Restless, kinetic & acrobatic performance chamber strings.
Arion Strings was created with a simple goal in mind: seamlessly fuse Marcato and Legato into highly playable performance patches. Named after Arion, the divinely swift horse of Greek mythology, this library captures the raw energy of small chamber strings through a unified "percussive" RR sampling approach that combines Staccato, agile bowed Legato, playable Tremolo, same-note repetitions, trills, runs... all playable without a single keyswitch.
Forget keyswitches. Adaptive attacks respond to your playing speed: hit short notes for Staccatos that open into expressive Marcato sustains or short Tenutos as you hold them longer, or repeat single notes very quickly for fully playable Tremolos. Play agile Legato, same-note bowed repetitions, trills, and runs effortlessly.
Arion Strings was recorded in one unified style: a fast-paced Détaché played in repetitions across all articulations, so attacks and transitions share the same "percussive" DNA, with multiple RRs. Players maintained that intent throughout the sessions so all instruments deliver consistent "on the bow" energy.
With 6 RRs for attacks, repetitions and releases, Arion Strings doesn't stop there: bowed Legato comes with 4 recorded RRs, allowing you to write repeating motifs, runs and fully playable trills, so even your most acrobatic lines feel lively with constant motion.
Sourced from real Tremolo performances, playable Tremolo gives you full control over bowing speed. For more moderate tempos, bowed repetitions capture the subtle glue and friction between bow strokes when repeating a note while holding the sustain pedal.
The loud and bold MF & FF dynamics are complemented by a more controlled, naturally less percussive MP layer that helps bring nuance to your playing, with more focused bowing. Volume was carefully balanced across dynamic layers for a smooth and natural CC response.
Staccato, Tremolo, bowed repetitions and releases all include 6 RRs, while bowed Legato features 4 RRs for realistic repeated phrases, runs, and fully playable trills at any interval within an octave. Every new note sounds unique, so your performances never feel static.
Recorded in a medium-sized hall, the main Mix uses section mics placed 3 meters from the players for an upfront, focused sound. The Room signal was captured farther back on stage. Three mixer presets offer different perspectives, letting you quickly find your desired mix.
A global instrument delay of 80 ms allows for natural attacks as well as smooth Legato, repetitions & Tremolo transitions while keeping high responsiveness. If needed, simply set your track delay to negative 80 ms and always land on the beat.
The minimalistic interface of Arion Strings gives you every control you need in a single page.
Check your dynamics & assign a custom CC
Manage & monitor your articulations quickly
Adjust mic levels, pan, purge and use presets
Mix in the IR of the room for added depth
$199 + applicable taxes. Payment processed by Creem.
Product provided via our Download Portal.
requires the full version of Kontakt (6.7.1 minimum). More Info
General Playing Style
Arion Strings was recorded using a repetition-based sampling approach at a fast tempo, so players' bowing reflexes were set for quick changes. This means all transitions in the library carry quick underlying motion. Legato transitions (as well as same-note repetitions and Tremolos) have a short integrated delay of 80 ms. They respond very quickly and are not built to behave like expressive slurred Legato.
As a result, slower lines can feel disconnected: if a note is held for too long (usually close to a full second) and then resolves into a transition, that transition can feel too abrupt and unnatural. Lyrical Legatos have the opposite problem, becoming clunky and sluggish when faster writing is needed. Arion Strings doesn't compromise on speed, so it's suited to fast pieces with constant forward motion. Using this library is largely a matter of writing in the same spirit as the players' original performance.
Repetitions & Tremolos
Same-note bowed repetitions and Tremolos serve different tempos and scenarios. The repetitions were recorded so that some of the previous note still resonates as the next bow stroke begins, giving them more glue than a basic sequence of separate Staccatos (closer to "lalalalala" than "la, la, la, la").
They're intended for slower speeds than the playable Tremolos, though not indefinitely: like Legato, they were still recorded at a fast pace, so waiting too long between repetitions can make the bow stroke feel abrupt against the sustain before it. Tremolo remains the faster, sharper, more Ricochet-like option for anything beyond that "moderately fast" range.
Sustains & Tenutos
Looped sustains (type 1) are relatively short samples, so the loop may occasionally become audible on exposed, extended notes. Their short length is largely a consequence of tone matching with the rest of the articulations, at the cost of a shorter sample. Given the intended pacing of the library, this shouldn't be an issue.
Short Tenuto (type 2) is the articulation that most directly reflects the library's pacing, and is in my opinion the more natural choice inside moving melodic material. Conventional sustains can feel out of place in that position, and riding the mod wheel to replicate gentle bow releases is time-consuming and gives less realistic results. Short Tenutos solve this issue, as the note was recorded as a single gesture, with the bow slowing and releasing naturally.
Polyphonic Mode
Playable Tremolo and bowed repetitions only work in Legato (monophonic) mode. Both work note by note and rely on tracking a repeated pitch to trigger the transition, which isn't reliable once you're playing multiple notes at once, as different pitches and timings make proper tracking impossible.
Polyphonic mode (Legato off) is suited for chordal writing, used like a traditional Marcato patch. I find it gives great results with Tenutos. If you want polyphonic repetitions, Staccatos are tight enough to replicate a Ricochet feel, but playable Tremolo & same-note repetitions are monophonic features by necessity.
The Sound of Arion Strings
The Mix signal is relatively narrow and focused in the stereo field. It was engineered for an upfront sound and slightly vintage character, recorded to 2-inch analog tape. The section mics of the Mix position ended up a bit less close-sounding than I initially wanted, but all things considered, the slight room presence helps smaller sections like these sound lusher and less harsh.
If you want the most focused and dry signal possible, use the Mix position on its own. For a broader sound, the Room signal was captured at double the distance and provides a wider stereo image. I also included a 1.7-second impulse response captured from the actual room the library was recorded in, at room mic distance, so you can keep the Mix signal only, then dial in some reverb for extra room presence and width.
No Second Violins?
Let's address the obvious question, shall we? As much as I would have loved to record second violins, it wasn't a viable option given my budget. I preferred having each section properly covered with consistent articulations over adding an extra patch at the expense of important features. You can always use the patch twice; feel free to experiment with the Kontakt transpose trick to replicate a second section too.
Embrace the Chaos
The highly energetic nature of the performances, especially at FF, makes for instruments full of life, as players were given the freedom to shape their bowing instinctively. Natural bow noises and occasional slides emerge as players push their technique to the edge. A very conservative cleanup approach was chosen to keep the raw character of the recordings intact.
The percussive character of the performances means the Legato does not produce traditional smooth runs and trills. I would describe them more as sharp and accented, as each note is deliberately articulated with the bow. Depending on the interval and pitch, some Legato transitions may sound more or less connected.
Full articulation list (applies to all patches):
- Attack 1: Staccato (6 RRs)
Tight and energetic, default initial attack for all played notes, regardless of playing mode (Legato or Polyphonic). Release the key quickly to play a Staccato note, or hold it to let the attack turn seamlessly into the selected sustain.
- Attack 2: Playable Tremolo (6 RRs)
Suitable for ricochet-style passages and realistic tremolo. As each note is triggered individually, tremolo speed remains fully playable and can be controlled freely in real time (writing / editing via piano roll is advised). Triggered by repeating the same note less than 120 ms apart (only works in Legato mode).
- Attack 3: Bowed Repetitions (6 RRs)
Sourced from accented, re-bowed staccato attacks sampled as repetitions, these are better suited to moderate and fast tempos, providing a naturally connected feel unlike individually recorded staccato attacks. For very fast repetitions, use tremolo instead. Triggered by repeating the same note while holding the sustain pedal.
- Sustain 1: Long w/ Vibrato (1 RR, looped)
Sourced from expressive Marcato-style sustains with moderate Vibrato. Useful for phrase endings, crescendos, or cases where slightly tamer vibrato is needed. Default sustain (any velocity under 80) when auto-switch via velocity is enabled.
- Sustain 2: Short w/ Molto Vibrato (2 RRs)
Short, highly expressive Tenuto (~0.5 s) with pronounced vibrato. Intended for flowing melodies with short singing notes, avoiding the more static, less "intentional" feel of basic sustains. Should suit most of your writing, as its energy and duration reflect the style and cadence the library was recorded in. Triggered by playing velocities above 80 when auto-switch via velocity is enabled.
- Legato: Bowed / Détaché (4 RRs)
Four recorded round robins provide natural variation when playing repeated motifs of any kind, including runs and trills. Capable of sharp-sounding trills and runs, with transitions sampled across one full octave. Recorded at a fast tempo, it is intended for agile passages and accented, percussive legato.
Patch list & instrument ranges:
- 5 Violins (range: G3 - Eb6)
- 4 Violas (range: C3 - Bb5)
- 4 Cellos (range: C2 - Ab5)
- 3 Basses (range: C1 - Gb3)
This library requires the FULL version of Kontakt (version 6.7.1 or later). The free Kontakt Player is not supported.
Please make sure you own the full version before purchasing. By completing your purchase, you confirm that your setup meets this requirement. Refunds cannot be granted due to incompatibility with Kontakt Player (see our Purchase Terms).
System Requirements:
- FULL version of NI Kontakt 6.7.1 or later. The free Kontakt Player is not supported.
- macOS or Windows 64-bit
- Compatible DAW
- Minimum 8 GB RAM recommended
- Sufficient disk space for installation
- SSD recommended for optimal performance
- Library size: 2.8 GB (NCW-compressed)
- Audio format: 24-bit / 48 kHz WAV, compressed to NCW
- Total individual samples: 4,789
Current version: V1.0
Odeum Sounds is committed to improving its products, so feel free to reach out if you encounter any bugs or issues. All minor updates are 100% free for existing users. If you're subscribed to the newsletter, you'll be notified by email when new product updates are available.
