@HSM1

I think VSL has one of the best legatos out there. The "problem" is only to set up a matrix which is very time-consuming. But I like and appreciate it, and for me it has so many advantages compared to other libraries. When you buy a non-VSL library, you have a fixed articulation mapping.

I do not own any other library (apart from Composer Cloud X), but I watched many review videos only to understand how articulations in other libraries are mapped. In VI (Pro) you can do everything, you can set up your own behaviours via crossfading, speed or velocity. Endless possibilites, this is far superior to everything else in my opinion.

Orchestral Strings has, in fact, nearly all the articulations you mentioned in your post. You can "copy" each (!) while combining patches. And the best thing is probably the performance trills, so you do not need to switch to a trill articulation. I miss that in other libraries, some have very bad fast legatos as well.

I hope there will be a kind of performance trills in the Synchron Series.

There is a new demo on Guy Bacos's website called "The Hatchling" which is written for strings. Maybe the Synchron Strings I ?

I keep seeing posts asking about articulations that are literally already listed on the page...

Slurred legato is there.

Fast legato is there.

The fast legato has 6 variations - that makes it also work as a performance trill. That was the whole point of performance trills; many different legato transitions so you don't get machine gunning on trills.

@daviddln said:

There is a new demo on Guy Bacos's website called "The Hatchling" which is written for strings. Maybe the Synchron Strings I ?

Clever.

Now offline. 

@HSM1 said:

.
Actually, I do use other libraries such as Berlin Strings, Spitfire Audio Chamber Strings/Symphonic Strings and only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously.

Have you made decision yet on any usefull articulations as bellow ?

Legato Slurred, Expressive
Legato Agile
Legato Fingered
Ostinato Arpeggio Legato slow/fast

Spiccatissimo
Spiccato
Spiccato Exposed
Staccato
Staccato Bold
Martele FFF
Portato Short
Portato Long
Repetitions slow/fast
Blurred Spiccato
Blurred Staccato
Blurred Portato

Flageolet Sustain
Sustain Soft
Sustain Immediate
Sustain Accented
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Short expr.)
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Long expr.)

Sul Ponticello Leg
Sul Ponticello Tremolo
Sul Ponticello Tremolo Accented
Sul Ponticello Staccato
Sul Ponticello Sustain
Sul Tasto Legato
Sul Tasto Portato Short
Sul Tasto Portato Long
Sul Tasto Sustain Immediate
Sul Tasto Sustain Soft
Sul Tasto Tremolo

Just wait for Synchron-Strings II to have most of the Articulations covered. Synchron-Strings I is of course the basic set.

However it even seems to me that each of the Articulations in Synchron-Strings I has much more "under the hood" that the simple "list" of single artticulations is no longer the right reference to compare.

Hopefully in the near future 2025 or 2027, Synchron-Strings version VI probably!

Whoah!  I'm impressed.  This guy got a list of articulations from his "Beginning Orchestration" book. 

@daviddln said:

There is a new demo on Guy Bacos's website called "The Hatchling" which is written for strings. Maybe the Synchron Strings I ?

Clever.

Now offline. 

Wow, the strings sound really good. And great composition. Congratulations. I can't wait!

@Eptesicus said:

No one made VSL do this, other than VSL themselves.

@Eptesicus said:

No one made VSL do this, other than VSL themselves.

Hello Sami,

first of all ... If you did not purchase the product in Oct or Nov, you ...

- do not have to apologize,
- do not have to understand and
- do at least not have to repeat

... and that is pretty good for you.

In short: VSL gave us a clear deliverymonth (November) but the product was not delivered. The delay caused confusion not only on customer-side, but as one could see it was even a problem for the retailers in dealing with the right pricing.

What should be made different for the next time? No deliverydate, no deliverymonth, but the "Dimension-way": "Pay now and we deliver the product as soon as it will be finished". That worked perfect for the DS 1-Promo and did not cause any issues for customers and retailers even for years.

The great support of this firm has to be pointed out underlined here 😊

Let us finish the topic right here!

@HSM1 said:

.
Actually, I do use other libraries such as Berlin Strings, Spitfire Audio Chamber Strings/Symphonic Strings and only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously.

Have you made decision yet on any usefull articulations as bellow ?

Legato Slurred, Expressive
Legato Agile
Legato Fingered
Ostinato Arpeggio Legato slow/fast

Spiccatissimo
Spiccato
Spiccato Exposed
Staccato
Staccato Bold
Martele FFF
Portato Short
Portato Long
Repetitions slow/fast
Blurred Spiccato
Blurred Staccato
Blurred Portato

Flageolet Sustain
Sustain Soft
Sustain Immediate
Sustain Accented
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Short expr.)
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Long expr.)

Sul Ponticello Leg
Sul Ponticello Tremolo
Sul Ponticello Tremolo Accented
Sul Ponticello Staccato
Sul Ponticello Sustain
Sul Tasto Legato
Sul Tasto Portato Short
Sul Tasto Portato Long
Sul Tasto Sustain Immediate
Sul Tasto Sustain Soft
Sul Tasto Tremolo

Just wait for Synchron-Strings II to have most of the Articulations covered. Synchron-Strings I is of course the basic set.

However it even seems to me that each of the Articulations in Synchron-Strings I has much more "under the hood" that the simple "list" of single artticulations is no longer the right reference to compare.

Hopefully in the near future 2025 or 2027, Synchron-Strings version VI probably!

Whoah!  I'm impressed.  This guy got a list of articulations from his "Beginning Orchestration" book. 

@HSM1 said:

"...only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously."

Short note attacks, more articulations, better sound... these things were what drove me to getting some of the libraries you mentioned. I've had enough experience working in software support, UI, product magement, UX, consulting, and even some development (all of which I didn't want to have to learn) that I now have an involuntary quiet chuckle when I hear "take user feedback seriously". This "not listening" thing is a disease. It spreads.

You hit a nerve. lol

As for your articulation list, I couldn't agree more. Synchron has great value without them to be sure. And who knows, we may see them in SS2. But it goes without saying that most everyone would love one library to rule them all. Consistent ensemble samples, playing techniques, and template architecture would make life a lot easier. And if I could have my samples anywhere, I'd have them in VI-Pro by a long shot. I trust Synchron Player will likely live up to the same expectations. I just hope Martin developed it. Years ago I spoke with him and the guy just gets it... completely.

-Sean

@SJSF said:

As for your articulation list, I couldn't agree more. Synchron has great value without them to be sure. And who knows, we may see them in SS2. But it goes without saying that most everyone would love one library to rule them all. Consistent ensemble samples, playing techniques, and template architecture would make life a lot easier. And if I could have my samples anywhere, I'd have them in VI-Pro by a long shot. I trust Synchron Player will likely live up to the same expectations. I just hope Martin developed it. Years ago I spoke with him and the guy just gets it... completely.

-Sean

You know that VSL like nearly no one else cover the muted articulations in form of mearly complete paralell articulationsets as they have done in Solostrings I+II, Chamber Strings I+II and Dimension Strings I+II.

You know that Berlin Orchestratools have no original sordinopatches at all !!! (Just to completly compare "listing") but use a very artificial sounding filter solution. And Spitfire might have one or another more or less experimental sophisticated patchname invented, but when it come to the basic bread and butter articulation (which is obviously what is all about in Synchron Strings I) there are still enough problems discussed especially when it comes to the legato scripts. I do not want to debase both Libraries which belong of course  to the better developed among Orchestra or Stringsample-libraries on the market. But I fear they still leave more than enough reason to wait for Synchronstrings in VSL Quality.

@fahl5 said:

And Spitfire might have one or another more or less experimental sophisticated patchname invented, but when it come to the basic bread and butter articulation (which is obviously what is all about in Synchron Strings I) there are still enough problems discussed especially when it comes to the legato scripts.

Believe me, I'm aware. I called Spitfire out on years of unmet promises for legato fixes on vi-control. I'm sure they hated me for it, but making a promise on sale day and ignoring customers for a few years... it was bound to happen from me or someone else. I know VSL isn't keen on talking about other libraries here. But I feel that just has to be said given the complaints about the Synchron delay. No offense folks (everyone), but you don't know the meaning of delay compared to some of the experiences some of us have been through with other companies. 😉

That said, I wouldn't dismiss other companies at bread and butter basics. The attacks and various lengths of short articulations were half of what prompted my ever looking outside VSL several years ago. The other half was never getting consistent EQ & reverb results with VSL's brass and any low or loud instruments. Where I didn't care for VSL's presets (any of them) it took me years to find a sweet spot I really love. With one resolved, getting the basics right is what I'm most careful to listen for in Synchron.

Personally, I just hope that Synchron Brass will still be like the Dimension series and be fully modular. Berlin Brass is the company to beat right now. The real question of samples these days is who sounds better and has sampled more deeply. Given the details of Synchron Strings, I'm pretty sure Orchestral Tools is about to get blown out of the water. Not that this is a war... but I like the pirate ship visual. Either way, it's well worth waiting.

Dear VSL, I check the site every day for demos... multiple times a day. You guys have turned me into a broken record. Thanks a lot! 😢

-Sean

@HSM1 said:

"...only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously."

Short note attacks, more articulations, better sound... these things were what drove me to getting some of the libraries you mentioned. I've had enough experience working in software support, UI, product magement, UX, consulting, and even some development (all of which I didn't want to have to learn) that I now have an involuntary quiet chuckle when I hear "take user feedback seriously". This "not listening" thing is a disease. It spreads.

You hit a nerve. lol

As for your articulation list, I couldn't agree more. Synchron has great value without them to be sure. And who knows, we may see them in SS2. But it goes without saying that most everyone would love one library to rule them all. Consistent ensemble samples, playing techniques, and template architecture would make life a lot easier. And if I could have my samples anywhere, I'd have them in VI-Pro by a long shot. I trust Synchron Player will likely live up to the same expectations. I just hope Martin developed it. Years ago I spoke with him and the guy just gets it... completely.

-Sean

Actually, I do use other libraries such as Berlin Strings, Spitfire Audio Chamber Strings/Symphonic Strings and only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously.

Have you made decision yet on any usefull articulations as bellow ?

Legato Slurred, Expressive
Legato Agile
Legato Fingered
Ostinato Arpeggio Legato slow/fast

Spiccatissimo
Spiccato
Spiccato Exposed
Staccato
Staccato Bold
Martele FFF
Portato Short
Portato Long
Repetitions slow/fast
Blurred Spiccato
Blurred Staccato
Blurred Portato

Flageolet Sustain
Sustain Soft
Sustain Immediate
Sustain Accented
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Short expr.)
Sustain Expressive Dyn (Long expr.)

Sul Ponticello Leg
Sul Ponticello Tremolo
Sul Ponticello Tremolo Accented
Sul Ponticello Staccato
Sul Ponticello Sustain
Sul Tasto Legato
Sul Tasto Portato Short
Sul Tasto Portato Long
Sul Tasto Sustain Immediate
Sul Tasto Sustain Soft
Sul Tasto Tremolo

I ordered my copy today. I look forward to re-recording my music!

@Another User said:

Flageolet Sustain

Sul Ponticello Leg
Sul Ponticello Tremolo
Sul Ponticello Tremolo Accented
Sul Ponticello Staccato
Sul Ponticello Sustain
Sul Tasto Legato
Sul Tasto Portato Short
Sul Tasto Portato Long
Sul Tasto Sustain Immediate
Sul Tasto Sustain Soft
Sul Tasto Tremolo

Again more important are imho still good recorded muted patches in all types of articullations which Berlin Strings dont have at all and Spitfire only in a relative limited variety. However those articulationtypes have never been omitted in any previous VSL-libraries so I will expect them to be like muted Strings part of Synchron Strings II.

@HSM1 said:

Actually, I do use other libraries such as Berlin Strings, Spitfire Audio Chamber Strings/Symphonic Strings and only reason I ever used anyone else was too much better legato script, short note attacks and huge detail sampled short/long articulations, etc. You didn't just take user feedback seriously.

Have you made decision yet on any usefull articulations as bellow ?

Legato Slurred, Expressive
Legato Agile
Legato Fingered
Ostinato Arpeggio Legato slow/fast

Why are you repeating this ever and ever again? I can't understand the problem... I wrote in my recent post that you can actually achieve all these articulations within VI (Pro). Of course you need a lot of time to set up a matrix first and in order to "imitate" the behaviour of another library, e. g. Berlin Strings, you have to understand how their articulation mapping is set up. When understood, you can make it on your own and even make it better because in VI (Pro) you can program your own behaviours/mappings (via speed, velocity, crossfading).

There are so many articulations and patches in the VSL string libraries... you have to experiment a bit, but, as I said, the only thing is you need time to set up your matrix. That's the only "problem". Other libraries are set up for you, in VSL you have the freedom to make it your own. 😊

Hi everybody,

Enjoy these first demos of Synchron Strings, made by the wonderful Guy Bacos and Christof Unterberger!

Best,
Paul

@Paul said:

Hi everybody,

Enjoy these first demos of Synchron Strings, made by the wonderful Guy Bacos and Christof Unterberger!

Best, 
Paul

Well done, very impressive! 

@Paul said:

Hi everybody,

Enjoy these first demos of Synchron Strings, made by the wonderful Guy Bacos and Christof Unterberger!

Best, 
Paul

nice demos - the longs are telling (I like them).   shorts are easier to get 'away with things' (albiet they are strong) but the longs are solid.   Looking forward to Paul's walkthroughs (particularily the longs/legatos.)

I really need to hear how (all by itself) 'controllable' the non to vibrato sound is.  For me the GREAT weakness of ANY sample string section is its inability to do this convincingly without artifacts/phasing.   For me if Sample strings sit for more than a brief moment without some change to vibrato (not just xfade between sampled layers BUT vibrato and I am personlly taken out of it.)

And of course - is the new player going to allow me to use this in the heat of a tight schedule?

More and more encouraged.   Congrats VSL on what should be a success.

@Rob Elliott said:

I really need to hear how (all by itself) 'controllable' the non to vibrato sound is.  For me the GREAT weakness of ANY sample string section is its inability to do this convincingly without artifacts/phasing.   For me if Sample strings sit for more than a brief moment without some change to vibrato (not just xfade between sampled layers BUT vibrato and I am personlly taken out of it.)

I would  understand your Point, if you were talking about Solostrings, since one Violin alone do not produce any phasing while changing the intensity of vibrato. But: Synchronstrings I are Section-Strings. It appears to me not only quite natural if you have phasing effects between multiple stringplayers playing the same note especially while they are increasing their Vibrato intensity, I even think that is exactly what we want and expect to hear to make a difference between Soloist and Section. (While  - If I understood right and can believe Embertone - It seems to be even possible nowadays to map Soloviolinsamples in a way that would allow xfade without producingadditional phasing problems.) However for Section Strings increased Phasing effects with increased vibrato seem to me not the problem but something quite natural.