SYNCHRON-ized Saxophones

Introduction

Welcome to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s series of Synchron Instruments! SYNCHRON-ized Saxophones is based on its Vienna Instruments namesake, and offers a completely overhauled sample database optimized for the Vienna Synchron Player. Our goal was to improve the instruments’ playability and realism even more, which we achieved by enhancing the sample recordings as well as by utilizing the Synchron Player’s unique features.

The Saxophone

The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s and patented in 1846. Sax invented two groups of seven instruments each—one group contained instruments in C and F, and the other group contained instruments in Bb and Eb. The latter soon became dominant, and most saxophones encountered today belong to this series.

While the saxophone remained marginal and was regarded mainly as a novelty instrument in the classical music world, it began to become more widely accepted over the early decades of the twentieth century. Among the best-known examples are Ravel’s Bolero and his orchestration of Mussorgksy’s Pictures at an Exhibition (The Old Castle). Nowadays, it is not only a fundamental member of all kinds of jazz ensembles, but also has its place in the modern orchestra.

SYNCHRON-ized Saxophones contains the five most commonly used saxophones: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass. The range of articulations includes not only the classical repertoire, but also bends, tongue slaps, growling, screams, extended harmonics, key noises, and more.

About Preset

Synchron libraries generally offer different Presets according to how velocity is handled, arranged in separate folders.

“VelXF sus - MOD”: velocity crossfading is only activated for long notes, while the dynamics of short notes are controlled by keystroke velocity, thus facilitating phrasing.

“VelXF - MOD”: all articulations have velocity crossfading activated so that you can control dynamics with MIDI controller CC1, the modwheel.

“Velocity”: note volume is controlled by keystroke velocity just like a piano. Apart from that, velocity crossfading can always be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab.

Apart from that, velocity crossfading can always be enabled or disabled by clicking its on/off symbol in the Synchron Player's Perform tab.

Presets are subdivided into single and multiple note categories; within these, you can select specific articulations, e.g., regular single notes, or Major glissandos. If you happen to be short of RAM, you can deactivate Articulations you do not need, and activate them again if necessary.

Switching between playing styles and articulations is generally done via dedicated keys on the keyboard which are therefore called “keyswitches”. These range from C1 to F#1 for soprano and alto saxophone, and from C5 to F#5 for the low saxophones. Other keyswitches, such as release, direction, or speed, depend on articulation.

About Patches

Patches can be used to build your own custom Presets and adapt the Synchron Libraries to your specific requirements. For further information on constructing Presets, please see the Synchron Player manual.

In the instrument Presets you can also find a slot called "Custom" which contains 6 empty slots you can use to start creating your own setups.

Mixer Presets

For each instrument, there are a number of Mixer Presets that depict different recording situations. The basic Mixer Presets are Close, Classic, Distant, short and long Reverb without convolution, and MIR unprocessed; others (e.g., different positioning in the hall) may be added according to voice.

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

  • Range:
    • soprano G3–E6
    • alto C3–C6
    • tenor G2–E5
    • baritone C2–A4
    • bass G1–C4
  • Articulation keyswitches: C1–F#1; bass C5–F#5
  • Type keyswitches: soprano, alto starting from C2; tenor, baritone, bass from C6

The patches are mapped so that an instrument which lacks a certain articulation will have a copy of the preceding articulation in that slot, which in most cases will be similar to the missing one.

Short notes

Staccato; portato short, medium and marcato (soprano and tenor only); legato repetitions, slow and fast (bass: one speed only); portato repetitions; staccato repetitions; slaps; key noise (except bass); bends; falls.

Portato medium, marcato

Portato medium and marcato with regular, bend, and fall release release.

  • Release: A7–B7

Legato repetitions

Legato repetitions slow and fast, regular as well as crescendo and diminuendo with 5 repetitions. With a dynamic layer patch where dynamics can be controlled with the modwheel.

  • Dynamics: C7–D#7
  • Dynamic layers: Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC1, modwheel).

Portato and staccato repetitions

Portato and staccato repetitions slow and fast, regular as well as crescendo and diminuendo with 9 repetitions. With a dynamic layer patch where dynamics can be controlled with the modwheel.

  • Dynamics: C7–D#7.
  • Dynamic layers: Dim.Ctrl/A (MIDI CC1, modwheel)

Slap

“Slaps”, regular and muted. This is an articulation where the breath is expelled in a brief burst, creating a sharp, pizzicato-like sound.

  • Range: soprano G3–C5
  • Regular/muted: C7/C#7

Long notes

Legato regular (with and without vibrato) and fast with an additional autospeed patch, grace notes, portamento (except bass), and upwards glissandos (except baritone). All with regular, bend, and fall release.

Bass saxophone: no vibrato options, no dirty tones.

Regular

  • Vibrato: G#2–B2 / G#6–B6
  • XF vibrato: Dim.Ctrl/B (MIDI CC20)
  • Release: A7–B7

Dirty

“Dirty” notes with regular, bend, and fall release release.

  • Release: A7–B7

Legato

Legato regular (with and without vibrato) and fast with an additional autospeed patch, grace notes, portamento, and upwards glissandos (except baritone and bass). All with regular, bend, and fall release.

  • Release: A7–B7
  • Vibrato (regular): G#2–A#2 / G#6–A#6
  • XF vibrato (regular): Dim.Ctrl/B (MIDI CC20)

Autospeed

Legato regular with vibrato, and fast. Legato type is selected according to playing speed.

  • Speed: Dim.Ctrl/C (playing speed)
  • Release: A7–B7

Dynamics

Sforzato, fortepiano, sforzatissimo; crescendo and diminuendo medium; crescendo and diminuendo strong; piano-forte-piano. Bass saxophone: sforzato and fortepiano with and without vibrato; no sforzatissimo; medium crescendo and diminuendo without vibrato 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds; strong crescendo and diminuendo with vibrato 3, 4, 5 seconds; piano-forte-piano with vibrato 3 and 5 seconds.

  • Release: A7–B7
  • XF vibrato (regular): Dim.Ctrl/B (MIDI CC20)

Crescendo and diminuendo medium

Medium crescendo and diminuendo without vibrato at 1.5, 2, and 5 (except soprano) seconds; with vibrato, 1.5 (except soprano), 2, and 5 seconds.

  • Vibrato: G#2–A#2 / G#6–A#6
  • Duration: C7–C#7; C#7–D7

XF Vibrato

Crossfading between vibrato and no vibrato articulations of the same length.

  • XF vibrato: Dim.Ctrl/B (MIDI CC20)

Crescendo strong, piano-forte-piano

Strong crescendo and diminuendo as well as piano-forte-piano with vibrato, 3 and 5 seconds.

  • Duration: C#7–D7.

Flutter tonguing, trills, fast repetitions

Flutter tonguing, crescendo; half and whole tone trills; and fast repetitions from 140 to 180 BPM.

  • Bass saxophone: no fast repetitions

Trills

Half and whole tone trills regular and accelerando with regular, bend, fall, and cut release; regular and accelerando crescendo and diminuendo.

  • Dynamic: C7–F7
  • Release: A7–C8

Fast Repetitions

Fast repetitions regular, crescendo, and diminuendo at 140/150/160/170/180 BPM with regular, bend, fall, and cut release.

  • Dynamic: C7–D7
  • Release: A7–C8

Runs

Octave runs, chromatic and whole tone, up and down.

Scale: C2–D#2 / C6–D#6