You're reaching, Fail. There has been a ton of negative response (also people calling it synthy) regarding the new Spitfire strings library, including from me. People are not biased against VSL at VI Control's forum. VI is an independent forum, that's the difference. Here the userbase is largely biased towards VSL. And this is VSL's own forum, so why wouldn't they be? If Spitfire had a forum, I am sure it would be mainly SF fans that posted there.

Well, I think sometimes things just don't really pan out. That's life.

I had high hopes for this library and was one of those who pre-ordered. The thing is that I usually never pre-order stuff and never have. The only exception to this rule was SyS, because based on previous experiences, VSL was the one company I kind of trusted blindly - turns out that one time exception came back to bite me like a mofo. It's my fault, and it's not the end of the world. but there you go.

Tbh, what stings more is not the fact that I find the library not worthy of using, but exactly that in some ways, what happened here kind of feels like a breach of trust. I always associated VSL with meticulous quality, a no-nonsense, no-shortcuts approach, innovation. I feel that SyS betrays those expectations.

So much about the library seems fibbed, band-aid, makeshift, cheapened out. The omission of standard articulations, the fake patches, the tacked-on transitions ... actually I even feel there was even some blatant false advertising. For example: the articulation list always stated "marcato", whereas there is literally no marcato in this library. Not even a "fake" stacked patch, like the sfz. The only "marcato" thing in SyS is a dimension preset where a long note is being stacked with a short one - something you could do yourself any time.

This is just completely the opposite of what I've come to expect from VSL. Their products always reflected that they were willing to go the extra mile - this one on the other hand makes it obvious that they were trying to cut corners and skimp their way around as many things as possible.

Or maybe they just made a bunch of wrong decisions. I'm sure they worked like crazy on this thing. But to me it seems that the effort was spent in the wrong areas. For example, I believe much was expected to come out of the many dynamic layers, which to me totally backfired, because the benefit is almost inaudible/nonexistent. It only makes the patches even more fiddly and difficult to use and blew up the library to an absurd size, whereas those gigs would have been way wiser spent on more articulations and more variants of true recorded dynamic performances.

Not sure the many mic positions are really needed either. 3-5, each with a clear purpose and distinct sound, would have been enough.

I believe that it would probably be better to record legato samples as a whole - without transition samples crossfading into standard sustains. I'm not an expert on this, but it seems that some other developers took this approach and it sounds way more real.

The tone is kind of brittle and overly sharp with some odd biting resonance you can't really get rid of. The basses are great and the violas are really nice too, but the celli do have this problem and the violins are just incredibly weird - screechy, but flat, lifeless ... can't even describe it.

I also feel that nobody needs two different vibrato intensities you can't even crossfade through coming from novib, when even the strong vibrato actually hardly produces any emotive vibrato. I'm sure that most people would end up not using the normal vibrato at all, while still struggling with getting some kind of passionate movement out of the lyrical one.

I've been trying to mock up some stuff originally done with other libraries and it just doesn't come out right. To me it just doesn't work. The violins are the weirdest. The tone is odd, the legato hurts inside and the results just don't really sound musical. Fiddling with it is hard work, but you end up just having to admit: the other version you already had just sounds more beautiful and real.

I can already see the buffoon comments stating that it's my fault because apparently I was too stupid to "master" this woe-ridden product or didn't have the necessary rigor, but even if that were true: why should I? It's just not worth it. What's the point, when there's already stuff available that produces better results with less painstaking effort?

There's parts of the library that are great soundwise, but ultimately, there's just to many problems. I gave up on it and finally deleted it from my drive. I don't really think that things could be improved here. It would be so much of an overhaul, they could almost just as well make a new library. It's a shame. I'd sell it, but honestly, I'm not sure who's supposed to buy this thing off of me.

The whole "synchron-ized chamber strings" thing also kind of strikes me as a band-aid solution and a cash-in with leftovers, and I'm not sure that's a philosophy I'm willing to support. I just hope that VSL carefully reassesses when it comes to the rest of the Synchron line. I do really like the percussion. Maybe things can turn out different for winds and brass.

I'm not trying to bash anyone either. Sometimes you put a lot into something and it just doesn't work out, and that's tough to deal with. I think it's a shame that VSL is facing all this backlash, as I'm sure they were incredibly busy and hard at work making this library.

I don't know what went wrong. Perhaps the concept sounded great on paper but didn't fly in practice. Perhaps cost-cutting measures because the stage cost them tons of money. Or maybe the library actually is exactly what they wanted and believed in, but turns out that the expectations of the users were misjudged and the market isn't embracing it at all. I really do wish them all the best with the next product and that they successfully bounce back from this setback.

Hi, 

the voice limit is per instance. The more mics you want to use, the more voices will stream, and of course Velocity XFade multuplies the number (which is also why the Velocity Range options are very handy). 

Best,
Paul

To be realistic one should better start, from what a product can be. If you know any better product - go for it no problem. If you have any concrete suggestions for improvements let us know but just complaining "buhuhu it is not ideal enough for me" tires me really.

 

The most important thing with technic is that you must learn to use it. Before trying that, you simply dont know what you are talking about.

OK what no one has heard has never been any argument about what we can hear as soon as we seriuously delve into the new options and establish the necessary knowledge to reasonabvle use them.

When it comes to the usage of a piece of Software it ios pretty soimple If you dont try seriously, just dont judge.

OK, this is obviously your level of musical knowledge, so I understand how fast you judge without having time enough to really trying yourself to make what you want to do.

From a technical point of view it definitly is above everything else available. Just to pretend the opposite, does not show very much insight in the current market of orchestral samplelibraries.

I am still not very convinced yet from rantings like that.

Please keep in mind VSL-Samplelinbraries are musical instruments. You should learn to play them otherwise you are in danger to resemble the one who blame the Steinway for not playing Chopin for you by it self. What means the more powerful a library and Software is, the more you have to decide and the more it is up to your knowledge what yoiu can get out of it.

I personally have some doubts that anyone could have had until now time enough to really learn and explore all possibilities to get good results.

So here is my suggestion. Do not simply rant without any concrete example what you are talking about. Better give us all some days or better weeks to accustom ourself on the new software and library, learn to build good templartres, expressionmaps etc. and than let us compare what all of us have been able to make out of it, and which iomprovements we really would like to have.

The VSL-Team has invested a great amoumt of reflection and tedioous work to prepare such an already in technical sense absolutly outstanding product. They deserve a founded feedback and nothing as superficial as I can read here in one or another posting just a couple of hours after finishing the last download

The Legato won‘t be changed by the Player-features. And if someone never answers to a certain question, the answer is „I have no idea“ or „No“.

Normally I would not purchase an orchestral product from a competitor cause VSL is great and offers all the great sound and flexibility I want. BUT ... I bought my first non VSL orchestral product HZ-Strings and I like it. Their (SF) new Player is good too.

Eptesicus, what keeps you from purchasing a 2nd String product as an alternative?

The Synchron Player will be great. But it will not change the recorded sound. And a re-recording? Forget it (Return on invest)

Hi Eloy, 

We are definitely getting closer.

We will announce the release only when we are ready. 

Really sorry to keep you all waiting like this, it is a bigger task than we hoped, and it will turn out great. 

But it really takes everything we have to make this player the foundation for our upcoming products. 

The Synchron Pianos has helped a lot with optimization, and we are thriving on that. 

 

Thanks for bearing with us!

Paul

 

Following I don't understand the layering restriction to 5 of 8 when using velocity crossfade. As some said around here, the sound is moving, changing along the note. We can't do it with played velocity, we have to go to Xfades tools like the velocity one (I use filter too for brass i.e.). That's the only single way to have it sounding almost real and live.

Dear William,

I totally agree with your point about supporting opinions with samples and real music, but this is exactly why I write now that your sample, even if it's a nice and well produced composition, it's not supporting at all your statement in my very humble opinion (not more realistic or more expressive than other professional libraries demos at all, I'm afraid). I don't think it's requested sarcasm or offensive "muppets" joke to argue on very detailed and serious observations adn criticism, that unfortunately for me, with the very same experience you had with libraries (started long long long time ago...) I totally quote.

Personally I was very disappointed as well, and personally again I really hope VSL will refine the product: it's pretty obvious listening to strange noises and loop little issues some notes have, that editing was long, hard and under pressure, and it sounds really like a "beta release".  I really loved the project concept, in the hope that VSL outstanding software and sonic experience will provide us with something great: I consider VSL software simply the top of the market, almost undisputable, then I've great expectation for the new player.

Anyway the actual release can't be claimed better than professional competition in my opinion, as several other people are thinking: it's difficult all of us are wrong, despite personal taste, because technical details and faults are simply objective. For the rest let's wait the next steps in development: everybody recognized something good and useful already... crossing fingers final release will be worth of the effort and VSL quality expectations.

Good luck to VSL and to all of us already paying for it.

all the best and keep doing good music, Fabio.

Hi.

Just playing around with this incredible new library. Truely beautiful, but came across a slight issue with some notes on this patch.

If you play the F# below middle C (and the G as they're recorded in tones) there's a nasty distortion sound about 1 second into the sample on full velocity.

Also on the Ab and A theres a popping sound about 2secs in. 

The Bb and B Natural also have a popping sound a few seconds into the sample.

I wondered if anyone else could try it out and see if it's just me or if those distortions and pops are actually recorded into the sample.

Thanks

 

Mark

Only Violins I and Cellos seem to have legato (in the Sample content tab of the Synchron Strings page).

I can't imagine it's really the case...

???

I think rudeness also applies to people who get a 30% discount but who are unhappy with it and always beg for more.

Nobody forced you to purchase the product in november. You could have waited for the very end of the Early Bird offer to get it. We're lucky enough to get promotions every month and as matthieu.lechowski said, it's part of the game. You're ridiculous.

Hello everybody, 

To answer the main question: Of course it is NOT possible to purchase vouchers with vouchers. 

If you find a website that allows such transactions, please let me know!

Regarding our Special Offers and the current Voucher Special Offer:
We offered an additional promotion to the Synchron Strings I Early Bird Offer in November (“2+1 free”), which many of you took advantage of. I do see though how those of you that ordered Synchron Strings I in October feel that they could have received a better deal.

Those of you that ordered in October may contact us directly at , we will do our best to find a solution case-by-case, depending on the additional purchases in the time-frame.

All the best,
Paul

If I could ...
You can do that within 1 month after purchase. But I purchased the first day in October (= a too early crashed bird)

I can see your point, in fact I'm happy I still have to place my order for Syncron Strings (even if I feel ashamed to purchase such a product at this price)...but you're missing a point. You are not out of that offer, You can still join the voucher offer, it's just that you can spend your money in something else, not Synchron because you already purchased it. That's how it works..
I know, you could say that at the moment you only want/need synchron strings, but again, that's how it works. You could purchase 4 vouchers at the price of 3 now, and use them when the next Synchron library will be available. So you will have 2 products discounted instead of one.
Also, as you said, that situation comes most likely because of the delay in the release. I also think that VSL wasn't expecting to sell Syncrhon Strings standard at 317 euro :) so I really can't see an intention on what they did!
I hope when we will start playing with the library, we will soon forget the purchasing price :)

I’d go further and request that we early adopters be credited for the difference.. Paul?