VSL Synchron Strings I

[Piet De Ridder]

https://www.vsl.co.at/video/VSL_Synchro ... 40x600.mp4

A few weeks from now, the VSL Synchron Strings (part I) will be released. And some time after that — "very soon", the website says — the library will be powered by an all new Vienna Synchron Player, a "dedicated sample player with a brand new engine built from the ground up. Its innovative new algorithms make it effortless to render strings with astounding realism".

VSL Synchron has 8 velocity-layers, 80 variations per key, captured through 8 separate phase-coherent microphone configurations.

If you order VSL Synchron Strings before it's released, you qualify for a 30% reduction of the full list price. Currently, there's also a 30% promotion going on for VSL's other string libraries.

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[Lawrence]

How very very interesting. Sadly, it was awfully hard to hear the strings through the banging perc on the video, but still:

1. MUCH sooner than I'd expected.
2. Standard library is very competitive price-wise, especially for VSL, with a 30% early adoption discount. Even for those who have a lot of strings, they've made it very very tempting considering their excellent reputation for quality.

Hmm.

[The Saxer]

I'm mostly interested how they deal with the sampled room reverb tails in their player. VSL is the only serious company (beside EastWest with "Play" ...cough cough...) combining sample content and player development under one roof. For me the Vienna Instrument Pro 2 is the most advanced sample player for orchestral stuff. So my expectations are high! But it's a new territory for them.

[Tanuj Tiku]

Not impressed by the short demo! Sounds much like their old sample strings with similar fake-ish sound.

I hope, there is something much better coming in the demos or that this was just not done well to hush up the marketing video.

[Guy Rowland]

I can't tell a thing from that demo really - sounds ok to me, but any existing half decent library could sound pretty similar. I agree with most of these comments - definitely cheaper (417 euros for the standard version) and quicker (6 months after percussion) than I expected too, and also surprised they've thrown out their old articulation-based paradigm of standard vs extended versions to be replaced by number of mic positions (which would make it a very easy decision for me if I wanted the thing). Like Saxer, I think the big unknown its that the legato will be all about the tails. Will be curious to hear a proper walkthough, but almost certainly not in the market for this series.

[Linos]

'With Synchron Strings I, we have achieved the ultimate in realism and expressiveness, while providing a new level of ease-of-use.

Play short notes, long notes with various attacks, legatos, scalable vibrato intensities and note repetitions with a minimal need to switch articulations, and by moving just one or two preconfigured controllers.'

This sounds quite different from their usual approach with a huge set of articulations. The advertisement almost gives the impression that conceptually it goes into the direction of the Bohemian series. If this works well wouldn't that be something that is interesting to you Guy?

[Guy Rowland]

Oooh.... I'll confess I missed that Linos - would like to hear more about it for sure.

[Linos]

Only now had access to my monitoring setup to hear the trailer video. I don't know what Tanuj is hearing, but I like the sound. I think the piece of music is a rather poor fit for the strings sound, and there is definitely too much close mic mixed in for that kind of music. But the sound per se I like. It's rather detailed and classic, not gushing and lush which seems to be all the rage right now.

[Muziksculp]

Looking forward to adding VSL Synchron I (Full)

I deleted the library sizes I posted earlier, looks like that was what iLio posted on their website for Synch. Strings I, but it was the exact sizes for VSL Synch. Perc. I, so they must have put that out by error. I guess we don't have that info. yet, we will know when VSL posts it on their website.

[Piet De Ridder]

There are two demos up: https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Player/8503
And here's Bacos' demo 'strings only': http://www.guybacos.com/audio/The%20Hat ... ussion.mp3

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[Luciano Storti]

Where is that “meh” button when you need one...?

Edit: not impressed by the sound, compositions are fine.

[ok_tan]

not an inspiring sound...at least for me. have to listen again to the demos tomorrow when i am less tired.

[Pablo Crespo]

I was waiting for this to make a decision on my new strings. I was holding back on css+csss

I like the overall sound but I still don’t like the legato I’ve heard, there is a lot of detache in the demos but there is not “next step” legato as they claim.

I would like to hear a demo of a simple melody to see what it can do.

Any thoughts?

[KyleJudkins]

Seems like I can work - but it doesn't seem to jump out as being worth it. Might be one of those things where the library takes a little know-how and the early demos aren't really an indicator of the potential. Might also just be a weaker library for the synchron series - which will work if the other synchron libraries end up being the beez kneez. Who knows, synchron brass could become the king of brass randomly and maybe it pairs really well with synchron

[Guy Rowland]

It was all going quite well until 2'18 (on the strings only track). Fair play, Guy and VSL didn't go the easy route for a flattering demo. As ever with Guy its an interesting composition but based on this I'm not really sure what the library really adds to what is already out there. Could be my confirmation bias talking, but I still think this whole Synchron concept is misplaced in 2017.

[Ashermusic]

Part of the appeal to me is that it promises to be a library that requires far less keyswitching or multiple articulations than most and more responsive to real time playing, like Samplemodeling instruments and some other newer ones.

[Luciano Storti]

Seems like I can work - but it doesn't seem to jump out as being worth it. Might be one of those things where the library takes a little know-how and the early demos aren't really an indicator of the potential. Might also just be a weaker library for the synchron series - which will work if the other synchron libraries end up being the beez kneez. Who knows, synchron brass could become the king of brass randomly and maybe it pairs really well with synchron

Nah Kyle. The King of Brass is Mitch. Hit me up if you want him to record for you.

[KyleJudkins]

Part of the appeal to me is that it promises to be a library that requires far less keyswitching or multiple articulations than most and more responsive to real time playing, like Samplemodeling instruments and some other newer ones.

I feel like performance legato patches from spitfire are the ones to beat then

Seems like I can work - but it doesn't seem to jump out as being worth it. Might be one of those things where the library takes a little know-how and the early demos aren't really an indicator of the potential. Might also just be a weaker library for the synchron series - which will work if the other synchron libraries end up being the beez kneez. Who knows, synchron brass could become the king of brass randomly and maybe it pairs really well with synchron

Nah Kyle. The King of Brass is Mitch. Hit me up if you want him to record for you.

brass is an inferior metal. I'm trve metal of steel

[Ashermusic]

Part of the appeal to me is that it promises to be a library that requires far less keyswitching or multiple articulations than most and more responsive to real time playing, like Samplemodeling instruments and some other newer ones.

I feel like performance legato patches from spitfire are the ones to beat then

l

But they are a wetter library. And how well can you play shorts with those patches? I don't have the library.

[KyleJudkins]

Part of the appeal to me is that it promises to be a library that requires far less keyswitching or multiple articulations than most and more responsive to real time playing, like Samplemodeling instruments and some other newer ones.

I feel like performance legato patches from spitfire are the ones to beat then

l

But they are a wetter library. And how well can you play shorts with those patches? I don't have the library.

close mics, and SCS in general aren't too wet.

Shorts pretty good

[KyleJudkins]

that's when it was first released demo made with only the performance legato patch(and one bass pizzicato patch)

those aren't even the shorts, just the performance legato patches(probably using tree and ambient blended)

[Ashermusic]

Gotta run, only listened to the first three minutes. That is indeed quite nice. I would like to hear it without the decca tree though because this too wet for me.

[Linos]

Seem to be the only one, but I rather like the overall sound of these strings. It's unobtrusive, classy, cultured. Looks like it could be a very versatile sound signature. There are a few things I am less fond of here and there, but overall I am quite happy with what I am hearing so far.

[byzantium]

Maybe it's tinternet, but the demos don't sound anything special / above-and-beyond to me.

[Tanuj Tiku]

I think this new library from VSL has some very good things going for it. Though, I want to hear more demos for reasons I will explain later.

PROS

1. I do not hear any unusual room build up and that bulky sound you often get with many libraries.

2. The strings sound very much in their place, natural and neutral in character. This is a PRO and CON both for different people.

3. The room sound, imaging and dynamics are very consistent for a sample library.

4. Christof's demo sounds airy and mysterious in the first half in a way which not many libraries sound. Others sound a bit more fuller and thicker. See below why this is a potential problem.

5. If you mock-up only strings, it sounds nice and big but if you then start adding brass and woodwinds, the rooms start to merge and add a build up. Hear how naturally, at 1:03 the new passage comes into the mix. This is difficult to do with samples in this manner. Although, I do have tiny suggestions for the over all strings mix in a couple of places. It is very good nonetheless.

CONS

1. I am not convinced with the violins yet and the legatos sound OK. Violins seem to still have that anemic quality that the old VSL had for some strange reason - in the high registers.

2. It does not sound flowing and emotional enough at times. I would like to hear more demos for this reason to see how it does with different material. But I can say that other libraries have too much flowing emotion built into the samples at times. But, I would like a little bit more 'singing' quality from VSL or at least have the option.

Other than that I think it sounds good. Certainly, these two demos do not showcase them solving any playability problems or adding next generation technology to overcome problems with samples. It does, very unsuspectingly seem to have tamed the room problem. Unlike most other libraries. SS sound in their place and have an unusual clarity in sound with a great spread.