Evan,
AIDA Trumpets were built (I believe on order) for Verdi, when he composed the march theme in his opera AIDA. If I remember right, he wanted to use Natural Trumpets firstly, but reconsidered his choice after he realized that he wanted an instrument which was louder and of practical measures. The lengh is half as long (compared to a natural trumpet) and it only has one pistol valve (I hope that's the correct english vocabulary).

Best wishes,
Hans-Peter

Here are some links with information and pics:

Oboe d'amore
infos:
http://cc.oulu.fi/~tjamsa/damore.html
picture:
http://jdb.psu.edu/music/oboe_am.html

Bass flute
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/flutes.html

Heckelphone
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/heckel.html

Contrabass clarinet
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/cbcl.html

Euphonium
http://users.quista.net/euphbass/euphonium.html

Natural trumpet (you'll have to scroll)
http://www.vsl.co.at/english/instruments/brass/trumpets/trumpet_in_c/History.htm

natural horn (hunting horn)
http://www.vsl.co.at/english/instruments/brass/horns/horn_in_f/History.htm

Aida trumpet:
what distinguishes the aida trumpet from other trumpets is above all the straight tube. Hope I'll find a pic.
cheers,
sabine

Isn't what my wife calls me on a Hecklephone. I don't need another one of those.

Herb -

I vote for none of these. What I really could use is a CHOIR!!!

More reasons to vote for BASS FLUTE:

1) it is equally valuable for film/classical/pop scoring

2) it is incredibly hard to get one live, due to the difficulty of handling the instrument's intonation and breath requirements. It is a huge flute, requiring amounts of breath that cause many people to hyperventilate.

3) legato - this instrument has the most incredible velvety legato, and you MUST have this aspect of it since that along with the tone quality accounts for most of its expressiveness.

In the pop arena Mancini of course loved it, and it accounts for the dark, menacing and indefinable quality of many thriller scores throughout the sixites on film and TV. But it has been underused in film and classical scoring because of its rarity.

William -
Dude, we get that you like the bass flute. The problem is, I've never actually seen it used in any ensemble I've ever played in or seen, and therefore would vote for a more common and useful instrument in creating realistic mockups like the Bb trumpet or euphonium or contrabass clarinet. Aida Trumpets?! Why is this on the list? And why is it the most popular choice? I mean, has anyone really been impatiently waiting for this instrument? Or is it just different, so that's why people are voting for it? I would vote for recording instruments heirarchicaly, in the order of common usage in real performance ensembles. So I would like to see: String Harmonics (natural and artificial), muted brass, Bb trumpet, euphonium, contrabass clarinet, flugelhorn, etc. Then get to the very infrequently used instruments, like bass flute, hecklephone, aida trumpets, etc. That is my humble opinion.
thanks,
Julie [:)]

Voting for BASS FLUTE.....and I'm also going to add some more letters: Choir, Bb Trumpet.

A choir is REALLY a big wish for alot of people. And I'm sure you've thought about it

Yo Julie Dude!

another reason for BASS FLUTE: John Barry

(Thanks Paul)

I agree about muted brass and choir. These would be at the top of my list!

Please tell us if you already have a collection of muted brass in the works.

Thanks,
Jay

No choir? [*-)] Does anyone know where I can hear what a bass flute sounds like?

I would think by now VSL is quite aware of people wanting choir and muted brass etc. This is just another kind of request.

I guess my priority would be something like this:

Oboe d'amore
Contrabass clarinet
Aida trumpets (ensemble)
Bass flute
Cornet
Euphonium
Heckelphone (Bass oboe)
Natural trumpet
Natural horn
Alto trombone

But all in all I would rather have a second Clarinet - maybe in A.
and of cause the choir...and the Bb trumpet and ... and.. ALPH HORNS
[:D]


best regards
Bjarne

One way to create a second instrument is to lower the first one through a pitch shifter and transpose it back up.

Seriously, it won't screw it up and it'll change the timbre slightly. I haven't done this with clarinet, but I have done it with acoustic guitar using Sound Toys' Speed.

Nice idea Nick!

I'd like to put in a plug for the Oboe d'amore.
It's an absolutley exquisite halfway version between the oboe and cor anglais, used beautifully by Bach. It has a rare and expressive tonal quality and would be a fine addition to VSL.

New voters....consider with care!

Regards - Colin

@evanevans said:

When will there be a day where we can have Bb Trumpets??? Vote for Bb TRUMPETS people! [:D]

I think they have that here as "Natural Trumpets", unless they are referring to a kind of early valveless trumpet.

Bb TRUMPETS.

Evan Evans

For what I know, a Chiarina is an egiptian like trumpet for playng parades, marches and AIDA . You can buy them made with 3 pistons and in Bb.

Voted...

Also, while were at topic of sample suggestions I can ofcourse only agree with how cool a Choir would be!

On a smaller scale I would really like some ethnic instruments from VSL, in particular Bagpipes and other celtic instruments. [:)]

A natural trumpet is a valveless trumpet, that's what they used for early trumpet parts, including things like the brandenburg concerto.

Nowadays, they're rarely used, only by groups that specialize in period instruments.


Out of the list given, bass flute would probably be the most useful.

What this library really needs is a second violin section.

All the other instruments listed would be nice to have especially bass flute and heckelphone, but a second violin section is fundemental to be able to realise a full string section. 14 violins is just not enough.

Regards

Mirabile

@mirabile said:

What this library really needs is a second violin section.
All the other instruments listed would be nice to have especially bass flute and heckelphone, but a second violin section is fundemental to be able to realise a full string section. 14 violins is just not enough.

I can think of more than just a second violin section when it comes to strings... mf legato patches, longer destination notes... for example..

Epic strings? Different recording positions could produce a nicer sound imo. [H]

Perhaps we should have a central wish list thread? [:D]

yeah and i would suggest also more "sustain" patchs, heavy vibrato, lyrical vibrato, goldsmith violins sound (his strings are so particular ! i don't know why...)