Vienna Instrument: Structure & Application

Tutorial VSL-E excerpt, V1.55, October 2022, based on November 2016

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is about the Sampleplayer that plays the samples of Vienna Symphonic Library.
If you don't own VSL samples, you can skip this chapter.


LEARNING TARGETS

- You learn about the design of the Vienna Instrument (matrix arrays)
- You learn about special functions that lead to even more natural results
- You learn how to select matrices > Even better >>>more.
- You learn how to select different loaded articulations
- You learn how to gain free RAM-memory space

VIENNA INSTRUMENT (VI)

The Vienna Instrument (VI) is a Sample-Player which is only able to play Samples of VSL!
A modern Computer can play up to 20, 30, 40 VI-instances in the mean time without any problem.
So the VI is very CPU-friendly.

The VI automatically chooses the correct crossing sounds while it is playing Legato-Samples. With Single Notes (Chapter 5) it is automatically playing the 2nd Variations.
So this means: You don't have any influence over these matters.

  • 12 Matrix fields with 144 fields each
  • Assign a key switch(keyboard key) each of the 12 Matrices.
  • Once you have done this you can select the matrixes by playing the corresponding octave on you keyboard .
  • Into each Matrix field (cell) you can drag & drop up to 4 articulations.
  • So (theoretically) you have the possibility to integrate 1728 x 4 different samples (12x144x4).
  • But the meaning is: Load the samples for one instrument into on VI. (Violin1 = VI1, Viola = VI2 etc.)

Below you have the Vienna Instrument (Sample Player).
You can see the 5 Lines on the left. Each line contains a matrix of up to 12 x 12 cells.
Each of those cells can hold 1 (4) articulation(s) - "staccato" for example.

Important to know: You can only select a matrix by pressing a key on your master keyboard or by a midi-program-change.


If each of the cells (A1,B1,D3 etc.) can hold up to 4 articulations we need to be able to select every point within a matrix.
This navigation can happen with either several Controllers (see within the image below) or with keys of the keyboard > KEYSWITCHES.
See below how it works:


Let us assume we have an "articulation staccato" within cell "B3". How to select this cell?

Keyboard Key "C0" selects Matrix 1
Keyboard Key "D1" - choose within Matrix1 the horizontal position 3
Keyboard Key "C#2" - chooses the vertical row 2 of Matrix1

So we get the point "B3" of matrix1.

As you can see below, I chose and assigned key switches. Please "read" the image below:

... It is not very comfortable always to press 3 keys just for getting a new articulation. But nobody uses all the 1728 cells of one Vienna Instrument.
So here is a way for a good and easy solution:


Just use the first "Cell A1" of each Matrix.
If you do so you will be able to play 12 different articulations with only 12 keys (key switches) of your keyboard.
And 12 different articulations are quite a lot! If you are using the SE-Library you probably have just 5 per instrument.

BTW: My Basic Presets are based on this system.


If you don't expand the matrices you only get Cell "A1" with each matrix ant that's what we usually want.
In other words we don't use the huge amount of the matrix cells.
So that leads us to the BASIC-PRESET which we will prepare.
We will create it for each instrument. Because we place the same articulations always at the same place we will be able to exchange instruments without the need of adapting keyswitches, controllers etc. for each new instrument.

Kaufmann's Basic Presets


OVERVIEW: PARTS OF VI

Basic, Matrix
On the left: The Matrix fields (just 1 Matrix at the moment)
On the right: The installed Libraries
Click on "_" for opening the Matrix presets. These presets contain useful combinations of matrices, done by VSL.

Import a Matrix-Preset (Assign a Preset to Matrix)
Use such presets by Drag&DROP them into a matrix on the left and to learn from them.

Sample-Assign (Patch)
Drag&Drop a patch (articulation such as staccato, sforzato, sustain, legato, ...) into a Cell of the current Matrix.
The number of patches depends on the library you purchased.

Navigation within a Matrix
Allows you to assign controllers for switching between the horizontal and vertical Cells of the Matrix
You can choose between:
- Controller
- Keys of the Keyboard (keyswitches)
- Pitch-Wheel
- Speed (playing speed on Keyboard > example: slow playing = Cell 1A (sustain) fast = Cell 1B (staccato)
- Midi-Velocity
- None
Please read more about these matters in the VI Manual

This Tutorial only uses the mode "Keyswitch".

ADVANCED / PERFORM (left down)
1. Information about the RAM and Sample management.
2. Use OPTIMIZE together with LEARN/ENABLED for removing unused samples from the memory.
3. Tuning possibility "Master-Pitch".
4. Switch on/off X-Fade (X-Velocty).
5. Release Samples on/off.
6. X-Fade X-Velocity. The Volume of the samples follows a curve (X-Fade) instead of the midi velocity coming from the keyboard.
7. Slot-XFade controls the balance between two Articulations (Slot 1a<>Slot 1b).
8. Reverb-settings. If you are using a reverb within your Mix later on leave this Reverb here "switched off".
9. Adjust here how the volume of the Samples shall follow the Midi-velocity.
10. Volumes (Mixer) for the articulations within slot 1a and 1b.
11. Volumes (Mixer) for the articulations within slot 2a and 2b.
12. Information about the articulation.

ADVANCED, Control-Map
Possible Adjustments for the midi controllers you want to use (assigning controllers).



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Please also read the User Manual. You will find all about the VI and its functions.
Nevertheless, let me explain some important things with examples now below:

SELECTING A MATRIX / AN ARTICULATION

On the left side of the picture you can make out a cutting of the roll editor of Cubase.

The two Keyswitches are red (placed by the mouse).
"E0" for Matrix 5 and
"E1" for the Y-Axis Keyswitch "E1" - which corresponds to the articulation "perf-legato".

If we would set "F1" you would get "perf-marcato". Please observe: The Keyswitches are placed a bit before the note.



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2-4 SAMPLES PER "CELLE"

Let us assume you are using Sustain Samples. These Samples sound a bit weak in their beginnings.
On the right a possible solution:
Add the Staccato Articulation.
Drag&Drop staccato into Slot 1b
The Mixer balances the volume ration and
"Velocity Curve" the dynamic.
Adjust with "Envelope" the Attack- and Decay time etc.
Recommendation: Leave these parameters (by VSL) as it is.

Download: bk_tu09_4_2samp.mid [ KB]

These are the corresponding sound examples...
1. Sustain
2. Sustain + Staccato
3. Sustain + Staccato
(adapted with Velocity Curve.)


...particularly
- Organizing Vienna Instruments
- Customizing Vienna Instruments
- Velocity Crossfade and More
- Fine Tuning and Stacking
- Preset Settings




A/B SWITCH

Some Articulations do have 2 functions. As an example: Dynamic-Samples.
Let's take the "dyn-me_Vib_2s"
This Articulation contains Crescendos as well as Diminuendos.
With the "A/B Switch" you can choose between the two possibilities (see below).

Important: If possible then let play the samples in their original length.
BUT: Sometimes it isn't possible... (listen to the example)


Use the Hold-Function (MidiController 64 = sustain) for solving this problem.
See the pedal = Hold (picture below).
The Crescendo-Sample can be played until its natural end this way which sounds more natural in total.
Tip: Use this trick for nearly all VSL-Samples.
Download: bk_tu09_4_ab.mid [ KB]




VELOCTY X-FADE

Normally it is the Midi-Velocity which controls the volume of the samples, which selects the corresponding Layer of the current articulation.
Most of these articulations are recorded with 3 or 4 different Volume levels. So if you are playing as loud as possible on the keyboard then the samples are sounding as loud as the can. Further the VI also selects the sample versions of the loudest recording version.
The Legato-Samples come with (only) two Volume Layers.
So when it comes to the change from the lower to the higher level a strange sound could be the result.
Please listen to the example:


That's not the sound we want. But VI got Tool for solving this problem: "Velocity-X Fade"
It is no more the Midi-Velocity, but the shifter "VEL XF" which produces the Volume now.
Either you program the curve of the VEL-XF with the mouse or with a hardware controller (on your midi keyboard?).
Maybe you think the mouse is not as good as a hardware controller.
You often need to correct hardware-done-curves with the mouse... The curve below was easy to draw with the mouse.
Further: The result is much better than without VEL-XF, isn't it?


Download: bk_tu09_4_x-fade.mid [ KB]

Select Midi-Control "CC2" for "VEL XF" and
Midi-Control "CC3" for drawing the curves within the DAW for example for the VEL-XF-Shifter.


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SLOT-X-FADE

At 2-4 Samples per Cell we have a Sustain Articulation in "Slot 1a" and a Staccato Articulation in "Slot 2a".
You also can combine two Samples within two Slots and crossfade between them by the function " Slot-X-Fade".
But you also can fix the SLOT-X-Fade on a certain point as well as it is shown with the third image below.



A T T E N T I O N

Some Sample-Articulations come with a fixed length: "Portato Long", "Grace-Notes" etc.
If you play them longer as they are recorded the following Release Sample will be played while you let go the key of your keyboard.
The result is an unwanted sound...




LEARN - OPTIMIZE - RESET

These functions can be of great value when you are short of RAM.
See the picture below...

- Choose "LEARN" and play then your music (midi track) with the VI.
- After that press "ENABLED".


The VI will remove all the unused samples with "OPTIMIZE". Approximate 96% of the Samples were removed in our example.
So that's a good method to save RAM.
- "OFF" should reload all the samples back into the memory.



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PRODUCING A "BASIC PRESET"

Please visit the extra page >>> here

Here you get an overview of the structure of the "VI-Basic Presets". All pieces of music and all examples are played with these Basic-Presets.
So
> "staccato" corresponds with keyswitch "C0"
> "portato short" corresponds with keyswitch "C#0"
> ...


MORE INFOS: VI-MANUAL

Find more information about "Master Tune", "Reset to Sustain, "Filter", "Atk and Rel" and other things in the Manual of VI.

More information "Using the VI and creating BASIC PRESETS" you get >>>here.


EVEN MORE INFOS: VI-TUTORIALS

Further: There are additional VI-Tutorials on my Web-Site which show other important matters around the VI.



Our example: the same Articulation "perf-leg-zigane" is loaded into "Slot 1b".
...but turned down one octave "OCT: -1"
Click on the "Cross Symbol" between the "slots 1a<>1b" for activating the shifter "SLOT-X" at "Perform Control".

Now you are able to balance the sound between the two articulations.
You can do this either by drawing a curve which moves the Slider "Slot-X" or you can adjust a fix position.
The shifter "Slot-X" is centred in our example. So both articulations have got an equal volume.

Assign to the "Slot-X-fader" at "CTRL MAP" a Midi-Controller.
Now you are able to "cross-fade" with a "Midi-Curve".
Download: bk_tu09_4_cell-fade.mid [ KB]




RS

There are Samples which are triggered with the Midi command "Note off" - called Release Sample.
The Sustain-Samples come with such RS-Samples.
The "PLAY RELEASE" switch at "ADVBANCED" "PERFORM" switches the Release Samples on or off.
Please listen to the difference "On" and "OFF".
Download: bk_tu09_4_rs.mid [ KB]

Whether an Articulation contains a Release-Sample or not tells you the cell window at "PATCH-ASSIGN".
RS: yes
or
RS: no

Listen to the example: once without Release Samples and once with RS: