I know these tutorials, but it's not for VI Pro. But you learn a lot about routing etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfEjfGAYJoI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqphiLQsMmo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5bsueem4FQ

Agreed! Very good walkthrough. I learnt a lot.

Thanks, Stephen. Thanks, VSL. I want more! ;)

Thanks, William.

I know about the patches, but I thought that it would be nice to have the second violins separately, because they were done for the SYNCHRON-ized version. And also the additional patches: flautando and non-vib legato.

You can't make a crossfadable legato, because there isn't a non-vib legato in the VI version.

Hi there,

I upgraded my Chamber Strings to the full bundle (normal and muted). Wow! These are really the best VSL strings besides Dimension Strings. And they perfectly blend together, also because they nearly have the same articulations.

Only thing I'm missing is a crossfadable or progressive vibrato (legato) patch. I'm using the espressivo layer for this, it blends quite well.

For the SYNCHRON-ized version of Dimension Strings, you also made an update for the VI version. It would be great to have this also for the Chamber Strings, e.g. the additional flautando patches (which I think is only the pp layer), the edited sample content and adapted dynamic ranges to match with the other SYNCHRON libraries.

It also would be nice to have the separate 2nd violins you made for the SYNCHRON-ized version, just for convenience.

I have the same specs and had the same problem (mentioned in another thread). At the moment it all runs smooth.

For me it helped to update all of the software, including the elicenser. 

Hi,

I know that some of the instruments have ready-made stretching presets (e.g. the legatos). I also know the VI Pro video on this topic showing the feature on short notes. But, honestly, I have no clue, because different patches need different curves. 

Is there a manual or some kind of information on which curve one should use for differnet articulations (legatos, long notes, short notes etc.)? You guys know the feature, so please tell us the correct curves. :)

It would be very helpful! Thanks.

Hi,

I have some suggestions for cell switching in VI (Pro).

I don't know if there are any chances for further developments (time, money etc.), but I think these would immensly enhance the playability (which already is unsurpassed).

Speed: Note duration
The current option analyzes the speed between the notes, which is great for legato and fast legato. For short notes and repetitions it would be even better to be able to switch between the articulations depending on the note duration (i. e. how short/long you press a key).

Interval Map 2.0
The current option lets you define the attack/repetition portion and the interval portion. It would be handy to have separate control over the attack and the repetition, e. g. trigger a staccato patch as attack and a repetition patch for repetitions. This could be another cell above the first one. And... to make it even more extreme: having cells for all the intervals in an octave, not only upwards or downwards movement.

And, finally, another feature I mentioned in another thread: The ability to define the ranges or threshold of a parameter (which you can in Synchron Player). Example: “Attack” assigned to “Velocity” with a maximum value of 20 (instead of 127).

Originally Posted by: Dewdman42

If you were sitting in the room you would hear the direct sound of the instrument hitting your ears and you would hear the sound after it bounced off the walls, both early and late reflections.  MIR gives you both, the direct part of it is in the DRY signal, the reflected part is in the WET.

Thanks.

I understand the dry/wet relation, but the dry signal is the Silent Stage recording. So you're mixing this signal with Teldex, but you will never get a 100% imitation as if the instrument was recorded there instead of the Silent Stage? So that you have both a dry Teldex and a wet Teldex sound of the instrument. Does this make sense? That's the reason I was thinking to put the slider to 100% wet.

Sorry I've very few experience with ERs and reverb, that's the reason I bought MIR Pro. Maybe I'm making it too difficult ...  I'm missing something that helps me understand it.

Hello,

since I have upgraded Mac OS Sierra to Mac OS High Sierra (10.13.6) I regularly get error messages, e.g.

• decoding failed, no appropriate license found
• materializing failed
• no license found
• application not registered

The error messages appear only from time to time, e.g. when quitting VE Pro or updating a library in the Directory Manager.

Is this maybe a hardware failure? Should I transfer my licenses to another key?

By the way: I have a flashed 5,1 Mac Pro (2009), 6-core, 32 GB, no SSD. 

Thanks, Dietz. I will give the presets a try.


I have a question regarding the wet/dry relationship. I know there is a very long thread about this, but I couldn't find an answer. I wonder why the default gloabal setting is 50%. If I want an instrument to sound like it was recorded in Teldex, why shouldn't I push the slider to 100%? For me, it's not logical to let the direct signal pass through.

Doesn't it make sense to set it to 100% for close microphones, in particular? The brass instruments (not dimension!) sound better with this, in my opinion.

The following two settings sound similar, but is this true? What's the difference?

1) Instrument: 20% dry/wet  <-->  Global: 100% dry/wet
2) Instrument: 100% dry/wet  <-->  Global: -80% dry/wet


Many, many thanks in advance.

Actually, I don't know the technical details, I was just recalling what I still know about it. Synchron Player has an all-new, more powerful engine than VI Pro.

Go to the product page of the Synchron Player. The introduction text answers all the questions.

Originally Posted by: jasensmith

I think I may have misunderstood your original post.  Sorry about that  You're right about being in the dark on many aspects of the VSL world.  But it didn't used to always be like that.

You don't have to be sorry about it.

You are talking about “legacy” videos... I don't know them, but this could be an option. I think most of the forum users here are customers from the very beginning of VSL, they know all of this, but new customers have really no information.

You can get some clues from the VI Pro video, but that's “hidden information” for me. If a new customer is interested in Dimension Strings, and comes to the product page, he/she expects to have the information there. He/she may watch the VI Pro video by coincidence – if at all.

-----

I agree that we should stop talking about this, because the thread started with another topic.

Originally Posted by: William

There are so many variations in VSL of articulations based on actual musical practice that are very important in performance, and it is difficult to make people see that before they actually use the library. 

Indeed, and I think it's wrong not to talk about these features. There are a lot of demos, but no information.

As a new potential customer you have absolutely no clue of what you get: What is a performance repetition? What is a performance trill? It's in the Full Library! Ah, okay, do I need it then? But it's so expensive... I'll buy from another company, because others say that VSL is “old” and “dry” and the legatos of the competition are much better.

I experienced the same and bought a lot of other libraries. They are good at some points, I like their slow legatos, but VSL is still great. New customers don't (and can't) see this point, because of the missing information and because there isn't a lot of talking about their libraries.

Of course, that's only MY opinion.

Originally Posted by: William

That is a really good point Pixelpoet1985 and you are so right that it makes VSL very different from the other libraries.  There are so many variations in VSL of articulations based on actual musical practice that are very important in performance, and it is difficult to make people see that before they actually use the library. A big example is the  sul legato in the solo strings.  This is absolutely essential to string playing, distinguishing between merely smoothly connected but separately bowed notes, and on-the-string slides.  Yet they are both called legato. Many other examples as well...    

Thanks, William.

Of course I'm not always satisfied with VSL legatos, I actually prefer the way the competition does it with crossfading into the sustains after the legato transitions. VSL legatos are sometimes a bit too quick when playing slower phrases. There are workarounds and this topic has been discussed in the forum for ages, so I will not go into details here. :)

Dimension Strings is, on the contrary, really good, and, as I said, the first VSL string library with a legato sound I like. I recently bought them and still learning and figuring out how to put them on the stage with MIR Pro.

You said “sul legato” in the Solo Strings? That's interesting ... On the product page it's only mentioned as “legato on the same string”. Which strings are they refering to? SUL G?

Thanks, Ben.

Yes, I know the transposition trick, but I thought it would be more convenient to have them pre-made. VSL includes them in the SYNCHRON-ized libraries, so why not making them available for the VI libraries?

@MMKA
Of course I know the xfade option, but it's way more musical and expressive to use the progressive vibrato patch. For the same reasons there are also so many dynamic patches (pfp etc.). You can't imitate them with just crossfading. 

@littlewierdo
I know what you mean, but virtual instruments (if not modelled) have their limits, especially with vibrato. There are so many different vibrato styles (slow, fast, narrow, wide and all combinations of them) as you described. For me, a progressive vibrato patch comes closer to reality than any crossfading. I'm not a fan of virtually created vibrato, but I like the concept of the Friedlander Violin (Embertone).

Not only in faster tempi, even the normal version is way too slow for my taste. Beyond time-stretching it would be great if the length could be controlled by a CC or that it adapts to your playing speed.

Hi,

I think with the SYNCHRON-ized Dimension Strings there is some transposing going on for the second violins, right?

Since there were some pre-made patches in older libaries (e.g. in the Orchestral Strings), it would be really nice to have pre-made second violins. Is there some hope to have some, because you did it with the SYNCHRON-ized library, too?

Unfortunately, there will always be two dedicated library versions, because ...

1) ... both players have specific file sytems; they aren't interchangeable
2) ... VI Pro hasn't the streaming power of Synchron Player
3) ... VI Pro can't handle microphone positions (which are available in Synchron libraries)

I think that there still will be both players in the future. VSL mentioned that there will be more libraries for VI Pro, take Dimension Strings III as an example. Synchron Player is for users who don't have MIR Pro and don't want to deal with positioning, in my opinion.

I also don't like Synchron Player in general, the UI is horrible, but everyone has a different taste. :)

Hi,

is it possible to time-stretch the progressive vibrato legato patches in Dimension Strings or Appassionata Strings? It would be nice to have especially [EDIT] faster variations, so that the vibrato comes in earlier.

Originally Posted by: jasensmith

But what's important to you others may care less about.  Comparitvely speaking I think VSL's product pages are comprable to their competitors.  Personally, I go straight to the demos and if I like what I hear I'll dig deeper.

@William: Sorry, I didn't want to spoil this thread. Maybe this should be discussed elsewhere.

-----

I know it's a tough job, I'm a media designer, I know what I'm talking about. :)

I only gave some examples, my last point is the most important one for me. I'm not talking about technical things, e.g. which microphones were used, or who played the instrument which was recorded.

The competition doesn't show everything on the product page, either. But what should they write? A “simple” legato patch is a legato patch. Period. But VSL should at least mention the very basic things, which, in my opinion, are really the USPs of their libraries. They don't have a “simple” legato patch, they have a performance trill. You can play legato, you can play fast legato, you can play trills, you can play runs, you can play repetitions all in one patch. Wow! The competition doesn't have such a thing.

Of course, everybody has different needs. I agree, too. I took the time to go through all (!) threads in the forum, because I wanted to find out new things. What I can't understand is that there have always been the same questions FOR YEARS, e.g. what is a performance trill. So why not make these things more accessible?

Sorry, but I'm repeating myself: Man, these are the USPs of their libraries!!! I guess that many people out there simply don't even know about these things.

+1000...

I'm relatively late to the dimension party. I have all the other VSL string libraries, but never actually liked one of them (except Chamber Strings with the espressivo layer), so I turnt to the competition. But there are so many flaws in their programming and not a single other library has a playable, fast legato, nor it allows you to play convincing runs and trills with their legato patches.

Dimension Strings is a whole new level. VSL has done a great job! I really like the direct sound (because it reminds me of LASS) and the playability. Unfortunately, some of the demos and especially the videos don't show the full potential and the sound you can achieve, in my opinion. I used to use Hollywood Strings, because of the finger positions, but the sul patches in Dimension Strings are much better.

-----

@William: Sorry for the off-topic, but this a huge topic for me.

In my opinion, VSL should put some time in reworking their website. As a new user you doesn't find the important information on the product pages, I had to search the entire (!) forum. Also, I think the main benefits (USPs) should be more prominent and on every single product page.

Some examples:

• The high quality of the recordings and the consistency of the samples
• The huge amount of articualtions
• The ability to make your own patches (with cells and matrices in VI Pro)
• Performance patches (interval, repetition, trill): The most important one! These are really the USPs of VSL, and you can't find information what these actually are. What is a performance trill? How is it to be played? etc. I believe that if more people had access to these information there would be more customers. No other library has these awesome features. I mean you can find some explanation in the VI Pro videos, but when you really want to purchase a library, there is no information on the patches on the product page. Also I'm missing information on velocity layers etc.

I would go for VI Pro, because there are some features I'm missing in the Synchron Player. I hope that these will come in a future update.

• Stretch function: I don't use it often, but you can achieve variations.
• Auto-Voicing: It's great for the Dimension series, but I would prefer an Auto-Divisi function (similar to LASS).
• CC thresholds: The new controller curves in the Synchron Player are good, but I prefer fixed values (as in VI Pro) instead of percentages, e.g. faster legato at a value of 80. Actually, I like Synchron Player, because you can define the starting and the ending position of a CC. @VSL: Please make this available in VI Pro!!!
• Interval map: This little feature is so important for me. With this I can imitate Spitfire's performance legato, because I can have a staccato/spiccato/marcato attack ONLY on the first note of a legato phrase. With the Synchron Player marcato presets you have the attack on EVERY single note. @VSL: Please make it available in the Synchron Player!!!

You can bypass the ambience in the Synchron Player and use the SYNCHRON-ized version in MIR Pro instead. The impulse responses are based on the MIR technology.

For me, one of the most positive thing is that the SYNCHRON-ized libraries are less expensive and you get the full library, e.g. Dimension Strings I.

Hi,

I'm using Dimension Strings in MIR Pro, but I don't know if I should use the Mono (to Stereo) or the Stereo (to Stereo) version of the plugin. Maybe it's imagination, but there is quite a difference in the sound.

So what is the right choice for the plugin, when ...
1) ... using all players in one VI Pro instance: mono? stereo?
2) ... using each player in separate VI Pro instances: mono? stero?

Also, I'm not sure how to properly bring the players on the stage, e.g. the eight violins. With all players in one VI Pro instance they sound more as an ensemble. But when loading the players in single instances, they sound more separated, which I don't want. How can I “glue“ them together? And how do I make them less close-miced (less harsh)?

I think there are answers in the forum, but I couldn't find them. I'm really new to the game with Dimension Strings. They are awesome!!! Would be great if there were (more) tutorials on these. These samples deserve it!

Originally Posted by: Paul

The samples have indeed all been recorded new and exclusively for Synchron Strings (and Herb Tucmandl himself was the muscial director).

WOW, than I say again: MANY THANKS for this FREE update!

... (and that you listened to the dissatisfied customers and negative comments) ...