This collection combines the full sample content of the previously available BBO Packs Lyra (High Strings), Musca (Low Strings), and the monumental string ensembles of Zodiac (Supermassive Ensembles). BBO Strings brings together the full force and beauty of Vienna’s string power in one comprehensive collection.
The Precision Presets discussed in this document are what you already know if you own other VSL libraries. As opposed to our new Flow Presets, they allow you to explore the depths of the library, adjusting and tweaking parameters as you see fit. Here you can also create presets of your own and adapt them to your workflow.
There are three types of Precision Preset: In “VelXF sus - MOD” presets, velocity crossfading is activated for long notes, so that marcato intensity is controlled with the Modwheel (MIDI CC 1). In “VelXF – MOD”, it is activated in general, and in “Velocity” presets, keystroke velocity controls marcato intensity.
Presets in this collection: High Strings, Low Strings, High & Low Strings, 1st Violins-30, 2nd Violins-26, Violas-20, Violoncellos-22, Double basses-14, Tutti Full range, Tutti Compressed range, Octaves.
The layout of the high and low string ensembles articulations is designed to resemble that of other BBO Libraries with similar content (e.g., Brass and Woodwinds), so that you can switch between the articulations of different Libraries without having to adapt any keyswitches. The examples below come from the combined High & Low Strings preset, where you can choose whether the high and low ensembles' ranges are divided at C4, or overlap. The different presets' keyswitches vary as follows.
High Strings
Range: C4-D7
Articulation: C1-G1
Type: starting at C2
Repetitions note/cut release: A0/B0
Glissando up/down: A0/B0
Low Strings
Range: B1-F6
Articulation: C6-G6
Type: starting at F7
Repetitions note/cut release: A5/B5
Glissando up/down: A5/B5
High & Low Strings
Range: B1-D7
High-Low Mode: A0/B0
Articulation: C1-G1
Type: starting at F7
Repetitions note/cut release: A7/B7
Glissando up/down: A7/B7
Bold and agile.
Bold/agile: F7/F#7
Long notes and legato with light and strong vibrato, espressivo (long) and marcato (legato). The XF vibrato option combines the light and strong vibrato articulations, so that you can control vibrato amount with MIDI CC 3.
Type keyswitches: F7–G#7
XF vibrato: Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC 3)
Sforzato, sforzatissimo, swells short and long, soft and very soft swells, and soft diminuendo.
Type: F7–B7
Tremolo regular and with fast attack, half and whole tone trills.
Type: F7–G#7
Staccato repetitions at 120, 140, and 160 BPM, with the choice of proper note release or cut release. These are already prepared for timestretching, i.e., all Patches have the original tempo they were recorded with entered as their source tempo. This allows you to adapt your repetitions automatically to the tempo of your project with only two mouse clicks.
Tempo: F7–G7
Note/cut release: A7/B7
Glissandos, minor and major second, up and down.
Interval: F7/F#7
Up/down: A7/B7
Pizzicato, with no further options.
The second part of this library is a stunning collection of extra-large string ensembles, and gives you the means to create luscious and massive orchestral parts without using any programming tricks. It contains the following instrument presets:
1st violins, 30 players
2nd violins, 26 players
Violas, 20 players
Violoncellos, 22 players
Double basses, 14 players
"All strings" in compressed and full range variants, as well as octaves
The keyswitches employed differ according to the ensembles' ranges.
Articulation
Violins, Violas and Cellos: C1–E1
Basses: C5–E5
Type
Violins, Violas: C2–D2
Cellos and Basses: C6–D6
Range
Violins: G3–C7
Violas: C3–E6
Cellos: C2–G5
Basses: B0–C4
Bold and agile.
Long notes with regular and soft release.
Legato with regular and soft release, and marcato.
Sforzato and sforzatissimo.
This articulation has no further options.
These Presets combine all string sections in variants featuring compressed ranges as well as the individual sections' full ranges. They are especially useful for quick layouts, and for playing an entire string orchestra live!
The articulations are the same as those of the individual sections.
Keyswitches
Articulation: D7–F#7
Type: G7–A7
Range
Compressed: C2–C6
Full: B0–C7
The features groups of two instruments playing in octaves: 1st + 2nd Violins, 2nd Violins + Violas, Violas + Cellos, and Cellos + Basses.
Keyswitches
Instrument group: C1–D#1
Articulation: D7–F#7
Type: G7–A7
Range
1st + 2nd Violins: G3–C6
2nd Violins + Violas: C4–C7
Violas + Cellos: C3–E6
Cellos + Basses: C2–C5
