Sonokinetic Sultan Strings Kontakt Library Better |top| File

Here’s a balanced, in-depth review of the Sonokinetic Sultan Strings library for Kontakt, focusing on how it compares to other string libraries and where it truly “does better.”

Review: Sonokinetic Sultan Strings – Where It Does Better (and Where It Doesn’t) Overall rating: 8.5/10 Best for: Middle Eastern, cinematic, ethnic fusion, trailer music, and composers needing authentic phrasing

The Short Verdict Sultan Strings isn’t trying to be another generic symphonic string library. Instead, it excels at highly expressive, ornamented Middle Eastern string phrasing – something most standard libraries (even great ones like Spitfire or Cinematic Studio Strings) simply cannot do without heavy editing. If you write for film, games, or world music, Sultan Strings will save you days of programming.

Where Sultan Strings Does Better 1. Authentic Phrasing & Ornaments Most string libraries give you sustain, legato, and spiccato – but they sound Western. Sultan Strings includes kamancheh (spiked fiddle), joseh (high-pitched bowed instrument), and cello , all recorded with traditional microtonal ornaments, slides (glissandi), trills, and vibrato styles. The legato transitions specifically follow Middle Eastern maqam scales. This is impossible to fake with pitch bend alone. 2. Instant Playability for Ethnic Melodies The library is built around phrases and phrases-based articulation switching. You can play slow, expressive lines or fast improvisations. The “Adaptive Legato” engine intelligently chooses between portamento, glissando, or plain fingered legato based on your playing speed. Result: less tweaking, more performing. 3. Phrase Library – A Time-Saver Over 300 pre-recorded phrases (short melodic runs, slow taqsim-style intros, fast syncopated rhythms) are included. You can drag MIDI into your DAO or trigger phrases from keys. For underscoring chase scenes or desert landscapes, these phrases beat programming note-by-note. 4. Sound Design & Mix-Ready Tone Recorded in a dry studio (not a huge hall), Sultan Strings cuts through dense mixes without mud. The built-in mixer has close, stage, and ambient mics. The “Sultan FX” rack includes a tape saturator, algorithmic reverb, and delay – perfect for scoring dune-like or mystical scenes without extra plugins. 5. Kontakt Implementation Light on CPU, fast to load, and NKS-ready. The interface is clear: big articulation keyswitches, phrase browser, and a scale quantizer that snaps MIDI to any maqam scale (Rast, Bayati, Hijaz, etc.). This alone makes it better than trying to manually detune notes in a regular library. sonokinetic sultan strings kontakt library better

Where It Falls Short (Honest Critique)

Not a general-purpose string library – You won’t use this for Western romantic chords or fast classical runs. For that, keep Cinematic Studio Strings or BBCSO. Limited dynamic layers – Some articulations have only 2–3 dynamic layers (piano to forte). Not as nuanced as premium orchestral libraries. Learning curve – The phrase system and maqam quantizer require reading the manual. Beginners might feel lost. No true divisi – You can’t split the ensemble (e.g., 2 violas vs. 4). It’s an ensemble patch with limited polyphony. Kontakt Full required – Doesn’t work with Free Kontakt Player.

Compared to the Competition | Library | Best for | Sultan Strings does better | |--------|---------|----------------------------| | EastWest Ra | Big world instrument collection | Legato & phrasing realism | | Impact Soundworks Solo Kamancheh | Detailed solo kamancheh | Ensemble texture & phrase library | | Best Service Ethno World 6 | Huge variety (300+ instruments) | Playability & sound design FX | | Spitfire HZ Strings | Epic Hollywood strings | Ethnic authenticity & microtones | Here’s a balanced, in-depth review of the Sonokinetic

Final Verdict – Who Should Buy? ✅ Buy if:

You score Middle Eastern/North African/Central Asian settings You hate manually programming slides, trills, and ornaments You want a phrase-based writing tool for fast turnaround

❌ Skip if:

You only need Western classical or pop string sections You don’t want to learn a specialized articulation system You expect 16+ dynamic layers and full divisi control

Price: €149–199 (often on sale for ~€99) Value: High – because no other library in this price range gives you truly playable, ornamented Middle Eastern strings out of the box.