Collections FAQ
Learn everything about Orchestral Tools collections in their Articulation Guides!
Can Expansions be integrated with their Main Collection?
All Orchestral Tools collections are completely separate and may use different, incompatible Capsule versions. Therefore it is not possible to integrate Expansion Collections into their respective Main Collection. Do not attempt to copy an expansion into its Main Collection's folder structure. This can result in severe issues and, especially on macOS, can make your installation unusable. All patches from Expansion Collections need to be loaded via Kontakt's Files tab or through the operating system's file manager.
Do your collections support the NKS standard?
NKS primarily serves to map keyswitches and controllers to the Komplete Kontrol keyboards as well as enhance the browsing workflow on Machine. This works well with pre-defined controller sets, but is of limited use when everything is highly customizable. Since in our collections everything is customizable and there are no fixed keyswitches or such, NKS has fewer benefits than with more traditional sample library schemes. Where it does help is with patch browsing and organization. Berlin Orchestra Inspire 2 is our first collection to support the NKS standard for this task.
As of September 2019, the following OT collections support NKS:
Berlin Orchestra Inspire, Berlin Orchestra Inspire 2, Metropolis Ark 1, Metropolis Ark 2, Metropolis Ark 3, Metropolis Ark 4, TIME macro, TIME micro, Orchestral String Runs, Symphonic Sphere.
How much overlap is between Berlin Orchestra Inspire and Berlin Orchestra Inspire 2 and the Berlin Series?
While BOI and BOI2 indeed use samples from our other collections, the actual patch overlap is relatively small. They take some patches and simplify them (like the harp, strings ensemble, ...), but mainly use existing samples in new combinations and instruments. There are full solo strings, woodwinds and brass ensembles, all of which are not in any other OT collection. Both use a single Mix mic position which has been carefully processed from the original mic positions.
In a nutshell, it would be very hard to impossible to recreate BOI's and BOI2's content from the other collections. As such, they are not a "best of", but rather a sensible expansion of the existing collections.
Are the Horns in Berlin Brass the same samples as in Berlin Brass - French Horn SFX?
No, the horns in Berlin Brass are completely new recordings, played by other musicians on different instruments with a very different sound and concept.
Is Orchestral String Runs part of BST?
No, Orchestral String Runs and Berlin Strings are completely different collections recorded at two different locations which do not share any articulations.
OSR is focused on String Runs (hence the name) and offers a great variety of different runs and figures.
BST is a full-featured string collection and focuses on regular articulations. Both collections work very well together, though and OSR can add a lot of tonal colours to BST.
What is the difference between the Nocturne Series and Berlin Strings - First Chairs?
The Soloists Series (Woodwinds and Nocturne) provides dedicated solo instruments intended for exposed solo passages and leading any musical background - like a soloist standing in front of the orchestra. All Soloists are recorded dry at the Teldex Solo Booth and have a Teldex IR for placement.
Berlin Strings - First Chairs represent the section leaders (solo players) within the orchestra. They sit in their orchestral seating positions and are intended to serve as a "string quartet" within the orchestra as well as (primarily) enhancing definition within the section.
Berlin Strings - First Chairs are recorded in the Teldex Scoring Stage and fit great together with all other "wet" Berlin Series and Metropolis Ark Series collections.
Nocturne Violin and Nocturne Cello have a huge number of legato styles (14 to be exact) with a large number of sustain types with baked-in expression, etc... Berlin Strings - First Chairs are much more bare-bones and use a single legato style plus optional portamento with three sustain styles.
Berlin Strings - First Chairs and the Nocturne Series are very different. They complement each other nicely, but neither can do what the other can. And of course they do not share a single sample.
Are Metropolis Ark 2/3/4 an upgrade or follow-up to Metropolis Ark 1?
No, all Metropolis Ark Series Collections are separate and unique collections. None is an upgrade of any other and they all have completely unique content. See the respective Articulation Guides for details.
Is Berlin Woodwinds Revive the successor to Berlin Woodwinds? Did you abandon BWW?
Not really; it is a reinvention of the original BWW concept with most instruments fully re-recorded. The original BWW actually received an update together with Revive. In fact, the complete Legacy BWW is included with Berlin Woodwinds Revive!