Samplemodeling Solo & Ensemble Strings v1.2

The much anticipated new version 1.2 for SM Solo & Ensemble Strings is out!

Dear Samplemodeling Friends,
we are very happy to announce that a new version of Samplemodeling Solo & Ensemble Strings is now available as a new product or as a free update for previous customers. This 1.2 update brings several enhancements that we believe you will enjoy. We would like to thank our end users for their valuable feedback that also played a part in this update. To download this version, just follow the steps described below.

All the best,
Giorgio & Peter.

For new customers:

To purchase, please click on the BUY link of the product page.

For owners of version 1.1:

To download the free Updater files for v. 1.2, simply follow this link and apply your personal serial number (license key) to immediately download the content.

(The best way to get your personal serial number/license key is to copy it directly from your Native Instruments account, after log in. You can also view the serial number in your Native Access application; go to "Installed products", and click on the product ("Solo & Ensemble Strings"). The serial number will be shown in the tab "Product Description". The serial number can be also be found in the email you received from our shop right after the purchase.)

For owners of version 1.0:

The download of the Strings Update is a "dummy purchase" of the product file for 0 EUR. To accomplish that, please follow the steps below.

  1. Copy your Strings License Key, i.e. the Serial Number used for the product activation.
    (To view the serial number, open your Native Access application, go to "Installed products", and click on the product ("Solo & Ensemble Strings"). The serial number will be shown to the right, under "Product Description").
  2. Close Native Access.
  3. Go to the update coupon generation page and insert the serial number into the appropriate field. The page will generate your personal Update Key. Please copy it.
  4. Go to this ShareIt / MyCommerce! page.
    It's a purchase page for the new Strings version. Click on "Redeem Coupon Code" and paste the copied Update Key. This will reduce the price down to zero.
  5. Perform necessary entries to complete the "purchase".

The link to the product file will be sent to your email address. It's valid 2 months. Please save the downloaded content for future use. Please note that ShareIt/MyCommerce - our shop provider - does not offer any unlimited hosting of the purchased files for free.

What's new in Samplemodeling Solo & Ensemble Strings Update v1.2?

New features

  1. Optimized temporal dispersion of ensemble modules.
    It has been reported by some that the ensembles sounded too tight. We accordingly increased their temporal spread, maintaining some restriction at higher velocities to allow for fast repetitions.
  2. New fast attacks and accents under CC26 & CC27 control.
    The way these controllers influence short attacks and accents has been optimized. Now, fast and short attacks are more easily obtained using high velocities and low CC26 and CC27 values.
  3. New off-the-string vs. on-the-string release control.
    The basic principle remains the same. CC27, if above 64, controls the length of off-the-string release. If below 64, the length of on-the-string release. However, both the timbre and the length of the latter have been optimized, to allow for more realistic and much shorter releases. This permits short, fast repetitions to be more easily accomplished.
  4. New slap pizzicato (Bartok) for the Cello, Solo & Ensemble.
    Slap pizzicato was reported to enter abruptly above a certain velocity. Moreover, the sound was much too noisy and devoid of harmonic components. This has been fixed in this new update.

Important fixes

  1. Microtuning erratic loading of presets.
    In v1.1 Microtuning presets were erratically loaded. This has been fixed in this update. Presets are correctly recalled by KS B0 and KS C1-C2. Dynamic microtuning is now working using KS B0 + sustain pedal + KS C1 - C2 (in Cello and DBass B-1 C0 - C1).
  2. Correct positioning of CC7 in the Remapping menu (Ensemble Instruments only).
    In v1.1 remapping of Volume (default CC7) was positioned in the leftmost part of the instrument GUI. This might lead to the impression that remapping of volume was unavailable. This has been corrected in v. 1.2. Remapping of volume is now correctly positioned in CC Remapping 4 page, below Expr. Vibrato.
  3. Repeated bichords when CC27 was set to 64 yielded erratic behavior and missing notes.
    Fixed.

Other fixes

  1. The instruments utilize a series of CCs, namely CC41, CC113, CC121 for internal use. These midi controllers were previously unshielded, and could yield unwanted side effects if transmitted from external midi devices.
    Fixed.
  2. Remapping dynamics to CC1 and vibrato rate to another CC in the ensembles provoked a persisting CC11 warning.
    Fixed.
  3. Several other remapping issues.
    Fixed.
  4. Exiting tremolo lead to erratic note stop.
    Fixed.

What was new in Samplemodeling Solo & Ensemble Strings Update v1.1?

  1. Bugfixes.
    The instruments utilize a series of CCs, namely CC12, CC13, CC17 for internal use. These midi controllers were previously unshielded, and could yield unwanted side effects on dynamics and pitch if transmitted from external midi devices such, for example CC13 used by the TEC breath controller. This has been fixed in this update.
  2. New Cello (Solo & Ensemble)
    The Cello(s) have been completely redesigned, using a new set of samples and IRs, with the main aim of getting rid of some timbral defects, such an overall too nasal sound, and some unpleasantly resonating harmonics.
    Take a listen to these demos by Emmanuel Y. Lazzara:
  3. On-the-string vs. off- the-string attacks.
    This is a new feature, which has been implemented in all the instruments of the series. One can now select on-the-string attack (based on new marcato samples) by setting CC38 above 64. This CC controls the intensity of this effect. The resulting attacks are more gritty and aggressive, as requested by several users. If CC38 is set below 68, the attack will progressively turn into a spiccato. A pristine off-the-string attack will be obtained by playing a short note (less of 120 ms duration) with velocity above 100. This was previously attainable only if the duration did not exceed 40 ms, which was impractical for live playing.
  4. On-the-string vs. off- the-string releases.
    This is also a new feature, implemented in all the instruments of the series. Previously, all note offs yielded an off-the-string release. We have added an on-the-string decay, which is produced when CC27 is below 64. The lower the value of CC27, the shorter the decay. A similar principle controls the length of the off-the-string release, which is roughly proportional to CC27 above 64.
  5. Detaché and Bow Change.
    We made a thorough analysis of real examples of these articulations. Although they may vary enormously, from nearly inaudible to very scratchy, depending on the context, there are some elements which clearly differentiate a detaché from a slurred legato. We improved the reproduction of these articulations, adding and modeling suitable samples, whose intensity is under control of CC38. This controller CC38, therefore, acts on both attacks and bowchanges, making them more or less aggressive. The duration of detaché/bowchange articulation is controlled by the interplay between note-on velocity and CC26. This overall approach yields maximal flexibility and, in our opinion, represents a definite improvement over the first release.
  6. Ensemble Maker.
    The timing of note on & off is randomized according to logical rules. In this update it has been optimized by increasing the time dispersion of the elements of the ensemble, but reducing it above a certain note-on velocity to preserve the definition of the attacks. The dispersion is also reduced in the presence of pizzicato and col legno.
  7. Ensemble Size and Vibrato.
    The perceived ensemble size is still controlled by CC95. However, a more precise definition of ensemble vibrato follows. The ensembles have a final vibrato effect which is quite different from single instruments. For CC95 ranging from zero to about 70-80, the final effect will be that of a senza vibrato ensemble. Above this threshold, a slight vibrato will appear. Vibrato in ensemble can by asynchronous (the normal case) or it may have some synchronous elements (something that is more often present in small ensembles), corresponding to a first chair players. Our ensembles are by default exploiting asynchronous vibrato. This means that if one raises CC1, this asynchronous component will be more and more evident. For this reason the synchronous component (CC99) is set to zero by default. If one wants to add a synchronous vibrato, he should increase CC99. In either case, differently from solo instruments, optimal CC19 values will range from zero to about 40. For small ensembles, CC19 may even be set to normal vibrato values, i.e. 60-90. Feel free to experiment.
  8. Microtuning.
    The previous release used static microtuning. Up to twelve presets could be recalled by simultaneously pressing B-1 and any KS between C0 and B0. The present update adds another new feature for maximum flexibility, namely, dynamic microtuning. If the preset "dynamic" is selected, by simultaneously pressing B-1, the sustain pedal and any note between C0 and B0, the pressed notes will be subject to microtuning. Any combination of detuned note is therefore allowed and switched in real time.
  9. there are additional small fixes and improvements in this new release.
    You may be unaware of them or you may notice that some notes in some instruments sound better. We did our best to improve the overall sound. It took a while, but we believe this time has yielded improvements you will enjoy.

All the best,
Giorgio & Peter

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