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  • Perf Repetitions, particularly Upright Bass

    D
    D
    I have read every thread I could find about performance repetition patches, and watched as many relevant tutorial videos I could find on this site, but I'm still a little unclear on when or how to use the Perf Repetition patches, specifically for the Upright Bass (although I imagine this question applies to any instrument with Perf Repetition patches). At this time, the Jazz Drums and Upright Bass are the only two VSL libraries I've purchased, so I don't have previous experience with any of the orchestral VSL libraries to draw from.

    I should note that I only have the free version of the Vienna Instruments software, so the Repetition Tool is not available to me. Does this preclude these patches from being useful to me?

    I understand that, in general, Performance Repetitions are intended to avoid the shotgunning effect on repeated notes. What's not clear to me is when to switch to these patches. Let's say, for the purpose of an example, I am playing eight notes using Perf Legato. But after the first two notes, the middle four notes are the same. So, at random, let's say C2, E2, F2, F2, F2, F2, A2, A2. The first two notes are played Perf Legato. Should I be keyswitching to the Perf Repetition Legato patch before playing the first F2, or not until just before playing the second F2? I assume I would then keyswitch back to Perf Legato before playing the first A2, and then I could choose either to just play the second A2 with Perf Legato or switch to Perf Repetition Legato?

    Also, without the Repetition Tool, is there a way to know how many repetitions have been sampled? The manual for the Upright Bass library does not specify this on the Perf Repetition patches (whereas the Jazz Drums manual clearly indicates this on all patches).

    Finally, since the Perf Repetitions on Upright Bass have no release samples, they do not sound very natural to me when ending a phrase (and in general, they sound very different from their non-repetition counterparts and don't always blend well). Should I be switching back to a non-repetition articulation prior to the last note of a phrase, even if it is a repeated note, or is there a technique to this I'm missing?

    Thank you.
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP

    Hello dcd111, 

    Your Vienna Instruments Software offer Performance Repetitions just as well as Vienna Instruments PRO, but you cannot PICK the played repetition notes like you can in VI PRO. 

    The trick behind the Repetition Notes is that they were recorded as a sequence (fast repetitions with 9 notes, legato ones with 5 notes), so the string that is played again is already swinging, in case of string instruments, which changes a) the attack sound of the next note and b) the whole texture of the sound, in comparison to a single note. 

    There are no rules when you have to apply Repetition Notes, it´s really your choice, whenever it sounds good to you. 

    There are indeed no Release Samples, but you can let the last played note of the Repetition ring out just the way it rings out naturally. 

    If you want a shorter end note to your repetitions, you can switch to another repetition patch with shorter notes or switch to a different patch, like a staccato. 

    If you´d like to get the Repetition transition to you last note, but you want a different release sound, check out "Cell Xfade" to crossfade to another patch quickly while the note is playing. 

    Best,

    Paul

    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • D
    D
    Thank you, that was very helpful. Now I at least understand it well enough to experiment intelligently and find what works for me.
  • C
    C

    OK Paul, now I'm confused lol.  I thought that the regular legato patches have sampled same-note legato, which is essentially what you're saying we need the Repetition patches for.  Up until now I thought the repetition patches were for cases where we would be hearing the same legato transitions over and over again like in an ostinato line.
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP

    Hi Casiquire,

    I was referring to the Legato Repetition patches (slower repetitions with long notes).

    Sorry for the confusion,

    Paul

    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • C
    C

    No problem, thank you for the clarification.