As you might expect from the price
tag, this is not an extensive collection of instrument sounds.
The Mellotron library is limited to Flute, 8-Voice Choir, and
three String sounds from the M200, M300, and Mark II models.
However, those are the instruments most closely associated
with the Mellotron sound, and they are good representative
choices. Furthermore, each sound has a number of variations
created by adjusting envelopes or filters. For example, the
M200 Strings library has four filtered pad sounds with
different attack and release envelopes, a basic Dry Violins
patch, and other pad variations that alter sample playback by
using only attack and release envelopes. The Mellotron samples
were recorded at a 22.05 kHz sampling rate with 16-bit
resolution, which is enough to ensure faithful reproduction of
the Mellotron instruments.
I was shocked to discover that
each Mellotron sample loops back to the beginning with a
noticeable audio gap between the end and the beginning of the
loop. When I mentioned that to Sonic Implants, I was told that
it was intentional. Fortunately, you can defeat the loops so
that the samples will play only from beginning to end like the
tapes in real Mellotrons.
String-Driven Thing
The Solina sounds are grouped
into five libraries: ARP Ensemble 1 Full Octave, ARP Ensemble
2 Full Unison, ARP Ensemble 3 Strings Only, ARP String
Ensemble Mod, and ARP String Ensemble No Mod. The Full Octave
and Full Unison libraries are samples of string and brass
sounds played an octave apart and in unison respectively. Like
the Mellotron libraries, the Full Octave, Full Unison, and
Strings Only libraries contain variations based on envelope
and filter adjustments. The String Ensemble Mod and String
Ensemble No Mod libraries differ from each other in that the
Mod library patches have a thicker, more choruslike sound than
the sounds in the No Mod library. Both libraries include
variations such as Viola, Violin, Trumpet, Horn, and Strings,
as well as layered patches of the individual instruments in
various combinations. Additionally, there are variations based
on different envelope and filter settings, as there are in the
other ARP and Mellotron libraries.
The Mellotron and Solina String
Ensemble libraries respond to MIDI Program Change, Velocity,
Modulation, and Sustain information. I would appreciate a few
patches that contain MIDI Control Change messages for altering
filter settings. That would have been especially useful in the
Solina libraries. Nonetheless, you get more than enough
variations to keep you satisfied for a long time.
The Best-Laid Plans
The concept behind this CD-ROM
is great: include the best-loved and most used Mellotron
sounds with a variety of sounds from a classic analog string
box and sell it for a nice low price. The only issue is that
the Mellotron sounds contain the sound gap that I described
earlier. I hope that Sonic Implants will correct the problem
in the next release; in the meantime, it's easy to fix. On the
other hand, the Solina String sounds are reproduced well and
offer a large selection of textures from which to choose.
Having real-time MIDI control over the filter for those sounds
would have been an extra treat, but I can live without them
for the time being. I can always create those patches from the
material already provided.
The String Boxes library
is far from perfect; however, its comparatively low price
outweighs its imperfections, and its blemishes are easily
correctable. Besides, there are plenty of raw samples and
simple instrument designs that you can use for creating some
variations of your own. If you are willing to do a minuscule
amount of work to get the collection playing properly, then
String Boxes may prove to be a good deal for you.
