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GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

I highly recommend this Jam Pack!

Written by BW from Mission Viejo

4-Feb-2006

I work professionally as a film and game composer, and if I need to do a quick mock up of an orchestra on my iBook, I always reach for these sounds. I agree that there needs to be a solo instrument for each instrument in the string family, as well as solo trumpet, but the limited RAM requirements make up for the lack of these sounds. I have recommended this jam pack to many friends who are too limited on funds to afford the super $3,000.00 (+) Orchestra libraries, but need great realistic orchestra sounds. I do own more expensive libraries, but still use these sounds in my productions as a quick go to. To be honest, I haven’t even checked out any of the loops, but I’m sure they’re good. If you need an orchestra library, and are using Garage band or Logic 7, check this one out. I give it 5 stars mostly for the great value.

76 of 113 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

OMG TUBA!!!!!!!

Written by GF from staten island

21-Feb-2008

nice selection of brass but i think it could hve had more string solos

152 of 270 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Simply Amazing

Written by HS

23-Jan-2007

This is, almost, the best piece of software I've ever purchsed. Although I haven't played with the loops, the software instruments were, I assure you, worth every penny. The Steinway Grand Piano is almost indistinguishable from a real piano, and the wind voices are spectacular. The brass are also excelent, and a HUGE improvement over Garageband's original brass voices (which were ok, at best).
The mallet, keyboard and tuned percussion voices are also stunning, and mac geeks will note that the iPhone ringtone displayed at Macworld was played by this JamPack's Marimba voice.
All in all, a simply superb product. The only improvements I can think of would be more complete solo strings and brass, but seeing the quality of the instruments it does have, you really can't complain.

86 of 140 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

stunning

Written by CL from Graham

15-Feb-2006

a great addition for those who want to write movie soundtrack-esque songs or just want better strings. love it!!

59 of 90 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Profound

Written by BB from tyler

10-Feb-2006

I use the word "Profound" because when compared to what we had prior to this product, this Pack is, in fact, profound. It offers a staggering number of orchestral colors and textures. The way these various patches layer together is amazing within itself. My ONLY criticism is the fact that some of them do not blend together in a smooth, natural way where one ends and the next begins. Other than this one flaw, this product has no peer anywhere else that I am aware of. Its price is certainly amazinly inexpensive when one sees what they suddenly have command of. It is a true "Symphonic Experience". Had this been available to me when I was growing up, it would have changed the very course of my life.

63 of 104 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Wow, apple really takes their samples seriously.

Written by MB from Port Washington

25-May-2007

I needed this pack to work up an orchestral arangement with a MIDI keyboard. The samples and instruments were impeccable. The loops were actually rather useless, but I was very impressed with the percussion samples such as timpani and a great snare. The woodwinds were too great with oboe and clarinet which don't exist in Garageband without this pack. My arrangement came out great. This pack is really worth it if you want some accurate orchestral samples.

41 of 63 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Awesome

Written by KS from Wilmington

3-Mar-2007

Wow...10 gigabytes of awesome sounding loops. I make movies and I do all of the after effects. I've tried other programs for composing a score for my movies such as Cakewalk and GarageBand (before buying this product), but these loops take the cake (no pun intended). Strongly recommended for people who like to mess around with GarageBand and filmmakers.

60 of 101 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Great

Written by TB from New York

25-Jan-2008

I've purchased a few of the jam packets, and this one immediately changed the overall feel and scope of Garageband. I believe it is easily one of the most elemental of the JamPacks.

73 of 131 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Great Beautiful Sounds

Written by YR from Dover

30-Nov-2009

The sounds(loops) found in this Jam Pack are outstanding. There is great variety in the loops. Great job Apple. Excellent work combining sound quality with quantity.

1 of 1 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Can be great for synth use

Written by BM from SAINT PAUL

1-Sep-2007

All the Classical Pianos are great on Arena Run and Solo Star. Also the Orchestral loops are good with a variety of synths. This might sound strange but its a good Jam Pack for synth lovers. The only problem is if you want it on a slow processor(600 MH or less).

66 of 131 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Excellent in all ways possible.

Written by JK from Colchester

12-Aug-2007

This JamPack brings the rich sound of so many beautiful instruments right to the fingertips of GarageBand and Logic uses with class, greatness, and noteworthy appeal. I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of these instruments and have spent hours since its install creating all sorts of wonderful compositions. This is THE JamPack to have. No complaints. I highly recommend this with NO reservations.

30 of 64 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

WoW !

Written by GM from Milano

24-Jun-2009

Hi ! I'm the #1 fan of apple. I love each product. And this product is one of my favorites ! My advice: Buy it ! It's incredibile. All the effects are great and incredibily realistic ! And apart for the Symphony Orchestra i suggest to buy also Voices... It's great!

Thanks

19 of 47 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

A classical classic from Apple

Written by NR from Driffield

13-Jan-2006

Forget the loops (I know they like to make a big deal of them) what really shines is the stunning selection of instruments. Choose a preset from the list and you're ready to start playing instruments from any section of the orchestra. There'll be more dynamic and expressive sample libraries out there, but this is solid and useable and, for the price, certainly above average. Only downside is the lack of solo trumpet and violin, though you do get solo and ensemble versions of pretty much everything else (French Horn, Clarinet, Flute etc.). And, if you like that sort of thing, it has to be said that the loops are very good indeed.

505 of 709 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

For The Musician....

Written by RL from Seattle

18-Aug-2006

I'm a professional composer and to outline a song quickly, Garageband is great. The expansion packs are underrated for the cost. With Symphony, You can create slow or percussive Orchestral pieces but the strings are tricky. Woodwinds rock out on this, Brass is dissapointing (ensemble brass is nice but for solo instruments...not so much).
You have a choice between sad and morose or punchy and crazy but nothing really..lyrical.

No solo violins? What kind of orchestra is this? And no chorus like that similar to the singers in the World Jampack??

124 of 170 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Pretty good for the money

Written by CT from Nashville

21-Apr-2008

As a professional musician I was immediately impressed with Garageband when I got my mac. The sounds were an even more pleasant surprise. I used this Jam Pack with GB's default sounds scoring a film ("Scream Farm", probably won't be in a theater near you) and was very pleased with much of the outcome. Don't get me wrong you can get better sounds, but you'll spend several hundred more dollars to get only slightly better quality. There ARE a couple of areas that are lacking (brass and a lack of solo strings) that others have pointed out, but the woodwinds and the few percussion sounds are really top notch. Highlights for me have been the keyboards, strings (and their various articulations; pizz, arco, staccato, tremolo), and pitched percussion. I consider it a worthy investment for any composer.

149 of 222 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

I was pleased

Written by JZ from Madison

1-Sep-2008

I was very pleased with the quality of the sounds and the ease of use--I simply installed as directed & everything appeared in Garage Band with no additional fancy footwork. Some of the sounds are really nice--the harp, the harpsichord, and the celesta are among my favorites. The string sounds are rich and easily used for a high sound-quality result. I am not quite as fond of the horns and woodwinds, but they are fine, and I have been able to use them to good effect.

I am giving four instead of five stars in deference to some of the other feedback given here--no solo strings, the misleading box--but overall I have been very pleased by this purchase.

71 of 89 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Very Nice

Written by EV from Newton

19-Jan-2006

This is an outstanding product. The strings are lush, the brass is powerful, the winds are ultra-realistic, the keyboards are amazing, and the percussion is fantastic. I am using this product for several compositions. What would be nice would be some solo strings...I have to use other libraries to get those sounds, and maybe a huge "Orchestra" Instrument, to create orchestral hits and also to compose for full orchestra - all from one track - but overall, my reaction is "Wow. Finally, Apple released an orchestral sample library. Keep up the good work."

55 of 81 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

An Excellent Collection

Written by TM from Ann Arbor

17-Jan-2006

The loops are good for creating subtle ambience to your iMovies, but the Instrument samples really shine. I would've liked to have seen more solo instruments, and perhaps less reverb on them by default as a whole when adding them to tracks, but all in all a very nice set of sounds for GarageBand.

33 of 41 people found this useful