Peter Siedleczek's Orchestra

Sample CD Buyer's Guide

Published in SOS January 2000
Printer-friendly version

Reviews : Sample/Sound/Song Library

TUTTI

sus (ff & pp), stc (f & p)*, trem (ff & pp)*, 'hits' ( = major*, minor* and diminished* staccato chords, all ff & pp), 'harp hits', (same, but with a lighter texture featuring harp and woodwinds, mp only), 'glissando hits' (= quick ascending scale leading to a loud sustained chord, major* & minor*, f only), 'pentatonic' sus chords (= majors with added 2nd and 4th, ff* & pp*), 'cluster' sus chords (atonal, 6 types, 1 ff, 4 mf, 1pp).

STRINGS

SS: sus (ff & pp), spc, trem (4 oct)*, piz (mf & pp), arps (major*, minor*, diminished*, all ff & pp)

* Note: Program spans only an octave.

Comments: Two main sound categories here: 'Tutti' (strings, brass & woodwind playing together) and a full, decent-sounding string section. No separate brass or woodwinds, and strings are blended in unison according to range.

Standouts: The unique tutti material instantly gives the impression of an orchestra without having to painstakingly pile up the component sounds -- definitely worth having. The 'harp hits' are beautifully voiced.

Quibbles: String arpeggios rather chaotic. Low cellos and basses in octaves is OK, but didn't like the instruments playing in octaves in the highest register of the tutti -- it muddies up chord voicings.

Contacts:Time & Space.

Kurzweil/Samplecell CD-ROMs £99; Audio CD £59.95. Note: an Akai CD-ROM is still available from Masterbits in Germany, priced at $129, but Time & Space has deleted it from their UK catalogue.