Sonokinetic Sultan Strings Kontakt Library Better ((better)) Access
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🎻 Discover the Majesty of Sonokinetic Sultan Strings
For Kontakt (Full version required)
If you’re looking to add authentic Ottoman-inspired string textures to your compositions, Sultan Strings by Sonokinetic is a hidden gem worth exploring.
🧩 What is it?
Sultan Strings is a phrase-based string library, but unlike standard orchestral patches, it focuses on traditional Turkish / Ottoman court music – featuring melodic ornaments, microtonal inflections, and ensemble playing styles rarely found in mainstream libraries.
🎶 Key Features:
- Ensemble size: 12 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos
- Recorded phrases in major & minor modes (plus Hicaz, Uşşak, Rast, etc.)
- Legato, tremolo, pizzicato, and col legno articulations
- Unique “Oynak” (lively) & “Ağır” (slow/heavy) playing styles
- Built-in microtuning for authentic maqam scales
- Phrase sequencer & key switching for real-time arrangement
🎧 Best for:
- Film/TV scores needing a non-Western flavor
- Epic / fantasy / historical dramas (especially Ottoman, Balkan, or Middle Eastern settings)
- Hybrid composers blending orchestral strings with ethnic moods
- Adding expressive, sliding portamentos & rich vibrato not found in standard string libraries
⚙️ Requirements:
- Full Kontakt 5.8+ (not Kontakt Player)
- ~8 GB disk space (compressed NCW format)
- 4–8 GB RAM recommended
💡 Pro tip: Layer Sultan Strings with a conventional string library for a unique “eastern-tinged orchestral” sound – especially effective on long notes and melody lines.
🔊 Where to hear it: Check Sonokinetic’s official demos on YouTube – the “Sultan Strings Walkthrough” shows the phrase engine in action.
3. Layer for Texture (The "Swell" Trick)
Sultan Strings excels at rhythmic ostinatos and runs, but sometimes you need sustained notes to fill out the harmony.
- Combine Libraries: Don't rely solely on Sultan Strings for everything. Layer a standard sustain patch from a different string library (like Spitfire Albion or Cinematic Studio Strings) underneath the Sultan phrases.
- Why? The sustain patch provides the "body" and reverb tail, while Sultan Strings provides the intricate, accented movement on top. This makes the arrangement sound like a full, live orchestra rather than a loop.
The "Microtonal" Threshold: Why Equal Temperament Fails
Standard string libraries sound out of tune when writing Middle Eastern or Ottoman music. That is a fact. Western 12-tone equal temperament lacks the quarter tones (or 50-cent intervals) that define Maqam music. sonokinetic sultan strings kontakt library better
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is better because it is built for these intervals.
The library was recorded with players who instinctively bend into Hicaz, Uşşak, and Rast scales. The phrase engine intelligently maps these microtonal inflections to your keyboard. You don’t need to manually pitch-bend every note or buy a $2,000 Lumatone keyboard.
Real-world test: Load a traditional string library. Write a melodic line in D-Hicaz (D, Eb half-flat, F#, G, A, Bb half-flat, C). It sounds like a wounded accordion. Load Sultan Strings. Write the same line. It sounds like a film score for Dune meets The Last Emperor. That single difference makes it better for 90% of world/cinematic composers.
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. Here’s an informative post you can use on
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.
The Core Mechanics: Phrasing Over Programming
Unlike standard string libraries where you press a key and hear a sustain, Sultan Strings is a phrase-based engine. The library recorded the Izmir String Ensemble (12 Violins, 6 Violas, 6 Cellos) performing specific "moves."
Where it falls short (less “better” than competitors)
- No true legato – You will find sustains and phrases, but not the smooth, connected legato of Cinematic Studio Strings or Tokyo Scoring Strings.
- Limited dynamic layers – Compared to flagship libraries (Spitfire Symphonic, Berlin Strings), the soft-to-loud range is narrower.
- Not for standard orchestral writing – Trying to play Beethoven or Hollywood film score triads will sound out of tune (intentionally microtonal).
- Phrase‑based limitations – You cannot easily edit individual notes inside a phrase; it’s more “perform the phrase” than “compose every note.”
Feature Proposal: "Sultan Strings Enhancer" for Sonokinetic Sultan Strings (Kontakt)
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. 🎻 Discover the Majesty of Sonokinetic Sultan Strings