Garritan Instant Orchestra Review

A few months ago I purchased Garritan Instant Orchestra, a software program that allows composers to make realistic sounding orchestrations right from their computer. I have been using this program a lot lately and wanted to write a post about it for any composers who are looking at virtual orchestra programs.

To start with, Garritan Instant Orchestra is a good choice for composers on a budget. You can get it for under $200, which is not that expensive compared to other virtual orchestra programs.

Garritan IO gives you many options to make different moods and styles of music. You can make anything from a small string group to a full orchestra with big brass and drums. One of the coolest things about this program is that there are built-in moods and combinations of instruments that can immediately give you the sound you want. Instead of having to build a section using violins, violas, cellos, etc., you can click on one of the preset groups and immediately have a full sounding string section. There are many other presets as well to make brass, woodwind, or string sections and even full orchestras. This really helps the whole process of creating a song go a lot faster.

Most of the instruments and ensembles in Garritan Instant Orchestra sound pretty similar to real instruments. Some of the samples don't sound quite as good as some other, more expensive virtual orchestras. Personally I think the brass instruments could be better. But there are definitely enough great sounds in Garritan Instant Orchestra to make some good music. There are also ways you can edit the instruments and combinations to get different sounds and styles.

I would definitely suggest taking a look at this program if you are getting into composing and would like to hear the music you are making. It is especially helpful for composers who want to get songs done quickly, because there are so many preset combinations to work with. You can build a full sounding orchestra in a short amount of time. The quality of the Garritan IO is definitely worth the price! Listen to the sample below that is created with Garritan Instant Orchestra. You can check out Garritan on Amazon by clicking here.