Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s series of Synchron Instruments! The instruments were recorded at Stage A, the main hall of Vienna’s revitalized Vienna Synchron Stage, and Stage B, our smaller and more intimate studio. The recordings were executed using an expansive, phase-controlled multi-microphone set-up, capturing string effects played in a scoring stage with exceptional acoustics, now ready to be used in your studio. This document will provide you with the information you need to use the Library with our Vienna Synchron Player.
You would rightly assume that the library’s name has something to do with how it works. Indeed, it offers two ensembles of every string group, a larger orchestral one and a smaller chamber one, playing and recorded simultaneously, but in different ambiences. The larger ensembles played at our renowned Synchron Stage A with its lush cinematic reverb, the same as you may be familiar with from our other Synchron collections. The smaller ensembles, however, were set up at Stage B, which provides a much drier and crisper reverb environment.
This unique recording technique allows you to use the dual ensembles to fine-tune the sound of your compositions without having to layer different libraries, where the authenticity you can achieve is often less than you’d wish for.
Stage B also features two different microphone setups, so that you have “Bright” and “Dark” versions of the dry stage recordings at your command.
Of course, you can use the large and small ensembles in combination or separately!
| Stage A | Stage B | total |
|---|---|---|
| 14 1st Violins | 8 1st Violins | 22 |
| 12 2nd Violins | 6 2nd Violins | 18 |
| 10 Violas | 5 Violas | 15 |
| 10 Cellos | 5 Cellos | 15 |
| 6 Basses | 3 Basses | 9 |
The microphone setup was subdivided into 10 recording positions. The Standard Library includes 5 of these positions (as well as a RAM-friendly Room Mix composed of merged samples from the individual positions), allowing you to integrate instruments recorded with a stereo Decca tree into your projects with our Synchron Player software that was designed exactly for that purpose. Adding the Extended Library and thus getting the Full Library expands your possibilities to 5.1 surround and Auro 3D 9.1, with the additional option of a microphone in the rear of the hall to expand your sound possibilities.
Standard Library
-
- A - Room Mix – Stereo
-
- A - Solo – Mono
-
- A - Mid– Stereo (L/R)
-
- A - Main/Room Mic – Decca Tree Stereo (L/R)
-
- A – Main C/Room Mic – Decca Tree Mono (Center)
-
- B - “Dark” microphones – Stereo (L/R)
-
Extended Library
-
- A - Ribbon – Stereo (L/R)
-
- A - Main Surround – Stereo (L/R)
-
- A - High Stereo (3D) – Stereo (L/R)
-
- A - High Surround (3D) – Stereo (L/R)
-
- B - “Bright” microphones – Stereo (L/R)
-
For each ensemble, there are a number of Mixer Presets that depict different recording situations. The basic Mixer Presets are Close, Classic, Wide, Distant, Ambience, Lush, and Lush Long. These are available in stereo versions for Room-Mix, Standard and Full, as well as in Surround. Moreover, there is a Special category, also for Standard and Full.
By default the classic room mixes are loaded which include the Standard Library microphone positions “Room-Mix” and “Mid” from Stage A, and “Dark” from Stage B. These are balanced in the stereo field to represent the respective instrument’s position in the Synchron Stage set-up.
Auro 3D is an immersive audio technology that allows for three-dimensional sound perception. The Belgian company Auro Technologies developed this technology based on a special speaker configuration, adding four additional speakers to a 5.1 surround configuration. These speakers (so-called “Heights”) are situated above the front and surround speakers and generate acoustic reflections that are perceived naturally due to the fact that sounds originate from around as well as from above the listener. Thanks to the comprehensive selection of discrete audio channels with the Full Library, you may mix your instruments in Auro 3D as well as in Dolby Atmos.
The Presets of each instrument group are subdivided into different Articulation categories (including one named "Custom", ready for your own creations):
- Short Notes
- Long Notes
- Performance legato (flautando only)
- Tremolo
- Trills (flautando only)
Each of these Articulation categories offers ponticello and flautando articulations (legato and trills: flautando only), and you can select a Type, e.g., spiccato or détaché. For some of the types there are additional attack options available, such as the short notes’ bold or agile playing.
The Presets for Synchron Strings Pro comprise all the instruments’ recorded Patches in Articulation groups, which again contain Types of the respective Articulation, with further options if available. If you happen to be short of RAM, you can deactivate Articulations you do not need, and if necessary activate them again.
By default the keyswitches for Articulations are mapped from C1 to A1 (for Middle C = C4) for violins, violas, and cellos, and C5 to A5 for the double basses. The Type keyswitches start from C2/F2 (depending on articulation) for violins and violas, and from C6/F6 for cellos and basses. The keyswitchies for further options such as release and attack variants are mapped to the keyboard's 7th octave.
Dimension Controllers offer additional options within some Articulations or Types, most notably that of crossfading between different attack and release variations. The controller function is indicated by the respective caption, as of course it may take on different tasks as needed.
- Articulations
- violins
- violas
- cellos C1–A1
- basses C5–A5
- Type
- violins and violas from C2/F2
- cellos and basses from C6/F6
- Attack, release, other variants: starting at C7
- XF control: MIDI continuous controllers (CC)
The collection offers four basic Preset types for every section in separate folders named “VelXF sus - MOD”, “VelXF - MOD”, “VelXF + Velocity control”, and “Velocity”. In VelXF sus Presets, velocity crossfading by modwheel is only activated for long notes, while the dynamics of short notes are controlled by keystroke velocity, thus facilitating phrasing. In VelXF Presets, all articulations have velocity crossfading activated so that you can control dynamics with MIDI controller CC1, the modwheel. VelXF + Velocity control also use the modwheel, but in addition keystroke velocity is used to determine the attack behaviour of long notes, legato, etc. Moreover, there are special patch combinations, e.g., where velocity triggers spiccato or staccato samples.
Velocity crossfading can be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab, or you can use the Velocity Preset where the dynamics are generally controlled by keystroke velocity.
Owners of Synchron Duality Strings (regular) and Synchron Duality Strings (sordino) will also find Presets merging the regular and color articulations, as well as all three of them. These also offer additional crossfading options, e.g., between regular and flautando short notes.
Apart from the individual ensembles, there are is also a special category of Presets comprising all ensembles, called Tutti pianissimo Colors, which is described after the normal Presets.
Détaché normal, marcato, and soft. All with “bold” and “agile” attack variants.
- Type: D#2–F2 (violins, violas), D#6–F6 (cellos, basses).
- Bold / Agile: A7 / A#7.
Spiccato normal and tight, staccato, détaché normal and marcato. All with “bold” and “agile” attack variants.
- Type: C2–E2 (violins, violas), C6–E6 (cellos, basses).
- Bold / Agile: A7 / A#7.
Détaché normal and marcato, with “bold” and “agile” attack variants. Use Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3) to crossfade between ponticello and flautando.
- Color Xfade: Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3)
- Type: D#2–E2 (violins, violas), D#6–E6 (cellos, basses).
- Bold / Agile: A7 / A#7.
In the VelXF + Velocity Presets, the short notes have additional types which employ velocity control to switch between different détaché articulations:
- Dim.Ctrl/C (keystroke velocity) is used to trigger different patches (spiccato/staccato resp.
- soft/normal/marcato détache).
Long notes, light and strong vibrato with normal and fast attack, as well as a vibrato crossfading option.
- Expression: F2–G2 (violins, violas), F6–G6 (cellos, basses).
- Attack: A7/B7, keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets.
- Vibrato XFade: Dim.Ctrl/A (CC20).
Long notes with light vibrato, with normal, fast, and sfzorzato attack.
- Expression: F2–A2 (violins, violas), F6–A6 (cellos, basses).
- Attack: A7–C8 (white keys), keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets
Flautando and ponticello with light vibrato. Use Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3) to crossfade between flautando and ponticello.
- Color Xfade: Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3)
- Type: D#2–E2 (violins, violas), D#6–E6 (cellos, basses).
- Attack: A7/B7, keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets.
Flautando only: Legato normal and slurred with light and strong vibrato, all with normal and fast attack. For the vibrato crossfading option, use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC20).
- Normal/slurred: C2/C#2 (violins, violas), C6/C#6 (cellos, basses).
- Expression: F2–G2, F6–G6.
- Attack: A7/B7, keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets.
- Vibrato XFade: Dim.Ctrl/A (CC20).
Fast and slow tremolo, normal, legato, and slurred, with normal and fast attack, as well as slow/fast tremolo and sustained/tremolo crossfading options.
- Type: C2–D#2 (violins, violas), C6–D#6 (cellos, basses).
- Transition (normal/legato/slurred): F7–G7.
- Attack: A7/B7, keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets.
Slow X fast
Use Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20) to adjust the articulation balance.
- Slow/fast XFade: Dim.Ctrl/A (CC20).
Long XF tremolo
Use Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20) to adjust the articulation balance.
- Slow/fast XFade: Dim.Ctrl/A (CC20).
- Transition normal/legato: F7/F#7.
Fast tremolo with normal, fast, and sfzorzato attack. With a tremolo/sustains crossfading option.
- Type: C2/C#2 (violins, violas), C6/C#6 (cellos, basses).
- Attack: A7–C8 (white keys) , keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets
Long XF tremolo
Use Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20) to adjust the balance of articulations.
Flautando and ponticello tremolos, with crossfading options. Use Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3) to crossfade between flautando and ponticello, and Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20) for sustain/tremolo crossfading.
- Color Xfade: Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3)
- Long/tremolo Xfade: Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20)
- Tremolo/XF switch: C2/C#2 (violins, violas), C6/C#6 (cellos, basses).
- Attack: A7/B7, keystroke velocity in VelXF + Velocity Presets.
Flautando trills, minor 2nd to major 3rd, with normal, legato, and slurred transitions.
- Interval: F2–G#2 (violins, violas), F6–G#6 (cellos, basses).
- Transition: F7–G7.
In VelXF + Velocity Presets, the trills are organized in a different manner, so that minor/major intervals are controlled by keystroke velocity instead of keyswitches. Second/third: F2/F#2 (violins, violas), F6/F#6 (cellos, basses). Minor/major: Dim.Ctrl/C (keystroke velocity).
This “articulation” does not yet contain any patches. It provides 6 slots ready for you to configure presets of your own.
These Presets comprise all the ensembles’ pianissimo samples in variants with and without the basses.
- Range: C3–C5 con bassi, senza bassi; C3–C7 combination.
- Bass switch: A0–B0.
- Articulation: C1–E1.
Flautando sordino, flautando, and ponticello. All with “bold” and “agile” attack variants.
- Color: G1–A1.
- Bold / Agile: A7 / A#7.
Long notes with regular and fast attack, normal and fast tremolo have the same structure, with the only exception that the long notes offer normal and soft release variants. As with the short notes, there are flautando sordino, flautando, and ponticello, but in addition you get a slot named “Colors XFade” where you can change colors gradually.
- Color: G1–A#1.
- Release: F7 / F#7 (long notes only).
Colors Xfade
Here you can crossfade between the three color types with the help of Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC3)
- Long/tremolo Xfade: Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC20).
This Preset combines ‘con bassi’ and ‘senza bassi’, so that you can switch between the two by simply switching to another octave.
- Mapping: C3–B4 con bassi, C5–C7 senza bassi.
Special Presets for owners of Synchron Duality Strings (regular) and Synchron Duality Strings (sordino) combine the Collections’ articulation sets and offer additional crossfading options, e.g., between flautando and regular short notes.
The following examples of Preset organization are taken from the Regular + Colors merged Preset.
- Collection: A0–A#0 violins, viola, cellos; A8–A#8 basses.
- Color: violins, violas, cellos G1–B1; basses G5–B5.
- Other keyswitches according to type and number of articulations.
Flautando / Regular XF: Dim.Ctrl/C (MIDI CC3).
- Détaché: D#2–F2 violins, violas; D#6–F6 cellos, basses.