Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a masterpiece of niche sampling. It is "better" because it avoids trying to be everything to everyone. Instead, it focuses on delivering a flawless, deeply expressive, and highly usable collection of Middle Eastern string performances. For composers looking to expand their sonic palette beyond the standard boundaries of Western orchestration, it remains an essential, highly efficient addition to the Kontakt ecosystem.
If you are scoring a film, video game, or TV show with a tight deadline and need an instant, convincing Middle Eastern string hook, Sultan Strings is vastly superior to traditional libraries. Instead of spending hours drawing pitch-bend curves and switching articulation keyswitches to simulate an authentic Arabic slide, you can trigger a pre-recorded phrase that sounds flawless out of the box. 2. True Microtonal and Tuning Capabilities
Offers diverse performance styles, including: Sustains with dynamic crossfading to vibrato. Tremolos, Trills, and Glissandi . Tempo-synced Runs: Smooth up, down, and up-down runs.
: It captures the "soul" of a Middle Eastern string ensemble, which is nearly impossible to replicate with Western orchestral libraries that use standard equal temperament tuning. Phrase-Based Design : It is primarily a phrase library sonokinetic sultan strings kontakt library better
Sultan Strings brings several unique features to the table that can make it the preferred choice for composers working on film scores, video games, or ethnic electronic music. 1. Smart Tempo Syncing
Sonokinetic’s minimalist, visual-heavy user interface allows you to select scales, trigger phrases, and tweak the built-in convolution reverb without digging through complex sub-menus. 4. When is Sultan Strings Better ?
It avoids the clean, operatic vibrato of Western ensembles in favor of a faster, more intense traditional Eastern ornament. Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a masterpiece of niche
To determine if it is truly "better," we must look at how it stacks up against standard alternatives.
Traditional Middle Eastern string playing relies heavily on microtonal inflections, complex portamentos (slides), and distinctive shifts in vibrato. These nuances are incredibly difficult to program convincingly using standard MIDI notes.
Sultan Strings vs. Traditional Orchestral Libraries (e.g., EastWest, Spitfire Audio) For composers looking to expand their sonic palette
This article explores why Sultan Strings deserves a closer look, how it stacks up against competitors, and the specific scenarios where this library genuinely outperforms more expensive, more comprehensive options.
: Some users have noted that phrase-based libraries can sound static or too limited. However, Sultan Strings counteracts this by offering a wealth of individual articulations (like sustains and tremolos) alongside its phrases, granting you creative control to build custom lines and inject life and movement into your compositions.