open strings

[Rangi]

Hi there. I have solo strings 1 standard and Sibelius 6.2 on a mac. I can't hear the difference between an open and a fingered string. Are open strings not part of my sound set - if so, which solo strings set includes them? Or is it not as simple as adding fingering into Sibelius to trigger the open samples?

[andi]

Hello Rangi!

Sorry to say, that we didn't record the Solo Strings with different fingerings or open strings. Adding fingerings to your score will note make a difference in playback.

Best regards,
Andi

[andyjh]

 I guess with some extra samples and keyswitching, open strings could be achieved, but do string players generally try to avoid open strings? As you cannot get vibrato on open strings, which leads me on to how we get vibrato on the bottom G string on the violns within VSL?  I guess the violin was detuned to Gb, and then first finger position allows vibrato on G to be achieved. Maybe the composer should just avoid using the lowest note of  strings for this reason.
I am  glad that VSL did it this way, even though it looses that 100% reality thing......

[Rangi]

thanks for the quick reply Andreas, but do any of the VSL sound sets have open string samples? and to Andy, your right to say that open strings do not have vibrato etc, but as a result they do have a unique character - and I like to use them as a contrast etc. or in some particular double stopping combinations.

[andi]

Hi Rangi!

Only the lowest strings of the non Vibrato articulations are recorded open. It's the same for all of our current string collections.

Best,
Andi

[Rangi]

Thanks - perhaps something for the wish list of future sound sets :-)