Symphonic Riot is very happy to announce the release of the new Dorico Articulate Map and of convenient associated Dorico Playback Templates. They allow you to automatically play your scores based on the entire content of most of the libraries in the renowned Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) Super Package, which presents the world’s largest sample database. The presently supported libraries include the complete Symphonic Cube, the extensive Dimension Strings and Brass libraries as well as several others, containing more than 500GB of pristine orchestral samples. With many dozens of different instruments and an impressive list of sampled playing techniques this should easily be the largest and most detailed coherent virtual orchestra accessible in Dorico.
The implementation is based on Articulate Presets which give you access to every single articulation in these vast libraries. They are consistent across the entire orchestra, so that you can easily move parts of the score from one instrument to another one, and they play as expected. Above all Articulate Presets give you unprecedented control over the playback via their signature 3D-control, which allows you to continuously control up to three musical parameters, like the attack behavior, the vibrato intensity and the section size, by blending the various sampled versions of a given playing technique. For the Dimension libraries the section controller even offers Auto-Divisi, i.e. in polyphonic parts the voices are automatically distributed among the different players–making the use of the vast Dimension libraries simpler than ever.
With over 750 individual definitions, the universal Dorico Articulate Map is one of the largest Expression Maps ever created. It implements all standard notation symbols and directions and even gives you access to all more special playing techniques included in the VSL, like recorded dynamics or phrases, via custom score symbols. Moreover, the Dorico Articulate Map fully takes advantage of the advanced new features in Dorico 3.5: for instance it automatically selects one of up to five different playing techniques based on the note length. Similarly, it realistically performs the flexible Dorico-generated playing techniques, e.g. by playing dynamic transitions, notated by standard hairpins, via velocity X-fade in Vienna Instruments pro, or trills via the unique performance trill articulation.
The Articulate Map even offers two different modes between which you can switch for each part at any point in the score: while Composer Mode plays everything fully automatically, Conductor mode allows you to shape the performance in detail using Dorico’s unique Automation Lane, which offers a level of control that was previously only possible in a Digital Audio Workstation. Based on the powerful 3D-control this allows you to realize the subtle nuances that distinguish a virtuous musical performance from a generic playback, significantly increasing the realism that can be reached within Notation Software.
Both Articulate Presets and the Dorico Articulate Map are fully documented via separate in-depth manuals: Articulate Presets Manual.pdf (1.9 MB), Dorico Articulate Map Manual.pdf (2.6 MB). Moreover, there is a full-featured demo to check out both the presets and the extensive Dorico implementation, if you own the corresponding VSL licenses. It includes the complete Flute 2 from the Symphonic Cube and the Viola section from the Dimension Strings libraries, show-casing the convenient Auto-Divisi feature. And even if you are not a Dorico user, yet, but want to see what is possible within Dorico by now, you can simply download the free Dorico SE to check out all features of the extensive VSL implementation.
, and it gives you the chance to immediately play the corresponding parts of your own scores with the included full-featured demo instruments (Flute 2 from the Symphonic Cube and the Dimension Violas). Moreover, you can directly check out the entire implementation (e.g. the playing techniques we implemented to access all the special articulations in the VSL, …). To see how the Articulate Map handles a really challenging score, please check out the Dorico demo score “Cygnus the Swan” for solo flute.