them pop pop.
I have JJP set up but turned off on the master string section buses in my template. Every so often I’ll try them out at the end of the mixing stage and every once in a while, they do contribute some kind of sparkle that is really nice. Very often this is in a pop-orchestral hybrid setting, where the imaging is a traditional left-to right vibe, but I like the pop of pop strings.
INTONATION: AUTOTUNE PRO & COMPING
Tuning your strings is essential, and it’s a good idea to learn how to tune your strings yourself, because other producers mostly likely won’t be as precious with our audio. They might understand that your instrument is a linear, melodic voice most of the time, and they might expect tuning software to work like it does on vocals.
However, tuning plugins can get really wonky with strings, since our instruments have so much residual reverberation mixing in the body of our instruments, so if we have one note played out of tune, followed by a note played in tune, in some cases the out-of-tune residual noise can last the entire length of the in-tune note, so the tuning may have difficulty detecting pitch, or may detect and tune the stronger of the two pitches, bending the other. Autotune is by far the most natural sounding tuning plugin for strings and somehow I don’t hear this phenomenon happening as much with autotune. Whatever their algorithm is, it’s fucking gorgeous. In addition, the onboard tuning tools that DAWs usually provide and competing plugins sometimes alter the whole signal. Somehow Autotune manages to be really transparent while just fixing pitch.
How to use autotune:
If the performance is already very close, e.g. consistently within 20c of center, I’ll use autotune in the auto setting, with a retune speed on the slower side, maybe around 80. The slow retune speed is critical for string playing, to give the instrument a time to settle into the new pitch. The retune speed is much faster for flat keys, like Ab, Db, Gb, etc. It is much longer for keys like C, G, D, where the instruments have open strings on prominent tonal centers within the key.
For upper strings, I add just a teeny bit of flex-tune and humanize, values under 10. I use autotune on every single individual audio track. I do know producer-engineers who tune section buses.
If something is really out of tune and I otherwise really love the expression of a take, OR if the line is an exposed solo line and the auto mode isn’t cutting it, OR there is really long portamento, I might switch to graph mode and draw them in. Graph mode is THE most signal-preserving version of autotune. IMO it’s basically transparent in the sense that it doesn’t add artifacts.
When to quit and comp:
Sometimes, there are so many resonances that autotune is just wonky. Some things you could try if you want to save CPU are just putting whatever couple notes are wonky onto a separate track and using the graph function there, or just re-recording and comping the new take over the rest of the passage.
REVERBS & REVERB BASICS
Reverbs are a strings best friend. And I’m still not happy with my reverb chain, but I’ll talk about it anyway because it’s important.
My reverb chain usually consists of three steps:
Linear EQ - I cut all low frequencies below 100Hz with a gradual shelf up to 500Hz, I also reduce frequencies on a gradual shelf from 2-20k and cut anything over 11k.
“Room” reverb - This is the heart of the verb and represents the “space” the ensemble is in, and is usually higher in the mix, like 75-100%, I usually set the input levels from source buses and the mix of the following reverb tail based off this sound. I’m looking for something short, usually under a second for a smaller ensemble and under 2 seconds for a big orchestra. I’m looking for something warm in the mids but something that will let the higher mids and highs through. For me, this is usually some kind of Lexicon verb, but sometimes I’ll use Fabfilter Pro-R, the small or medium spaces, like Warm Vintage preset is a good place to start. Right now my room verb is Lexicon Random Hall, Small RHall 1 Dark, tweaked a bit to taste. I fucking love that the early and late can be EQed separately. I tend to roll off the highs a bit on the early signal.
Reverb tail - This verb is usually longer and a little less present in the bus mix, it’s a really important polish but shouldn’t be noticeable, this is also where I want to notice the smoothing of the high end. I fucking hate this part lol. It’s like a snare, I never noticed how much I fucking hate all snares until I started production. Same with long reverbs. They’re so difficult to master and once you get it, you’re kind of not sure it’s right BECAUSE it’s not noticeable. Ugh. Never happy with this. Really not a fan of Fabfilter as a tail. Be wary of their concert hall IRs. This could be a Valhalla shimmer, supermassive, vintage verb, this could be Altiverb. Currently in my template is is a Valhalla Supermassive, Gemini, 30% mix. But it often changes every project. I’m never happy lol.
Optional - Additional reverbs - On a separate bus, sometimes I have an additional long verb for the solo instruments, or I’ll put a verb on the actual instrument bus if I’m REALLY feeling myself that day.
STRING VSTs
If you’re really at the level where you want to create a full orchestra sound, I highly recommend investing in some good strings libraries.
Cinematic Studio Series, both Cinematic Studio Strings and Cinematic Studio Solo Strings, once learned, are absolutely, hands down, the most accurate representation of live strings there is. 100%. That said, getting there is a lot of work and takes a lot of hours to learn. Out of the box, Spitfire Symphonic and Chamber Strings might be more accurate. These are also great libraries, especially for their room, but the details and transients give them away as VSTs.
CSS must be automated in order to achieve realism. It is so reliant on automation, in fact, that they’ve eliminated the velocity parameter as the standard for determining overall MIDI intensity, and I know a ton of orchestral composers these days who don’t even use keyboard MIDI controllers to play in lines anymore. In the CSS world of Advanced Legato, velocity is a parameter that controls performance of shifting, of those complex acoustic moments in string playing where an entire room of musicians is playing one note crossing into another, and all of the instrument bodies are having that reverberatory phenomenon, and therefore the sound mixing in the room is enormously complex…… and CSS GOT that in the can, which is why Advanced Legato is so fucking realistic. The only bummer is that it’s difficult to perform it through a MIDI controller. I find myself pencilling it in because I am already going to pencil in MIDI CCs 1 and 11, and 2, 16 (and 58 if my project is overloaded) anyway.
Some honorable mentions: Spitfire Albion, Spitfire Olafur Arnalds Evolutions, Arcade by Output - they have some string samples to play with. These are all fun tools.
Don’t waste your time on any other strings patches. Their use will be extremely limited and unconvincing.
Why do all of that work and go through all of that trouble with CSS?
Again: “get the best sound by any means necessary”.
It feels SO amazing to sit and listen to your finished project. You’ve listened and intuited the clients track, you’ve tapped into that source of creativity in the comfort of your own living room, not seeing another human soul. You, a single human being, have to replicate the majesty of an entire room of people whose collective training probably adds up to a millenium of expertise, and you have to do it without walking out of your front door. Although I take for granted that I can do that now, the thought is, at its core, pretty intimidating.
When I’m recording and producing strings, I often think about the Barbara Streisand Scoring Stage at Sony Pictures. It was my very first orchestral session, I was recording for League of Legends and it was my first big gig. I also think of that space because I was there for Cine Samples Tina Guo solo cello library, and while hanging out with the Cinesamples team, I was able to hear Tina playing for nearly 8 hours straight (she’s a fucking beast of a cellist). So the sound of that space is imprinted in my mind both for ensemble playing and for solo cello.
To think I can approximate that in another space all on my own is like so fucking dope and humbling. I really do love my job, and I hope that by writing this little thing, I can make that possible for other string producers. The world is changing, and it is giving individual people incredible abilities. Thanks to these plugins, little old me can become an entire orchestra, and so I’m giving a genuine thanks to all of the sexy nerds who make this happen. My number is 555-…… :)
Good luck and drop me a line if you have any questions!