Kirk Hunter Studios releases Front Row Violins for Kontakt

Kirk Hunter Studios has announced the release of Front Row Violins which, they say, "reinvents everything you know about virtual violin instruments". Designed for Native Instrument's Kontakt Retail, the core of Front Row is focused on simplicity and sonic results. Front Row includes a playable solo violin along with easy scalability to go from solo through to any section size of violinists you choose ranging from the single soloist to 16 players. Each player has been meticulously recorded separately, so you get a real and unique ensemble for every size.

Here's what they say: "Be The Violinist - Be The Maestro: When we say "Be The Violinist" we mean it. In Front Row, we introduce our proprietary live vibrato that allows you to perform vibrato with your left hand with the same theatrics that a real Violinist plays. This is indeed something to experience as it gives you the sense of performing the vibrato as a violinist does. Moreover, Front Row Violins does not stop there. Additional features are designed to provide you with full vibrato control with the amount, speed and fade-in control so that you can have your soloist perform all kinds of styles."

Front Row Violins uses true divisi technology where chords are intuitively and intelligently divided up among the available players in your ensemble. This makes orchestrating your violins a breeze as the instrument does the work for you.

YouTube.com/watch?v=FsuxJ-7juCs

Key Features:

• Available as a direct download.
• Designed for Kontakt Retail.
• Front Row Violins provides a full section of 16 players scalable down to a single soloist in one instrument.
• Auto-Divisi. No matter how many notes you play a chord, your chosen number of players will divide themselves among the chord notes.
• Staccato created from any existing articulation. But unlike other staccato articulations or samples, this feature creates a hard "bow stop" at the end of note which is often used in the classical and baroque styles.
• Auto Re-Bow. Front Row Violins detects the way you play and will automatically "connect" repeated notes for a realistic sound. Inversely, Front Row Violins will detect if you play in a "crisp or "sharp" way, and separate the repeated notes. So there is no need to choose these different playing styles. Front Row Violins does the work for you.
• Automatic "immediate" legato based on how you play.
• Not only can you control vibrato amount and speed, but they have added a new vibrato "auto fade-in" parameter which is equally important in string playing.
• Be the violist with Live vibrato mode for Solo Violin via selectable immediate vibrato. Control vibrato with velocity, a designated slider or any CC.
• Intuitive Playability. Front Row Violins senses your playing style and delivers a realistic result. It will "follow" you through bow changes, bow connections, re-bow, dynamics, vibrato, and attacks. This drastically reduces the need for keyswitching and MIDI automation.

Requirements:

• Kontakt 5.7.1 FULL version (not the free player version. There is no "add library" process necessary. Authorization and registration are automatic at the kirkhunterstudios.com website).
• 4GB of hard disk space (2GB for the downloading the compressed library [.rar], and 2GB for extracting the library).

Articulations:

• Arco.
• Tremolo.
• Half Step Trills.
• Whole Step Trills.
• Spiccato.
• Pizzicato.
• Harmonics.
• Arco Slur.

Playing Styles:

• Legato.
• Sordini.
• Portamento.
• Sul G.
• Sul Pont.
• Sul Tasto.
• Staccato.

Attack Styles:

• Smooth.
• Mezzo-Detaché.
• Detaché.
• Marcato.
• Velocity-Marcato.

Intro Price: $199.99 (Reg. $299.99).