Standard Orchestra Documentation

The instruments in the Standard Orchestra version of Virtual Playing Orchestra work the same as many VST instruments, especially free ones. The volume of any note depends on how hard, or how fast, a key on your MIDI controller is pressed. Once you play a note, the volume of that note doesn’t change while you are holding that note. What was version 2.x of Virtual Playing Library is now labelled “Standard Orchestra” in version 3.x of Virtual Playing Orchestra with a few extra instruments added in version 3.1.

Instruments other than Woodwinds, Strings and Brass, are identical in both the Standard Orchestra and the Performance Orchestra.


Standard Orchestra Notes

  • Key switches are assigned to the following notes, with "n" representing where the key switches start

    Cn = Sustain (default)
    C#n = Tremolo (only for string section)
    Dn = Normal / General Purpose (mod wheel changes length of note attack)
    D#n = Accent (an accented sustain)
    En = Staccato
    Fn = Pizzicato (only for strings, of course)
  • NOTE: For the numbering of notes on the keyboard, C4 is defined as middle C.
  • There seems to be some confusion about use of the mod wheel. The mod wheel will only have an effect on the attack of the samples (how long it takes for the sound to reach it's volume after a key is pressed) on patches labelled "normal-mod-wheel"

Standard Orchestra Instruments

Woodwinds

Articulations : Sustain, Normal-mod-wheel, Accent, Staccato

Instruments Range Notes
Piccolo
(Solo)
D5-C8 Key switches start at C2
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller up an octave to reach the upper notes
  • Load the C3 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes up and you still want key switches at C2
Flute
(Solo, Section)
C4-D7 Key switches start at C2
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller up an octave to reach the upper notes
  • Load the C3 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes up and you still want key switches at C2
Alto Flute
(Solo)
G3-G6 Key switches start at C2
Oboe
(Solo, Section)
Bb3-A6 Key switches start at C2
English Horn
(Solo)
E3-Bb5 Key switches start at C2
Clarinet
(Solo, Section)
D3-Bb6 Key switches start at C2
Bass Clarinet
(Solo)
Bb1-A5 Key switches start at C6
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller down an octave to reach the lowest notes
  • Load the C1 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes down to get key switches at C2
Bassoon
(Solo, Section)
Bb1-Eb5 Key switches start at C6
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller down an octave to reach the lowest notes
  • Load the C5 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes down and you still want key switches at C6
Contrabassoon
(Solo)
Bb0-Bb3 Key switches start at C6
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller down an octave or two to reach the lowest notes
  • Load the C5 or C4 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes down 1 or 2 octaves and you still want key switches at C6
All Woodwinds
(Solo, Section)
Bb1-C8 All Woodwinds cross faded, spread across the keyboard.
2 versions:
  • centered in the stereo field
  • panned to orchestra seating positions

Strings

Articulations: Sustain, Tremolo, Normal-mod-wheel, Accent, Staccato, Pizzicato

Instruments Range Notes
1st Violins
(Solo, Section)
G3-A7 Key switches start at C2
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller up an octave to reach the upper notes
  • Load the C3 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes up and you still want key switches at C2
2nd Violins
(Solo, Section)
G3-A7 Key switches start at C2
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller up an octave to reach the upper notes
  • Load the C3 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes up and you still want key switches at C2
Viola
(Solo, Section)
C3-A6 Key switches start at C2
Cello
(Solo, Section)
C2-A5 Key switches start at C6
String Bass
(Solo, Section)
C1-G4 Key switches start at C6
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller down an octave to reach the lowest notes
  • Load the C5 key switch patch if you transpose the MIDI notes for the String Bass patch down and you still want key switches at C6
All Strings
(Solo, Section)
C1-A7 All Strings cross faded, spread across the keyboard.
2 versions:
  • centered in the stereo field
  • panned to orchestra seating positions

NOTES:
- Only instrument with SOLO tremolo is 1st violin

Brass

Articulations : Sustain, Normal-mod-wheel, Accent, Staccato

Instruments Range Notes
Trumpet
(Solo, Section)
F#3-C6 Key switches start at C2.
French Horn
(Solo, Section)
B1-F5 Key switches start at C6
Trombone
(Solo, Section)
E2-F5 Key switches start at C6
Bass Trombone
(Solo)
Bb0-F5 Key switches start at C6
  • It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller down an octave to reach the lowest notes
Tuba
(Solo)
D1-D4 Key switches start at C6
All Brass
(Solo, Section)
D1-C6 All Brass cross faded, spread across the keyboard.
2 versions:
  • centered in the stereo field
  • panned to orchestra seating positions

NOTES:
- Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone also have dynamic cross faded (-DXF) versions of all of the above articulations, such that the mod wheel can be used to control the volume and blending of low and high velocity layers to enable crescendo, decrescendo during a held note.

- Dynamic Cross Faded (-DXF) versions of "Normal Mod Wheel" (called "Normal-DXF"), use cc73 (attack time) to control the attack of the samples, and mod wheel to control the volume and dynamic cross fade.

Vocals

Articulations : Sustain, Normal-mod-wheel

Instruments Range Notes
Choir Male G2-F#4
Choir Female G4-C6
Choir Mixed G2-C6 Choir Male & Choir Female

 


Other Instrument Notes

  • Key switches are assigned to the following notes

    For Harp, C0 = Sustain (default), D0 = Dampened - OR - B7 = Sustain, C8 = Dampened
    For Timpani, C5 = Hit (default), D5 = roll
    For Vibraphone, C2 = Auto Dampened (default), D2 = Open, E2 = Silence all notes

Other Instruments

Strings

Instruments Range Articulations Notes
Harp Solo B0 - G#7 Sustain, Dampened Key switches start at C0 or B7. May need to transpose up or down to reach Key switches

Keys

Instruments Range Articulations Notes
Celesta C4 - C8
-
It may be necessary to transpose your MIDI controller up an octave to reach the upper notes

Percussion

Instruments Range Articulations Notes
Glockenspiel F5 - C8
-
Timpani C2 - C4 Hit, Roll Key switches start at C6
Tubular Bells C4 - G5
-
A3 silences all notes
Snare Drum
-
Hit, Roll
Xylophone C4 - C8
-
Vibraphone F3 - F7
Auto Damp, Open
Key switches start at C2, E2 silences all notes

Key Mapping for Percussion

Bass drum, Snare, Cymbals

Note # Note Name Instrument
36C2Bass Drum 1
38D2Bass Drum 2
 
48C3Snare Drum 1 Hit - Left Hand
49C#3Snare Drum 1 Hit - Round Robin
50D3Snare Drum 1 Hit - Right Hand
 
52E3Snare Drum 1 Roll
53F3Snare Drum 2 Hit - Left Hand
54F#3Snare Drum 2 Hit - Round Robin
55G3Snare Drum 2 Hit - Right Hand
56G#3Snare Drum 2 Tap (stick, on rim of drum)
57A3Snare Drum 2 Roll
 
60C4Cymbals 1 Roll A
61C#4Cymbals 1 Crash Lo
62D4Cymbals 1 Roll B
63D#4Cymbals 1 Crash Hi
 
65F4Cymbals 2 Short Roll
66F#4Cymbals 2 Crash Lo
67G4Cymbals 2 Medium Roll
69A4Cymbals 2 Long Roll
70A#4Cymbals 2 Crash Hi

Cymbals

Note # Note Name Instrument
60C4Cymbals 1 Roll A
61C#4Cymbals 1 Crash Lo
62D4Cymbals 1 Roll B
63D#4Cymbals 1 Crash Hi
 
65F4Cymbals 2 Short Roll
66F#4Cymbals 2 Crash Lo
67G4Cymbals 2 Medium Roll
69A4Cymbals 2 Long Roll
70A#4Cymbals 2 Crash Hi

Miscellaneous Percussion

Note # Note Name Instrument
43G2Triangle roll Hi
44G#2Muted Triangle Hi
45A2 Open Triangle Hi
46A#2Gong Hit
47B2 TamTam A
48C3 TamTam B
49C#3TamTam C
50D3
51D#3Finger Cymbals - Hi
52E3 Finger Cymbals - Lo
53F3 Tambourine Shake
54F#3Tambourine Hit
55G3 Tambourine Roll
56G#3Cowbell
57A3
58A#3Vibra slap
59B3
60C4 Quinto Hit (or high conga)
61C#4Quinto Tap
62D4 Conga Hit (or mid conga)
63D#4Conga Tap
64E4 Tumba Hit (or low conga)
65F4 Tumba Tap1
66F#4
67G4
68G#4
69A4 Cabasa
70A#4Shaker
71B4 Ratchet Crank
72C5 Ratchet Fast
73C#5Ratchet Slow
74D5 Castanets
75D#5Claves
76E5 Wood-block-hi
77F5 Wood-block-lo
78F#5
79G5 Triangle roll Lo
80G#5Muted Triangle Lo
81A5 Open triangle Lo
82A#5Sleighbells
83C6 Bell Tree 1 Stroke 1
84C#6Bell Tree 1 Stroke 2
86D6 Bell Tree 1 Stroke 3
87D#6Bell Tree 1 Stroke 4
88E6 Bell Tree 2
89F6 Bar Chimes A
90F#6Bar Chimes B
91G6 Bar Chimes C
7 comments on “Standard Orchestra Documentation
    • We live in a fortunate time where the tools exist that enable us to compose for an orchestra and hear that composition, without needing to have an orchestra.

      • You´re dead right!
        Imagine how skifull classical composers were. They had to write their composition from imagination to paper and find the money to put an orchestra together to play the score, hopefully with not much to amend….
        No me, clearly…
        PS. Thanks for the initiative :-)!

        • Also imagine how difficult it was to study orchestration without any recordings. Just orchestral scores and theory and the occasional concert. Not much room for trial and error to learn what sounds good.

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