Hi Eric. I'm no expert, but:

1. No - the Pro Edition is a sound library only, but virtually all of its contents have been incorporated into the first ten Vienna Instruments.

2. It depends on how many instances of the VI you plan to use in an arrangement, but provided you don't go too mad I would have thought one 4GB machine could easily handle these collections. You will need an external hard drive big enough to hold all the samples (the sample sizes are shown on this site under Products>Vienna Instruments I).

3. The standard libraries contain the basic articulations most people need (long notes, short notes etc.) and the extended versions offer the more fancy styles (trills, runs etc.) The Standard and Extended articulations for each Vienna Instrument are shown under 'Std / Ext libraries'.

Good luck! The Vienna Instrument is a great tool, there's nothing quite like it on the market.

just to add: all samples from the pro edition found their way into the symphonic cube, although they are now 24 bit (formerly 16 bit). most horizon series products are now also Vienna Instruments (eg. chamber strings), a few are missing (guitars)

the system requirements mention a _seperate_ harddrive - this has not neccessarily to be an external drive, but can be (this means we don't recommend to install samples on the same harddisk where your system and programs reside on)
christian

@Conquer said:

Hi Eric. I'm no expert, but:

1. No - the Pro Edition is a sound library only, but virtually all of its contents have been incorporated into the first ten Vienna Instruments.

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So just to make sure I am talking the right product, Orchestral Strings I from Vienna Instruments ($645 US) can be used as a VST plugin?

Also, how important is aftertouch in this library or any of the Vienna Instruments libraries? The reason I ask is my MIDI controller does not do aftertouch. It's an acoustic piano rigged with a MIDI strip. Will I be missing a lot (ex: flute vibrato using aftertouch) ?

Hi Eric,

yes, that´s correct, all Vienna Instruments Collections work as VST and AU plug-ins [:)], including of course Orchestral Strings I.

The Vienna Instruments respond to all kinds of MIDi signals, and they are very flexible. You won´t need aftertouch! To learn more, please take a look at our Video Tutorials [:)]

Best,

Paul

@Paul said:

Hi Eric,

yes, that´s correct, all Vienna Instruments Collections work as VST and AU plug-ins [:)], including of course Orchestral Strings I.

The Vienna Instruments respond to all kinds of MIDi signals, and they are very flexible. You won´t need aftertouch! To learn more, please take a look at our Video Tutorials [:)]

Best,

Paul

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Would it be easier with aftertouch, or does it not matter? Ex: Flute plays long note, than begins vibrato on that same note. I understand this can be done with key switching, but is it something that can also be done with aftertouch in perhaps an easier way? Thanks again! [:D]

Hello Eric,

actually Aftertouch cannot even be assigned in the Vienna Instruments. You will use Cell Xfade to crossfade between the non-vibrato and the vibrato note.

Best,

Paul

@Paul said:

Hello Eric,

actually Aftertouch cannot even be assigned in the Vienna Instruments. You will use Cell Xfade to crossfade between the non-vibrato and the vibrato note.

Best,

Paul

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So I am not at a disadvantage at all, terrific! Thanks Paul! [:)]

Paul one more question while you're in the thread- The tutorial DVD for performance tools, are these the same tutorials available on this website, or is it different stuff. The clips on this site are great, but if the DVD is the same stuff I don't need it.

eric, the tutorial DVD contains how-to's for the performance tool of the *classic* sample libraries (pro edition, horizon series), so it's content is not related to Vienna Instruments.
christian

I forgot to ask if pitch bend/mod wheel are important to have with VI. Since I will be working from an acoustic piano, I will have neither. Will this be a problem?

@Eric said:

I forgot to ask if pitch bend/mod wheel are important to have with VI. Since I will be working from an acoustic piano, I will have neither. Will this be a problem?

They are only important if you want to play them in real time. If you are happy to draw them in (if you need them) then it is not a problem.

DG

@DG said:

They are only important if you want to play them in real time. If you are happy to draw them in (if you need them) then it is not a problem.

DG

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I don't plan on bending or modulating the pitch. I meant using those wheels as a keyswitch, to change articulations.

@Eric said:

I don't plan on bending or modulating the pitch. I meant using those wheels as a keyswitch, to change articulations.

You can still draw them in if you like. I never use continuous controllers for changing articulations, and to my mind it is also a drawback of VI that you have to use them for such things as switching velocity xFade on and off. If you are interested, the reason that I don't use them is that my sequencer doesn't "chase" them properly, unlike keyswitches, so with my method I can start anywhere in the sequence, and always get the correct articulation.

DG