I have a project where I have pizz basses as the only strings, as I'm using other string libraries. In Special Edition 1, I have to load all the string groups as well as the basses. I don't need the violins, violas or cellos, just the basses. I see the "optimize" function, which seems to have something to do with unloading unused samples, butI'm not sure how it works. I tried it but nothing seemed to happen. I'm using Vepro 7.

Thanks, Mike

I think it's more a question of routing your DAW to Vepro. I can't tell you how to do that on Vepro, as I use a different DAW. But Logic will have a thimg where you select Vepro as the DAW, and also one for the channel. but you also have to assign a channel number to each inst. on Vepro. You can do that either in the main view or mixer view. 

Also, check out the tutorials from VI, they may even have one specifically for Logic. Also, the Vepro manual.

Solved it. I discovered that a setting in Cakewalk's preferences got changed somehow. It's the setting for the base octave, which on my setup needs to be -1. I had set it awhile back; somehow it got changed. I think things are back to normal.

Well, I have discovered that if I put the keyswitch directly on the actual synth track, it works - but only if I transpose it up an octave. For example, for violins, G1=pizzicato. I have to put G2 in for it to switch. note that this is only for the second violins, the other strings are working OK. I think I can solve that with some octave setting adjustments. I've run into that before.

I'm going to explore this some more and see if this can be a viable solution for all the strings. If so, I can use the synth track as the midi track, which I can delete. If I wanted, I could actually use only the synth track, as Cakewalk lets you use it as if it were an inst. track, complete with staff view so you can see the notes. Currently, I use a separate midi track for the keyswitches, for reasons of clarity (the keyswitch notes don't mess up the actual musical notes).

Thanks again, I'll give it a try!

Thank you, but I meant, is it possible to switch back and forth, using a keyswitch or CC event? I know I can switch it manually, but that does me no good if I need to switch back and forth between unison and divisi strings. Sorry I wasn't clearer.

I usually use dedicated midi tracks, routed to the vstis I use, like Vepro, Play etc. But if I am using a single-instance vsti like Synchron, is this really necessary? I can paste the midi from the Appasionata VN 1, for example, right into the Synchron track.  And it plays fine. Are dedicated midi tracks redundant in this case? It would reduce the number of tracks I have to keep track of! My DAW is Cakewalk/sonar by the way.

On Synchron, it it possible to switch from Legato mode to Poly mode, or can you only use one or the other per instance?

It's for the second violins. The rest are working. I deleted the instance and put in a new one, but the problem remains. I have gone over every possible reason this might occur and can't come up with anything. Routing is correct. I have sound, the articulations just don't change when they should.

Thanks, Mike

Thanks fatis12, I am checking into that, although so far I haven't found such a setting. But I asked a question on the Cakewalk forum and am waiting for a response.

I was using Reaper for awhile, and I don't recall having this problem. So it may in fact be due to Cakewalk not adjusting for the latency. but I think I'll figure it out eventually. If not, I may have to switch to another DAW. That is problematic, because I have not found one that will work well for my particular workflow. that includes cubase.

I figured you could. Probably any DAW. The deafult value in CW is zero, I was not clear about that. I initially set Synchron strings to -10, but have found I need to set it even lower. Also now I have found East West stuff sometimes needs it. Generally, strings need the most. 

One problem, however: if you set the first inst's that are playing as the piece begins, you won't hear any sound, because their start is, well before the piece begins, if that makes any sense. So you would need to offset everything by say one bar. So this whole thing is more complicated than I thought. Guess I flunked midi 101...

I wanted to post this in case anyone else has this problem. It occurs when combining Vienna libraries with other libraries, at least on Sonar (now Cakewalk/Bandlab). The problem, which affects both Vienna and Synchron libs, is that they lag behind the other libraries' instruments. I could not figure out a way to solve it, until I posted it on the Cakewalk forum, and the resident DAW Genius, scook, responded. Cakewalk has a way to set the timing of a midi inst. ahead or back by a specified amount. This turned out to be -10 in my case. You do it on the track imspector, which has all kinds of controls on it, pan, velovity etc. I never knew what the timing one was for, but I do now. The best part is, it doesn't affect the notes in staff view, they still display correctly (unlike using the slide function, which messes them up).

I don't know how many folks use Cakewalk/Sonar here, maybe not many, but this could affect other DAWS as well, so maybe it might be applicable. It solves a problem which has plagued me for years. Like most of this stuff, it's so simple, once you know the trick. No more using inferior sounds, now, I can use Vienna's great sounds whenever I want! Wonderful!

Originally Posted by: Ashermusic

Personally,  as Logic Pro X user I don't give a large rodent's hiney about AU 3. ArtZ ID has renedered it totally unnecessary for my uses.

Rats are just medium sized. For a truly large rodent, you want the Capybara:

https://capybarafacts.com/

OK, it does not look like you can use CC events in place of keyswitches. However, I have discovered that the problem was caused by Cakewalk designating C5 as middle C, while Vienna has it as C4. I set Cakewalk's base ocatve (that's base, not bass) to -1. This allows me to use the correct keyswitch values for everything but the basses. For them, I have to transpose the keyswitch notes up an octave. This is becasue I set the basses to play an ocatve lower than written. This setting I also made in Cakewalk. CORRECTION: The basses are also working as they should now. So all keyswitchges are working correctly.

Also, I have added special tracks for all inst's using Synchron, and I put the keyswitch assignments on them. I adjust clefs so I can easily read the notes, so I know I have the correct value. While viewing, say, all the strings in Cakewalk's staff view, I don't  open these special tracks, so there is no confusion. I see only the "real" notes.

I purchased Appassionata Strings recently, so I am highly motivated to get things working. It looks like I'm pretty much there at this point.

I ended up buying Synchron Appas. Strings, and I am very happy with them. I'm exploring how best to use Keyswitching, so it does not interfere with other inst's in staff view. Ghost notes; using an extra staff and then hiding it, are possibilities.

Addendum: I ended up using an extra staff for each inst just for keyswitches.

I have now discovered that it is better to set Cakewalk's Key property to -1 octave, then you don't have to set each articulation to -1 octave. However, you then have to set keyswitches to +1 octave. This only applies to basses, which play an octave lower than they are notated. This also solves the problem I hjad with all inst's keyswitches needing to be set +1 octave.

Most here already know this, but perhaps there are a few othewre dummies like me who may benefit from it.

Well it doesn't look like you can assign CC events to use instead of keyswitches, but I did figure one thing out, namely, that you can set the base ocatve in Cakewalk so that it agrees with Vienna. This allows you to use the normal keysitch value, instead of having to transpose it an octave up. This is because Cakewalk considers middle C to be C5, where Vienna (correctly) has it as C4. So now at least the keyswitch notes don't play, as they are out of the playable range of the instrument. This also applies to Vienna ensemble keyswitching.

Cakewalk users take note!

I have once again solved this myself (actually, S. Cook of the Cakewalk forum did). You can set the base octave in Cakewalk so that it matches the scheme in Vienna. I set it to -1 and now the keyswitches work correctly.

This situation applies to both the VI player and Synchron. My DAW, Cakewalk (Sonar) has middle c as C4. This causes keyswitches to be off by one octave. For example, if legato is C#0, I have to make it C#1. This problem sometimes results in turn in keyswitch notes actually sounding, thus necessitating a fix.

Is there a way to deal with this other than octave transposition? I tried setting middle C to C3 or C5, but it doesn't work (causes other articulations to play than the one I want).

Thanks, Mike

They sound great! By far my best string library now. Very glad I took advantage of this incredible deal.

Thanks Paul. I decided this deal is too good to pass up. Should really help my string section. Downloading now.

Hi there Jason, thanks for your reply. I use Notion to make an actual score. I just find working in staff view better for me. I like to see the notes. blobs in PRV are meaningless to me. And Cakewalk, while terrible as notation per se, actually allows me to do things cubase does not. For example, if you are in Cubase's notation view, and you want to select a large number of measures, say 12, you can't do it. You have to go to another view to do it and then come back to notation view. In other words, selection is limited horizontally. While Cakewalk lets you select any number of measures, so you can copy paste and so on. It just is better for me with my particular work flow.

As for changing keyswitch assignments in Synchron, I'm pretty sure you can't. However, I'm going to take advantage of VSL's deal on Appasionata Strings, for 35% off. Maybe it will be possible to do it with them. but in any case, the library will be much better than the Epic Orch. 2 version.

Nice to hear from a Cakewalk user, this place makes you think everyone in the universe uses cubase, logic or pro tools!

Since I work in Cakewalk's staff view, rather than PRV, having all those super high or low notes all over the place is a real pain. They extend onto the next instrument's staff, and sometimes they actually play, and I have to set their velocity to 0 and duration to 1 (after tracking them down to see which of them it is). If I could reassign the values so that they would actually be below or above the keyboard, that might solve the problem. I have heard of people doing this with VSL libraries, but probably the Vienna player, not Synchron. So, is this possible? I would use CC events, but haven't figured out if this is possible either.

Mike

I'm pondering the 35% off deal on them during March. I have Epic Orchestra 2 as a result of having bought Vepro 6, but only the violins and basses are useful for what I do, as the violas and cellos are not "pure." (Even the violins and basses are only pure in their high/low range). So, I'm curious how this library sounds in the full version. Does the Epic Orch version do it any justice, or is the full library significantly better?

Thanks, Mike