Synchron Special Woodwinds

Musician wearing headphones playing a bassoon, recording woodwind instruments in a studio.

Introduction

The instruments in this collection were recorded at Stage A, the main hall of Vienna’s revitalized Synchron Stage Vienna. The recordings were executed using an expansive, phase-controlled multi-microphone set-up, capturing solo and ensemble woodwinds 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 instruments were recorded using 11 microphones, subdivided into 7 sections. The Standard Library includes 4 of these sections (as well as a RAM-friendly Room Mix section composed of merged samples from the individual positions), allowing you to integrate instruments recorded with a stereo Decca tree into your projects using the Vienna Instruments and Vienna Instruments Pro players or our mixing hosts Vienna Ensemble and Vienna Ensemble Pro. Adding the Extended Library and thus getting the Full Library expands your possibilities to 5.1 surround and Auro 3D 9.1.

Microphone positions

Standard Library

Room Mix – Stereo
Close Mic – Mono
Mid Layer Mic – Stereo (L/R)
Main/Room Mic – Decca Tree Stereo (L/R)
Main/Room Mic – Decca Tree Mono (Center)

Extended Library

Main Surround – Stereo (L/R)
High Stereo (3D) – Stereo (L/R)
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 "Room-Mix", "Close" and "Mid". 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, you may mix your instruments in Auro 3D as well as in Dolby Atmos.

Flow and Precision Presets

The instruments of Synchron Special Woodwinds provide two different kinds of Presets, accessible by clicking on the icons “Flow” resp. “Precision” in the Synchron Player’s top bar. Flow Presets offer an intuitive, graphic approach to the library’s contents, with instrument, articulation, and sound parameters displayed in a single window.

Synchron Special Woodwinds software interface displaying woodwind instrument selection and a list of available instruments including piccolo flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.

Precision Presets are what you already know if you own other VSL libraries. They allow you to explore the depths of the library, adjusting and tweaking parameters as you see fit.

Synchron Player software interface displaying Bass flute settings for woodwind instruments, featuring articulation, vibrato, and release controls, alongside various audio parameters like volume, expression, and filtering options.

Mixer Presets

For each instrument, there are a number of Mixer Presets for stereo and surround microphone configurations that depict different recording situations: Close, Classic, Wide, Distant, Ambience, Wet, Lush, Lush long, Sparkling, and Catchy (the latter four only for stereo set-ups). Apart from that, you will also find Processed Standard Mixer Presets, which give you an idea of the possibilities and may present a good starting point for your own creations.

Musician playing an oboe in a recording studio, wearing headphones, surrounded by recording equipment for woodwind instruments.

Flow Presets

As mentioned above, Flow Presets give you instant access to the most important parameters of an instrument, its articulations, and general sound settings in the Synchron Player’s Flow view. The display is subdivided accordingly, with the graphic keyboard underneath. On the Flow Browser page, you can click on START TOUR to step through explanations of the different Flow elements and parameters as shown below.

A digital audio workstation (DAW) interface by Synchron Special Woodwinds, showing settings for a bass flute instrument, including articulation, tone, performance, sound mixing, and a piano roll.

Instrument / Tone

The Instrument section shows a symbolic image of the selected Instrument, headed by the name of the loaded Preset. You can return to the Flow Browser to select another instrument by clicking on the field. Clicking on the Info circle will connect you to the Vienna Academy, our instrumentology site.

The Dynamics fader under the instrument is set to the modwheel (MIDI CC1) or keystroke velocity by default – with the long notes used in the example below, it is the modwheel, meaning that you can influence the volume of a note being played by changing the controller value. You could also set it to a breath controller (MIDI CC2), leaving your hand free for other stuff. The staccatos, e.g., are set to keystroke velocity, as changing the volume of short notes while they are sounding hardly makes sense.

Virtual instrument interface displaying a bass flute, with controls for dynamics, humanization, timbre, and expression.

In the Tone field, you get access to three other items which may be an important factor in making your piece sound truly alive:

Humanization (MIDI CC27) lets you determine the percentage of not being exactly on time – a kind of counter-quantization that introduces an element of necessary imperfection.
Timbre (MIDI CC8) affects the tone of the instrument, making it sound brighter or darker.
Expression (MIDI CC11) is an additional volume control defining a percentage of CC7 (volume), and can be used for automation.

Articulation / Performance

The Articulation pane holds all the samples, so to speak. In the upper field, you see the possible choices with their keyswitches, which are also marked on the Synchron Player’s virtual keyboard. Of course, you can also click on a button to switch to that articulaton. The articulation buttons are color-coded: orange for short notes, green for long ones, and blue for the Universal articulation that allows you to perform without keyswitching.

Digital interface showing articulation and performance settings for Synchron Special Woodwinds virtual instruments, including controls for legato, vibrato, and release.

The Performance field contains all the playing variants of the selected articulation. So, depending on the number and type of variants, the performance options may look quite simple. There are up to four different parameters per articulation. Here’s a few examples:

Short notes allow you to choose Switch-Type (MIDI CC101), i.e., you can select the type of short note played either with keyswitches or with the modwheel.
Type control for other articulations is mostly set to keystroke velocity, or to keyswitches as with the bass flute’s effects.
The Legato option of long notes and trills can be switched on and off with MIDI CC3.
Some instruments feature a Vibrato fader knob assigned to MIDI CC20, allowing you to “soft-switch” with a narrow crossfade area between samples without and with vibrato.
Release offers different release options – e.g., switching between ringing and cut release of the fast repetitions – with the help of MIDI CC4.

Sound

In the Sound pane, you can select a basic Category on the top left, and one of the Mixer Presets from that category on the right.

Mic Balance (MIDI CC61) adjusts the relation between intimate and ambient microphoning.
FX/Reverb (MIDI CC5) sets the amount of reverb, which is different in intensity according to the selected preset.
Output Volume (MIDI CC63) takes care of how much of what you do comes out of the Synchron Player.

Synchron Special Woodwinds sound module interface showing Room Mix and Classic settings, mic balance at 71%, and FX/Reverb and Output Volume at 0 dB, with Standard output routing selected.

Finally, there is the choice of Output Routing represented by the four buttons Standard, Category, Multi, and Reverb+:

Standard is the standard Stereo configuration where all microphones are routed to the master output.
Category: here, only the ambient microphones are routed to the master output, while close microphones go to ouput 2,
Multi routes all microphones to different outputs.
Master out – Main, Room-Mix, Reverb
Output 2 – Main-Center
Output 3 – Surround
Output 4 – High-Surround
Output 5 – Mid
Output 6 – Close
Reverb+ is routed like the Multi configuration, but has the Reverb channel routed to its own output 11.

If you’re not sure about the routing options, click on the information button next to the heading for a brief explanation.

Precision Presets

An instrument's Precision Presets comprise all recorded Patches in articulation groups, which again contain types of the respective articulation, with further options if available. The general structure was adheres to that of our other Synchron Collections, making it easy to switch or combine instruments without major adaptations.

Articulations are disabled by default. Enabling an articulation means that all the types contained will be activated, too, so if you happen to be short of RAM it is advisable only to activate what you really need (you can always add more types later).

By default the keyswitches for articulations are mapped starting from C1 (for Middle C = C4) for higher instruments, and from C5 for low range instruments (in this collection, only the contrabass clarinet). For the available types, the keyswitches start from C2 for high instruments, and from C6 for low ones.

Additional options within articulations or types are offered by the Dimension Controllers. The controller function is indicated by the respective caption, as of course it may take on different tasks as needed.

Apart from the regular articulation slots, every instrument also features a “Custom” one that does not contain any samples. It provides 6 slots ready for you to configure presets of your own.

Preset types

The library offers three basic Preset types for every instrument in their respective folders, marked "Velocity", "VelXF", and "VelXF sus". In the regular "Velocity" presets, note volume is controlled by keystroke velocity just like a piano. In "VelXF" Presets, all articulations have velocity crossfading activated so that you can control dynamics with MIDI controller CC1, the modwheel. In "VelXF sus" Presets, however, velocity crossfading is only activated for long notes, while the dynamics of short notes are controlled by keystroke velocity, thus facilitating phrasing. Velocity crossfading can be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab.

In addition, you will also find another set of similar Preset categories which contain mappings compatible with the layout of our Prime Edition.

Sound categories

The Presets of each instrument are subdivided into several Articulation categories (depending on the instrument) plus a "Custom" slot ready for your own creations. With the exception of the FX presets, these categories are:

Short Notes
Long Notes
Legato
Dynamics
Fluttertongue and trills
Fast repetitions
Lyrical legato
Effects (flutes only)

Within these Articulation categories, you can select a Type, e.g., short or regular staccato and for some of the types there are additional options available, such as marcato or vibrato type control.

Bass flute

Articulation switches: C1–G1.
Type switches: starting at C2.

Short notes

Staccato and portato, bold and agile.

Staccato/portato: C2/D2.
Bold/agile: A0/B0.

Musical software interface displaying woodwind articulation, type, and attack parameters like short notes, staccato, and bold.

Long notes

Sustained notes without and with vibrato, with normal and fall release.

Vibrato options: A2–B2.
Normal/fall release: A0/B0.

Screenshot of the Synchron Special Woodwinds virtual instrument interface showing articulation, type, vibrato, and release settings, with Long notes, Regular, Senza vibrato, and Normal release selected.

XF Vibrato

With the vibrato crossfading option, use Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20) to control vibrato.

Vibrato XF: Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20).

Digital audio workstation (DAW) interface showing sound parameters for Type (Regular), Vibrato (Senza, Con, XF), XF Vibrato (Senza, Con), and Release (Normal, Fall), with CC 20 knob.

Legato

Performance legato, regular and virtuosic with and without vibrato, as well as auto-speed options. With the vibrato crossfading option, use Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20) to control vibrato.

Vibrato options: A2–B2.
Vibrato XF: Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20).

User interface displaying various options for instrument articulation, type, and vibrato, including Legato, Senza vibrato, and Con vibrato settings, from Synchron Special Woodwinds.

Auto-speed:

The auto-speed option implements a controller on Dim.Ctrl/D to switch between normal and virtuosic legato depending on playing speed.

Legato switch: Dim.Ctrl/D (playing speed).

Synchron Woodwinds virtual instrument user interface showing Type, Auto-speed, Vibrato, and XF vibrato settings with Auto-speed selected under Type and Senza vibrato options under Vibrato and XF vibrato.

Dynamics

Sforzato with and without vibrato; crescendo and diminuendo 2/3/4 sec. The 2nd Type slot contains a copy of the sforzato patch for compatibility with other instruments that offer a sforzatissimo patch.

Type switches: only on white notes.
Vibrato options: A2–B2.
Vibrato XF: Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20).

Screenshot of the Synchron Special Woodwinds virtual instrument interface, displaying articulation, type, vibrato, and release parameters.

Crescendo and diminuendo

Duration: F#2–G#2.

Synchron Woodwinds software interface showing adjustable parameters for instrument articulations including type (Sforzato, Crescendo, Diminuendo), duration (2, 3, 4 seconds), and vibrato options (Senza, Con, XF).

Fluttertongue and trills

Fluttertongue, normal and marcato; half and whole tone trills, normal and with legato transitions.

Trills normal / legato transition: A0/B0.

User interface for Synchron Special Woodwinds virtual instrument, showing control options for Articulation, Type, and Transitions, with Half-tone trill and Fluttert. & trills selected.

Fast repetitions

Fast repetitions at 120/130/140/160 BPM, with ringing and cut release.

Ringing/cut release: A0/B0.

User interface for musical articulation, tempo, and release settings, showing options like Legato, 120 bpm, and Ringing.

Lyrical legato

Lyrical legato, and virtuosic legato with and without vibrato.

Vibrato options: A2–B2.
Vibrato XF: Dim.Ctrl/C (CC20).

User interface showing articulation, type, vibrato, and XF vibrato parameters for Synchron Special Woodwinds, with options like Lyrical Legato and Senza Vibrato selected.

Auto-speed

The auto-speed option implements a controller on Dim.Ctrl/D to switch between lyrical and virtuosic legato depending on playing speed.

Legato switch: Dim.Ctrl/D (playing speed).

User interface for Synchron Special Woodwinds virtual instrument displaying articulation, type, auto-speed, and vibrato controls, with Lyrical Legato selected.

Effects

Effect sounds with staccatos on “P”, “Z”, and “K”; humming; overblown; and beatbox sequences with staccato combinations. Sequences are repeated in round robin fashion, starting with the first articulation whenever the reset threshold time (the parameter marked “R” under the dimension heading) is exceeded.

Sequences: G2–A#2.

Screenshot of a digital audio workstation (DAW) interface, displaying various parameters for manipulating woodwind sounds. The interface features columns for Articulation, Type, Sequences, and an active Sequence, showing selected options like Effects, Beatbox sequence, and Staccato P for detailed sound control in the Synchron Special Woodwinds library.