Dan Dean has announced the release of his Solo Strings ADVANCED DVD-ROM library in Native Instruments Kontakt 2 player format.

Priced at $199 (US) for the single DVD, this orchestral library has been completely redesigned featuring chromatically sampled Violin, Viola and Cello in both Solo and Ensemble configurations.

The library uses Timbral Impulse technology, developed with Numerical Sound, which allows you to match the DDSSA’s sound to a captured snapshot of a different string section or solo instrument. Also by Numerical Sound, a custom created library of Reverb Impulses custom designed for use only with the DDSSA.

An MP3 sample of the library’s capabilities is available below.

The Dan Dean Solo Strings ADVANCED is composed of 3 main instrument groups:

• All-In-One Instruments, which feature all articulations of each solo instrument (Violin, Viola and Cello) accessible via keyswitching. All six articulations are laid out on separate keyswitches – arco, spiccato, pizzicato, tremelo, half step trill and whole step trill. This allows you instant articulation switching. Legato control via MIDI or pedal is implemented. Dean has created special Short Attack sound files in addition to attack and release controls via MIDI. Alternation is also included in this group of instruments.
• Voice Control instruments. This is a new programming Dean devised for this product. A proprietary ensemble building technology was created, transforming the Solo String samples into beautiful, lush ensembles. Using the Voice Control feature, you can access a solo instrument, 3 instruments or 6 instruments via keyswitching or modwheel. In the case of the Violins, you can choose many different variants from solo instrument to 2 Violin 1+ 1 Violin 2, 3 Violin 1, 3 Violin 1 + 3 Violin 2, 6 Violin 1, 6 Violin 1 + 6 Violin 2 (12 Violins). Each of these ensembles has a distinctly different timbre. All of the Ensemble presets were captured in 24 bit and are extremely quiet. Attack and decay control via MIDI and legato control via MIDI and sustain pedal are also included.
• Legacy Programming. These are the plug and play/drag and drop instruments you have become used to over the years. Find the instrument you want, open it and play. Sustain pedal controls sustain. Keyboard velocity behaves is you would expect it to. If you want to adjust attack and sustain characteristics, it is ready via MIDI.

Dean returned to the original source recordings and retransferred the sound files, cleaning up the already beautiful wave files, so there is no noise or other artifacts in the DDSSA. The solo instruments are 16 bit full scale and the ensemble presets are 24 bit. The ensemble arco, arco SA, tremelo, trill half step and trill whole step are looped.