Name: Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Shakuhachi Virtual Instrument (Full Library)
Brand: Vienna Symphonic Library
SKU: VIVSLSYY62F
Price: 111.00 USD

The Synchron Shakuhachi from Vienna Symphonic Library is a comprehensive virtual instrument based on the shakuhachi, a Japanese and ancient Chinese end-blown bamboo flute instrument widely associated with traditional Asian music. Noted for its characteristic emotive, breathy sound, the shakuhachi is an exceptionally versatile instrument, capable of everything from percussive attacks to pitch-shifting bends, and is now available for the first time as part of VSL's advanced Synchron line of virtual instrument libraries.

Like all Synchron products, this library was created using seven microphone positions with numerous preconfigured mixer presets. It supports stereo, 5.1 surround, Dolby Atmos, and 9.1 AURO-3D mixing. The Shakuhachi library includes 25 distinct articulations, all fully playable from the free included Vienna Synchron Player, and available in Audio Units, VST, AAX Native, and standalone formats for macOS and Windows computers.

Note:

This license is for the full library version, which includes all 12,336 samples in a 4.6GB library.

A Versatile East Asian Woodwind

The shakuhachi’s unique sound is unmistakable, characterized by its emotive breathiness. Two types of vibrato add variety and expression to the long notes. Typical elements are grace notes, bends, and a very distinctive attack when playing a note, as well as expressive playing techniques such as dynamic trills and distinctive grace notes.

Its five finger holes are tuned to a minor pentatonic scale with no half-tones, but using techniques called meri and kari in which the blowing angle is adjusted, the pitch can be bent downward and upward, respectively.

Played by a Professional

The shakuhachi was played by multi-instrumentalist, folk instruments expert, and member of the Synchron Stage Orchestra, Veronika Vitazkova. She played in many orchestras, among them Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, and Tonkünstler Orchestra, toured Europe as a solo flutist with the late Ennio Morricone, and played at esteemed festivals from Salzburger Festspiele to Hollywood in Vienna.

Having performed on countless film scores at Synchron Stage Vienna, Veronika feels very much at home on the large Stage A and marvels at the exceptional acoustics of this scoring stage that contribute substantially to the overall sound of each instrument.

Every Nuance Captured

To capture the spectacular ambience of Stage A of Synchron Stage, VSL's engineers employed seven phase-coherent microphone configurations to provide a broad range of room options. All signals are available as separate channels in the mixer section of the Vienna Synchron Player. A wide variety of presets offer perfect mixer settings and serve as great starting points for your own sound creations.

Minor Pentatonic Scale

Under the Content tab, you'll find a listing of the shakuhachi's natural sampled notes, which comprise its minor pentatonic tonality. Nonetheless, this software instrument provides a chromatic keyboard mapping of notes. In addition, legatos were sampled chromatically. If you want your composition to be played by a shakuhachi player, please bear in mind that not everything you write and play on the keyboard may be possible to perform for a musician, due to the nonchromatic nature of the instrument.

Articulations

Instrument

Shakuhachi

Range: C4 to D6
Scale: Pentatonic Scale (C, D, F, G, A)
C4 = Middle C

Short Notes

Staccato bold and agile
Portato bold and agile
Portato marcato, slow and fast
Short grace notes without vibrato, with vibrato, and with head vibrato
Dynamic trills

Long Notes, Legato

Sustained with vibrato, without vibrato, and with head vibrato
Marcato with and without vibrato
Flutter tonguing
Trills
Grace notes with and without vibrato
Espressive with and without vibrato (long notes only)
All with regular, fall, and accentuated release (except dynamic trills)

Dynamics

Crescendo with and without vibrato
Diminuendo with and without vibrato

Fast Repetitions

Repetitions from 120 to 160 BPM with ringing and cut release

Delivery Format	Download
License Type	Standard: Perpetual License
User Support	1 User
Sound Type	Woodwinds, Historical Instruments
Library Size	4.6 GB (Full)
Standalone Operation	Yes
System Compatibility/Requirements	Operating System: macOS/Windows Software Requirements: Vienna Synchron Player USB Key Authentication: Required (iLok Cloud/iLok3/iLok2)

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron Shakuhachi Virtual Instrument (Full Library)

Vienna Symphonic Library Shakuhachi Overview

Vienna Symphonic Library Shakuhachi Specs

Vienna Symphonic Library Shakuhachi Reviews