Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL)

ManualsBrandsVSL ManualsSoftwareVirtual Orchestra

The prospect of spending good money on an

orchestral library is often a tricky decision to

justify and conclude. It can be a little bit diicult

to try out the sounds you want to buy, and as

any orchestrator or producer working with

sounds such as these will tell you, just because it

says ‘orchestral library’ on the box, it doesn’t

necessarily mean you will get all of the content

you require.

Getting Synchron-ised!

Vienna Symphonic Library, better known to all

of us as VSL, were one of the irst companies to

grab the nettle of orchestral sample libraries,

and do so in such a way that they set themselves

apart from the ield with their large and

expansive collection of orchestral instruments.

Fast forward several years and VSL are no

longer the only kids on the block, but they are

still most deinitely stoking the ire.

The admirable VSL Synchron Player plays

host to the Synchron Prime Edition, an entry-

level volume of samples, with a very broad

orchestral construct. Moreover, it garners an

attractive price point, particularly given the

amount of content. Once installed, the Prime

Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL)

Synchron Prime

Edition €595

If you’re considering dipping your toe in the orchestral palette, VSL may

have the prime package for you, as their new edition gets Synchron-ised

Edition occupies a very respectable 69GB of

disk space. It’s worth noting that RAM allocation

and CPU loading are pretty economical, making

perfect partners for older computers, as well as

newer models. The samples themselves are

organised beautifully from within the Synchron

Player, using a simple menu hierarchy. There is

full representation across strings, woodwind,

brass and percussion, with extended

instrumentation such as harps, cor anglais and

bass clarinet. Even better, you can audition this

library out for 30 days before committing to an

outright purchase.

INSTRUMENT

Sample

instrument menu,

categorised

across sections

SETTINGS

Sample settings and

information

ARTICULATION

Comprehensive

list of

articulations

KEY SWITCHING

Articulation key-

switching zone

ATTACK

Choice of attack methods

for greater authenticity

ATTACK AND RELEASE

Attack and Release samples

are also open to key-switching

PERFORM

Real-time

performance

control

ACTIVE KEYS

Playable area, indicating

sampled instrument zone

MIDI CCS

All control

elements may be

user-assigned to

MIDI CCs

62 / COMPUTER MUSIC / October 2022

> reviews / vsl s ynchron prime edition

CMU312.rev_VSL_Synchron.indd 62CMU312.rev_VSL_Synchron.indd 62 22/07/2022 13:3822/07/2022 13:38

Summary of content (2 pages)

PAGE 1
> reviews / vsl synchron prime edition ATTACK Choice of attack methods for greater authenticity SETTINGS Sample settings and information INSTRUMENT MENU Sample instrument menu, categorised across sections ARTICULATION Comprehensive list of articulations MIDI CCS All control elements may be user-assigned to MIDI CCs PERFORM Real-time performance control KEY SWITCHING Articulation keyswitching zone ATTACK AND RELEASE Attack and Release samples are also open to key-switching ACTIVE KEYS Playable area,
PAGE 2
vsl synchron prime edition/ reviews < Not to be outshone, the string samples are pretty substantial en masse, with the usual articulation suspects The Synchron Player itself provides a large bank of assignable faders, designed to control all aspects of expression and timbre, alongside elements such as humanisation.