Hi Randy,
about question 1) I think you just have to familiarize with the GUI and look at the options to decide inside the Synchron Player menu/window "Perform" (that is the first opening in the bottom of the window by default and shows several controllers). You will notice that CC1 is assigned by default to the "dim.control" of Vibrato (they are a set of free assignable controllers named A B C etc. to control the tree of articulations and cross fadings etc.).
To fix your problem it's enough to change your default Vibrato "dim.ctrl B" from CC1 to whatever you like, and whatever is not interfering with your real-time input.
I know it's boring, but reading the manual and make experiments will save you lot of time and trouble later, and enable you to master the options (quite a lot of options actually, Synchron player is a very flexible, totally customizable tool).
About question 2) well it's hard to say because it's personal. But the caracter of Appassionata strings is totally different from the caracter of Synchron:
- they are bigger sections with a lot more players (e.g. 20 violins instead of 14 etc.) and it's already giving a different texture to the sound
- they were recorded dry in silent stage, so the transitions are cleaner and are processed before the IR reverb of the Synchron Stage that is responsible for adapting the ambience to the Synchron Libraries: it gives to portamentos and legatos for instance a more clean and easy to fine tune sound compared to the Synchron strings.
- in general Synchron Strings are crispy and bright, with hi definition and amazing short notes, while Appassionata are dark, mellow, and romantic. According your opinions and taste, you may find the first more suitable for fast and modern music, and maybe the other for slow and emotional or romantic music etc.