Spitfire Symphony Orchestra is one of the most respected orchestral libraries in the world of virtual instruments. Created by Spitfire Audio and recorded in the iconic AIR Studios Lyndhurst Hall, it is built to give composers the feeling of working with a real orchestra. Whether you are scoring films, composing for games or producing cinematic music, the level of detail inside this collection sets it apart from most orchestral libraries available today. In this review we look deeply into what Spitfire Symphony Orchestra offers, how it sounds, and why it has become a favourite among professional composers.
Overview of Spitfire Symphony Orchestra
Spitfire Symphony Orchestra is designed as a complete orchestral toolkit that includes strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, harp and orchestral piano. Instead of focusing on small ensembles or simplified versions of instruments, it gives you full professional sections such as first violins, second violins, violas, cellos and basses. The same level of depth applies to brass and woodwinds with solo instruments and full groups of players recorded in situ. The library features world class musicians captured using state of the art microphones in one of the best scoring stages in the world.
Spitfire also offers a lightweight version called Spitfire Symphony Orchestra Discover. Discover gives beginners a chance to experience orchestral writing without paying or downloading a massive library. While Discover includes fewer articulations and no advanced mic positions, it is a useful entry point for composers who want to start creating orchestral sketches.
Sound Quality and Articulations
One of the strongest qualities of Spitfire Symphony Orchestra is its incredible realism. The string section alone contains around one hundred seventy five articulations including long sustains, staccatos, spiccatos, pizzicatos, harmonics, flautando and multiple legato types. The ensemble patches can contain the sound of over three hundred virtual players when using layered sections.
Woodwinds and brass receive the same high level of treatment. You get classic instruments like flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, trumpets, horns, trombones and tubas. You also get extended instruments such as contrabass clarinet, bass flute and contrabassoon. These deep additions open more cinematic possibilities.
The microphone options add even more control. You can blend close mics, tree mics, ambient room mics and outriggers to build the exact space you want. This can produce everything from an intimate chamber sound to a huge Hollywood style orchestra. All instruments were recorded in real positions which helps your arrangements sit naturally in the stereo field.
Recent Updates and Soloists
Spitfire Audio continues to improve and expand the library. A recent update introduced new brass ensemble recordings including trumpets a3, horns a4 and trombones a5. They also added improved performance legato systems and new staccatissimo techniques. Another major addition is the inclusion of three world class solo string players for violin, viola and cello. These solo instruments bring even more emotional depth to melodic writing because they feature expressive portamento, fingered legato and detailed bowing articulations.
Performance and Workflow
Spitfire Symphony Orchestra runs inside Kontakt or the free Kontakt Player. Because of its size and depth it does require strong hardware particularly if you load many instruments with multiple microphone positions. However the library is well organised and easy to navigate. Presets are clearly labelled and most patches load quickly once installed on a fast SSD.
Some users report small quirks like articulations not triggering correctly when custom key switches are used but these issues usually depend on individual setups. For most composers the experience is smooth and inspiring.
Who Should Use Spitfire Symphony Orchestra
This library is perfect for film composers game composers and anyone producing cinematic or orchestral music. If you want the richest possible sound with a real hall ambience SSO is one of the best choices. It is also ideal for orchestral students who want to learn arrangement techniques using realistic sounding instruments. Beginners can start with the Discover edition and later upgrade to the full version for professional depth.
Final Verdict
Spitfire Symphony Orchestra is a world class orchestral library that delivers stunning sound quality deep articulations powerful legatos and the atmosphere of a real symphony hall. It is not a small or light tool but for anyone serious about orchestral composition it is easily one of the most rewarding collections available today. Whether you are sketching ideas in Discover or diving into full cinematic scoring the Spitfire Symphony Orchestra remains a leading choice for authentic orchestral expression.
