Rinascimento Strings

If it ain't Baroque, don't fix it... I've always wanted a reason to say that!

The Baroque Violin is an interesting predecessor instrument. On the one hand it sounds tantalizingly familiar and on the other hand just a bit alien. The notes sound wider and less precise that a modern violin. It sort of sounds like somehow the violinist is playing a string and a half. Also the top note is G6 so the range is about an octave less than the modern violin.

The longs tend to build up slowly here, so make sure you use the Staccato for your shorts. In quite a few of the Rinascimento instruments, the Sustains are quick enough to fake Staccato pretty well, but here you definitely need to do some key switching. Also here and elsewhere using the Staccato will help avoid the shotgun effect and the Staccatos tend to have 4x round robins.

I was just playing around with a melody I wrote for a class I'm taking about music for gaming. The melody was actually written for flute, but I figured I would try it with the Baroque Violin. At first it was too fast and sounded just OK. Then I cut the speed, used the Far mic and let the legatos linger and Wow it sounded like a really well played medieval violin tune. Imagine if you were in a tavern in 1700 and the violist stepped forward and said "Let us slowest this downeth with a melancholy tune.' and then played a slow lament which had everyone crying into their meed. That was the feel.

While I do have some issues with this package, as I play around a bit and try some composing, it really does hit a certain vibe that is quite rare. I put up two versions of something I did, one with instruments from Rinascimento and the other with nice modern instruments. Someone I respect said in paraphrase, that he preferred the Rinascimento version as the other version sounded like a standard medieval theme played by modern instruments while the Rinascimento sounded like it could really have been from the medieval world. I think for a more authentic feeling medieval historical or fantasy game or movie, this would be a perfect fit.

One of the great features of this interface, and it is a good one, is the ability to change the dynamic range. I would consider adjusting this for each instrument. I wasn't think of this on some earlier instruments and was frustrated by the lack of dynamic range. Then I looked at the "Instrument Settings" tab and there was a "Dynamic Range Adjustment". Just click, hold and pull the mouse up or down to change. I went with -60 for the Violin as I guess I like more dynamic range than most.

The other thing I didn't personally like was the Sustain / Legato release, so I clicked on the cogwheel beside Sustain and opened the Articulation Changer. I simply clicked the Staccato and Chose None and the little release was gone. Of course you may well like the release. Still it is nice to have the ability to change various parts of the Legato that easily. I don't own other Fluffy Audio instruments, largely because I had already spent money on other things before I knew Fluffy existed, but I suspect this Legato and the ability to customize it so much is a big selling point for their Modern Strings and Woodwinds. We'll get a little plug for Fluffy audio in there. Good People, Good Instruments. That's not their slogan but it should be. OK back to review and after that plug I'm going to gripe.

This is an instrument where I think the lack of round robins and chromatic sampling really does hurt. Judging from some little scores I've found of Medieval tunes and some midis, it isn't uncommon to go down half a step on occasion and to repeat notes. If you do these things using the Sustain without triggering Legato, you do notice that the same sample is being played repeatedly.

The Vielle is the predecessor to the Viola. Like the Viola today, it is a bit slower and more relaxed than the Baroque Violin. At the bottom of its range, it is somewhat raspy before becoming quite sweet at in the mid to upper mid range. At the very top it gets a bit shrill. The notes about the Violin generally apply here. Realistic sound for medieval use, lack of sustain round robins hurts and generally well sampled and well miced. It should work well in support of the Violin or as a mellower lead instrument.

The Hurdy Gurdy. I couldn't be more out of my depth if I were doing commentary on the Saturn versus Jupiter Interplanetary Luge Lacrosse Finals. Check this Ted Talks vid to see what one is.

So there seems to be a buzzing rhythm maker thingy called a Trompette that can be used at will to add a weird barking beat to the Hurdy Gurdy. The irony after my complaints about lack of sustain round robins and velocity layers, this has both. It also has a an arpeggiator that allows you to create your own rhythm, change speeds and choose keys. The Red 'Black' Keys change the arp patterns on the fly. I think I can say without fear of contradiction that this is the most advanced Trompette simulator on earth today. The Trompette play key is the Purple key closest to the blue playing keys.

There are also Drone notes due to unplayed strings on the side of the regular strings on the Hurdy Gurdy. These are influenced by the playing strings and resonate with them. I think. Anyway the lower Purple Keys seem to play the drone notes. Think of them like that constant drone on a Bagpipe.

The actual notes are somewhat like a slightly higher version of a violin mixed with a touch of bagpipe. On the lower registers you get a touch of the synthesizer sine wave sound as well. A little bit does go a long way. One note is that some of the Staccato releases have some slightly odd buzzing and one sounds a bit like a horn honking. Somehow this all just adds to the Hurdy Gurdy flavor.

Depending on how you play it, the Hurdy Gurdy can be a replacement for a Bagpipe, use the Drones, and has a much wider range. It can also sub as an odd sounding violin without the Drones. Then again you can use the Trompette for bizarre rhythm. Or you can try Drone, Trompette and the Notes all together and try to make an actually Hurdy Gurdy sound. You are definitely going to need both hands to do this. A truly bizarre and eclectic instrument. I think I'm glad I own a digital version. If nothing else it makes all the other digital instruments seem normal.

And there you have a ramble about the strings. An interesting three instrument pack that is similar but different enough from solo violin and viola to be quite useful alternatives and of course the oddball instrument that is fun just to have.

Next - Flutes