Focusing on the high price, the product was given an overall mixed review and it was noted due to the high price some seeking such a product may be better off if the software offered a quarter of the content at a lower price. Other criticisms include the note of the wobbliness of some of the solo samples and while the Bass were "gutsy" and the sopranos "ethereal" it was difficult to make samples switch roles. The result is that a computer running 64-bit OS was needed and simple Windows XP and 2GBs of data may not cut it. TechRadar noted the amount of samples crammed into the software at 38GB spread across 9 DVDs and it was part of a growing trend at time of release of amassing large amounts of sampled sounds into a product. However, it noted the software's limitations beyond choir synthesis.
Īudio Pro Central felt that the software was expensive, but still cheaper than hiring an entire choir for the same session and state its results were "breathtaking". When reviewing the original version of the software, Sound on Sound reviewer John Walden called the quality "magnificent" and believed it was suitable for hobbyist, educational and professional markets.
Unlike the original software, the expansion is recorded with a single microphone. It also includes sample patches, "Angels" and "Demons" from "Voices of the Apocalypse". They were also built with the WordBuilder in mind. The samples contain heavy vibrato vowels that allow the loudest Symphonic Choirs to crossfade with the FFF Mark Wherry's "Voices of the Apocalypse". The "Choirs (VOTA) Expansion" expansion pack was also later created using samples from Quantum Leap sound libraries.
In the PLAY version 2.1.1 update released in 2010, WordBuilder and PLAY were integrated into a single interface.
The software also works with Kompakt, allowing for use of sound layers for user creation of choirs to suit the means although the software can be used without Kompakt, the user will not be able to access the full capabilities of the sample library.
Other samples include solo sounds in tones such as whispers covering Soprano, Alto and choir boy, though these samples do not use WordBuilder. The software only contains choir-themed samples, so it is not designed to sing any other genre of music. It was recorded with 3 microphones, allowing for results that give the impression of the choir being in different positions. The SATB sections offer Normal, Legato, Staccato, and Slurred articulations, while the young boys choir offers Normal and Legato articulations. It covers the ranges Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass and has audio engine effects and outputs. It has vocal samples for male, female and young boys' choirs. The WordBuilder works by the user typing in what they want the software to recreate and it playing back the words. Recorded in a real concert hall, the software initially had two styles of producing a result, the first being the "PLAY" engine version and the second being the "WordBuilder". The content was created by producers Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix with recording engineer Keith O.
Symphonic Choirs is a vocal synthesizer and vocal library software created by EastWest, designed to imitate an entire vocal choir.