The microphone setup is robust, allowing users to adjust the perspective of the orchestra. Whether you want the intimate, breathy sound of a small chamber group or the majestic sweep of a larger hall, the mixer section within the KONTAKT interface provides the necessary control. The samples are rich, dynamic, and capture the slightly gritty, organic texture that is characteristic of live Middle Eastern performances.
| Library | Focus | Microtonal? | Verdict | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Ottoman/Makam | Yes (Half-flats) | Best for authentic, playable Middle Eastern melodies. | | EastWest RA | Generic Ethnic | No | Sounds dated. Sultan Strings is far more intimate. | | Strezov Sampling (Balkan) | Bulgarian Folk | Yes (Ornaments) | More aggressive. Sultan is softer, more courtly. | | Heavyocity Mosaic (Places) | Textural | No | Sultan wins for pure melodic legato. | Sonokinetic Sultan Strings -KONTAKT Library-
This library is unique because it focuses on , not standard Western orchestral strings. The microphone setup is robust, allowing users to
: Beyond standard sustains, the library includes specialized articulations such as: Tempo-synced runs (up and down). Tremolos, trills, and glissandi . Sustains with dynamic crossfading to vibrato. Technical Specifications | Library | Focus | Microtonal
In the lower octaves of the keyboard, users trigger the complex phrases. In the upper octaves, however, Sultan Strings offers playable sustains and shorts. This allows the composer to layer their own melodies over the pre-recorded phrases or perform a solo line that mirrors the phrasing of the ensemble.
The most striking difference between Sultan Strings and a standard orchestral library is its interface. New users might open the instrument and be surprised to find a lack of standard key-switching for individual articulations like "Spiccato" or "Pizzicato" in the traditional sense.
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings a specialized Native Instruments Kontakt library designed to provide authentic Middle Eastern string ensemble performances and phrases