The Sound Board

A new addition to VSL's Synchron series: the Synchron Elite Strings, a chamber-sized ensemble of 6 first violins, 5 second violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos and 3 basses.


"With smaller-sized string ensembles, it's crucial that every musician be a superb performer, and is also capable of contributing to a homogenous group of players. For Synchron Elite Strings, the Vienna team hand-picked the best string players and the concertmaster of the Synchron Stage Orchestra, who themselves are among the best in Vienna, a city famous for its superior string players and their fine instruments. Their performances have shaped the sound of numerous scoring sessions during the last several years, and they've also honed their craft in countless sampling sessions.

Coherent Performances
As with Synchron Strings Pro, the team's main approach was to let the musicians play cleverly devised scores, very often for more than half an hour, to capture all their musicality and mastery of real-life performances as a coherent source of sampled articulations. The captured variants of expression derived from these authentic performances enable you to seamlessly combine different playing techniques and nuances, such as various note beginnings, arcs and releases of notes, into one coherent piece of expressive music.
In general, and with the benefit of many pre-configured mixer presets, the sound of Synchron Elite Strings lends itself to a myriad of genres and applications, from intimate to powerful expressive possibilities, from classical arrangements to film scores, and from small ensemble settings to adding colorful precision to larger string ensembles.

Short Articulations
Like the larger ensembles of Synchron Strings Pro, Synchron Elite Strings offers regular and short staccatos as well as spiccatos (very short notes sounded by throwing the bow onto the strings), in both bold and agile variants - the latter being shorter and therefore perfect for quicker passages. What's more, the small string ensembles offer new variants of one-second détachés - including soft attacks leading into expressive vibrato, and normal attacks with a slight fade. The full potential of these détachés comes to fruition by combining both articulations according to the musical context. Other short playing techniques include pizzicato, snap pizzicato, and hitting the strings with the bow (col legno and battuto).

Long and Interval Articulations
All long notes, legatos and portamentos offer three vibrato variants (regular, molto, sans), four different starts (soft, regular, fast, marcato/sfz) as well as regular and soft releases. With legatos and portamentos, the different note-start variants apply only to the first notes of the phrases, while the subsequent notes feature a smooth legato or portamento connection.
A very special addition are the Performance Détaché articulations, a first for libraries recorded at Synchron Stage. As with legatos, intervals of up to an octave were recorded, but each target note was played with an extra bow stroke. These separate notes are still connected by the Synchron Player's algorithms, for very realistic phrases that differ from passages performed with single note détachés. What's more, tremolos, measured tremolos and trills also offer legato variants for coherent note transitions.
Due to the small number of players, "agile" variants of legatos and détachés are especially precise and versatile, while at the same time vibrant and authentic since they were all derived from longer performances as mentioned above.
Multiple Microphone Positions
To capture the spectacular ambience of "Stage A" of Synchron Stage, Vienna's engineers employed nine separate phase-coherent microphone configurations to provide a broad range of room options. In addition to the front, mid, Decca tree and surround microphones, the first and second chair of each ensemble were mic'd separately and are available as "Solo 1" and "Solo 2" channels, respectively, in the mixer section of the Vienna Synchron Player.

The sections of six first violins, five second violins, four violas, four cellos and three double basses were recorded separately at their designated positions on stage. Pre-configured mixer presets provide a wide variety of tonal characteristics, from intimate to ambient, from lush to sparkling, from contemporary to the "golden fifties" sound. Divisi Presets focus on the solo channels of the first and second chair, with added ribbon or tube mid microphones.

As with all Synchron Libraries, you can mix your string sound in stereo, 5.1 surround or even 9.1 Auro 3D, or any other immersive audio format, such as Dolby Atmos.

The Standard Library and Full Library of Synchron Elite Strings both include the same articulations. The difference lies in the number of provided microphone positions."

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It's been released, and it seems nice enough. Another very solid product from VSL. Good selection of articulations, quality recordings, it runs in the ultra-flexible and stable Synchron Player. Yet the sound in these demos leaves me quite cold. I couldn say there is anything obviously wrong with it. But it just doesn't touch me personally. Small string sections can be such a thing of beauty if recorded in a way that aligns with your personal taste. For me, this is not the case here. Like all Synchron libraries so far, they sound too bright and almost 'clinical' to me. As if a portion of emotion had been traded in for a maximum of precision. Your taste may differ and all that. Five years ago I might have bought these non the less. But having made the experiences I did, and owning all the libraries that I do, these are not for me.

Linos wrote: ↑Apr 08, 2021 10:03 am It's been released, and it seems nice enough. Another very solid product from VSL. Good selection of articulations, quality recordings, it runs in the ultra-flexible and stable Synchron Player. Yet the sound in these demos leaves me quite cold. I couldn say there is anything obviously wrong with it. But it just doesn't touch me personally. Small string sections can be such a thing of beauty if recorded in a way that aligns with your personal taste. For me, this is not the case here. Like all Synchron libraries so far, they sound too bright and almost 'clinical' to me. As if a portion of emotion had been traded in for a maximum of precision. Your taste may differ and all that. Five years ago I might have bought these non the less. But having made the experiences I did, and owning all the libraries that I do, these are not for me.

Not sure if it is the demos, or the library,

But I agree, the library sounds kind of cold, lacking emotion, and warmth. I'm not too fond of the timbre either.

I will check more into that, maybe I'm rushing to judge it.

With Sonokinetic Strings due out soon, I'm hoping it will be the library that will click with my taste, it will also offer divisi sections, so I could use the divisi for smaller chamber sections.

Hi,

OK, l listened again, more carefully this time around to their demos of Elite Strings, and I change my mind regarding my comment above, I think the library sounds pretty good, and I'm sure it can be tweaked to one's taste via EQ, and other DSP treatments.

Also the full version has a good number of Mics to further customize the sound to taste.

Hopefully they will post a detailed walkthrough of the library.

Cheers,
Muziksculp

After a short first impression I have to say it sounds pretty good to my ears. Better than anything that has been released in the last months. It seems to be possible to be pretty expressive. After first hearing about it I had zero expectations that I will consider to get a vsl string library again. But this one might change my mind. 325€ isn't a bad price after all. Let's see if the impression stays for some days.

I'm hoping they will post a detailed walkthrough video of Elite Strings soon.

It's odd, but I am not interested in this library at all. I used to investigate each and every chamber strings library I could find. Now, after listening to the demos, I am certain that this library is not for me. I know now that I am looking for a classical concert hall sound, and Elite Strings definitely don't have that. Listening to the Tchaikovsky demos - despite them being crafted well - was almost painful for me. So, definitely a pass for me. I know that says more about me than the library. I'm looking forward to Sonokinetic's upcoming library though.

I do hope that that library will be all you (and Muziksculp) expect it to be, Linos. Somewhat dampening my expections however is Sonokinetic’s Woodwind Ensembles which, in my opinion, isn’t exactly a product that leaves one hoping for more of the same, only this time with strings. I hope I’m wrong of course.

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That's not good news. I have no experience with the Woodwinds Ensembles. In the work I do I can't for my life figure out what I would need woodwinds a3 for. My hope is based entirely on the sound of the strings in their phrase-based libraries. If your experience with the Woodwinds Ensemble has been subpar, that's not a good sign. We will find out soon.

I have a feeling that Sonokinetic is going to drag us to the end of the month.

Given they promised us an April release, not an early April release, they have the luxury to double, and triple, and quadruple check the library before it is released, and have enough demos, videos, and documentation to keep us very entertained when it is released.

I'm optimistic it will be a great sounding Strings Library, just like Linos mentioned, based on how their phrase string libraries sound very good. They have been working on this library for quite some time, so it's not going to be just another strings library, I think they know the market is very saturated with so-so String libraries, and they don't want to be just one more of those.

With regards to VSL Synchron Elite Strings.

Well, they are the new Synchron Chamber Strings, but they decided to use the name 'Elite' instead of Chamber.

I think this is a wonderful library, but missing some more demos to showcase it, and no walkthrough video either. Which is odd, especially for VSL libraries. Some users are very happy with this library, and are giving it a lot of praise already.

With all of the recent ambient string libraries I'm starting to doubt my sanity and my experience. I'm sure I know what a sequence of notes under a single bow sounds like, on the same and across strings, but I just hear lumpy transitions that sound nothing like I expect. In response I hear that I'm wrong and this interpretation of legato is perfectly fine and much loved and respected. It must be me and I'll accept that, but I'll stay with my dry libraries until further notice

Edit: I will add that I really, really like the sound of this and other recent ambient string libraries, but only one note at a time.

The realism here is considerably behind CSS in my impression. Actually, behind the recent Nashville Strings as well. No arguing with that pristine beautiful mix though. Synchron always sounds great. But exactly as you said @Arbee, these transitions feel lumpy like a 2007 era library.

VSL Synchron Elite Strings sound wonderful !

The more I hear from Elite strings I think they are pretty awesome. Are the transitions really lumpy? Cannot say that. With dimension strings I've always been dissatisfied with the transitions, with Elite I cannot hear anything very lumpy so far. I have played with small string ensembles and it just sounds like one- a good one I would say. And the typical vsl sterile, antiseptic feeling I get with some of its older libraries isn't there that much. At least not to an extent that it gets annoying or unusable imo. I can imagine that in the right hands this can be very good. I mean the guy in the second video above treats them in the worst piano player like manner you can treat a string library and it still doesn't sound that bad. CSS which I don't own until now but have my eyes on it is a totally different sonic aesthetic isn't it. Im not sure if you can compare the two in terms of realism. Maybe tomorrow I hear it different.

Markus K wrote: ↑Apr 18, 2021 5:32 pm The more I hear from Elite strings I think they are pretty awesome. Are the transitions really lumpy? Cannot say that. With dimension strings I've always been dissatisfied with the transitions, with Elite I cannot hear anything very lumpy so far. I have played with small string ensembles and it just sounds like one- a good one I would say. And the typical vsl sterile, antiseptic feeling I get with some of its older libraries isn't there that much. At least not to an extent that it gets annoying or unusable imo. I can imagine that in the right hands this can be very good. I mean the guy in the second video above treats them in the worst piano player like manner you can treat a string library and it still doesn't sound that bad. CSS which I don't own until now but have my eyes on it is a totally different sonic aesthetic isn't it. Im not sure if you can compare the two in terms of realism. Maybe tomorrow I hear it different.

I think Synchron Elite Strings is the best sounding Strings Library developed by VSL so far.

They surely are improving their craft, and skills at making their strings more alive, and warm, and less antiseptic, and cold.

Sounds Beautiful !

The last few VSL releases have made me doubt my sanity and hearing. Either my hearing is absolutely terrible and the (not unsubstantial) group of people heaping praise on these Elite strings are hearing something that I can't, OR they really are as dead, nasal, and lifeless as I'm hearing them to be.

I hope no one will take that personally. We've all got different tastes and if anyone hear is getting enjoyment and music out of these, more power to them! But it has to be a hard pass for me. There's not a single flattering thing I can bring myself to say about these.

Matthias I do share your sentiment. Most people seem to like the sound of these strings a lot. I am definitely not one of them. VSL focuses on a clean and transparent signal chain if I am not mistaken. That should be something that aligns well with my preference for a classical concert hall aesthetic. But it doesn't. Maybe it's a modern film score sound. Whatever it is, to my ears the Synchron Libraries all have a very bright and hollow sound that does not blend together naturally. It always sounds 'processed' to me, even if that's exactly what shouldn't happen with a clean signal chain. Odd, I know, but that's how I hear it. If I was recording chamber strings, I definitely would want them to sound very different from how Elite Strings sound.

@Linos and @ mcalis,

So, which Strings Libraries sound do you like the most these days ?

I had a reply all ready to post in the latest piano thread on VI-C where, as per usual, most people express their enthusiasm for the Synchron pianos, an enthusiasm I don’t share at all. To put it very mildly. In the end, I decided not to post because Ben and especially Dietz always get very annoyed when I give my opinion of their work, but the reason I say all this here is because ‘hollow’ is also the sound characteristic that I hear in most everything that’s been sampled in the Synchron Hall. ‘Hollow’ and ‘empty’ were in fact the very words I used in my comments on the Synchron pianos.

I don’t know what it is; is it the equipment they use? Is it the placement of the microphones? Is the hall itself? But there’s something strange in the sampled Synchron sound which I would describe as “all epidermis, no substance”.

I must add though, it troubles me a lot more in the pianos — which I find for that very reason literally unusable in my music — than in these Elite strings. While I would never consider buying the Elite’s, I can fully understand why many people do and end up being very happy with the library.

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Piet De Ridder wrote: ↑Apr 25, 2021 3:14 pm I had a reply all ready to post in the latest piano thread on VI-C where, as per usual, most people express their enthusiasm for the Synchron pianos, an enthusiasm I don’t share at all. To put it very mildly. In the end, I decided not to post because Ben and especially Dietz always get very annoyed when I give my opinion of their work, but the reason I say all this here is because ‘hollow’ is also the sound characteristic that I hear in most everything that’s been sampled in the Synchron Hall. ‘Hollow’ and ‘empty’ were in fact the very words I used in my comments on the Synchron pianos.

I don’t know what it is; is it the equipment they use? Is it the placement of the microphones? Is the hall itself? But there’s something strange in the sampled Synchron sound which I would describe as “all epidermis, no substance”.

I must add though, it troubles me a lot more in the pianos — which I find for that very reason literally unusable in my music — than in these Elite strings. While I would never consider buying the Elite’s, I can fully understand why many people do and end up being very happy with the library.

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I'm not sure I relate to the hollowness mentioned here, I also think the Synchron Stage sounds wonderful. So, whatever people dislike about Synchron libraries might be related to the way they are used, or the mics/pre's used in the capture of the sounds, or .. other factors. I personally don't have an issue with the sound of Synchron Libraries, you can tweak them to you taste quite a bit, you are not stuck with the out of the box sound if you don't like it.

Piet De Ridder wrote: ↑Apr 25, 2021 3:14 pm I had a reply all ready to post in the latest piano thread on VI-C where, as per usual, most people express their enthusiasm for the Synchron pianos, an enthusiasm I don’t share at all. To put it very mildly. In the end, I decided not to post because Ben and especially Dietz always get very annoyed when I give my opinion of their work, but the reason I say all this here is because ‘hollow’ is also the sound characteristic that I hear in most everything that’s been sampled in the Synchron Hall. ‘Hollow’ and ‘empty’ were in fact the very words I used in my comments on the Synchron pianos.

I don’t know what it is; is it the equipment they use? Is it the placement of the microphones? Is the hall itself? But there’s something strange in the sampled Synchron sound which I would describe as “all epidermis, no substance”.

I must add though, it troubles me a lot more in the pianos — which I find for that very reason literally unusable in my music — than in these Elite strings. While I would never consider buying the Elite’s, I can fully understand why many people do and end up being very happy with the library.

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Well Piet, you write with authority and knowledgeable background. That can tend to be construed as a challenge unless you are in total agreement with people regarding the subject at hand. Ben and Dietz are very good communicators for their products and quite useful when technical or communication issues arise. They are, however, company men. And they represent themselves as such so that's honorable. I'm happy that VSL has chosen to make people available to forum users. Not every developer is doing that these days.

Regarding Elite Strings, I purchased the full package and pretty much love it. It is fluid and very capable. I love all the articulations and the Synchron Player is the best. I do agree that out of the box the high strings sound a bit sterile and something akin to 'hollow'. I don't know if that's the best word but I can accept it for purposes of conversation. I don't think it's objectionable, even though VSL employees would feel a bit miffed by it.

I find Elite Strings to be quite lively overall. And they are a joy to work with. They are definitely on my shortlist for strings to grab first when working. I've spent a lot of time with them in the last week. Every time I use them I find some new technique that I hadn't considered before. They are quite deep. There is a bit of a learning curve involved. The mic combinations are a real key to getting the kind of sound you might want out of them. Each of the Synchron mixer mic channels already has an EQ setting in them. Most of these EQ plugins are not turned on automatically. When you click on them, you notice many preset EQ points that are not yet boosted or cut. Those VSL-supplied points are handy starting points for equalization exploration. it does really take a lot of time to get what you want from these strings. But you can definitely make them sound NOT-hollow. Once you get the setting you want simply create a new instrument and you're ready to go quickly next time you want to use that sound.

If I can characterize it as such (since I don't own it), it kind of reminds me of my impression of MSS in that the standard presets are not always your friend. Personalizing this library is its strength. And it is strong.

.

PS - I generally start with the Divisi Presets and work from there to get the sound I want for the specific piece I'm working on.