Synchron Percussion I

Introduction

Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s series of Synchron Instruments! The instruments were recorded at Stage A, the main hall of Vienna’s revitalized Vienna Synchron Stage. The recordings were executed using an expansive, phase-controlled multi-microphone set-up, capturing string effects played in a scoring stage with exceptional acoustics, now ready to be used in your studio. This document will provide you with the information you need to use the Library with our Vienna Synchron Player.

Standard and Extended Library

All the instruments were recorded using 12 microphones, subdivided into 7 sections. The Standard Library includes 4 of these sections, allowing you to integrate instruments recorded with a stereo Decca tree into your projects using our new Synchron Player software. Adding the Extended Library and thus getting the Full Library expands your possibilities to 5.1 surround and Auro 3D 9.1.

Microphone positions

Overhead diagram of Synchron Stage Vienna, illustrating microphone and instrument placement for recording Synchron Strings I. The diagram shows violin, viola, cello, and double bass sections, with specific mic types like Close Mic, Mid Mic, Back Mic, and the Main Decca Tree array, indicating Standard Library and Add. Full Library mic options.

Standard Library

  1. Close Mic - Mono
  2. Mid Layer Mic - Stereo (L/R)
  3. Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree Stereo (L/R)
  4. Main/Room Mic - Decca Tree Mono (Center)

Extended Library

  1. Main Surround - Stereo (L/R)
  2. High Stereo (3D) - Stereo (L/R)
  3. High Surround (3D) - Stereo (L/R)

The instrument Presets also include different mixer presets. By default the classic room mixes are loaded which include the Standard Library microphone positions. These are balanced in the stereo field to represent the respective instrument’s position in the Synchron Stage set-up.

Immersive Sound and Auro 3D

Auro 3D is an immersive audio technology that allows for three-dimensional sound perception. The Belgian company Auro Technologies developed this technology based on a special speaker configuration, adding four additional speakers to a 5.1 surround configuration. These speakers (so-called "Heights'') are situated above the front and surround speakers and generate acoustic reflections that are perceived naturally due to the fact that sounds originate from around as well as from above the listener. Thanks to the comprehensive selection of discrete audio channels with the Full Library of Synchron Percussion I you may mix your instruments in Auro 3D as well as in Dolby Atmos.

01 SY Timpani

Four copper timpani, also known as Pauken or kettle-drums, with light-colored heads, on dark stands, arranged in a row against a black background.

01 Timpani - Adams - Medium mallets

Five Adams Symphonic timpani of different sizes, plus a merged instrument comprising all of them.

Merged

Single strokes
  • Play range: C2-B5
  • Mapping
    • C2-B3 left hand
    • C4-B5 right hand

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between open, secco, and coperto.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Timpani, Articulation, Decay, and Timpani-Stack settings for virtual instruments.
Static rolls
  • Play range: C2-C#4

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between dynamic selection and velocity crossfading.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Timpani, Articulation, Velocity XF, and Timpani-Stack settings
Dynamic rolls light / strong
  • Play range: C2-C#4
  • Roll duration: light 1/2/4/6 sec., strong 2/4/6/8 sec.

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to change roll duration, and keyswitches (A0/B0) to switch between crescendo and diminuendo.

A digital audio workstation (DAW) interface displaying sound parameters for timpani, including sections for Timpani, Articulation (single strokes, dynamic rolls, glissandi), Length (1-6 seconds), Crescendo/Diminuendo, and Timpani Stack (20-32 inches).
Glissando rolls
  • Play range: C2-C#4

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between fast, medium, and slow rolls.

Software interface showing Timpani, Articulation, and Speed controls for Synchron Percussion I, with Glissando rolls and Fast speed selected.
Glissandos slow / fast
  • Play range: C2-C#4

Use keyswitches C7-G#7 to change interval, and A0/B0 to switch between up and down glissandos.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Timpani, Articulation, Interval, and Direction controls, including options for Glissandi fast and slow.
Single, 20" / 23" / 26" / 29" / 30"

The layout of the individual instruments is basically the same as that of the merged timpani, without the glissando articulations. Naturally, the play ranges of the single timpani articulations also differ from the merged ones.

Screenshot of the Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface with control options for timpani size, articulation (single strokes, static rolls, dynamic rolls), and decay (open, secco, coperto).
  • Mapping: according to drum, e.g.
    • 20" E3-C#4 left hand, E4-C#5 right hand
    • 32" C2-A2 left hand, C3-A3 right hand
Virtual piano keyboard interface for Synchron Percussion I from Vienna Symphonic Library, showing mapping for right hand and left hand playback.

02 SY Drums - Toms

01 Snare drum - Kolberg Rosewood

Musician playing a snare drum with drumsticks, wearing a black top and dark pants, on a wooden floor.

A Kolberg Rosewood snare drum played with sticks, rods, brushes, and mallets.

Sticks / rods / brushes

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to play with or without snare.

Synchron Percussion I Beater and Snare On/Off controls for virtual instruments, showing Sticks, Rods, Brushes, Mallets, Snare on, and Snare off options.
Sticks
  • Play range: C3-A#6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I key assignment interface showing various drum roll, upbeat, rimshot, and stick X-stick articulations mapped to keyboard keys.
Rods
  • Play range: D3-B4
Synchron Percussion I user interface showing a piano roll with labeled notes for drum samples including upbeats, shell, rim, offcenter (normal), side, and center hits, optimized for Vienna Symphonic Library.
Brushes
  • Play range: D3-C6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I key map showcasing various articulation names like Circle VelXF, Swish, Upbeats, Shell, Muted strokes, Rim, Offcenter, Side, and Center, alongside a piano keyboard visual representation.

Mallets

  • Play range: C4-D#4
Digital interface showing Rim and Normal percussion articulation options for Vienna Synchron Instruments on a gray background.

02 Bass drum - Kolberg 36

A Kolberg 36 bass drum played with soft, medium, and hard beaters, soft and hard brushes, and for special effects.

Young woman in black playing a large bass drum in a music hall.

Soft / medium / hard beater

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to change between open and coperto articulations, or to switch to low tuning.

User interface showcasing Beater and Sound selection options for Synchron Percussion I virtual instruments.
Open
  • Play range: A3-A#6
Musical articulation and performance control options including rolls, upbeats, and rimshots, as displayed in Vienna Symphonic Library's Synchron Percussion I user interface.
Coperto
  • Play range: C4-A#6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I key map displaying various drum roll articulations including diminishing and crescendo rolls with different lengths and intensities, along with normal, muted, and rim sounds.
Low
  • Play range: C4-A#6
Keyboard visual with labels for Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I sound articulations, including diminuendo rolls, crescendo rolls, upbeats, and normal hits, showing an organized keyswitch mapping for virtual instruments.

Brushes soft / hard, effects

There are no further options to these articulations.

User interface showing beater type selections like soft beater, hard beater, soft brush, and hard brush for Synchron Percussion virtual instruments.
Soft brushes
  • Play range: C4-G5
Screenshot of Synchron Percussion I user interface showing performance articulations like Swish 8s, Swish tremolo, Muted strokes, and Normal mapped to a keyboard in black and white.
Hard brushes
  • Play range: C4-G5
Virtual keyboard layout displaying various percussion articulations like Swish, Hardware, Muted strokes, Rim, and Normal in the Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I software interface.
Effects
  • Play range: C4-C6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I keymap with listed articulations including Roll sizzle, Superball effects, Upbeats rim, Rim, Sticks hardware, Sticks shell shaft, Sizzle, and Sticks shell tip.

03 Tambourines

A person wearing a black sheer shirt and black textured pants holds and plays a tambourine with both hands, positioned against a backdrop of a wooden wall and floor.

Tambourines Lefima 2091-A and Kolberg 2030 DW. There are no further options for these instruments.

  • Play range: C4-F#6
Screenshot displaying Vienna Synchron Percussion I virtual instrument interface for tambourine, showing Lefima and Kolberg samples assigned to C and C# notes.
Musical keymap for Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I, displaying tremolo, upbeat, rim, and center articulations with varying durations and techniques.

04 Concert toms - Yamaha

Young woman playing multiple brown tom-tom drums with drumsticks on a wooden floor in a studio setting

8 different low and high toms by Yamaha (9000 series, 6", 8", 10", 12", 13", 14", 15", 16") played with sticks, rods, brushes, mallets, and for special effects. The toms are each mapped to a dedicated octave, with the same articulations on the respective keys.

  • Mapping low/high toms:
    • C2-B2 tom 6/8
    • C3-B3 tom 5/7
    • C4-B4 tom 4/6
    • C5-B5 tom 3/5
    • C6-B6 tom 2/4
    • C7-B7 tom 1/3

Important

Make sure to have Library Update 01 installed, which also includes newly added MIDI-loops.

Sticks / rods / brushes / mallets

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to change between low and high toms.

  • Play range: C2-B7
User interface for Synchron Percussion I, displaying Beater, Low/high toms, and Tom-Stack selection menus for Vienna Symphonic Library instruments.
Sticks
Musical notation interface showing various Tom 6 percussion articulations like Muted, Rimshot, Roll, and Normal, essential for Synchron Percussion I virtual instruments.
Rods / Brushes / Mallets
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I interface showing Tom 6 drum articulations like Side, Coperto, Muted, Shell, Normal, and Rim mapped to a piano roll.

Effects

There are no further options to this slot.

  • Play range: C2-A#7
Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Beater and Tom-Stack controls with options like Sticks, Brushes, Mallets, and tom sizes 12 to 16 inches.
A screenshot of a digital audio workstation displaying multiple articulations for a Tom 6 drum, including rasping stick and superball techniques, demonstrating Vienna Synchron Percussion I instrument options.

03 SY Cymbals - Gongs

01 Piatti

Woman playing large brass crash cymbals in a studio or concert hall.

Two pairs of piatti, a 20'' Zildjian Concert and a 22'' Meinl Extra Heavy. There are no further options to the slots.

  • Play range: C4-C#5
User interface showing Piatti (cymbals) selection: Zildjian 20 inch and Meinl Heavy 22 inch, for Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I.
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Instruments interface showing percussion articulation options like drag, scratch, and strokes, mapped to piano keys 5 and 4.

02 Cymbals

Young woman playing a cymbal instrument in a warm wooden room, practicing music.

Zildjian K 16'' and 18'' suspended cymbals, played with sticks, hard and soft mallets, rods, brushes, and bowed.

User interface showing options for selecting cymbal size (Zildjian K 16 inch, Zildjian K 18 inch) and beater type (Sticks, Hard mallets, Soft mallets, Rods, Brushes, Bow) for virtual percussion instruments.
Sticks
  • Play range: F3-A#6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I keymap displaying various articulation options including diminishing and crescendo rolls, edge and top hits, and bell strikes, mapped to piano keys for virtual instrument control.
Mallets
  • Play range: F3-A#6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I Instrument Patch list, showing diverse Diminuendo and Crescendo Rolls durations and intensities for percussion sounds, along with Roll Top and Bell instrument options.
Rods
  • Play range: F3-G#4
Digital audio workstation piano roll displaying instrument articulations like Edge shaft, Bell Shaft, and Bell Tip for Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I.
Brushes
  • Play range: F3-D#4
A digital piano roll interface showing keys mapped to percussion sounds like Edge, Top, and Bell, with a pink number 4 indicating a selection on the fourth musical note.
Bow
  • Play range: C4-G6 (white keys only)
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I key sections: Bow forte, Bow mezzopiano, and Bow piano, with numbered variations representing dynamic levels for virtual instruments.

03 Tam-tam

Young woman in black clothing playing a large dark gong with a mallet.

A large Kolberg 100 cm tam-tam and an extra large one with 120 cm diameter, played with soft and hard beaters, and for special effects.

User interface depicting size and beater options for Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I instruments, showing selections for Large (100cm) and XLarge (120cm) sizes, and Soft, Hard, and Effects beater types.
Beaters soft / hard
  • Play range: C4-A#6
Screenshot of the Vienna Synchron Percussion I interface, displaying key switches on a piano roll next to lists of available articulations like crescendo and diminuendo rolls with varying lengths, velocity crossfade rolls, and muted or regular strokes.
Effects
  • Play range: C2-D#6
Visual representation of the Synchron Percussion I keymap within a digital audio workstation, displaying various articulations like Superball, Bow, Stick scratch, Metal scratch, and Brush swish mapped to corresponding piano keys for sound samples.

04 SY Mallets

01 Celesta - Kolberg

Young woman, Celesta Kolberg, playing a natural wood tone celesta with sheet music on a stand, performing a musical piece.

Celesta Kolberg. The instrument is mapped one octave lower than it sounds. The "light" version of the single notes has no release samples and uses much less RAM than the full one.

  • Play range: C2-F7
Celesta instrument selection menu with options for Full content, Light no RS, and Glissandi, from Vienna Instruments Synchron Percussion I.
Glissandi
  • Play range: C3-G#5
Virtual keyboard interface displaying key assignments for slow and fast black or white keys, categorized by musical range like C6-C8, C3-C5, and full range, indicating percussion sample mapping in the Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Instruments.

02 Glockenspiel - Yamaha

Young woman playing a Yamaha xylophone or marimba in a performance hall with wooden walls and floors.

Glockenspiel Yamaha 2500. Played with metal and plastic beaters, and bowed.
The instrument is mapped one octave lower than it sounds.
  • Play range: C4-E7

Metal / plastic beaters

Single strokes / glissandi

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between open and secco articulations.

Vienna Synchron Percussion I virtual instrument interface showing Beater, Articulation, and Open/Secco control panels for sound customization.
Glissandi
  • Play range: C4-D#6
A black and white image displays musical parameters on a keyboard interface. It features labels like High Range, Mid Range, Low Range, and Full Range, each with options for down, slow, down, fast, up, slow, and up, fast, indicating sound range and speed settings.
Static rolls

There are no further options to this articulation.

User interface for Synchron Percussion I showing Beater options (Metal, Plastic, Bow) and Articulation styles (Single Strokes, Static Rolls, Dynamic Rolls, Glissandi), with Static Rolls selected.
Dynamic rolls

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch durations to 0.5/1/3 seconds.

User interface for Synchron Percussion I settings with Beater (Metal beater, Plastic beater, Bow), Articulation (Single strokes, Static rolls, Dynamic rolls, Glissandi), and Length (0.5, 1, 3 seconds) options for sound customization.
Bowed

There are no further options to this articulation.

User interface menu from Vienna Synchron Percussion I showing selections for different beater types including Metal beater, Plastic beater, and Bow, with Bow currently highlighted.

03 Xylophone - Adams

A young woman enthusiastically playing a ZAM percussion instrument resembling a marimba or xylophone in a warmly lit, wood-paneled room.

Xylophone Adams Artist Alpha. Played with wooden and leather beaters, and bowed.

  • Play range: C4-C8

Wood / leather beaters

Single strokes / static rolls / glissandi
Vienna Synchron Instruments software interface showing Beater and Articulation selection options for percussion, including Wood beater, Leather beater, Bow, Single strokes, Static rolls, Dynamic rolls, and Glissandi.
Glissandi
  • Play range: C4-G#6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion Instrument ranges, showing octave 7, 6, 5, 4, and full range with slow, fast, down, and up variations.
Dynamic rolls

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch durations to 0.5/1/3 seconds.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Beater, Articulation, and Length module options including wood beater, dynamic rolls, and 0.5 second duration.
Bowed

There are no further options to this articulation.

A screenshot of the Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing the Beater selection menu, with Bow highlighted as an instrument option.

05 SY Bells

01 Tubular bells - Bergerault

Musician playing Bergerault C25 F4-F6 tubular bells, a large percussion instrument with tall brass tubes, in a wood-paneled room.

Tubular bells Bergerault C25 Symphonic, played with medium and hard hammers, a triangle beater, and glissandos with sticks, rods, and brushes.

  • Play range: F3-F5

Hammers

Medium and hard hammers. Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between open, muted, and glissando articulations.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing selectable beater types like medium hammer, hard hammer, triangle beater, sticks, rods, brushes, and articulation options including open, muted, and glissando.
Glissandi hammers
  • Play range: C3-G#4
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I key range and articulation options displayed next to a piano keyboard interface.

Triangle beater

Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between open articulations and glissandos.

  • Play range: C3-G4 (white keys only)
Screenshot of Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing Beater and Articulation selection options, with Triangle beater and Open selected.

Sticks / rods / brushes

There are no further options for these slots.

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I beater selection interface, showing options like Med. hammer, Hard hammer, Triangle beater, Sticks (gliss), Rods (gliss), and Brushes (gliss).
Glissandi sticks / rods
  • Play range: C3-G#4
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing performance range settings: high, mid, low, and full range options for fast and slow articulations, displayed next to a piano keyboard selection.
Glissandi brushes
  • Play range: C3-G4 (white keys only)
Vienna Synchron Percussion I key range selection interface showing options like high, mid, low, and full range with up and down adjustments for instrument sound control.

SY Percussion

01 Triangles

Young woman playing musical triangle instrument in a well-lit room with wood paneling.

Triangles Kolberg: Steel 14, 21, 30; Bronze 30; Bronze Baroque 17, 21; Steel serrated 21. Played with heavy and light beaters. Use C1/C#1 to change beaters.

  • Play range: C4-G6
User interface showing Triangle instrument sound options and Beater selection for Vienna Synchron Percussion library.
Triangles normal
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I keybed mapping for rolls, upbeats, and open/closed articulations, showing diminuendo and crescendo roll lengths, short and long release variations, and Vel XF settings.
Triangle serrated
Young woman in black attire playing a musical triangle in a room with wood paneling and warm lighting, showcasing musical performance and instrument use.

Harmonic diagram showing diminuendo and crescendo rolls, short and long release options, percussion scrapes, upbeats, and open/closed states for Vienna Synchron Percussion I.

02 Shakers

Man in a green bandana and black patterned jacket holding a silver cocktail shaker.

A person wearing a vibrant, patterned jacket and a green bandana, with closed eyes, holding small objects in their hands.

Shakers Kolberg medium tube and egg-shaped. Use Dim.Ctrl/A (CC1) to switch between shakers. There are no further options for these slots.

  • Play range: C3-G7
Digital interface displaying Shaker instrument options Tube and Egg for the Vienna Symphonic Library's Synchron Percussion I.
Musical articulation and rhythm patterns in Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I, featuring patterns like Eights, 16ths with accents, Roll, and Shake.

03 Woodblocks

Musician playing a woodblock percussion instrument with mallets, hands blurred in motion, against a warm brown background.

A set of 5 Kolberg woodblocks. Played with yarn and plastic mallets, and with a rasping stick. Each woodblock is mapped to an octave, with identical articulations on the same keys. There are no further options for these slots.

Synchron Percussion I Beater selection interface showing yarn mallet, plastic mallet, and rasping stick options.
Yarn / Plastic mallets
  • Play range: C2-B6
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I user interface showing a list of percussion articulation options like upbeats, dynamic rolls, rim, and center, mapped to a virtual piano keyboard.
Rasping stick
  • Play range: C2-A6 (white keys only)
Vienna Synchron Percussion I sample library interface, showing slow and fast articulation options for WB 3 instruments, with piano roll keys.

04 Castanets

Musician playing Kolberg percussion instrument, striking marimba-like bars with hands, brown and black musical equipment, performance setting.

Two pairs of Kolberg castanets (large and small). There are no further options for these slots.

  • Play range: C4-B4
User interface showing Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Percussion I size selection with Large and Small options.
User interface showing control options for Synchron Percussion I, featuring selectable upbeats, dynamic rolls, and roll velocity crossfade settings, with piano keys on the left.