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Introduction
Thank you for registering your product and for downloading this manual.
At the time of writing (March 2004), we are preparing video tutorials to give you a
more personal insight into the abilities of the Performance Tool. You will be informed
via newsletter as soon as these tutorials are available!
As you will find 3 different manuals du to the slight differences between library editions,
we want to make sure that you read the right one for your purchase:
This manual is exclusively for users of OPUS 1.
If you have purchased any other product of the Horizon Series (Saxophones I, Solo Strings, Overdrive, Concert Guitar, Glass & Stones,
Mallets), please refer to VSL_PerfTool_Manual_v2_Win_HOR_all.
If you have purchased the First or Pro Edition or upgraded these
products with any product of the Horizon Series, please refer to
VSL_PerfTool_Manual_v2_Win_MULTI.
In a nutshell, these are the steps to take to activate the right Performance Modes for
your Performance Tool:
1. Register ALL your products on our webpage www.vsl.co.at/user.
2. Go through the activation process as described below.
3. Download the Tool Presets from our user area.
Getting started
Registration
In order to activate the appropriate modes of the Performance Tool, you have to
register your product at the Vienna Symphonic Library website. In case you havent
done so yet, please follow the instructions in your products manual.
Installing the Performance Tool
The first place to start after installing the DVDs is to install the Performance Tool. You
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can download the Performance Tool from the Vienna Symphonic Library website
(http://www.vsl.co.at/user). As you have registered your products (see above), you
have access to the download area located in the user area. The Performance Tool
comes in a .zip file which is not very large, so it will download fairly quickly even with an
average modem connection.
To install your Performance Tool, copy the .zip file to a folder of your choice. If
GigaStudio runs on a separate computer, burn a CD (or use a data stick!) on the
computer that contains the file, then insert the CD or the data stick into your GigaStudio
computer and extract the .zip to this computer.
Once youve extracted the contents of the .zip file to a folder of your choice, run VSL
MIDI Tool Installer.msi. The installer will guide you through the setup process.
Attention: If you have already installed an older version of the Performance
Tool, please make a backup of your personal Tool templates!
Otherwise, the installer could accidentally overwrite your settings!
Activation
When you start the Tool for the first time, you will be asked to activate the relevant
modes for your purchase. You can do this either online (if your GigaStudio computer
has an internet connection) or offline.
IMPORTANT: If you just extended your Opus 1 with a Horizon Series product,
please make sure that you register your purchase and activate the Horizon
Legato for all Legato instruments of the Horizon Series. For the guitars, please
use the Guitar Legato. We applied a new mapping scheme to these
instruments, so they NEED the corresponding Legato Mode.
To activate the Tool online, start your internet connection. Then mark the option
Instant Online Activation and click Next. Enter your e-mail address and the password
of your VSL user registration. Then, click on Activate!. The modes for your registered
products will be activated automatically.
For offline activation, mark Offline Activation and click Next. Note down the
Computer ID shown in the box. Activate the browser on your internet computer, go to
http://vsl.co.at/activate and follow the instructions. The Response Key will be
generated immediately, and a copy will be sent to your e-mail address. Enter it in the
corresponding box of the Offline Activation Wizard and click Activate!. Thereafter, click
Finish to complete the activation process. The Performance Modes for your
registered products are now activated.
MIDI Router
If you want to run GigaStudio and your sequencer on a single computer, you will need
to create virtual MIDI Ports. The Vienna Symphonic Library provides you with the VSL
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MIDI Router which was specifically designed for that purpose. It is available for
download in our user area. Please read the enclosed VSL MIDI Router manual to learn
more about it.
This manual assumes that you are conversant with the functions of GigaStudio. Please
refer to the GigaStudio manual if any questions arise concerning its setup and
configuration.
Horizon Series
OPUS 1: Alternation and Horizon Legato Mode
Mallets: Alternation Mode
Glass & Stones: Alternation Mode
Saxophones 1: Alternation, Horizon Legato and Repetition Mode
Solo Strings: Alternation, Horizon Legato and Repetition Mode
Vienna Concert Guitar: Alternation, Guitar Legato and Repetition Mode
Overdrive: Alternation, Guitar Legato and Repetition Mode
This manual describes the use of the Performance Tool with OPUS 1 from the Horizon
Series, which uses the Alternation and Horizon Legato Modes.
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In the upper right-hand area of the Performance Tool display, you will find drop-down
menus for MIDI INPORT (where your MIDI comes from) and MIDI OUTPORT (where it
goes to up to 4 with each GigaStudio and depending on your soundcard).
We suggest that you assign OUT 14 (for the different ports of the Performance Tool)
to Nemesys InPort14.
For the MIDI IN PORT choose the right port of the ports available on your GigaStudio
computer.
If you are working on ONE computer, you will need to create virtual MIDI
Ports. The Vienna Symphonic Library provides you with the VSL MIDI
Router which was specifically designed for that purpose. It is available for
download in our user area. Please read the enclosed VSL MIDI Router
manual to learn more about it and its relevance to the Performance Tool.
Attention: GigaStudios IN Ports must be disabled when you work with the
Performance Tool! To do so, go to Settings Hardware/Routing and set all
Midi IN Ports to none. Dont forget to press Apply.
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Click on the buttons PORT 1 to PORT 4 of the Performance Tool to adjust the
settings for each one of the four ports.
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The settings of the individual MIDI channels only display the modes that are activated
for your purchase. NOT AVAI simply is an indicator that this mode is not available, i.e.,
you dont need it with OPUS 1.
The File dialog
In the file dialog, located in the upper left-hand corner of the Tool window, you will find
two entries which are new in v.2:
Activation: this will lead you through the Activation Routine. Select this option whenever you upgrade or buy another product of the Horizon Series that operates with
additional Performance modes.
ShowEnabledModes: this option shows the modes currently activated for your
Performance Tool (this can be helpful to verify upgrading).
Loading the right settings
Complete Tool settings (.vlp files)
Use the File menu to open and save settings for the whole Performance Tool, i.e.,
for all MIDI channels at once. This is used for complete setups with several instruments.
Mode settings (.pal files)
To load the right settings for the mode of a single MIDI channel, use the open button
in the window in the lower part of the Performance Tool which opens as soon as you
choose your desired Performance Mode.
You can also drag and drop files: .vlp files (overall settings for the whole
tool) will open when you drag them to the upper part of the Performance
Tool. Instead of drag and drop, you can also double-click .vlp files.
.pal-files (the settings for each separate mode) have to be dropped on the lower part of
the Performance Tool.
IMPORTANT: You are currently working with version 2 of the Performance
Tool. Of course you can keep on working with all the settings and templates
youve already programmed.
Version 1 of the Performance Tool only had 1 Port. Therefore, when you load
v1 .vlps into the Performance Tool v.2, the first one will automatically be
loaded into Port 1, the second one into Port 2, and so forth.
The .vlp files of the Performance Tool v.2 use ALL 4 Ports, so that you can
create setups with up to 64 MIDI channels!
Settings navigation
Use <Arrow left> and <Arrow right> to jump to the next position in e.g. the Alternation
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IMPORTANT: As you have registered your purchased product, please make sure that you
download the tool presets from our user area. Of course you will only see the presets for
your registered products. Download these settings and save them in any place you like.
The direct link to our user area is www.vsl.co.at/user. Log in to enter the download area.
Legato Mode
Loading instruments
The Legato Mode enables you to perform authentic monophonic legato lines on your keyboard.
Specific Legato instruments have been created that work in Legato Mode. Legato instrument
files will always have perf-legato in their name, e.g., 12 CELLO-ENS_perf-legato, containing
cello ensemble Performance Legatos. The instruments themselves are named perf-leg, so
VC-8_perf-leg_f-porta will be a forte portamento legato, played by the cello ensemble.
To load an instrument, scroll through the GigaStudio instrument display and select the legato performance of your choice. For now, well stay with the forte cellos on Channel 1/Port1
of your GigaStudio, but of course you may try any other legato instrument you like.
Once the instrument is loaded, assign Legato Mode to Channel 1/Port1 of the
Performance Tool and load 12 CELLO-ENS_perf-leg.pal by clicking on the OPEN
button in the line above the legato mode settings. The tool will take care of the complex
keyswitching for you to create a perfect legato performance as you play.
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Release time
This slider sets the delay time of the note-off event for the legato transition. Its value
should correspond with the Legato threshold setting.
Function Keys: Ghost, Release Trigger, Repetition Trigger
With the help of function keys, you can access special functions directly on your MIDI
keyboard, or insert them in your recorded MIDI track to make your performance even
more realistic. By clicking within the appropriate fields, you can set the trigger notes for
the function keys.
Ghost: Press this key to have the next starting note muted. For instance, you could
later copy these notes to another track to have them played in another technique of
your choice.
The Ghost function makes it possible to start a legato passage from any other starting
note (from another MIDI track), e.g., from a crescendo, a diminuendo, a sforzato.
An example: In your sequencer, you record a three bar legato passage in piano (soft),
using legato performances. But you want a strong accent on the first note of this
passage, instead of the now recorded piano tone. So you decide you want to use a
fortepiano tone from the "Special Dynamics".
In this case you put a ghost function key prior to the first note. Now the first note won't
be played, but the second note still has the right transition from the ending of the (now
silent) first note to the second note.
Now you copy this first note to the MIDI track that is to play the fortepiano note. (Leave
the muted note in the legato track, as the second legato note still needs to know where
the transition comes from!) Playing both MIDI tracks, you will get the proper transition
from the fortepiano note to the legato passage.
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Release trigger: Use this if you want to have the last note of a sequence end with a
special release sample for increased authenticity. To activate this function, press the
trigger note after the last note is played. The release sample will be played after the
specified release time (see above). Attention: if you hold a note too long, the release
sample will still be triggered after the natural duration of the note, and you will hear the
sample as a distinct extra tone. The notes of legato performances are quite long, of
course, but for the sake of your computers memory they are far from endless
Repetition trigger: This key has the function of providing a legato repetition instead of
a fresh starting note. Press it before the repetition note when it should be part of a
continuing legato sequence rather than the beginning of a new one.
Alternation Mode
Loading instruments
The purpose of the Alternation Mode is to manage the keyswitches of a combination
instrument (one instrument containing several articulations) in such a way as to help you
create naturally dynamic musical phrasings playable as a single line in one MIDI track.
Alternation Mode will only work on Instruments that have keyswitching built into them
(especially COMBINATION instruments you find with the standard-gigfiles). If you load
up an instrument that does not feature any keyswitching notes, Alternation Mode will
have no effect.
Instruments best suited for alternations often have an all in their filename, meaning that
the instrument is a combination of all the basic instruments of that category. For a start,
lets load VI-14_standard_all-f from the cello ensemble (01 VIOLIN-ENS_standard under
COMBINATIONS) into Channel 2/Port 1 of your GigaStudio, as it gives you access to
several playing techniques at once (with little RAM usage, as it only contains f layers).
Naturally, you can also use the Alternation Mode to automatically switch between, e.g.,
downbows and upbows of cello staccatos, but for demonstration purposes, an instrument
with more possibilities might serve us better.
Setting Up
For now, please assign the Alternation Mode to Channel 2/Port1 of your Performance
Tool and load the Alternation settings VI-14_alt_standard_all-f.pal by clicking on the
channels open button. The Tool display will now look something like this:
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IMPORTANT: You will notice that there is an additional style menu (see above) on the
right hand side of the style display. This allows you to choose between Orchestra,
Overdrive and ConcertGuit. The correct setting for Opus 1 is, of course, Orchestra.
This will provide you with the correct playing styles for your style display!
The Style Display
The style display shows the function key of the selected matrix line, the number of
alternating playing styles, and the alternation entries themselves. You can switch
between the preconfigured playing techniques. These playing techniques need to
correspond with the order of the keyswitches of the loaded instrument. The
keyswitches are predefined. Please refer to the mapping list of your library manual to
find out the right settings.
Basically, all of the included Alternation Settings are perfectly preconfigured.
The Matrix
The matrix is where you can set up your individual alternations. There are 12 lines with
12 sequence entries each, so you can have 12 different alternation sequences in one
setup, giving you a lot of possibilities.
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The first entry of a matrix line shows the number of alternations it contains. The
contents of the active matrix line are also shown in the style display, so once youve
selected a line you can also work there for a better overview. Changes you make in the
style display will always be reflected in the active matrix line, and vice versa.
Lets go to the first matrix line and put a proper sequence in it. To set the number of
alternations, click in the upper or lower half of the alternation counter to increase or
decrease the value. Set matrix line 1 to 5 alternations for now.
VI-14_standard_all-f has the following techniques and keyswitches, as do the other
strings and wind basic sets.
Keyswitch
playing technique
Style display
Matrix
C1
C#1
D1
D#1
E1
F1
F#1
G1
G#1
A1
A#1
staccato
dtach, 0.3 sec.
dtach, 0.5 sec.
sustained
fortepiano
sforzato
sforzatissimo
crescendo-diminuendo (1 sec)
tremolo
half tone trills
whole tone trills
sta1
3s1
5s1
sus1
fp
pfp
trem
pz1
trem
V
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Remember, the Vienna Symphonic Library uses C4 as middle C, so you may have to
subtract an octave for calculations with your sequencer.
From the available instruments, choose, e.g., staccato (assigned to the symbol sta1
in the style display) for the first note. To do this, you can either set the number in the
matrix line to 1 or select the sta1 by clicking in the appropriate field and dragging
the mouse up or down. (You can also use the numeric keypads + and keys, or the
numerical keys themselves.) For the second entry, select 3s1, then again sta1 on 3
and 4, followed by one sus1.
Now you have a sequence of staccato (1), short dtach (2), two more staccatos (1,
1), and a sustained note (4). If you play on the keyboard, this sequence will be repeated
regardless of the duration and spacing of the notes you play.
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Thus, you can easily have similar phrases in your work played in exactly the same way
without having to worry about programming the keyswitches into your MIDI track.
ATTENTION: When polyphony is switched on, you have to release the keys to
access the next programmed playing technique! With every MIDI Note-Off
your next playing technique becomes available!
Base Function Key
The base function key sets the first keyswitch for the alternation matrix. As the matrix has
12 keys, you have to take care that they dont overlap with your instruments play zone.
For example, the double bass ensembles play zone is B0D4. Therefore, you can place
your base function key anywhere starting from E4 without overlapping. You can find the
corresponding keys for switching matrix lines to the right of each pattern in the matrix or
to the left in the style display, always according to your settings!
Polyphony
The polyphony selector is on by default. It serves to smoothe out inaccuracies when
you play chords, so that you wont get a staccato chord with one sustained note merely
because it came a fraction too late. If you do not activate polyphony, Alternation Mode
will let you play monophonic lines, but each note you play will automatically be the next
style of your choice, regardless of MIDI-OFF events!
Chain Mode
The last item in our alternation setup is Chain Mode. This feature allows you to link the matrix
lines so that you will get one alternation sequence consisting of all the matrix lines in
sequence! This is especially useful for long sequences consisting of the same articulations. It
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is still possible to switch matrix lines while Chain Mode is active. The sequence will jump to
the selected line and continue from there.
Customizing instruments
You can even customize your own Alternation Instruments (and share them with other
users!). So if youre interested in programming, this brief introduction will be helpful.
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Orchestra Styles:
sta1
sta2
3s1
3s2
5s1
5s2
pz1
pz2
fp
sfz
sffz
pfp
V
trem
lg1
lg2
run
staccato 1
staccato2
03 seconds tone 1
03 seconds tone 2
05 seconds tone 1
05 seconds tone 2
pizzicato 1
pizzicato 2
fortepiano
sforzato
sforzatissimo
piano-forte-piano
up-bow (also used for half-tone-trills)
down-bow (also used for whole-tone trills)
Tremolo
col legno 1
col legno 2
octave run
0run
cr2s
cr3s
cr4s
cr6s
di2s
di3s
di4s
di6s
dy2s
dy3s
dy4s
dy6s
sus1
sus2
sus3
sus4
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We hope that you are satisfied with this brief introduction to the intricacies of the
Performance Tool, and wish you a successful and fulfilling creative experience with the
Vienna Symphonic Library.
Please visit our Website http://www.vsl.co.at regularly for new Performance Tool
tutorials and for additional .art files and Tool settings. If you want to know more about
the instruments of the Vienna Symphonic Library, check out Instruments Online.
We'd also like to invite you to visit our forum to meet fellow-users of the Vienna
Symphonic Library and to share questions and answers about our library. Most
technical support questions can be answered by simply browsing this forum, not to
mention lots of user tips, advice, and inside information from the creators of the library.
Enjoy!
Your Vienna Symphonic Library Team
Copyright Notice
Information in this training guide, including URL and other Web site references is subject to
change without notice. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document
may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form, or by any means, or for any purpose, without the express written permission of the
Vienna Symphonic Library GmbH.
Vienna Symphonic Library may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, or other
intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly
provided in any written license agreement from Vienna Symphonic Library, the furnishing of
this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights or
any intellectual property.
Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.
Vienna Symphonic Library GmbH.
Draschestrasse 89, A1230 Wien, Austria
E-mail: office@vsl.co.at
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