Because it focuses heavily on perfectly captured phrases rather than millions of round-robin multi-samples, it loads quickly and consumes minimal RAM.
You can easily shift the root key of a phrase on the fly to match your track's chord progression. The Playable Instruments
Sultan Strings isn't your typical multi-sampled orchestral library. It focuses on the distinct "Turkish style" of string playing, characterized by tight ensembles, specific vibrato, and melodic ornaments that Western libraries can't easily replicate. Authentic Performance Phrases The heart of the library lies in its performance phrases. Recorded with a 27-piece string section. Includes violins, violas, and cellos playing in unison.
: Every phrase includes a separately recorded octaved overdub mapped an octave higher. This allows you to instantly "fatten" the sound or build tension without the phasing issues common in digital transposing. sonokinetic sultan strings kontakt library better
No amount of EQ, reverb, or clever programming can turn Western orchestral samples into authentic Middle Eastern string performances. The playing style involves different ornamentation, phrasing, and microtonal inflections that standard sampling simply doesn’t capture. Sultan Strings was recorded by actual Middle Eastern musicians playing in the appropriate style—an advantage no “versatile” library can replicate.
Users can quickly switch between staccato, sustained, and ornamented articulations, allowing for a fluid, performative workflow rather than tedious key-switching.
Sultan Strings is built around Middle Eastern music theory. Standard Western scales (Major/Minor) often sound "wrong" or generic when trying to utilize this library to its fullest potential. Because it focuses heavily on perfectly captured phrases
It runs in the free Kontakt Player, making it accessible and robust, with native support for Native Instruments' NKS system. 4. Why it Beats "Traditional" Libraries
Load Sultan Strings, choose the "Sultan" articulation, hold down C3 and D3 simultaneously at 90bpm. Listen to the polyrhythm that emerges. That sound—chaotic, beautiful, razor-sharp—is the sound you cannot get anywhere else.
Where a generic library gives you a "violin" with an exotic preset, Sultan Strings gives you a dedicated bowed ensemble designed for the specific phrasing of Turkish and Arab maqam music [1]. It focuses on the distinct "Turkish style" of
By focusing on the specialized skills of authentic musicians, offering a vast array of phrases, and including crucial microtonal functionality, Sultan Strings enables composers to evoke the true, passionate sound of the Middle East. If you are looking to take your cinematic scores beyond standard Western orchestration and into, emotive, authentic territory, Sultan Strings is undeniably a superior tool.
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.
Features an "octaved overdub" for each phrase, allowing users to easily thicken the sound or build tension.
Sonokinetic nailed the positioning. You get five mic positions (Close, Decca, Balcony, Wide, Ambient). To make Sultan Strings sound better than out-of-the-box settings:
Uses an Intelligent Time Machine (ITM) to keep loops synced to your DAW's tempo, even at extreme values. Comparison & Recommendations