Vienna Smart Hits

Introduction

Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library's series of Synchron Instruments! Vienna Smart Hits was created to provide you with a collection of ready-to-use orchestral effect sounds at an affordable price.

About Presets

Vienna Smart Hits has two different Presets: one with a root key mapping, and one with a tonal mapping. The content of these Presets is described in the following chapters, but of course it is best to try them out yourself to find out what they can do for you!

About Patches

Patches can be used to build your own custom Presets and shape them according to your specific requirements. This may not make much sense with a heavily pre-structured collection such as this one – but if you still want to create 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.

Walkthrough Video

Included Presets

As already mentioned, Vienna Smart Hits offers 2 different Presets, in which the samples of Braams, Risers, and Swells are mapped following different concepts. Which one you are more comfortable with may depend on your working style, but also on what you are trying to achieve. Just give them a try!

Within the Presets, you will find that there are "organic" variants of each category (except Subbooms). These are strictly based on VSL instruments, although with ample application of effects and creative sound design. The "plain" variants are actually less plain, because here the layered VSL instruments were also reinforced with various synthesizers in order to extend the range of sounds into more synthetic terrain, too.

01 Root key mapping

With this type of mapping the variations of a sound category are arranged according to their root key, so that when you play them on the keyboard you get different variations on the same key.

  • Sound category keyswitches: C1–G#1.
  • Root key: Braams and Risers C2–C3, Swells A2–D#3.
  • Risers and Swells length: A1–B1.

Hits, Subbooms

The categories Hits, Organic Hits, and Subbooms have no other options. Each contain several variations of their respective type of sound.

Play Range: Hits C2–D#5, Organic Hits and Subbooms C2–D4.

Braams

The Braams category features short sounds with a drone-like quality.

  • Root key Keyswitches: C2–C3.
  • Play Range: C4–G5.

Risers

As the name indicates, Risers contain sounds whose tone rises gradually.

  • Root key Keyswitches: C2–C3.
  • Length Keyswitches: A1–B1 (short, medium, long).
  • Play Range: Risers C4–F4, Organic Risers C4–G4.

Swells

As opposed to Risers, Swells keep their tone but increase in loudness.

  • Root key Keyswitches: A2–D#3.
  • Length Keyswitches: A1–B1 (short, medium, long).
  • Play Range: Swells C4–F4, Organic Swells C4–G4.

02 Tonal mapping

With tonal mapping, the Braams, Risers, and Swells are arranged so that you get one variation per keyswitch, which is tonally mapped to an octave of the keyboard.

  • Braams subbank keyswitches: A1/B1.
  • Variations: Braams C2–A2, Risers and Swells C2–F2, Organic Risers and Swells C2–G2.
    If you hit these keyswitches with a velocity above 70 (mezzoforte, perhaps?) you can listen to a preview of the respective sound variation.
  • Risers and Swells length: A1–B1.

Hits, Subbooms

Hits, Organic Hits, and Subbooms are identical with their root key mapping namesakes.

  • Play Range: Hits C2–D#5, Organic Hits and Subbooms C2–D4.

Braams

  • Subbank Keyswitches: A1/B1.
  • Variations: C2–A2.
  • Play Range: C4–C5.

Risers, Swells

  • Variation Keyswitches: Risers and Swells C2–F2, Organic Risers and Swells C2–G2.
  • Length Keyswitches: A1–B1 (short, medium, long).
  • Play Range:
    • Risers, Organic Risers C4–C5
    • Swells, Organic Swells A3–D#4.