This is what I'm wondering as well - what kind of section sizes for strings will we be looking at? Of course solo strings are expected, but I'm curious if there will be chamber sections as well as orchestral sections (not really interested in larger symphonic sections like Appassionata).

@LAJ said:

Oh no ... please don't waste production-time in recording just another SoloStrings-Section again ...

When I read that EW announced a new choir, I was so excited. To read such an announcement from VSL would be so much more exciting!

Regarding to String-Ensembles (and Realism) ... I guess it is more logical to expect divided Sections. But even then the Dimension-Concept will be the most realistic since Sections always play at the same Starting-Point while all Dimension-players have changing StartingPoints with every Key you play. This Is so cool! It would be a greater benefit to have a dry Dimension-Violinssection of 6 Historic-Violins and a Solo-Viola da Gamba.

I don't think a Synchron Solo Stirngs library is any waste of time, but quite the opposite, I feel it is an important part of the Synchron Strings Line up.  

It is pretty clear, that there will be no Synchronstage-dimensionstring Library, since the Microphoning-concept of both is simply not compatible. And I think there are already some statements like that by VSL-Guys.

I would expect that the Synchronstage-Libraries will "simply" replace the the former Core-Flagship the "Symphonic Cube". This is - however well done - already of some age and beside the new acoustic concept, there is a lot which might be improved from a nowaday point of view and available hardwarepower. 

In so far the Cube includes Solostrings but no Appasionatastrings I would expect again a likewise basic set of sectionsizes from (Solo, Chamber, Orchestral) and presumably each section as 1. and 2. Version to cover the regular divisi needs. And yes I expect that the project to replace the former Core-Library with a Synchronstage version will absorbe defenitly some time.

However I fully consent that historic strings and at least a full set of Vowels (instead of only A+U) for The VSL-Choir and Soloists will be very very wellcome.

@fahl5 said:

It is ... However I fully consent that historic strings and at least a full set of Vowels (instead of only A+U) for The VSL-Choir and Soloists will be very very wellcome.

@ Choir

OK EW developped a great "Wordbuilder" and it seems as if they have still improved it.... yes, that's interesting!I am very curious, if EW still include (also improved/?) Soloists in their new EW-Choir and if they were also wordbuilding now. 

VSL Vocals do not need any "Play" or "Kontakt" what makes everything very much easier. and thats why they are able to provide a lot of musically reasonable and versatile "articulations".  No improved EW-Wordbuilder will keep me from waiting to get the current "U+A"-VSL-Vocals for all Vowels:(german:) "E, I, O", perhaps "Ü", Ö"and to be complete: "Diphtong's"

@ Strings

Oh there are many strings But in my humble ears most of them leave more than enough "gap's" to do all kinds of symphonic music with samplelibraries.

Hi

I bet the next one will be Synchron Piano. However, I hope I'm wrong. I'd really like to see Synchron Solo Strings first.

No. Since there are photos of Taiko-Recordings I think they're bringing a second Percussion-Package first. And after that something else ... (👍 boys choir, boys choir, boys choir 😛)

Oh the Synchron-"Bonus-Taiko" is already on my SSD 😃

However let them finish their Synchron Orchesra, I'd be very surprised if that leave them very much time for many other Projects however interesting they would be if VSL would d them.

@ Boyschoir I assume producing a boyschoir on VSL-Level is likely to be one of the more serious forme of musical torture aswell for the kids which would be scarccly fascinated for a very long time to record all articlations in all dynamic layers in every available pitch seperatly as for those who are trying to get clean intonated samples in VSL-Quality from those sooner or later bored or tired choirboys.

so if you have an open heart for those poor boys better whish more vowels for the exsiting Choirs and soloists. They've done a great job for a & u and so they will do for e, i, o 😉

Voxos Boy choir yes, VSL-Quality no

There are more developped Boyschoirs in SOUNDIRON Olympus (Marcury), and the Virharmonic Czech Boyschoirs both even with Phrasebuilder, which the Voxos Boys do not have.

VSL-Quality means musically extraordinary, I do not see any Choir in this quality out there, thats why I miss the last 3 or 4 Vowels to be done for the VSL Vocals which made them able to reflect the different sond of different Textvowels.

More Dimension libraries ? I fear the Synchron-Concept will replace most of the plans like that since it will not be very compatible with the Mir+Dimension-Library-concept.

OK, thank you. Then I will take a closer look. I only heard demos on YTube and liked the colour of that Choir on a first impression.

Regarding to the Dimensions. ... But Herb wrote that last december (when the Synchron concept was already clear). And Paul made very clear that the Synchron Libraries are not meant to "replace" anything. Maybe Sections will be replaced, but the single Instruments and especially Dimensions will always be used on top ... I think even by the VSL themselfes. 

I do not plan to buy all Synchron Products.

I plan fix: 1. the full percussion package II with the Taikos and other stuff, 2. the Yamaha-Remote (but only when dry recorded) and 3. the Film-Orgel (for me the highlight to come). Everything else is optional and already there.

Herbs: "Yes, we do have plans."

That's all?

Of course they do have "plans" and of course still much more interesting ideas but I do have some doubts this will assure you anythiing about which of their "plans" are seriously considered to be realised (!). I also remember a likewise statement of Paul about the possibility to get the sets for the three or four missing vowels for the Vocal libraries. Until now other things obviously have had always higher priority, even such enormous important things like to sample an Ophikleide or a Serpent 😉. (While it would be a for sure a at least also a good Idea to sample historic strings to allow completly historic homogenous ensembles.)

Anyway, I think it is pretty clear that the Synchronstage series will establish an new level of Quality for the basic orchestral samples, like the dimension series have been in relation to the cube. However VSL care for that you can use still all librariies together I do not have any doubts, that the Synchron serie will be the new orchestral flagship, and insofar the cube or later the dimension series have set likewise standards for the highest available Quality in Orchestra sampling at the time of their release, the synchron series will of course be the next step forward.

However I am pretty curious..

👍This is exactly my impression. The Wordbuilder is a bit easier to use than the East-West-SC-Woordbuilder but the results still not as real as other sampled instruments can sound today. But even the very versatile last EastWestSC-Wordbuilder (which was horrible unstable for large text when I tried it) was not that breathtaking understandable.

In short, It is very difficult to become singing real language (however even "real" Singers and Choirs are often not realy understanable) , but in a musical view it is a very big difference to have the different Vowels of the text instead of only one or two very similar which makes a static impression which reduce realism very much, since what you hear while any note is held is primarily the Vowel, they determine the Colour. 

Imho, Virharmonic is not bad and their wordbuilder might be not always that satisfiyng but is still one of the best available. VSL has started their Choir with high musical ambitions and for sure will be the musically most satisfying as soon the vowels are complete.

@ one thing is good to know about the Czech-Boys.

the Intonation of this boychoir is explicitly meant as "realisitic" instead of "clean".  Yes the amount of wrong intonation is "realistic" for a boy choir but very good boychoirs are still able to sing more clean. (That's why I fear producing good realistic clean boychoirs, might easily become be a torture either for the boys, or for those who record or both)

May I make a request for a Synchron Piano?

-28 velocity layers

-half pedaling

-close, tree, and ambient mic positions

-Steinway Models "D" and "B"

-A parameter that allows you to adjust the velocity curve on different sections of the keyboard (e.g., a "power" curve set for everything below A3, normal curve Bb3 to C6, and light curve above that).

-Options to EQ specific notes on the keyboard and their sympathetic resonances

...I don't know if this stuff is even possible.

If I can get a piano like this, which would beat Ivory II, I'll make an album with it and out-sell every concert pianist that year, and promote the fact I did it with VSL's virtual piano.

Presumably Bösendorfer is the austrian/viennese way to make pianos, I do have some doubts VSL will bring bother their austrian musicsouls with producing another Sample-Steinway while they can have all at its best from Bösendorfer just around the corner.

I think they already sampled one of the best Bösendorfersample sets. but I have some doubts a synchron-Bösendorfer would make that much sense. the Synchronstage is as I understood it meantt ot record all Orchestral instruments in their original of a good Symphonic Studiorecording.

While for Orchestral instruments you nearly always expect them to be heard in Orchestral contexts this seem o me not that much thhe case for a Piano (as a Soloist of an Orchestra). Anyway If they finished their Synchronorchestra without recording a Synchronpiano, you still can put any Piano in the MIR- Synchronstage venue which I think is already a very nice acoustic for Pianosounds 😉

I heard from someone from VSL that (after the Imperial) only Pianos with remote features (like CEUS) will be sampled.

As far as I know the Steinway does not have a remote-funktion. I would be surprised I they changed their mind.

A Synchron Bösendorfer? No, I can't imagine ... 

CEUS is as far as I know developped by Bösendorfer for Bösendorfer. This will presumably mean In simple words viennese Sample Producers are patriotic enough to concentrate on "homegrown" regional musical resources.

= VSL will stay with Bösendorfer.

Still I  also dont understand at all, what benefit a synchronsetup for Pianosamples should provide, that would justify to do the whole Pianosampling proces again..