Big Bang Orchestra: Phoenix

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.

Upgrade Info

The instruments in this collection were derived from our Libraries Synchron Percussion I and Synchron Percussion II, which not only feature more instruments, but also offer additional articulations. Owners of BBO Phoenix and/or BBO Quasar will receive discounts on the purchase of these Libraries.

Tip

Make sure you are logged in on the product pages, so you can see your personal upgrade discounts!

Walkthrough Videos

Included Presets

BBO Phoenix offers an assortment of pitched percussion instruments, including timpani, glockenspiel vibraphone, xylophone, Burma gongs, plate bells, and tubular bells.

Timpani

Timpani - soft mallets

Timpani five timpani sized from 20" to 32" and played with soft mallets: single strokes, rolls, and octaves. The instruments are stacked so that they provide a continuous chromatic range from C2 to C4.

  • Articulation Keyswitches: F1–G1
  • Range
    • single strokes left/right: C2–C6
    • rolls: C2–C4
    • octaves: C2–C3

Apart from the regular Preset, there is also one that features rolls with velocity crossfading.

Mapping single strokes

Mallets

Glockenspiel - plastic beater

Single notes. You can choose between a mapping transposed down by an octave for regular keyboards with 88 keys, and a loco mapping.

  • 88 keys/loco: A0/B0
  • Range: C4–E7/C5–E8

Vibraphone - soft beater

Single notes, played without and with running motor.

  • Motor off/on: A0/B0
  • Range: F3–F6

Xylophone - wood beater

Single notes.

  • Range: C4–C8

Bells and Gongs

Burma gongs - soft beater

Single notes.

  • Range: C2–C5

Plate bells - bell hammer

Single notes.

  • Range: C3–C7

Tubular bells - medium beater

Single notes.

  • Range: F3–F5