Vienna Symphonic Library Forum
Forum Statistics

181,965 users have contributed to 42,196 threads and 254,639 posts.

In the past 24 hours, we have 5 new thread(s), 9 new post(s) and 52 new user(s).

  • Do I need to own the full library to unlock chromatic sampling?

    For example: let's say I purchase the Viennese Horn Standard download. Is the Standard version sampled in whole tones and to enable the semitone samples I'd need to upgrade to Full?

    Silly quesiton, I know... but I think where I'm getting confused is the definition of a "full" library. I've read that only the full libraries were sampled chromatically... does "full" in this context just mean "not a Special Edition?"

    In other words, Standard libraries like their Extended counterparts are sampled in semitones, too... right?


  • Hello emspace, 

    The Standard Libraries of many wind single instruments products are mapped in whole-tone steps (those were the very first single instruments that were available, so we tried to make the download files as small as possible. IIRC, thatĀ“s also the case for the Viennese Horn Standard Library).

    The Sample Content of these single instruments is quite similar to the Special Editions (click "Sample Content" on the given product page to compare). 

    The Full Libraries of each product are always mapped in half-tone steps (and come with MANY more articulations, of course). 

    Hope that helps. 

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • ____

  • Dear Paul,

    I'm slightly confused here - I assumed (it would appear incorrectly) that the SE were mapped in whole tones, and the standard and full libraries were mapped chromatically. So upgrading from SE->standard meant that you were paying for chromatic sampling (since, as you say, the articulations are fairly similar) and upgrading from standard->full meant you paid for additional articulations. If going from SE->standard doesn't include a) going from whole tone to chromatic or b) a significant number of new articulations, then why would anyone want to pay for it unless there are other benefits*?

    * As you might be able to tell, I have recently upgraded from SE to standard libraries for appasionata strings, orchestral strings and a few horn libraries. I am perfectly happy with all of these, so only ask in a spirit of curiosity and with a view as to whether to upgrade to standard brass libraries (from their equivalent SE versions) during your current sale.

    regards

    Alan


  • last edited
    last edited

    Hi Alan,

    The big Instrument Collections like Appassionata Strings are always sample chromatically, Standard and Extended.

    The exception here affects ONLY the Standard Library single instruments that were extracted from the bigger collections (Woodwinds and Brass) - and they are a great offer for, e.g., anyone who didnĀ“t need other instruments from the Special Editions.

    So if you get any COLLECTION from our Brass Bundle, be it Standard or Full Library, you will get chromatic mappings.

    Hope that helps!

    Best,
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • last edited
    last edited

    Thanks for the explanation, Paul!

    So, to summarize...

    • Collections (e.g., Woodwinds I, Brass I, Appassionata) are always mapped in semi-tone steps for both Standard and Extended.
    • Individual instruments separated from their parent collections (e.g., French Oboe, Viennese Horn) are still mapped in whole-tone steps for both Standard and Extendedā€”regardless of it being a "full" version.

    Correct?


    I think verbiage like the following is why I was initially confused...

    @Paul said:

    ...The Full Libraries of each product are always mapped in half-tone steps...


    On the French Oboe product page you see the option to buy the "Full Library" and think you'll get a half-tone mapped instrument. However, in this case, the "full" library will actually only get you whole-tone stepped samples due to this particular instrument being outside of its parent collection (Woodwinds I).


  • Hi emspace, 

    ThatĀ“s not correct. HereĀ“s another summary: 

    • SOME Individual instruments separated from their parent collections (e.g., French Oboe, Viennese Horn, only instruments from Woodwinds and Brass instruments) are still mapped in whole-tone steps for the Standard Library
    • The FULL Libraries of all Single Instruments ALWAYS match the instruments in the bigger collections.

     

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Dear Paul,

    Thanks for both replies - that has clarified almost everything for me. However, the only thing that remains unclear to me is exactly what I will buy this time round and I'm not sure you can help with that!

    regards

    Alan


  • Hi Alan, 

    If you really want to get more brass instruments for detailed work, you will LOVE the Full Libraries of both Single Instruments and Collections... thereĀ“s so much more choice and variation in the Full Libraries. 

    But youĀ“re right, I canĀ“t make that decision for you.... Good luck! YouĀ“ve still got a few days with the special offer! 

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Hi Paul, This finally all makes sense now. Thanks so much for your help!

  • last edited
    last edited

    @Paul said:

    The big Instrument Collections like Appassionata Strings are always sample chromatically, Standard and Extended.

    Are you sure about Appassionata Strings ?

    I've I and II, full and it seems that the each sample is used for two keys (whole tones).


  • Hi, 

    ThatĀ“s actually correct, and I have forgotten about that fact.

    With the huge string sections, this path was chosen to accelerate the production process. 

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • last edited
    last edited

    Dear Paul,

    I ended up buying Brass I (standard) and the triple horn extended in your sale. I note that the Brass I library came as 7 (IIRC) licences for the individual components (I already owned the horn ensemble standard) rather than a single collection license. Apart from the delay while I cut and pasted 7 license codes into my e-licenser, this was fine until I was struck  by your first bullet point below. So, my question is are these licenses whole tone or semi-tone steps? How can you tell - apart from listening for phasing by holding down adjacent notes transposed to the same note?

    regards

    Alan

    @Paul said:

    Hi emspace, 

    ThatĀ“s not correct. HereĀ“s another summary: 

    • SOME Individual instruments separated from their parent collections (e.g., French Oboe, Viennese Horn, only instruments from Woodwinds and Brass instruments) are still mapped in whole-tone steps for the Standard Library
    • The FULL Libraries of all Single Instruments ALWAYS match the instruments in the bigger collections.

     

    Best, 
    Paul


  • last edited
    last edited

    Hi Alan, 

    That Triple Horn Full Library adds a little complexity there šŸ˜Š

    I have just contacted via email, looking forward to your response!

    Best, 
    Paul


    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • Dear Paul,

    I need some other instruments, and don't need all the instruments in the SE volumes I don't yet own. For example, I need the Contrabass Clarinet, but don't need the other instruments in SE Vol. 4. Then, the Standard Contrabass Clarinet includes more articulations thatn the one in the SE edition.

    I therefore decide to buy the Standard Contrabass Clarinet alone. If I understand correctly from the above discussion, I will get an instrument sampled in whole-steps, but with some added articulations.

    If I later want to upgrade to the Full version, will I only pay the difference? Sorry for asking, but your official notes on upgrading only refer to upgrading to a bundle, so I'm not totally sure about upgrading the single instrument itself.

    This would be very interesting for me, since I'm currently only interested to the Standard articulations, but could later be interested in getting the full package.

    Paolo