Studio Dimension Strings I - III

^{previously "SYNCHRON-ized Dimension Strings I-III"}

Studio Dimension Strings I-III were specifically created to help you enhance your compositions with these highly versatile string ensembles featuring individually recorded players. They were optimized for our Vienna Synchron Player, and perfectly balanced to interact with other Synchron Editions.

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
• Legato
• Dynamics
• Tremolo
• Repetitions
• Fast repetitions (Strings I only)
• Pizzicato (Strings I and II only)
• Harmonics (Strings I only)

Within these Articulation categories, you can select a Type (if applicable), e.g., staccato or détaché in the short notes. For some of the types there are also additional options available, such as Attack or Vibrato Control.

Patches can be used to build your own custom Presets and adapt the Synchron Libraries to your specific requirements.

For designating pitch, the Vienna Symphonic Library uses International Pitch Notation (IPN), which was agreed upon internationally under the auspices of the Acoustical Society of America. In this system the international standard of A=440 Hz is called A4 and middle C is C4. All pitches are written as capital letters, their respective octave being indicated by a number next to it. The lowest C on the piano is C1 (the A below that is A0), etc.

The Synchron Player software allows you to set middle C to C3, C4, or C5 according to your preference. Selecting another setting than C4 will of course also change the play ranges and keyswitches accordingly.

Presets comprise Patches in Articulation groups, which again contain Types of the respective Articulation, with further options if available. The general structure was modeled after our Synchron Strings I Collection, making it easier to switch or combine string sections without major adaptations. The major difference is that Dimension Strings allow you to access different groupings and individual players, so that you can adapt the size of your ensemble and fine-tune its performance.

For this reason, these Collections not only offer "All Players" Presets containing different ensemble groupings, but also individual Presets for every player, as well as Desk Presets with two players.

Articulations are disabled by default. Enabling an Articulation means that all the Types contained will be activated, too, so if you happen to be short of RAM it is advisable only to activate what you really need (you can always add more Types later).

The instruments' playing ranges are listed below. The harmonics Patches are mapped an octave lower than they sound.

• 1st and 2nd Violins

  • G3-G7
  • harmonics G4-C8

• Violas

  • C3-E6
  • harmonics C4-E7

• Cellos

  • C2-A5
  • harmonics C3-A6

• Double Basses

  • B0-G4
  • harmonics B1-C5

In the "All Players" Presets, the Player keyswitches start at C0, which also is the setting for the entire ensemble (8, 6, or 4 players). Subsequent keyswitches select Groups (4 or 3 players), Desks (2 players), and Player 1.

By default the keyswitches for Articulations are mapped from C1 to G#1 (for Middle C = C4) for violins, violas, and cellos, and C5 to G#5 for the double basses. For the available Types, the keyswitches start from F2 for violins and violas, and from F6 for cellos and basses.

Additional options within Articulations or Types are offered by the Dimension Controllers. The controller function is indicated by the respective caption, as of course it may take on different tasks as needed.

Studio Dimension Strings I and II feature Compact and Full Presets. Compact comprises only "regular" playing and normal vibrato (sustained and legato Patches), while Full includes stylistic alternatives: progressive and no vibrato, open string playing for the respective notes, and "Sul" variations (e.g., "Sul G" on the violin), where the respective string's playing range is extended, thus lending a different timbre to those notes than the "regular" version. The Presets of Strings III are modelled after the other Collections' Compact Presets.

The String setting keyswitches start at B1 for violins and violas, and at B6 for cellos and double basses.

There are dedicated Compact Presets for Studio Dimension Strings I and II. The layout of SYNCHRONized Dimension Strings III regular Presets is the same, as there are no String variations for it. Differences will be pointed out where necessary.

Staccato, short détaché, long détaché (Strings I only).

Sustained notes, normal and marcato.

Sustain

Marcato

As above with normal sustains, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to add marcato attacks to the notes.

Performance legato, normal and portamento.

Strings I and II: sforzato, fortepiano, sforzatissimo. Strings III: sforzato only.

Tremolo notes, normal and marcato, with fast attack, and slow.

Normal, fast attack, slow

There are no further options to these articulation types.

Marcato

As above with normal tremolo, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to add marcato attacks to the notes.

• Strings I

  • spiccato
  • staccato
  • portato
  • legato

• Strings II

  • spiccato
  • portato
  • legato

• Strings III

  • spiccato
  • legato

Staccato repetitions at 140 to 180, and 200 BPM.

• Strings I

  • normal and snap (Bartók) pizzicato
  • col legno

• Strings II

  • normal pizzicato

This Articulation does not yet contain any samples. It provides 6 slots ready for you to configure presets of your own.

Full Presets only exist for Studio Dimension Strings I and II, as there are no String variations for the sul tasto Collection.

Staccato, short détaché, long détaché (Strings I only).

• Strings I
  • sustained notes with regular, progressive, and without vibrato
  • marcato

Strings II: sustained notes with vibrato, and marcato.

Sustain

• Strings I
  • Dim.Ctrl/B (CC1) switches vibrato variants
  • Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20) crossfades between regular/no vibrato

Marcato

As above with normal sustains, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to add marcato attacks to the notes.

Performance legato, normal and portamento (both Collections), marcato, fast (trill), and auto-speed.

Strings I - Normal, Portamento

Normal legato and portamento offer the choice of regular vibrato, espressivo, no vibrato, and vibrato crossfading. Vibrato options can be switched with Dim.Ctrl/B (CC1).

Vibrato crossfading

Use Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20) to crossfade between regular and no vibrato.

Strings I - Marcato, Fast (trill)

There are no further options to these Articulations.

Strings I - Auto-speed

Changes automatically between normal and fast legato depending on the playing speed (as indicated by DIM.Ctrl/D).

Strings II - Normal, Portamento

• Strings I

  • sforzato
  • fortepiano
  • sforzatissimo

• crescendo and diminuendo, 2/3/4 sec.

• crescendo-diminuendo, 2/4/6 sec.

• Strings II

  • sforzato
  • fortepiano

Sforzato, fortepiano, sforzatissimo

There are no further options to these articulation types.

Crescendo, diminuendo (Strings I only)

Crescendo and diminuendo, 2, 3, and 4 seconds.

Crescendo-diminuendo (Strings I only)

Crescendo-diminuendo, 2, 4, and 6 seconds.

Strings I: normal and marcato, fast attack, slow.

Strings II: normal and marcato, fast attack.

Normal, fast attack, slow

There are no further options to these articulations.

Marcato

As above with normal tremolo, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to add marcato attacks to the notes.

Strings I: spiccato, staccato, portato, legato; spiccato, portato, legato crescendo.

Strings II: spiccato, portato, legato.

Staccato repetitions at 140 to 180, and 200 BPM.

Strings I: pizzicato, snap (Bartók) pizzicato, col legno.

Strings II: pizzicato.

Harmonics staccato, sustained, tremolo normal, and slow.

As the name says, this bonus Collection contains ponticello articulations, and offers staccato, long notes, and tremolos.

There are no other options for this articulation.

Sustained notes, normal and with marcato attack.

As above with normal sustains, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to adjust the notes’ amount of marcato attack.

Tremolo notes normal, with marcato attack, and slow.

As above with normal tremolos, but with the option to use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC3) to adjust the notes’ amount of marcato attack.