Synchron Percussion II

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. 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.

All the instruments were recorded using 12 microphones, subdivided into 7 sections. The Standard Library includes 4 of these sections, allowing you to integrate instruments recorded with a stereo Decca tree into your projects using our new Synchron Player software. Adding the Extended Library and thus getting the Full Library expands your possibilities to 5.1 surround and Auro 3D 9.1.

Standard Library

1. Close Mic - Mono
2. Mid Layer Mic - Stereo (L/R)
3. Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree Stereo (L/R)
4. Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree Mono (Center)

Extended Library

5. Main Surround - Stereo (L/R)
6. High Stereo (3D) - Stereo (L/R)
7. High Surround (3D) - Stereo (L/R)

The instrument Presets also include different mixer presets. By default the classic room mixes are loaded which include the Standard Library microphone positions. 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 of Synchron Percussion I you may mix your instruments in Auro 3D as well as in Dolby Atmos.

The same set of Adams timpani, played with soft mallets.

• Play Range: C2-C6 (left hand C2-B3, right hand C4-C6)

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to play with the tone ringing or muted after the key release.

• Play range: C2-C4

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to choose dynamic selection or velocity crossfading.

• Play range: C2-C4

Dynamic rolls, 2/4/6/8 seconds. Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to select length, and keyswitches A0/B0 to switch between crescendo and diminuendo.

• Play range: C2-C3

Two timpani tuned in octaves for an especially powerful sound.

Owners of both Synchron Percussion I and Synchron Percussion II can use this Preset which combines the medium and soft mallet articulations.

Mallet keyswitches: C1/C#1.

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to play with the tone ringing or secco resp. muted (medium/soft mallets).

A Lefima 28" bass drum played with soft, medium, and hard beaters, soft and hard brushes, and for special effects.

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to change between open and coperto articulations.

Soft beaters, open

• Play range: A3-A#6

Soft beaters, coperto

• Play range: C4-A#6

Medium/hard beaters, open

• Play range: A3-A#6

Medium/hard, coperto

• Play range: C4-A#6

There are no further options to these articulations.

Soft brushes

• Play range: C4-G5

Hard brushes

• Play range: C4-G5

Effects

• Play range: C4-C6

Roto toms with 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”, 14”, and 16” diameter, ranging over 2½ octaves, and played with sticks, hot rods, and mallets.

• Range: G2-B4 left hand, G5-B7 right hand.
• Beater keyswitches: C1-D1.

Single hits normal and rim, rolls, rimshots, and upward and downward glissandos.

• Articulation keyswitches: F1-A#1.
• Rolls range: G2-B4 long release, G5-B7 short release.
• Glissando range: G2-G4.

Single hits normal and rim.

• Articulation keyswitches: F1-F#1.

Single hits normal and rim, rolls.

• Articulation keyswitches: F1-G1.
• Rolls range: G2-B4 long release, G5-B7 short release.

10 taikos sized from 8" to 53", played with cudgels, tam beaters, and with various effects.

• Diameter keys: C2-A#2 (lowest to highest, all)
• Beater keys: C1-D1

Cudgel

Tam beater

Effects

Cudgel

Tam beater

A 70 cm tam-tam, played with soft and hard beaters, and various special effects.

• Beater switches: C1-D1

Beaters soft / hard

• Play range: C4-A#6

Effects

• Play range: C2-D#6

This Preset combines the tam-tams of Synchron Percussion I and Synchron Percussion II.

• Size switches: A1-B1
• Beater switches: C1-D1

These Burma gongs have an exeptionally big tonal range of four octaves. They are played with regular mallets, leather and metal beaters, and for special effects.

• Range: C2-C6.
• Beater switches: C1-D#1.

• Articulation switches: F1-G#1

Single strokes

Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to switch between open, sizzle, and muted articulations.

Static rolls

Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to switch between long and short release.

Dynamic rolls

Light dynamics with 1/2/4 seconds, strong dynamics with 2/4/6 seconds.
Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to change duration.

• Crescendo/diminuendo switches: A0/B0.

No further options.

Strokes and scratches.

• Articulation switches: F1-F#1.

Effects with rod, brush, rasping stick, bow, and superball.

• Articulation switches: F1-A1.

China gongs with single strokes, static and dynamic rolls.

• Range: G3-G5.
• Articulation switches: F1-G1.

Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to switch between open and muted variants.

Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to switch between long and short release.

Crescendos and diminuendos with 2/4/6 seconds.
Use Dim-Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to change duration.

• Crescendo/diminuendo switches: A0/B0.

A Musser vibraphone played with hard and soft mallets, bowed, and with a superball.

• Beater switches: C1-D#1.
• Play range: F3-F6.

Open and secco, harmonics, rolls ringing and muted, dynamic rolls, glissandos, played with the mallet handle, and pitch bend (an effect where the mallet is drawn with pressure over the sound bar).

• Articulation switches: F1-D2
• Motor on/off: A0/B0 (where applicable)

Dynamic rolls

Dynamic rolls, 1/3 seconds. Crescendo/diminuendo selection is controlled by keystroke velocity (Dim.Ctrl/B).

• Duration switches: A0/B0

Glissandos

Glissandos up and down, slow and fast - full range, low, medium, and high octaves.

• Range: C3-G#4

Articulations with and without motor, and pitch bend.

• Motor/type switches: A0-B0.

• Motor off/on: A0/B0.

A set of crotales by Bergerault, played with metal and plastic beaters, and bowed. The bowed articulation has no further options.
The "88 keys” transposing option allows you to play the instrument on a regular keyboard, while "loco” goes up to C8.

• 88 keys/loco switches: A0/B0.
• Range: C5-C7 (88 keys), C6-C8 (loco).

Single strokes, static and dynamic rolls, and glissandos.

• Articulation switches: F1-G#1.

Single strokes

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to change between open, open with mute RS, and muted variants.

Rolls

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to change between open and muted variants.

Dynamic rolls

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to change duration. The selection of crescendo/diminuendo is controlled by keystroke velocity (Dim.Ctrl/B).

Glissando

Glissandos up and down, slow and fast - full range, low and high range.

• Range
  • C5-D#6 (88 keys)
  • C6-C#7 (loco)

Plate bells ranging 5 octaves, played with hammer and metal beater, and bowed. Hammer offers ringing and stopped single notes as well as rolls with regular and short release. Metal beater has only ringing and stopped articulations, while bowed has no further options.

• Beater/bow switches: C1-D1
• Articulation switches: F1-G#1 (hammer), F1-F#1 (metal beater)
• Range: C2-C7

Temple bells, hit with soft, hard, and triangle beaters, rubbed with clappers, and bowed. You can select between open and secco sounds with the beaters, motion and bowed have no further options.

• Beater/bow switches: C1-E1.
• Open/secco: A0/B0.
• Range: A4-D5, A5-D6.

Medium and large thundersheets with single hits, shakes, bowed, superball, and tremolo variations. There are no further options for these slots.

• Size switches: C2/D2.
• Play range: C4-D#7.

A wind machine, clean and with additional rumble, with steady loops, crescendo and diminuendo variations, and free performances.
Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to crossfade clean and rumble sounds.

• Play range: C3-A#6.

A rainmaker with very slow, slow, and fast variations.

• Play range: C3-D#5.

Large, medium, and small ratchets with single strokes, and short and long slow and fast turns.

• Size switches: C2-D#2.
• Play range: C3-B5 all, C4-B4 single.

All ratchets

Single

Large and small vibraslaps with stopped and open stroke variations.

• Size switches: C2-D2.
• Play range
  • C4-G#5 all
  • C4-G#4 single

Both vibraslaps

Single

Slapsticks with single strokes, and short and long slow and fast turns.

• Size switches: C2-D#2
• Play range: C3-D#5 all, C4-D#4 single

All slapsticks

Single

Lion's roar with short, medium, and long variations as well as stuttering and squeaky stuttering.

• Play range: C4-D#6

Large and small waldteufels short, medium, and long tones, swirls, and medium and long glissandos.

• Size switches: C2/D2.
• Play range: C3-D#5.

Log drums played with soft and hard mallets. Left and right hand single notes, and rolls with and without velocity crossfading option.

• Mallet switches: C1/D1.
• Play range: C3-F6.

Anvils with unpitched multi articulations, and chromatic strokes and rolls.

• Articulation switches: F1-G1.

• Play range: C4-G#7.

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1, Modwheel) to switch between open and muted articulations.

• Strokes mapping

  • C4-A#5 left hand
  • C6-A#7 right hand

• Rolls mapping

  • C4-A#5 velocity selection
  • C6-A#7 velocity crossfading