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VIRTUAL BOUZOUKI MANUAL v1.1
Welcome! First of all we would like to thank you for purchasing
Virtual Bouzouki from AKKI PLUGS. We all had a really good time
creating this instrument and we hope you will have a good time
playing it. This manual contains information about how to use
Virtual Bouzouki. Have Fun!
Contents:
Features
Requirements
How to load
Memory consumption
The interface
Keyswitch positions
The position of the samples in every keyswitch
Main menu in the script user interface (Perform)
Modulation-wheel functionality
Playing techniques
Moderate
Tremolo functionality
Chord functionality
Flageolet functionality
Glissando functionality
Fret functionality
Release notes
Midi CC positions
Known issues
Credits
Links
Features:
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2.2 GB 24 bit samples
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Advanced script programming
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12 keyswitches
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5 velocity layers of plectrum playing downwards
and 5 velocity layers of plectrum playing upwards
•
All four strings sampled and each string got recorded notes
throughout the full length of the strings
•
Release samples
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Control the hand position on the fret with the modulation wheel.
The position is presented on the layout
•
Polyphonic playing allows you to play multiple notes at the same time
•
Monophonic playing allows you to play Hammer-on and Pull-off up to
a range of a major third
•
Automatically down and up plectrum stroke that depends of how fast you play
•
Ability to down stroke only
Chords that activates when you play a minor or major triad with
automatic alternation between down and up
•
Flageolets
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Moderate notes
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Single tremolo that changes speed with modulation wheel
•
Third and sixth minor and major tremolo that changes speed with
modulation wheel
•
Glissando from and to note upwards the fret
•
Glissando from and to note downwards the fret
•
Fx
•
Phrases played on the bouzouki
•
Hand position near bridge/hole
•
Plectrum hardness/softness
•
Reverb, Delay, Compressor
•
Fully controllable with midi controllers
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Requirements:
Mac:
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•
Minimum: Mac OS 10.2.6, G4 800MHz, 512 MB RAM, DVD drive
Recommended: Mac OS 10.3.x or higher, G5 1.8GHz, 2GB RAM
PC:
•
•
Minimum: Windows XP, Pentium III 1GHz/Athlon 1.4GHz, 512 MB RAM, DVD drive
Recommended: Windows XP, Pentium IV/Athlon 2.8GHz, 2GB RAM
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How to Load:
There is two different bouzouki tunings - "Natural Bouzouki" and "Tuned Bouzouki".
Because of the fact that the bouzouki has a straight bridge, it never gets perfectly tuned.
Therefor we decided to tune the "Tuned Bouzouki" but also keep the "Natural Bouzouki",
which is the raw recording of the bouzouki.
There is three different types of loadings under "Natural Bouzouki" and "Tuned Bouzouki".
The same for both Natural and Tuned and the only difference is the letter which shows if
the bouzouki is Natural (N), or Tuned (T).
1. SUSTAIN N (ONLY)
2. SUSTAIN T (ONLY)
3. BOUZOUKI N (FULL)
4. BOUZOUKI T (FULL)
5. FULL N (NO TREMOLO)
6. FULL T (NO TREMOLO)
Here are two ways to load which version to play
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Memory consumption:
Depending on the different version to load they use different amount of RAM
1. SUSTAIN N (ONLY)
2. SUSTAIN T (ONLY)
3. BOUZOUKI N (FULL)
4. BOUZOUKI T (FULL)
5. FULL N (NO TREMOLO)
6. FULL T (NO TREMOLO)
52MB (Everything in DFD)
52MB (Everything in DFD)
290MB (Everything in DFD except Tremolo)
290MB (Everything in DFD except Tremolo)
77MB (Everything in DFD)
77MB (Everything in DFD)
The loading time is depending on the capacity of your system.
The Instrument is built upon 2230 wave files.
1. SUSTAIN N (ONLY)
2. SUSTAIN T (ONLY)
3. BOUZOUKI N (FULL)
4. BOUZOUKI T (FULL)
5. FULL N (NO TREMOLO)
6. FULL T (NO TREMOLO)
892 Files
892 Files
1570 Files
1570 Files
1317 Files
1317 Files
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The interface:
Native Instruments standard controls:
1. Output: Here you can re-route the out going stereo signal to different outputs.
2. Midi Channel: Here you can choose on which channel you want the incoming midi.
3. Voices: It shows how many voices you can play are and how many you are using.
4. Memory: It shows the amount of RAM you are using within the instrument.
5. Solo: Pressing it mutes any other instrument loaded in Kontakt Player. (if any)
6. Mute: Pressing it mutes this instrument and let other instruments play within Kontakt Player.
7. Tune: Here you can fine tune the instrument against other instrument if needed.
8. Balance: Here you can fade the audio signal to either left or right.
9. Volume: Here you can set the volume for the instrument.
10. VU meter: It shows the outgoing volume and if any clipping.
Information view:
This text line shows what is triggered and played.
The text line also shows which string the sustains are played in.
Use the red keyswitches to trig another playing style.
The blue keyswitches shows the playing range.
"Perform" is the main menu in the user interface where different effects and can be found.
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Keyswitch Positions:
C1
Polyphonic mode
C#1 Monophonic mode
D1
Up/Down (down when pressed, otherwise alternating)
D#1 Moderate (damped)
E1
Tremolo, single note
F1
Tremolo, two notes (play a major/minor 3rd/6th with right hand)
F#1 Chord (play a three note chord with your right hand)
G1
Flageolet
G#1 Glissando down
A1
Glissando up
A#1 Effects
B1
Phrases
These are all the keys that can be played.
Red are the Keyswitches (C1-B1)
Blue are the playable Keys (C2-B5)
If double pressing one of the keyswitches, that keyswitch
will be held until another keyswitch is pressed.
The position of the Samples in every keyswitch:
Sustain
C2 to F5
Moderate
C2 to F5
Tremolo single
C2 to F5
Tremolo 3rd major
(A#2+D3) to (C5+E5)
minor
(B2+D3) to (C5+D#5)
Tremolo 6th major
(A2+F#3) to (G#4+F5)
minor
(A2+F3) to (A4+F5)
Chords
major/minor triad
Flageolet
C-string
F2,G2,C3,F3,G3,C4
F-string
A#2,C3,F3,A#3,C4,F4
A-string
D3,E3,A3,D4,E4,A4
D-string
G3,A3,D4,G4,A4,D5
Glissando
C2 to F5
FX
C2 to B5
Phrases
C2 to B5
Hammer-on
C#2 to F5
Pull-off
C2 to E5
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Main menu in the script user interface: (Perform)
Perform is where the user can make changes for the following.
Effects view
Bridge: change the hand position.
The more is added under "Bridge", the nearer the plectrum-hand gets to the bridge.
The start-position is the plectrum-hand near the hole (0%).
Near the hole (0%)
Near the bridge (100%)
Plectrum: change the thickness/softness.
The more is added under "plectrum", the softer the plectrum gets.
The start-position is a thick plectrum (0%).
EQ view: Standard equalizer of three bands with controls for frequency, bandwidth and gain.
Reverb view:
Delay view:
Compressor view:
Help View: Shows the positions of the keyswitches
About View: Credits for the people who made this instrument possible
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Modulation-wheel functionality:
The modulation wheel has two functions. When sustain is triggered the modulation-wheel controls
which strings will activate on the specific note played. The higher the modulation wheel gets, the
more being played on the lower bass strings and contrary-The lower the modulation wheel gets, the
more being played on the higher treble/tenor strings. When tremolo is being triggered (single
tremolo or 3rd/6th major and minor) the modulation wheel works with the tremolo speed in real
time.
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Playing Techniques:
The Virtual Bouzouki has five velocity layers of plectrum down and five velocity layers of plectrum
up. It is programmed to play every other down and up when fast played and only down when played
slow. Hammer-on and Pull-off are triggered by playing an interval of up to 4 notes up or down.
Polyphonic:
In polyphonic mode multiple notes can be triggered at the same time. Hammer-on and Pull-off can
not be triggered in this mode. Every note is played clean even when they overlap each-other.
Monophonic:
In monophonic mode Hammer-on and Pull-off can be trigger when overlapping a note up to a
range of a major third.
Only Down:
By holding down D1 only plectrum down will be triggered.
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Moderate: (damped)
Moderate notes will be triggered.
C-string
F-string
A-string
D-string
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Tremolo functionality:
Each tremolo is about 10 second sample for more realistic feeling. It automatically loops and can
change speed by using the modulation wheel.
Single tremolo:
Single looped tremolo
Single Tremolo
Major Third Tremolo
Minor Third Tremolo
Third/Sixth major/minor tremolo:
By playing a major or minor third or sixth the equivalent tremolo will be played.
Major/Minor Sixth Tremolo
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Chord functionality:
To activate a chords you have to play a triad in either major or minor.
It's important that the keynote is the lowest.
The chords include major and minor, both played with plectrum down and up.
The chords are used for the first octave and repeated for the following three.
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Flageolet functionality:
The Flageolet-samples are mapped on the keys as they are positioned on the bouzouki.
Therefor the user has to control the modulation wheel to use the desired flageolet.
There is two velocities of flageolets. The lower velocity is moderate flageolets and the
higher is normal flageolets.
This is the mapping of each string:
C-string
F-string
A-string
D-string
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Glissando functionality:
There are two keyswitches for glissando. G#1 triggers glissando from high to low and A1
triggers glissando from low to high. Both keyswitches include two velocities where the low
velocity is glissando TO the specific note played and the high is glissando FROM the specific
note played. When played fast and with the higher velocity the typical bouzouki effect sounds.
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Fret functionality:
One and the same note can often be played on multiple different strings on the real instrument.
Whereas many other stringed instrument sample libraries only includes samples for the lower
fret numbers on most strings, we have recorded notes throughout the full length of the strings
in order to capture the timbral differences between these alternative playing positions.
This gives you increased flexibility and realism.
MIDI CC#1 - normally mapped to the modulation wheel by default - is used to set the left hand
playing position along the neck of the bouzouki. Low values gives you samples played on low
fret numbers and high values gives you samples played on the higher fret numbers. When you
play a note on your keyboard the string on which the fret corresponding to this note is closest to
the current playing position is chosen. Hence, the playing position implicitly determines the
choice of string and thereby also which sample is to be played.
Even if the note you play on your keyboard cannot be played at the exact playing position set by
MIDI CC#1, the best match will be used.
These are the 24 playing positions that can be controlled by the modulation wheel.
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Release Notes:
The release notes is activated when the playing hand release the note.
All Sustains and tremolos includes release notes to increase the realistic sound of the instrument.
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Midi CC positions:
These are the Midi CC numbers for which you can control the instrument using the
controllers on your midi keyboard or control surface.
Pedal
Mod Wheel
Pitch Wheel
CC 64 (sustained)
CC 01
CC 13
Effects:
Bridge
Plectrum
CC 20
CC 21
EQ:
Freq 1
Bandw 1
Gain 1
Freq 2
Bandw 2
Gain 2
Freq 3
Bandw 3
Gain 3
CC 22
CC 23
CC 24
CC 25
CC 26
CC 27
CC 28
CC 29
CC 30
Reverb:
Pre Dly.
Size
Color
Damping
Width
Return
CC 31
CC 32
CC 33
CC 34
CC 35
CC 36
Delay:
Time
Damping
Pan
Feedback
CC 37
CC 38
CC 39
CC 40
Compressor:
Thresh.
Ratio
Attack
Release
Output
CC 41
CC 42
CC 43
CC 44
CC 45
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Known Issues:
Because it utilizes keyswitching, all samples from all layers and zones are stacked
upon each other, therefor it might be confusing looking at the on-screen keyboard
as it shows both what's playable and what's not.
When playing Chords, the on-screen keyboard (key C4) might be flickering due to
functions in the script and there is no current workaround.
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Credits:
Carlos Giotis, Fredrik Nyqvist, Nils Liberg, Stavros Genaridis, Stefan Kåberg
And thanks to the Beta testers:
Charlie Storm, Erik Widén, Sven Bornemark, Lenny Ibizarre, Chris Harvey, Mark Ambervill,
Leonidas Tsalikidis, Stavros Gemitzoglou, Kostas Panagiotidis.
Original visual concept by Fredrik Nyqvist.
Thanks to Magnus Aronson for the visualization printing details.
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Links:
www.virtualbouzouki.com
info@virtualbouzouki.com
www.retrosampling.se
www.native-instruments.com