The VSL Synchron string library comparison Part 1

Описание: #synchron #vsl
I guess that I am not the only one that recently dived into the VSL Synchron ecosystem and gradually started to get more and more uncertain which of the string libraries are best for each task, which of the string libraries blends best with each other and the like. There are many great demos available from VSL for each individual library, and there are also quite a number of walkthroughs and reviews. There is however a lack of detailed comparisons between the libraries. There is also a lack of detailed demos where the libraries are used together layered. Well, I therefore decided to make the video below. It highlights at least some of the strengths and weaknesses of the libraries and also demonstrates at least some combinations for layering purposes. Needless to say, these kind of comparisons will always be biased in some way or another, because you have to select what to show, which settings to use, which combinations ans so on. Still, by listing the settings and the approach i detail below, I hope you can increase your understanding on how these four libraries perform at least to some degree.

Featured libraries:
Synchron Strings Pro Standard
Synchron Elite Strings Full
Synchron Duality Strings Regular Standard
Synchron Duality Strings Sordino Standard

The following aspects were targeted:

1. Standard longs over the entire Vel.XF range single chord
2. Agile legato capability for various types of runs patterns
3. The different kind of shorts (detache excluded)
4. Romantic 19-century Wagner legato theme with and without divisi
5. Duality strings ships with different FX default settings than the earlier libraries for the same preset name. In particular, a plate reverb is used instead of the room reverb, and compressors are used on all mic channels. Therefore I tested both the factory presets (Tracks 4 and 6) and tweaked settings which aimed to resemble those used in the earlier libraries (Tracks 5 and 7).

Constraints:
Only the first violins are featured in this video
Only XF sus presets are used, for mic settings see below.
Only articulation keyswitches, Velocity levels and Vel.XF levels is changed in programming, the rest being factory presets
Each track has been recorded/programmed for Synchron Strings Pro (track 1) and then copied to the parallel tracks. Only the keyswitches were individually adjusted for each instrument. Track volume was adjusted in Mix console but not varied during playback.

There are eight tracks:
Track 1 (green): Synchron Strings Pro, Classic Decca Tree
Track 2 (yellow): Synchron Elite Strings, Classic Decca Tree
Track 3 (blue): Synchron Duality Strings Regular, Classic Decca Tree
Track 4 (blue): Synchron Duality Strings Regular, Classic Decca Tree tweaked *)
Track 5 (red): Synchron Duality Strings Sordino, Classic Decca Tree
Track 6 (red): Synchron Duality Strings Sordino, Classic Decca Tree tweaked *)
Track 7 (orange): Synchron Elite Strings, Divisi Player 1 tweaked **)
Track 8 (orange): Synchron Elite Strings, Divisi Player 2 tweaked **)

*) Classic Decca Tree but with all compressors disabled and the reverb set to Room Reverb with the exact same settings as for Synchron Strings Pro and Elite Strings

**) Divisi Player 1/2 settings but with both players using both the Ribbon mic and the mid mic

The articulations are shown in the video. For Elite strings I made two copies for the legato phrase. These copies are identical except that the second example makes use of slurred legato in some places and the first does not.