Sample Libraries

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. Synchron Smart Orchestra takes the donkey work out of MIDI programming by providing pre‑orchestrated tutti ensembles, percussion, choir, harp and a suite of lead instruments.

The latest Vienna string orchestra offers a unique dual perspective.

The addition of woodwinds, a third percussion collection and concert harp sees VSL’s Synchron Orchestra reach maturity.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. The library focuses on three essential playing styles: long and short notes, and an emphatic marcato delivery with a pronounced attack leading to a looped sustain, great for big histrionic stabs and dramatic final chords.

VSL’s new hall‑recorded brass collection aims for maximum grandeur.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars.  This lovely little library blends beautifully with the rest of the Big Bang Orchestra range.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. A new strings library from Vienna Symphonic Library comes as no great surprise, but this one’s a bit special.

The Vienna samplemeisters expand their Synchron orchestral range.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. VSL have added six new brass and strings libraries to their ambitious Big Bang Orchestra series.

The Viennese maestros go intergalactic with their full-scale orchestra range.

VSL push out the boat with hall-recorded rock power drums and two top of the range grand pianos.

The Vienna Symphonic team go forward into the past.

Early last year the Viennese company supplemented their Choir with a much-requested library of solo voices, which we examine here along with other VSL releases.

The recorder is an odd instrument: most of us have played it, yet it rarely appears in sample libraries. VSL have set out to remedy that by sampling four instruments of the recorder family.

A massive string ensembles library with individual player control is the latest development in VSL’s product line.

The Viennese maestros celebrate 10 years of sample creation with a foray into the world of vocals.

The new piano from VSL takes dynamic sampling to a higher level. Could this be the ultimate sampled grand?

• VSL Woodwinds II, Brass I & Brass II • Ilio Skippy's Big Bad Beats, Skippy's Noizbox, Stark Raving Beats & Ethno Techno • Ueberschall Urban Jointz

The Vienna Symphonic Library are well known for their amazingly detailed collections of orchestral sounds, and now they're providing them as virtual instruments. Will this take the VSL concept to a new audience, or is it a step too far?

VSL, makers of the world's largest orchestral library, have unveiled their next phase of development. SOS were at the launch...

Reviews/appraisals of the latest sample CDs: VSL Chamber Strings 6* • VSL French Oboe 6* • Zero-G Akoustik Bass Hitz 6* • PMI Consolidated! 3*