Humble Bundle: Aria Sounds London Symphonic Strings Bundle $20

[LinkedMusicians]

PETER’S TAKE: I don’t own this sample library – which requires the full version of Kontakt — however, I have heard from sample library developers and music producers, and seen dozens of posts stating that it is not a very good sample library. In fact, over at least several years, the only posts on legacy forums I have ever seen about this sample library from people who bought it is unfavorable. I have never seen even one satisfied customer post. But one developer I know and trust who had the library years ago told me that it is very poor.

Consequently, while I am posting this, I am strongly recommending against purchasing this, even for $20. While I’ve never used the library myself, from what I’ve been told by a trusted, top-tier developer, and the feedback of many users of the library on multiple forums, I feel it’s important to make our community aware of the reputation of this sample library. Even for $20, a poor-quality sample library is not a good deal. It doesn’t help that the presenter isn’t a very good player (I don’t mean to be harsh, but if you’re creating a video to promote a sample library, you should be able to perform at a competent level). Watch the video to hear it for yourself.

 

Elevate your orchestral compositions with the London Symphonic Strings Bundle, a premium collection of four highly detailed solo instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass. Recorded in a stunning London concert hall, this library moves beyond typical samples and offers a deeply human performance quality of sound. With four distinct, mixable microphone perspectives, you can effortlessly shift your sound from an intimate studio tone to a soaring performance bathed in natural hall reverb! Pay what you want for the best string samples available and help support REVERB when you shop with Humble!

The full version of Kontakt is required for this sample library.

https://www.humblebundle.com/software/london-symphonic-strings-soloists-bundle-software

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[LinkedMusicians]

If you want to see what people at the legacy forums and subreddits have said about this sample library, you can use our PowerSEARCH to get the results in one place (note: LM PowerSEARCH is only available for our logged-in members, non-members will see a blank space instead of search results):

Forums + subreddits PowerSearch

 

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[swijaya]

This is a link (posted by @Kirean on another deal forum) to a (don’t-buy-)review:

https://happycomposer.com/aria-lss-review/

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[jude77]

On swijaya said

This is a link (posted by @Kirean on another deal forum) to a (don’t-buy-)review:

https://happycomposer.com/aria-lss-review/

That review has some audio samples.  If you’re on the fence they’re worth a listen.

[LinkedMusicians]

I realize that this may not mean anything to anyone here, but I again want to state something that’s being done at LinkedMusicians that isn’t being done at any of the legacy forum, and why it matters.

LinkedMusicians has an affiliate relationship with Audio Plugin Deals. Those relationships have been my only real chance to get help with funding this site. We take contributions, but in the year since I’ve put up the contribution page, we’ve seen less than $100 in contributions and hosting this site alone costs more than $100 per month and that was a promotional price for the first 12 months, after which it will shoot up to more than $300 per month. That doesn’t include the costs for developing site, for the scripts/plugins, updates and maintenance costs for the site, which are also very costly.

Consequently, those affiliate marketing relationships are vital to funding this site, as the contributions simply aren’t even close to funding a month’s worth of costs. So, Aria is handled by APD, which is a key affiliate partner for LinkedMusicians, and yet, I’ve clearly recommended against people buying this sample library. Most affiliate partners would never do that. Why? Because it can very easily end the affiliate relationship. And there is absolutely a serious possibility that it will. This is the way business works.

Now that everyone knows my real name and can look up and see that I’ve managed and led digital marketing at major brands and founded a publication on marketing strategy recommended by Ivy League schools and business magazine, given guest lectures at top b-schools, and spoke on digital marketing around the world; it may also hint at the fact that I didn’t create this passion project thinking it could be some kind of big money maker. I did it out of my passion for making music and my values about how things could be done more ethically, and with more decency and kindness than is currently the norm not only at the big legacy forums, but it’s the antithesis of what is the norm in social media today.  The radical transparency of LinkedMusicians reflects my values and ideals, but if I’m going to be perfectly candid, I realize that it may fail due to things like being an advocate for consumers is difficult to pull of when you need to fund a project. This why there’s so much bias in this industry. This is why real feedback — in particular, the bad experiences — because no one is censoring good experiences — is getting suppressed and why developers are increasingly engaged in compensating people in forums and social media to hawk their products and services, not just the big influencers and not just their contractors, but frequent deal posters.

I’m writing this, because I do suspect there’s a serious chance it could end a relationship that helps fund this site and I want our members to understand that reality.

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