Sibelius and SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition - Solo Strings

[gilles1234]

I have two Synchron-ized SE instruments (solo Vln 2 and solo Vla) playing a half-note notated as [Beams/Tremolos: 8 tremolos] -- but Synchron Player [1.1.1780] plays them back as 'Keyswitch F: Pizzicato'. See figure 1.

For context, I use Sibelius 2020.1, the Vienna Symphonic Library House Style that comes with VSL Sibelius Soundsets 1.0.171, and the following SOLO string instruments of the Synchron-ized Special Edition: Violin 1 PLUS, Violin 2 PLUS, Viola PLUS, Cello Plus. 

I have tried the trick that works with SYNCHRON STRINGS I when changing articulations: I inserted the Technique text "ord.~tremolo" but the notes still play back as 'Keyswitch F: Pizzicato'. See figure 2.

I expected the VSL House style and Synchron player would select/play 'Keyswitch E : tremolo'  instead...

For the time being I have reverted to the VI Pro 2 player - and it plays everything just fine.

Any idea?

[gilles1234]

Note: I forgot to mention that when assigning the sound set “VE SY Special Edition” to my device playback configuration in Sibelius, I could not find the Sibelius violin/viola/cello instrument with “Solo” at the beginning of the name. So I used "Violin" - and that's probably the reason for the problem. Is that instrument missing from the soundset?

[andi]

Hello gilles1234!

I have moved your posts to a new thread, because I couldn't see a connection to the thread you have originally posted your message in.

In order to trigger Solo Strings with the SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition in Sibelius, you will need the Sibelius instruments Solo Violin, Solo Viola and so on, and you will need the sound set "VE SY Special Edition". On the Sibelius Manual Sound Sets page, please use the programs "Solo Violin", "Solo Violin II", "Solo Viola" and so on. If these programs do not appear in the list, this might be due to a bug of Sibelius. Please try to temporarily select another sound set and then switch back to the "VE SY Special Edition" sound set. Does that help?

Best regards,
Andi

[gilles1234]

Tks Andi,

You are absolutely right. The soundset [<FileVersion>50001</FileVersion> <Name>VE SY Special Edition</Name>] DOES contain the necessary definitions, right after the Harp patch, but they don't appear in the Sibelius interface:

-<Patch Name="Solo Violin">

<SoundID>strings.violin</SoundID>

<VolumeType>VelXF</VolumeType>

<AttackType>NoteOnVelocity</AttackType>

<SwitchType>Solo Strings</SwitchType>

<PitchBendRange>2</PitchBendRange>

</Patch>

-<Patch Name="Solo Violin II">

<SoundID>strings.violin</SoundID>

<VolumeType>VelXF</VolumeType>

<AttackType>NoteOnVelocity</AttackType>

<SwitchType>Strings no trills</SwitchType>

<PitchBendRange>2</PitchBendRange>

</Patch>

Incidentally, looking at the articulations appearing in the Synchyron Player 1.1.1780: why does Violin I PLUS contain [Keyswitch E: Tremolo+trills] while Violin II PLUS doesn't have trills?  And Violin 1 PLUS has [Keyswitch F#: harmonics] while Violin II PLUS doesn't have them? Etc.

Back to your suggestion, I first applied the soundset 'VE Strings', from which I selected Solo Violin' and then switched the soundset to VE SY Special Edition : well, the Program name stayed there! and the trick worked in general as well as regarding the tremolo issue. [How on earth did you figure out that trick, Andi?!?] 

All EXCEPT for violin 2... Sibelius doesn't trigger the second violin in VEP 7: it triggers Violin 1 !!!! So I changed the second violin to a first violin program in Sibelius and now it plays in VEP7... (e.g. Sibelius doesn't like the soundID 'strings.violin.2'?!?). For the time being I can change the VEP7 channel of Violin 2 to a matching Violin 1 PLUS sample and get back the missing trills and harmonics... but I will probably have to deal with possible resonance or other issues that come with this change. I will also have to address the issue with Avid/Sibelius (somehow). 

To sum it up: I think that selecting the proper programs in the VE SY Special Edition soundset is a Sibelius issue. But how about the Violin II PLUS issue (no trills, no harmonics, etc.)? 

Tks

Gil

[andi]

Hello Gil!

Not all articulations that have been recorded for Solo Violin 1, have been recorded for Solo Violin 2.

For the SYNCHRON-ized Special Edition Solo Violin 2, please use the Sibelius instrument "Solo Violin". You can rename the staff to "Solo Violin 2", if you want to. The Sibelius instrument "Solo Violin 2 (VSL Single Instrument)" only works with the Single instrument "Solo Violin 2".

Best,
Andi

[gilles1234]

Thanks, Andi

I'd say that adding this word of caution inside the VE_Optimizing_Sibelius_Playback document could be helpful to others, too.😃

I have another question, regarding the samples in the VE SY SE instruments package: are they MP3 samples? 

I say this because the wave output looks seriously clipped like that of an MP3! Attached are screen shots of the same quartet generated as a 16-bit 44.1 kHz WAVE file but using different samples: 

[Top] with the solo string instruments of the former Special Editions PLUS and the VI Pro 2 player, using the VE Special Edition PLUS soundset and MIR PRO disabled.  

[Middle] with the solo string instruments of SYNCHRON-ized Special Editions and the Synchron Player, using the VE SY Special Edition soundset and MIR Pro on the SynchronStage

[Bottom] As a test, I also replaced the solo sounds, in the Sibelius mixer, for the sounds of SYNCHRON I violins, violas and celli, just to compare the waveform. 

I did not insert any plugins on the channels. And the Dynamic Range CC30 controler is at the default 63 for VI Pro 2 player, 80 for Synchron 1 in the Synchron Player, and 127 for the Synchron-ized SE instruments. 

Could there be some kind of imbedded limiter in the Synchron-ized SE instruments?  

[andi]

Hello Gil!

The samples in all our sample libraries are in a lossless wave format and are not compressed or limited. The middle waveform in your screenshot must be pushed up, limited or compressed on your computer. Please check the volume and expression settings in Synchron Player, Vienna Ensemble and your host software, as well as plugins and input settings when you record or export your audio file.

Best,
Andi

[gilles1234]

Makes sense, Andi. There must be something else in the chain and I'll find it.

Tks for everything so far. 👍 

Gil