Instrument: Synful - Synful Orchestra v2.4.0 Beta

What's New:

Full String Playing Modes. pizzicato, bartok-pizz, col-legno, tremolo, harmonics, sul-ponticello, sul-ponticello-tremolo.

New Synthesis Engine. The new string playing modes are the first to use our new synthesis engine which preserves full 24 bit fidelity while still allowing us the flexible morphing capabilities we need for Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM).

New Control Parameters. With the new string playing modes we have introduced several new innovative controls: sforzando strength, tremolo rate, tremolo rate spread, pizzicato release sounds with release noise level control, release time adjust with timbre change on release, new bow noise control for tremolo. Try playing with release time, harmonic tilt, and harmonic parity, etc. on the new playing modes – the results can be quite interesting.

Keyswitching. To access the new playing modes you can use keyswitching, MIDI program changes, or the Control Panel. Articulations that normally occur in arco string playing such as spicatto, detaché, normal legato, bow-changes, attacks of various kinds, etc. are still automatically selected based on normal Midi input. However Playing Mode changes from arco, to pizz, sul-pont, etc. are choices that the composer/performer must make and keyswitching makes these very convenient.

Flexible MIDI Controller mapping. You can now map any MIDI continuous control to any Synful Orchestra parameter. No more Volume Only or Volume and Expression switches.

Flexible Control Parameter Names. The name of Control Parameters may now change depending on the Program and Playing Mode and are more appropriate to the instrument. For example, the old “sustain noise trim” is now called “breath noise” in flute and “bow noise” in strings. See Help for full details or just play with the Control Panel.

Simpler and More Flexible Program Management. See the Help for details about Local Channel Programs, Save Load Default Programs, Renaming Programs, etc.

Pre 2 .4 Mode. A number of things have changed in version 2.4.0 but we want to make sure your old projects load and sound the same. For the most part this happens automatically however there is a new button called Pre 2.4 mode on the Control Panel which is on by default when you open an older project. 99% of the time you can and should turn it off. See the Help section on Upgrading to 2.4.0 for full details.

Changed MIDI Program Number . It used to be that we displayed MIDI program or patch numbers from 1-128. Now we display them from 0-127. This will not affect your sequences or projects. It is just how we display the numbers in the Program and Playing Mode pop-up lists. So where Violin used to be displayed as MIDI Program (or patch) 41, now it is displayed as 40. The reason for the change is that most controllers and sequencers seem to do it this way (however, the fact remains that they do not all agree!).

Integrated Authorization. On Mac there is no more SynfulOrchestraAuthorizer – just a button on the Control Panel. Authorization and trial period status is displayed on the Control Panel.

Windows Machines Require Reauthorization. We have changed the copy protection scheme on Windows to be the same as Mac. See Purchasing and Authorizing in the Help for instructions.

Windows Vista, XP64 and Vista64 Compatible.

Mac Universal Binary, Leopard Compatible

Logic 8, Cubase 4, DP5 Compatible

Many Bug Fixes.

• Switching Programs and Playing Modes while playing live or in the middle of sequences is now much more reliable.
• Fixed problems in time-spread control over sections.
• Fixed problem with Pitch Bend control being undelayed under certain circumstances when Delay for Expression is on.
• Many more.

Features

• Realistic slurs, tonguing, and bowing created automatically from standard MIDI. No special key switches or phrasing tools.
• Instruments include Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass.
• Realistic string, brass, and woodwind sections. Any solo instrument can be made into a section with natural variation between players.
• Flexible player positioning. Solo instruments or section players are positioned on a virtual stage. Each instrument in the orchestra sounds like its coming from a specific location.
• Natural divisi. Play a line with ten violin players and they all play that line. Play a chord and the players arrange themselves automatically across the notes of the chord.
• Authentic rich vibrato controlled using the Mod Wheel.
• Patented Reconstructive Phrase Modeling technology uses database of recorded phrases. Fragments from the database are spliced together and resynthesized using additive synthesis.
• Innovative Controls: Harmonic Tilt, Harmonic Parity, Transient Noise Trim, Sustain Noise Trim, Gain, Tune, Pitch Wheel Range, Delay For Expression.
• Synful Pitch Wheel mode for realistic portamento slurs and pitch slide effects. Midi look-ahead anticipates upcoming notes and begins note transitions early –like a real player.
• Entire orchestra fits in 32M of memory and loads in seconds. 80-140 real-time voices on P4 1.5 GHz Notebook, 70-125 voices on Mac G4 1.5 GHz Thinkpad
• MAC OSX and Windows XP/2000 Compatible.
• Native AU, VSTi and DXi plugin formats.
• Wagner, Stravinsky, and Beethoven example projects included.

System Requirements

Mac

• Mac OS X 10.4.0 or higher (including Leopard).
• Universal Binary supports Intel Mac or G4 or G5 Power PC Processor
• Synful Orchestra will run on any Intel Mac or Power PC G4 or G5 processor. The number of real-time voices generated depends on the CPU speed. A 1 GHz or faster PPC or Intel CPU is recommended. Synful Orchestra takes advantage of the SSE3 SIMD Extensions on Intel and the Altivec processor extensions of the G4/G5. 70-100 voices are obtained on a 1.5 GHz PowerBook G4 with 1G memory depending on note speed and other factors. The number of voices scales up or down proportionate to CPU speed and related memory
  and bus systems speed.
• 1G memory required (2G recommended)
• 200 Mbytes of hard disk space required.

Windows

• Windows Vista32/64, Windows XP/XP64, Windows 2000 or higher required.
• Synful Orchestra will run on any Pentium class processor. The number of real-time voices generated depends on the CPU speed. A 1 GHz or faster CPU is recommended. Synful Orchestra takes advantage of but does not require special features of the Pentium IV CPU. Specifically, more voices will be obtained on any processor that supports SSE2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 2). These include Intel Pentium IV or higher and AMD Athlon 64 or higher. 80-100 voices are obtained on a 1.5 GHz Pentium IV with 1G memory depending on note speed and other factors. 30-60 voices are obtained on a 1 GHz Pentium processor without SSE2 (Pentium III or lower) depending on note speed
  and other factors.
• 1G memory required (2G recommended)
• 200 Mbytes of hard disk space required.

Price: $479.00:

 

"Realistic instrument simulations depend on the transitions between notes, as much as on the individual timbres. Slurs with varying amounts of portamento, lightly tongued or bowed note transitions, fast runs, detached hard attacks these note transitions are the connective tissue of musical expression. Whether you play live from keyboard or edit directly in a sequencer Synful Orchestra responds automatically with realistic sounding note transitions. There are no special buttons or phrasing tools. If you play staccato Synful Orchestra creates staccato attacks. If you play legato Synful Orchestra creates realistic legato transitions. Synful Orchestra models the way notes are sustained, the graceful onset of vibrato, breath sounds, the sound of the bow on the string, the change of tone color as a note becomes louder or softer. Using the innovate Synful Pitch Wheel mode, you can easily create natural string portamento. Synful Orchestra lets you make music like a musician not like a programmer." Via