The Vienna Symphonic Library has announced the Vienna Instruments, which will embed "intelligent Performance Algorithms" in an easy-to-use Windows & Mac OS X VST/AU plug-in to orchestrate a vast array of samples. Hundreds of articulations can be combined in one Preset and on a single MIDI track. Vienna's proprietary Performance Detection analyzes intervals, repeated notes, patterns, and even speed in real-time and automatically summons the appropriate articulation or nuance.

- Screenshot of the Vienna Instrument

Over the next few months, VSL will release ten Vienna Instruments that form the Symphonic Cube: Solo Strings, Chamber Strings, Orchestral Strings I & II, Harps, Brass I & II, Woodwinds I & II, and Percussion will contain a combined total of over 550 GB or more than 800,000 stereo samples in 44.1kHz/24 bit quality.

Each of the 10 Collections comes with the Software Instrument, Standard Library, and Extended Library on DVD. For each Collection's standard price customers get the software instrument (i.e. the audio engine with its user interface) and the Standard Library. Registered users of Vienna's existing sample libraries will be granted extensive discounts to upgrade to the Extended Libraries of the Vienna Instruments. The price of a Collection's Extended Library depends on how many single instruments a user is adding and how many sample libraries he or she has registered. For example, a user of the Horizon Series Solo Strings will be able to purchase the complete 38 GB of the Vienna Instrument Solo Strings Extended Library for a handling fee of only €30/$35.

The Symphonic Cube contains all of the samples that are included in the Pro Edition and the Horizon Series, plus much more, for example, Fast Interval Performances, Trill Performances (using the speed controller), gypsy and harsh styles, ponticello, sul tasto, ricochet, mordents, arpeggios, etc. New instruments include a small clarinet in Eb, a triple horn, new timpani, and taiko drums to mention but a few.

The streaming audio-engine can pre-load up to 25,600 stereo samples (e.g. on a 1.6 GB RAM Windows system), and play back a theoretical total of 3,456 Articulations (Patches) on one MIDI channel. Load times are extremely low due to pre-caching, and the RAM optimizer kicks unused samples out of memory. The lossless real-time de-compression minimizes the use of RAM and hard disk resources.

The VSL website has several Video Tutorials to show off and explain the Vienna Instrument's intriguing features.

Individual upgrade prices for existing Vienna Symphonic Library users can be determined using the Discount Calculator in their webshop.

VSL has also announced a Symphonic Cube Early Bird Offer and a 35% Holiday Discount on all of our existing sample libraries. More info at their website.