Native Instruments Symphony Series String Ensemble: The Ultimate Guide for Film Composers & Producers

Symphony Series String Ensemble represents Native Instruments' flagship solution for professional orchestral scoring. Developed in close collaboration with Audiobro — the legendary sample developers behind LA Scoring Strings (LASS) — this 60-piece string orchestra library was recorded at Studio 22 in Budapest, a room celebrated for its lush acoustic decay and pristine acoustic detail.

Building upon decades of sampling expertise, Symphony Series String Ensemble bridges the gap between massive Hollywood sound and intuitive modern software architecture. Powered by Kontakt and Kontakt Player, it delivers supreme sonic detail while giving media composers and pop producers total control over section sizes, microphone positions, and expressive dynamic transitions.

Core Features & Technological Innovations

What distinguishes Symphony Series String Ensemble from conventional sample libraries is its seamless integration of advanced scripting and high-definition recordings. Key highlights include:

• Intelligent Auto Divisi Engine: Automatically splits polyphonic chords across section sub-groups (A and B) to maintain realistic player counts and prevent unrealistic volume stacking when playing chords.
• True Polyphonic Legato & Portamento: Features smooth voice-leading scripts capable of handling up to eight automatic voices, capturing natural finger glides and bow transitions smoothly across intricate chord passages.
• Four Discrete Microphone Positions: Includes Close, Mid, Far, and Surround channels alongside an integrated Mixer page equipped with solid-state EQ, dynamics processing, and convolution reverbs.
• Extensive Articulation Set: Provides over 38-45 detailed articulations per section, ranging from soaring legato sustains and con sordino to crisp spiccato, ricochet, and expressive bowing effects.
• NKS & Komplete Kontrol Integration: Fully mapped for Komplete Kontrol hardware with color-coded Light Guide key switches for instant articulation navigation.

Who Symphony Series String Ensemble Is For

Symphony Series String Ensemble is tailored for music creators across multiple disciplines who demand uncompromising sound quality without complex technical hurdles:

• Film, TV & Game Composers: Ideal for scoring cinematic blockbusters, AAA video games, and dramatic television cues that require rich emotional depth and realistic multi-mic mixing flexibility.
• Pop, R&B & Electronic Producers: Perfect for adding authentic orchestral backing layers, lush string pads, and sweeping lead hooks to modern commercial arrangements.
• Orchestrators & Concert Arrangers: Allows precise division of section parts (Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses) to test complex orchestral arrangements before live recording sessions.

Symphony Series vs. Symphony Essentials

Native Instruments offers two editions of this library. Understanding the differences ensures you select the right version for your studio needs:

• Symphony Series String Ensemble (Full): 31.78 GB download, full 4 discrete mic channels, 38+ articulations per instrument, complete Auto Divisi engine, and per-section mixer controls.
• Symphony Essentials String Ensemble: ~3 GB streamlined version with a single stereo mic mix, essential articulations (legato, staccato, sustain), designed for fast pop/EDM sketching without heavy RAM consumption.

Best Practices & Mixing Workflow Tips

To get the most natural performance out of Symphony Series String Ensemble, implement these proven production techniques:

1. Ride Dynamics (CC1) and Expression (CC11) Simultaneously: Map CC1 (Modulation Wheel) to control dynamic layers and CC11 (Expression) to tweak volume shading for life-like performance swells.
2. Blend Mic Positions for Depth: Push the Close mic up for articulate pop/hybrid leads, while increasing the Surround mic for lush cinematic ambient depth.
3. Enable Auto Divisi for Polyphonic Lines: When playing complex counterpoint or multi-note pads, enable Auto Divisi to prevent unnatural mud in the lower-mid frequencies.