BBO Tana, Ursa, Vega, Wallia, Xenia
Introduction
Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library's series of Synchron Instruments! As the name says, Big Bang Orchestra furnishes you with a selection of full-orchestra articulations, at the same time allowing you (if you haven't done so already) to explore our powerful Synchron Player software. If you're looking for that extra dramatic effect or want to highlight a passage in your composition, this bonus library could be the solution, or at least point you in the right direction.
About Presets
Big Bang Orchestra makes use of our Synchron Player's unique features, and offers several Mixer Presets in five categories: Room Mix, Stereo Decca Tree, Surround to Stereo, Surround, and Processed. The Mixer Presets in each category are Close (Dry in the Room Mix), Classic, Wide, Distant, and Ambient. The Processed section offers "Big" versions of these Presets.
The BBO expansions also provide you with "Wet" Mixer Presets in each category, as well as more choice in the Processed section. These additional Mixer Presets may vary according to the respective libraries' requirements.
About Patches
Patches can be used to build your own custom Presets and shape them according to your specific requirements. Big Bang Orchestra does not contain so many Patches, so the possibilities are somewhat limited. Still, if you want to get into creating Presets of your own, please refer to the Synchron Player manual, which will be helpful in case you encounter any problems.
About 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.
Included Presets
BBO Tana, Ursa, Vega, Wallia, and Xenia each represent one of the orchestra's string sections. The layout of articulations is designed to resemble that of other BBO Libraries with similar content (most notably, Lyra and Musca), so that you can switch between the articulations of different Libraries without having to adapt any keyswitches.
BBO Tana: 1st violins, 14 players
BBO Ursa: 2nd violins, 10 players
BBO Vega: violas, 8 players
BBO Wallia: violoncellos, 8 players
BBO Xenia: double basses, 6 players
Articulation Keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega, Wallia: C1–F#1
- Xenia: C6–F#6
Type Keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: starting at C2
- Wallia, Xenia: starting at C6
Short notes
Bold, agile, and fortissimo.
- Range:
- Tana: G3–G7
- Ursa: G3–E7
- Vega: C3–F6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-D4
- Type keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2–D2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D6
Long notes
Long notes with light and strong vibrato, and espressivo. Light vibrato and espressivo feature regular and soft release variants.
- Range:
- Tana, Ursa: G3–E7
- Vega: C3–F6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-D4
- Type keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2-D#2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D#6
- Normal/soft release: F7/G7
XF vibrato
The XF vibrato option combines the light and strong vibrato articulations, so that you can control the vibrato amount using Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC1, modwheel).
Legato
Legato with light and strong vibrato, and marcato.
- Range:
- Tana, Ursa: G3–D7
- Vega: C3–E6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-C4
- Type keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2-D#2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D#6
- Normal/soft release: F7/G7
XF vibrato
The XF vibrato option combines the light and strong vibrato articulations, so that you can control the vibrato amount using Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC1, modwheel).
Dynamics
Sforzato, swells short and long, and soft swells with regular and soft release.
- Range:
- Tana, Ursa: G3–E7
- Vega: C3–F6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-D4
- Type keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2-D#2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D#6
- Normal/soft release: F7/G7
Tremolo & trills
Tremolo regular and with marcato attack, half and whole tone trills.
- Range:
- Tana: G3–G7
- Ursa: G3–D7
- Vega: C3–E6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-D4
- The upper range of trills is a half/whole tone lower.
- Type keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2-D#2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D#6
Fast repetitions
Staccato repetitions at 120/130/140/160 BPM, with the choice of ringing or cut release.
These Patches are already prepared for use with the Synchron Player's time-stretching feature, allowing you to adapt your repetitions automatically to the tempo of your project with only two mouse clicks. The measured tremolos were originally recorded with 130 BPM. Accordingly, time stretching works best when using this Patch.
- Range:
- Tana: G3–E7
- Ursa: G3–D7
- Vega: C3-E6
- Wallia: C2-A5
- Xenia: B0-D4
- Tempo keyswitches:
- Tana, Ursa, Vega: C2-D#2
- Wallia, Xenia: C6–D#6
- Ringing/cut release: F7/G7
Pizzicato
Pizzicato, with no further options.
- Range:
- Tana: G3–G7
- Ursa: G3–D7
- Vega: C3–E6
- Wallia: C2–A5
- Xenia: B0–D4
Comparison Synchron Strings Pro and BBO: T-X
| Articulations | Synchron Strings Pro | Vel. Layers | BBO: Strings Pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short notes | Spiccato | 2 | Short Bold |
| Spiccato agile | 2 | Short Agile | |
| Short staccato | 5 | ||
| Staccato | 5 | ||
| Staccato agile | 6 | ||
| Short staccato fortissimo/harsh | 1 | Short Fortissimo | |
| Staccato fortissimo/harsh | 1 | ||
| Détaché | 3 | ||
| Legatos | Legato Cantabile/molto vibrato | 2 | Legato Strong Vibrato |
| Legato senza vibrato | 2 | ||
| Legato regular (normal/soft/marcato attack, normal/soft release) | 2 | Legato Light Vibrato (normal/soft release) / Marcato | |
| Legato agile (normal/soft/marcato attack, normal/soft release) | 2 | ||
| Legato espressivo (normal/soft release) | 2 | ||
| Legato very soft (flautando/pianissimo, normal and soft release) | 3 | ||
| Portamento (normal/soft/marcato attack, normal/soft release) | 2 | ||
| Long notes | Cantabile strong vib./molto vib | 2 | Long Notes / Strong Vibrato |
| soft attack (no vib.) | 2 | ||
| regular vibrato (normal/soft attack, normal/soft release) | 2 | Long Notes / Light Vibrato | |
| espressivo (normal/soft release) | 2 | Long Notes / Espressivo | |
| very soft (flautando/pianissimo, normal and soft release) | 3 | ||
| flautando | 2 | ||
| Dynamics | long sfz | 2 | Sforzato |
| long soft swell (normal/soft release) | 2 | Soft swell | |
| short crescendos | 1 | Swell short | |
| long crescendos | 1 | Swell long | |
| short diminuendos | 1 | ||
| long diminuendos | 1 | ||
| Ponticello | Ponticello – short, bold/agile | 2 | |
| Ponticello – long | 2 | ||
| Ponticello – tremolo | 2 | ||
| Ponticello – legato | 2 | ||
| Harmonics | Harmonics – sustained | 1 | |
| Harmonics – tremolo | 1 | ||
| Tremolos | Tremolos (normal/marcato attack) | 4 | Tremolos (normal/marcato attack) |
| Measured tremolo 120 bpm | 2 | 120 bpm | |
| Measured tremolo 130 bpm | 2 | 130 bpm | |
| Measured tremolo 140 bpm | 2 | 140 bpm | |
| Measured tremolo 160 bpm | 2 | 150 bpm | |
| Trills | Half tone trills | 4 | Half tone trills |
| Whole tone trills | 4 | Whole tone trills | |
| Pizzicato | Pizzicato | 5 | Pizzicato |
| 1 | |||
| Col legno | Col legno | 2 |