OK, I found the info site for the vouchers:

https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Instruments/Voucher

Looks like the way to go, and I see that we are encouraged to stock up on them in advance, with the four-for-three pricing this month, as many new products will be released in 2017.

I've been spending like crazy lately (and not even Black Friday sales; mostly high-end mics and fleshing out my real-instrument woodwind collection with unusual voicings), but as the voucher sale extends beyond Christmas, I can always add more vouchers later. :-)

So, I'll go ahead and buy the first set of four vouchers now, get Historic WInds I, and then I suppose it will be clear whether Historic Winds II is a separate purchase and/or not available to buy yet. :-)

My recollection is that the site only supports euros, but I may check for other currencies due to how strong the dollar is right now.

Aha, the Ilio announcement -- which I just now received by email -- is much clearer, and says you can buy Historic Winds II now and download later, as well as showing the same price in dollars as for euros ($395, which is better than 395 euros but maybe not after CA taxes which must apply).

Maybe I can scrounge up $600 pronto, for eight vouchers. I actually have a couple of Christmas pieces I wrote that use historic winds. :-) So the timing is extra-good. Even without sackbutts.

OK, I just did the first deal, and it does appear to be euros-only, but that still saves quite a bit over NOT taking advantage of the vouchers and buying elsewhere (e.g. Ilio) in dollars vs. euros.

I did notice that adding six 100-euro vouchers did NOT result in two free vouchers, so it looks like each purchase of four-for-three must be a separate transaction.

Also, if it wasn't clear from my previous post, the Ilio email makes it clearer that the two volumes of Historic Winds are separate purchases. I thought that likely, but due to how the information lines up on the webpage, it is slightly unclear. Just a formatting thing on the webpage.

Hi,

if you want to have two free vouchers you have to put 8 vouchers into the basket, two of them should be discounted to 0 €.

best
Herb

The purchase of both volumes is completed, and Historic Winds I is downloading as I write this (Historic Winds II will be available for download later in the month).

All of the Vienna software products (except Vienna Suite) have been updated recently -- I thought it was so that they are aware of this new library, but the change logs mostly talk about macOS Sierra compatibility fixes -- it is probably a good idea to update MIRx, VE, VI, VE Pro, VI Pro, Download Manager, etc.

Note that you can't use a voucher if it is more than the amount due, so anyone buying eight-for-six (in two batches of four-for-three) will have one voucher left over and a bill of 90 euros to complete the purchase of both volumes of Historic Winds.

Around the holidays, I'll probably buy a few more vouchers, and then I'll be all set for Historic Winds III and one or two other products as 2017 rolls along.

Herb, that didn't work for me -- I had to do two separate purchases of four vouchers in order for two to show up as free. Otherwise it showed one free out of eight added to the basket, each of them the same amount (100 euros).

No big deal, as it was better for me to spread this across two funding sources anyway, being that it wasn't a planned/budgeted expense and I just spent a bundle on high-end ribbon and tube condenser mics. :-)

very interesting news! I can't help taking my hat off to VSL.

I was looking at the photos and that "serpent" looks like a very akward and even difficult instrument to play.

http://vsl.co.at/en/Winds_Complete/Historic_Winds_I#!Photos

... Is it really played standing up like that?

I hope you gave that poor guy lots and lots of breaks😶

The serpent is a crazy instrument, very strange and interesting intonation. The Ophicleide also.  Cecil Forsyth in his book on orchestration has some hilarious descriptions of its general intonation.  It is not possible to play normally by modern standards - which makes it absolutely wonderful.    This collection of instruments is fabulous, what I personally have been wanting for years - these particular kinds of sounds with the unmatched, methodical VSL treatment.  This is huge, an absolute must-have for every composer on the planet.

By the way, Bernard Herrmann wrote for the serpent in his tremendous score to Journey to the Center of the Earth - a great example of the use of that ancient instrument in a film score.  

First of all, the entire Historic Winds I Library sounds absolutly stunning!! (as always^^)

Some Additional Info: Each Instrument has 3 Matrix Presets for VI Pro. Pure (Non Vibrato), Vibrato (the same but with an LFO generated Vibrato Effect) and a third with tuning in attacks. I think this is a great feature and its a shame that VSL didn't advertise it. Maybe this is a hint for a more advanced LFO Vibrato in VI Pro 3?

Also the Historic Instuments have their own folder in VIPro with a subfolder named Wind Instruments. VSL could it be, that you have got some String Instruments planned as well? Which would be terrific! A VSL Viola da gamba and bass Viola da gamba would make 2017 a great year!!!

Cheers to all lovers of VSL! 

Can I buy individual instruments from this library? I am only interested in the serpent... As far as I can see, other instruments can also be purchased individually (like the saxophones)...

Also, is there a demo of the serpent? I can only see three demos of other instruments from this library... Do I have to buy the pig in a poke?

@jasensmith said:

I was looking at the photos and that "serpent" looks like a very akward and even difficult instrument to play.

http://vsl.co.at/en/Winds_Complete/Historic_Winds_I#!Photos

... Is it really played standing up like that?

I hope you gave that poor guy lots and lots of breaks😶

After some research on Youtube and other sources the serpent can be played sitting or standing and in the standing position there appears to be some kind of harness but it's barely visible.

@Wagner

AFAIK you have to buy the instruments together.  That might change in the future.

I'd like to hear a demo of each instrument individually too.  So for anybody who is working with these instruments right now a demo would be appreciated at your ealiest convenience.  Thank you. 

Hi,

I just purchased 8 X 100 Euro Vouchers, to get two of the 8 vouchers for Free. I plan to purchase Historic Winds I , and look forward to purchase more of the new libraries next year. 

Would love to buy Baroque Strings, (Solo and Section) one of these days., and I'm very delighted to know that we will see new libraries from VSL during 2017, and maybe a new software as well. (i.e. VI-Pro 3) 

I wonder if there will be any new VSL Libraries recorded in the new Synchron Stage, rather than the Silent Stage ?  i.e. a new generation of VSL Orch. Libraries recorded in Synchron would be very exciting, and big move from VSL. I'm sure this would turn a lot of heads around 😉  

Cheers,

Muziksculp