Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library's series of Synchron Instruments! As the name says, Big Bang Orchestra furnishes you with a selection of full-orchestra articulations, at the same time allowing you (if you haven't done so already) to explore our powerful Synchron Player software. If you're looking for that extra dramatic effect or want to highlight a passage in your composition, this bonus library could be the solution, or at least point you in the right direction.
BBO Zodiac is a stunning collection of extra-large string and brass sections, and gives you the means to create luscious and massive orchestral parts without using any programming tricks. The layout of articulations is designed to resemble that of other BBO Libraries with similar content, making it easy to switch between the articulations of different Libraries without having to adapt too many keyswitches.
All Presets are available in versions without velocity crossfading, with velocity crossfading marked 'XF' in their names, and those marked 'XF sus' where velocity crossfading is only activated for long notes, while the dynamics of short notes are controlled by keystroke velocity, thus facilitating phrasing. Velocity crossfading can be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab.
Zodiac contains the following instrument Presets:
Strings
- 1st violins, 30 players
- 2nd violins, 26 players
- Violas, 20 players
- Violoncellos, 22 players
- Double basses, 14 players
- "All strings" in compressed and full range variants, as well as octaves
Winds
- Horns, 12 players
- Trombones, 9 players
- Epic Legato Combo
- Articulation Keyswitches
- Violins, Violas and Cellos: C1–E1
- Basses: C5–E5
- Type Keyswitches
- 1st and 2nd Violins, Violas: C2–D2
- Cellos and Basses: C6–D6
- Range
- 1st and 2nd Violins: G3–C7
- Violas: C3–E6
- Cellos: C2–G5
- Basses: B0–C4
Bold and agile.
Long notes with regular and soft release.
Legato with regular and soft release, and marcato.
Sforzato and sforzatissimo.
This articulation has no further options.
These Presets combine all string sections in variants featuring compressed ranges as well as the individual sections' full ranges. They are especially useful for quick layouts, and for playing an entire string orchestra live! Moreover, there is an 'Octaves' Patch that features groups of two instruments playing in octaves.
The articulations are the same as those of the individual sections.
- Articulation Keyswitches: D7–F#7
- Type Keyswitches: G7–A7
- Range
- compressed: C2–C6
- full: B0–C7
There are four different instrument groupings: 1st + 2nd Violins, 2nd Violins + Violas, Violas + Cellos, and Cellos + Basses.
- Instrument keyswitches: C1–D#1
- Range
- 1st + 2nd Violins: G3–C6
- 2nd Violins + Violas: C4–C7
- Violas + Cellos: C3–E6
- Cellos + Basses: C2–C5
- Articulation Keyswitches
- Horns: C1–E1
- Trombones: C5–D5
- Type / dynamic range Keyswitches
- Horns: starting at C6
- Trombones: starting at C6
- Range
- Horns: D2–F5
- Trombones: B0–D4
Bold and agile.
Regular sustains with and without fortissimo layer, and soft.
- Fortissimo layer on/off: A0/B0
Legato regular with and without fortissimo layer, and soft.
- Fortissimo layer on/off: A0/B0
Sforzato, sforzatissimo, and swells short and long.
Slow and fast rips.
Long notes and legato articulations, both with regular and soft release.
- Articulation Keyswitches: C1/C#1
- Type Keyswitches: C2/C#2
- Range: A4–F5
