Anyone tried Spitfire Audio's free Labs plugin implementation....?

Sampler and Sampling discussion (techniques, tips and tricks, etc.)
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DSmolken wrote:They're promising monthly releases. Any guesses as to what might be next - bringing back another classic from the old days like the piano, or something new like the strings?
I'm guessing some sort of choir teaser thing is in the docket, to get people interested in that Eric Whitacre library that was announced a while back.

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WOK wrote:"Do you have the Spitfire Audio App installed on your computer? You'll need it to install this product"

No, thanks. I won't install unknown "Apps" on my music computer to get a free plugin.
I'm OK with giving my email adress (as I am doing it on my site), but installing adware on my music pc is a no go.....
So you'll gladly throw your personal info into the scummy global data mine, but you won't download an innocuous installer from one of the most reputable companies in the business? :borg:

Oh well, it's your loss. These freebies are particularly lovely.

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funky lime wrote:Oh well, it's your loss. These freebies are particularly lovely.
I agree. It's the highest quality freeware strings (non-kontakt) ever created, isn't it? I couldn't think of a better one. Much respect to Spitfire.

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royosho wrote:
funky lime wrote:Oh well, it's your loss. These freebies are particularly lovely.
I agree. It's the highest quality freeware strings (non-kontakt) ever created, isn't it? I couldn't think of a better one. Much respect to Spitfire.
I don't think it's "that" good. I just noticed an artifact in the long strings in A5 (seems like there is an attack in the middle of the samples). That artifact is also present in other notes, but not as perceptible. And tuning is somehow unstable.

Oh well... it's free. I guess we get what we pay for.
Fernando (FMR)

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fmr wrote: I don't think it's "that" good. I just noticed an artifact in the long strings in A5 (seems like there is an attack in the middle of the samples). That artifact is also present in other notes, but not as perceptible. And tuning is somehow unstable.

Oh well... it's free. I guess we get what we pay for.
Why not report it? Spitfire does update its libraries as issues arise. Maybe the Labs will have a lower priority for fixes than the big libraries but the installer/management app is set up to be able to deliver updates. And I think they're using the Labs as a pipe cleaner to move their big libraries away from Kontakt and iron out niggles in their software.

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royosho wrote:
SHall1000 wrote:I have tried moving the .dll to the same folder as the patches and presets i.e the "Spitfire Audio - LABS" folder put it just throws up an error. I have tried the "repair" and "locate" options in the installer without luck.
Hi, I moved the vst to the same folder and located it from the app and it worked. However I might have had to locate the containing folder, not the actual LABS folder. I've uninstalled the app and the extra vsts, so I simply have one folder with the samples and one vst and it works. Sorry, I don't remember exactly which folder it was, however try either the actual LABS folder, and if it doesn't work, try the containing folder that the LAB folder is in. For example, I might have located the folder "VST" from the photo, I don't remember. Something else to note is, when I tried renaming the LABS folder to something simpler and locating it from the ap, it didn't work. So no renaming the LABS folder.

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Thanks royosho for the help and very specific suggestion. Unfortunately I still cannot get it to work. Even after complete uninstall the app still thinks the libraries are installed so I can run a repair but not a fresh install. Now when I run the repair routine now I get patches and preset folders but no samples folder!

I say this thing is CLUNKY.
jancivil wrote:
I have tried moving the .dll to the same folder as the patches and presets i.e the "Spitfire Audio - LABS" folder put it just throws up an error.
So don't do that. Like an installer would tend to do, it places the plugin in a usual place and then you may choose a custom location for the library. Could very well be it wants the plugin location left alone.
the plugin files in various default folder (does anyone use these!!)
Various?
Why would anyone not use a default folder which is what an installer has to be created to do?
What is the gain of screwing around with that.
Hi jancivil. I am glad this is working for you on Mac. Most Windows installers ask you which format of VST you want to install and where you want it. This one installs VST3, VST2, AAX versions and doesn't tell you where it has put them although they are the usual legacy default ones. Live doesn't allow more than one custom VST folder (you can apparently put shortcuts in it :roll: ) so I have to move the VST2 to mine. There is also no way to point to the sample library location from within the plugin and the installer is not doing it for me.

I think this is Spitfire's first VST and as a freebie this is a first world problem but....

I say this thing is CLUNKY.

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SHall1000 wrote: I think this is Spitfire's first VST and as a freebie this is a first world problem but....

I say this thing is CLUNKY.
I remember when East West moved away from Kontakt to their own sample player. They basically screwed things, and even now with Play in its fifth incarnation, it isn't still on pair with Kontakt, IMO.

I don't care much about Spitfire Audio libraries but, in their place, I would think again before moving away from Kontakt. If this is an example of what they plan to do, well, I feel sorry for their customers.
Fernando (FMR)

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DSmolken wrote:My more detailed opinion on BPB:

https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2018/0 ... bs-review/
What a well-written review! To the point and very clear. Excellent work! :tu:
Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:15 pm Passing Bye wrote:
"look at SparkySpark's post 4 posts up, let that sink in for a moment"
Go MuLab!

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Thanks. I think this plugin is a big deal, and a lot of people are considering downloading it. So, it's worth writing something about its upsides and downsides in more detail.

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Amplesound's vsti plugin model is how Spitfire should proceed. The price/quality/versatility ratio is the best amongst guitar libraries because there's no kontakt licensing and they're able to optimize each plugin. It works, I hope Spitfire tries something similar.
Last edited by royosho on Sun Jun 03, 2018 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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SHall1000 wrote:Thanks royosho for the help and very specific suggestion. Unfortunately I still cannot get it to work. Even after complete uninstall the app still thinks the libraries are installed so I can run a repair but not a fresh install. Now when I run the repair routine now I get patches and preset folders but no samples folder!
Yikes, sorry, maybe the samples are installed somewhere hidden or maybe it's an installer issue. From my experience, repairs rarely work, because when things are moved around, installers have trouble locating the files to uninstall them. I suggest just clicking "locate" (or relocate) from the installer app, (not the vsti plugin) and try selecting the LABS folder, or the containing folder. Sorry I can't be of more help.

I will tell you the automatic locations of windows vst plugins are "program files / vstplugins" || "program files x86 / vstplugins" || "program files / common files / vst3" || "program files x86 / common files / vst3". That's were you'll find the .dll files to delete them manually.

The samples are where ever you designated from the installer originally or automatically samples on windows are usually saved in either "documents" or "users / public / public documents". Maybe that's where they're hidden?

I agree, automatic installations of any type are sort of clunky, that's the reason I know where all the auto locations are because I've had to search for them so often lol!

A thought - when you say "uninstall", are you referring to uninstalling the actual "installer application", or the "Spitfire Audio - LABS" folder? And the "repair" function your referring to, is it "Windows repair", or is it "repair" from within the Spitfire app?

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SHall1000 wrote:Live doesn't allow more than one custom VST folder (you can apparently put shortcuts in it :roll: ) so I have to move the VST2 to mine. There is also no way to point to the sample library location from within the plugin and the installer is not doing it for me.
In FL Studio you can set as much VST locations (folders) as you want. :hihi:

Now, here's the main problem with strings and piano. Dynamics of staccatos and piano don't exist, they are not changed by velocity of notes, but you need to automate them which is unacceptable.
Even in Albion One staccatos work that way and that's how things work in every single sound library, because it doesn't make sense to automate short notes, buy you use mod wheel to add realism to legatos and long notes.

However, if you load LABS Ensemble strings preset, you can clearly see that by different velocity in piano roll you have softer attack of strings, which means that their plugin supports that, but for whatever reason they didn't do it properly for piano and staccatos.
So, I can say that things were 1/2 done with this one.
But, since you can't change anything, it's suck it up, take it or leave it.

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brainzistor wrote:Dynamics of staccatos and piano don't exist, they are not changed by velocity of notes,
The string staccato notes have velocity/dynamic layers. You have to make sure the dynamic control is set to 0, at the bottom. Then it will work. When the dynamic control is set at the top it has no velocity/dynamic range. Its reversed. The string sustain dynamic control is normal, linked to the mod wheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkMLQXefuZk

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royosho wrote:
brainzistor wrote:Dynamics of staccatos and piano don't exist, they are not changed by velocity of notes,
The string staccato notes have velocity/dynamic layers. You have to make sure the dynamic control is set to 0, at the bottom. Then it will work. When the dynamic control is set at the top it has no velocity/dynamic range. Its reversed. The string sustain dynamic control is normal, linked to the mod wheel.
It works, indeed. I was fooled by the plugin because it wasn't giving me changes on its keyboard and I went testing things the wrong way.
Thanks for the tip :tu:

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