SWAM Solo Strings - User Manual Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass v2.1.0 by SWAM Solo Strings v2.1.0 - User Manual – rev.
Table Of Contents Table Of Contents ................................................................................................................................. 2 Before You Start ..................................................................................................................................... 3 System requirements ............................................................................................................................. 4 Hardware requirements......................
Before You Start Although these instruments are intuitive and easy to play “out-of-the-box”, getting excellent results requires a certain amount of practice and experience. Please read this user manual carefully. It contains very important information that will help you achieve the best results in a much shorter time. Also listen to the demos on the Audio Modeling website https://audiomodeling.com The latest version of all SWAM manuals can be found at https://audiomodeling.
System requirements Required operating systems PC: Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista or XP 64 bit macOS: Intel only, Mac OS X 10.7 – 10.14 Supported plugin formats PC: VST* 64 bit, AAX 64 bit macOS: AU* 64 bit, VST* 64 bit, AAX 64 bit * Audio Unit v3 and VST3 not supported yet CPU load The realism and expressiveness of the SWAM instrument set can be very CPU intensive. It therefore requires a modern computer with at least a 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU for a single instance of any SWAM product.
Hardware requirements Audio interface (sound card) A good quality audio interface (USB, FireWire, PCI) with suitable low-latency drivers (like ASIO for PC users) is required. The allowed buffer size is up to 2048 samples. Recommended settings are 128, 256 samples, or 512 samples (higher latency, but less CPU load).
Using an appropriate range of expression This is an extremely important aspect for getting the optimal expressiveness and realism with virtual instruments. All real instruments require a much greater degree of effort to achieve the highest possible dynamics for that instrument. This is not the case for most physical MIDI controllers; it is indeed very easy to push an expression pedal, or a slider, to the maximum and leave it there forever.
Main View If properly activated (please read the enclosed “Installation guide”), the instrument GUI should appear as follows after loading: Please select the proper default instrument preset (keyboard or wind controller) by clicking the Load button to the right of the upper central display window, using your currently available MIDI input device (see above), for example: When you begin playing, you may receive a warning message reminding you that an expression controller (preferably CC11, CC7, CC2 or Afte
By default, the software assigns the expression control to CC11 if in keyboard mode, and to CC2 if in wind controller mode. These default settings can be manually changed. For example, if you wish to use a volume pedal to control the expression, just open the “MIDI mapping” page (clicking on the "Options" button and then on “MIDI mapping” button) and set the Expression CC to 7. If needed, this assignment can be permanently stored as a preset (see below). Automatic assignment is also possible.
GUI parameter controls There are four types of GUI controls: - Sliders - Inc/Dec Buttons (+/-) - Multi-state buttons - Drop-down select boxes Sliders Set the desired value either by: - Dragging the slider (while holding the left mouse button) or - Moving the slider with the mouse wheel Inc/Dec Buttons (+/-) The values can be set in 3 different ways: - Clicking on “+” and “-” - Using the mouse wheel to change values via the label (small steps), or on the +/- button (larger steps) - Vertically dragging th
General controls Load & Save1: Loads and saves instrument settings M.Tune Hz: Master Tune frequency in Hz M.T.Cents: Master Tune in cents (Linked to M.Tune Hz, A3 = 440Hz) Reverb Time: Reverb duration Reverb Mix: Reverb amount (if set to “Off”, the reverb is bypassed, saving CPU) Transp: Instrument transposition (Key switches are not transposed); current instrument range indicated on the virtual keyboard (black & white keys) follows the transposition PB D .. U ..
1) Timbre and Gesture Instruments: main instrument timbre of the resonating body Play Mode: choose how to play the instrument: [mapped to Key Switch C] - Bow - Pizzicato - Col Legno Bow Gesture: select the way the Expression is executed for PlayMode = Bow. [mapped to Key Switch D] - Expression: expression is mainly interpreted as the speed of the bow in relation to the bow pressure.
Sordino ON / OFF: activates/deactivates “Con Sordino”. [mapped to Key Switch A# - see the Key Switches chart for details] Expr.Rel.Stop ON / OFF: when ON the release can be stopped setting the Expression to zero. For Wind Controllers, Breath Controllers and expressive controllers with expression release concurrent to the note-off: set this parameter to “OFF”, to avoid a sudden termination of the vibrating string release.
AltFing: selects the default position of the left hand on the fingerboard. Note: in order to obtain a portamento on the same string, it is required to check and eventually set the proper AltFing position of the starting note (BEFORE pressing the starting note) and of the ending note (BEFORE pressing the ending note). [mapped to Key Switch D#] - Mid: left-hand stays in the middle of the neck. - Bridge: left-hand stays towards the bridge (high position).
Tremolo: [mapped to Key Switch G#] - Off: no tremolo. - Slow: slow tremolo. - Fast: fast tremolo. Tremolo speed and behavior are controlled by the “Trem. Min Speed” and “Tremolo Mode” parameters in Options page. A “manual” tremolo is possible using the Key Switch C# (bow-change at both note-on and note-off). 4) Strings and bow characteristics Accent: accent amount as a function of the velocity. Rosin: amount of rosin, affects the stickiness between the bow and the string. String Res.
Port/Leg Speed&Thresh: controls both the portamento speed and the threshold between portamento (low velocity/CC) and legato (high velocity/CC). When set to the maximum value (“no Port”), portamento is excluded. Portamento Split Ratio: sets the split point (percentage of the interval) for a portamento across two strings. For example, 20 means 20% on the starting string and 80% on the other string.
Sync/Acc: the tremolo rate is synchronized with the current project BPM; an accent is performed every four or three strokes, depending on the selected note length (plain vs triplets). [mapped to Key Switch A] [see MIDI mapping for a real-time control of this parameter through MIDI] - Manual Trem/BowC KS: sets the behavior for the C# Key Switch: - Trem: K.S. is set to “Manual Tremolo”; a bow change is performed on both note-on and note-off; the velocity of the Key Switch is ignored. - Bow.Ch: K.S.
Mono String Crossing: affects the transitions across adjacent strings when the “Poly” parameter is set to “Mono SX” (see page 11).
MIDI mapping Page All the main parameters of the instrument are assignable to respond to MIDI CCs so they can be controlled in real-time from a MIDI controller or from a MIDI sequence in a DAW. It is possible to assign the same MIDI CC to more than one parameter; in addition, it is possible to act on the Min/Max controls to rescale the input MIDI values. Note: when the value assigned to “Min” is greater than the value assigned to “Max”, the polarity of the control is inverted, i.e.
Examples Example 1. Add an extra-variation of the bow pressure in function of the Expression: - Expression: CC 11 – Min = 0, Max = 127 - Bow Pressure: CC 11 – Min = 55, Max = 80 Example 2. Play nearer the Ponticello in function of the Expression and Bow Pressure: - Expression: CC 11 – Min = 0, Max = 127 - Bow Pressure: CC 11 – Min = 55, Max = 80 - Bow Position: CC 11 – Min = 80, Max = 40 Example 3.
Key switches Some parameters of SWAM instruments can also be triggered by the use of key switches. If there is an overlap in the instrument range after transposition, the key switches can be moved down one octave using the “KS Oct. Transp.” parameter (see Options page). Key switches can be disabled by turning “KS Oct. Transp.” To “Off”. The key switches are colored red on the virtual keyboard of the instrument. Important note about Key Switches: “latch” Key Switches (see the K.S.
SWAM Solo Strings v2.1.0 - User Manual – rev.
Key Switches chart (from C to F) SWAM Solo Strings v2.1.0 - User Manual – rev.
Key Switches chart (from F# to B) SWAM Solo Strings v2.1.0 - User Manual – rev.
Microtuning Note: as with real strings instruments, microtuning is applied by the finger position on the strings. Open strings are not affected by the microtuning settings! Choose the appropriate String Tuning (“Str. Tuning” parameter in Options page) and Alternate Fingering (“Alt.Fing” on the main GUI) in order to play the desired microtuned scales.
The “Temperament” slider, if set higher than zero, applies a kind of “spread intonation”: - It does not affect the pitch in the middle of the instrument. The higher the pitch, the more upward detuning is applied. The lower the pitch, the more downward detuning is applied. This means that the overall intonation of the instrument can be further “spaced apart” to produce special effects.
How to enter Select Note Mode (SNM) SNM is activated by sending a suitable CC value above 64. Which particular CC value you choose is left up to you: Go to the Option page and enter the desired CC number in the “MicroTuning (ON OFF)” field. Entering “64” will define the sustain pedal, which is the most suitable option for this task. Pressing and holding down the pedal switches SNM on and highlights the key switches (in blue).
How to reset and modify the current microtuning As soon as you re-enter SNM (by pressing the sus pedal or sending a value greater than 64 via the CC you have assigned for this task), the current detuning of all the notes will be cancelled and the Microtuning display in the instrument GUI will be reset to zero: Keeping the pedal pressed, you can immediately detune a new set of notes by pressing the appropriate key switches (see 2. above). This allows you to create selective microtunings as you work.
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How to perform the main articulations Almost all articulations are performed by the combination of the three principal controls: note-on velocity, expression, bow-pressure. The instrument is so versatile that multiple articulations can be combined together; for example, tremolo/vibrato, tremolo/glissando, glissando/vibrato are possible. A short list of main articulations follows.
The actual threshold between portamento (see next paragraph) and legato is influenced by the “Port/Leg Speed&Thresh” parameter (also controllable in real-time if mapped to a MIDI CC). The legato transition “quality” is influenced by the “Dynamic Transit.” parameter (also controllable in real-time if mapped to a MIDI CC). Portamento (glissando) A glissando between two notes is obtained overlapping the second note to the first, using a low value of note-on velocity for the second note. If the “Port.
Tremolo Auto-tremolo Just selects if you want a “Slow” tremolo or a “Fast” tremolo. If the “Tremolo Mode” is set to “Sync” or “Sync/Acc”, the tremolo will be synchronized with the project tempo (BPM). Custom accents can be performed by acting on the expression (expression “spikes” on the desired strokes). Manual-tremolo Be sure that the “Manual Trem/BowC KS” option is set to “Trem”; press and release the Key Switch C# while playing the notes; a bow-change is performed at both note-on and note-off.
Licensing The License Key we provide can be activated twice. Each activation is possible on a computer only. Refer to the Installation Guide for instructions on how to authorize SWAM products. For moving an authorization to a different computer, go to the Customer Portal at https://my.audiomodeling.com/ and delete it from activations list of the corresponding License Key. Customer Portal Login to the Customer Portal at https://my.audiomodeling.com/ to manage your License Keys, Downloads and Activations.
Technical Support Before requesting technical support, please make sure that you have carefully read the User Manual and the FAQs on our Support Center: https://support.audiomodeling.com/kb There you will quickly find appropriate answers to most questions. Should you still need support, please contact the SWAM support at support@audiomodeling.com or open a Ticket through the Support Center: https://support.audiomodeling.
