SYNCHRON-ized Percussion

Introduction

Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s series of Synchron Instruments!

SYNCHRON-ized Percussion is based on the original VI Percussion Collection and includes the updated sample database of instruments that were recorded in the tight and controlled ambience of our second studio, the Silent Stage. All drums and percussion instruments can therefore be placed in any acoustic environment and at any position in a room, from dry closets to halls and venues such as the rooms provided by Vienna MIR Pro 3D.

The collection's six separately available Percussion Packs correspond to the instruments of the Synchron Percussion Packs, with equal mappings to make it easy to exchange and try out instruments from both Series. However, the instruments of the SYNCHRON-ized Percussion Collection were not only recorded in a different acoustic environment, they're also different makes of the same instruments with their own individual sound characteristics, and were played by different musicians, providing your own percussion arsenal with more flexibility and variety.

The entire sample database was optimized for the Vienna Synchron Player and its advanced algorithms and features. The instruments were furnished with customized impulse responses so that they can easily be placed in their ideal spot on the virtual Synchron Stage Vienna. The volume levels of all articulations such as single hits, dynamic rolls and many more have been precisely adjusted and matched, balancing the dynamic ranges of all instruments for seamless, natural performances when switching through various articulations. Moreover, the dynamic rolls of timpani, bass drums and taikos can be played shorter than their original length due to the release sample algorithms of the Synchron Player.

All instruments offer a broad spectrum of meticulously sampled articulations, from single hits with various beaters to static rolls, crescendo and diminuendo rolls, upbeats and repetitions, depending on the styles and variations each instrument has to offer.

Presets

Synchron(-ized) libraries generally offer different Presets according to how velocity is handled, arranged in separate folders.

“VelXF rolls”: velocity crossfading is only activated for rolls, while the dynamics of other patches are controlled by keystroke velocity, thus facilitating phrasing.
“VelXF”: all articulations have velocity crossfading activated so that you can control dynamics with MIDI controller CC1, the modwheel.
“Velocity”: note volume is controlled by keystroke velocity just like a piano.

Apart from that, velocity crossfading can always be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab.

Switching between instruments and articulation styles (e.g., diferent beaters) is generally done via dedicated keys on the keyboard which are therefore called “keyswitches”.

Mixer Presets

For a perfect sound "out of the box" the instruments come with customized Mixer Presets such as Close, Classic, Distant, without reverb, short reverb with and without the Synchron Player's included MIR convolution technology, which guarantee a perfect sound and match the acoustic placement of the Synchron Series instruments that were recorded on the large Stage A of our Hollywood-approved scoring stage.

There also is a MIR Unprocessed Mixer Preset for use with the concert halls and studios of our renowned convolution engine.

Concert toms, Taikos, and Rails offer additional "Wide" sets of Mixer Presets where the instruments are placed in different positions througout the Synchron Stage, allowing you to let several players play in cinemascope, so to speak.

Patches and mapping

Patches can be used to build your own custom Presets and adapt the Synchron Libraries to your specific requirements. For further information on constructing Presets, please see the Synchron Player manual.

Many of the unpitched percussion instruments have single strokes, rolls, und dynamic rolls distributed to different patches, which are then stacked in the Presets. This had the advantage of allowing different treatment in their mapping. For instance, it was thus possible to create VelXF Rolls Presets where the dynamics of rolls can be controlled with velocity crossfading, while the dynamics of single strokes react to keystroke velocity.

Repetitions (with the exception of dynamic repetitions) are generally mapped to two adjacent keys. For best effect, these should be played alternately.

Pitch

For designating pitch, the Vienna Symphonic Library uses International Pitch Notation (IPN), which was agreed upon internationally under the auspices of the Acoustical Society of America. In this system the international standard of A=440 Hz is called A4 and middle C is C4. All pitches are written as capital letters, their respective octave being indicated by a number next to it. The lowest C on the piano is C1 (the A below that is A0), etc.

The Synchron Player software allows you to set middle C to C3, C4, or C5 according to your preference. Selecting another setting than C4 will of course also change the play ranges and keyswitches accordingly.

Timpani

The timpani, or kettledrum, an established member of the symphony orchestra since the 17th century, is the percussion instrument with the longest tradition. It is a skin-covered instrument with definite pitch. As the loudest of all orchestra instruments it requires tremendous precision of the timpanist.

In Romantic and modern works four timpani are usual. In the Classical period one pair was standard. The kettledrum has a range of about a sixth. A timpani group composed of several instruments covers approximately two octaves (B1–C3).

In modern-day notation the timpani part is written non-transposing, always in bass clef.

Timpani A

Single strokes
Performance repetitions
Static rolls
Dynamic rolls medium and strong
Glissando rolls
Glissandos
Upbeats
Range: Single strokes, rolls, upbeats C2–C4; glissandos according to interval.
Articulation switches: F1–B1.
Type switches: starting at C7.

Single strokes

Single strokes open and secco; performance repetitions slow and fast.

Mapping: left hand C2–C4; right hand C5–C6.

Static rolls

Static rolls, normal and short release.

Dynamic rolls

Dynamic rolls, medium and strong, 1/2/3/4/6 sec.

Cresc/dim: A0/B0.

Glissando rolls, glissandos

Glissando rolls and glissandos, 4th and 5th, up and down.

Play range: fourth up C2–G3, down F2–C4; fifth up C2–F3, down G2–C4.
Interval: E7/F7.
Up/down: A0/B0.

Upbeats

1–3 upbeats.