Page 1
Page 2
A Guide to
GARRITAN
PERSONAL ORCHESTRA
Version 4
®
Page 3
A Guide to
GARRITAN
PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Including the ARIATM Player
And including ProjectSAM sounds
Copyright © 2010 by Garritan Corp. All rights reserved.
This guide written by: Gary Garritan and Tom Hopkins
Produced by: Gary Garritan
Director of Programming: Tom Hopkins
ARIA Engine Development: Plogue Art et Technologie Inc
Additional Programming: Eric Patenaude, Jeff Hurchalla
Document Editing: David Sosnowski and the
Extraordinary Team of Beta Testers
MIDI Programming: Markleford Friedman
Art Direction: James Mireau
Project Management: Max Deland
Select Brass Samples: Project SAM
Garritan Personal Orchestra® is a registered trademark of Garritan Corp. Use of the Garritan Personal
Orchestra® library and the contents herein are subject to the terms and conditions of the license agreement distributed with the library. You should carefully read the license agreement before using this
product. e sounds presented in Garritan Personal Orchestra® are protected by copyright and cannot be
distributed, whether modified or unmodified. e Guide to Garritan Personal Orchestra and instrument
lists contained herein are also covered by copyright. ARIA™ is a trademark of Garritan and Plogue Art et
Technologie Inc. Finale is a trademark of MakeMusic, Sibelius a trademark of Avid Corporation, Stein-
way™ is trademark of Steinway & Sons, and any other trademarks of third-party programs are trademarks of their respective owners. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise
transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Garritan Corporation.
e information contained herein may change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of Garritan Corporation.
Garritan Personal Orchestra
Garritan Corporation
P.O. Box 400, Orcas, WA 98280 USA
e-mail: info@garritan.com
Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.garritan.com
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Table of Contents
Welcome to Personal Orchestra 6
Features of the Garritan Personal Orchestra 7
What is Personal Orchestra? 8
Uses for the Garritan Personal Orchestra 8
End User License Agreement 9
What’s Included 10
How to Use is Manual 10
Further Documentation and Resources 11
Specifications & Computer System Requirements 11
Regarding Sound Cards & Midi Interfaces 13
Regarding Speakers, Amplification and Headphones 14
Regarding 64-bit Computing 14
INSTALLATION 16
Installing Garritan Personal Orchestra 17
Mac Setup (For Windows Setup see next Section) 17
Windows Setup: 21
1. e Garritan Personal Orchestra Setup Wizard 21
2. e ARIA Engine Installer 25
3. e ARIA Player Installer 25
4. e Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Sound Library Installer 26
ACTIVATION 30
Activating Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 31
Log onto the Garritan Registration Site 32
Product Registration: Enter Your Serial Number: 33
e Activation Keycard 35
Final Step: Activating Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 35
Updating to Latest Version 38
HOW TO USE GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA 40
How to Use Garritan Personal Orchestra 41
Playing the Garritan Personal Orchestra as a Standalone Application (‘Live’ Play) 41
Launching the Garritan Personal Orchestra in Standalone Mode 41
Basic Setup Information for Standalone Mode 41
File Menu for Loading and Saving Presets in the Standalone 43
Tools Menu—Standalone Mode ONLY 43
MIDI File Player and Audio Recorder (Standalone Version Only) 45
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra as an Instrument Plug-In 46
Basic Setup Information for Using the Garritan Personal Orchestra as a Plug-In Instrument 47
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra in a Specific Music Program or Sequencer 47
Saving Personal Orchestra Parameters in a Music Program or Sequencer 48
VST Expression Support 49
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra with a Notation Program 49
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HOW THE ARIA PLAYER WORKS 50
How the Garritan Aria Player Works 51
e Basic Interface and the View Screens 51
e Mixer Window 52
Controls Window 53
Effects Window 58
Settings Window 62
PLAYING GARRITAN INSTRUMENTS 64
Playing Garritan Instruments 63
Basic Controls (Brass, Wind and String Instruments from Personal Orchestra) 63
e Real-Time Control System (for Brass, Winds and Strings) 63
1. Modulation Wheel Control (Volume and Expression for Sustain Instruments) 64
2. Note Velocity (Attack for Sustain Instruments/ Volume for Percussive Instruments) 68
3. Sustain Pedal (Legato for Sustain Instruments / Sustain for Percussive Instruments) 68
4. Keyswitching (Changing Articulations and Techniques In Real-Time) 71
5. Other Controls 72
Putting It All Together for a Real-Time Performance 74
Building Sections from Individual Instruments 75
An Overview of the Orchestra 76
String Instruments 78
e Woodwind Instruments 83
e Brass Instruments 88
e Percussion Instruments 93
e Keyboard Instruments and the Harp 98
LIST OF INSTRUMENTS 103
Directory of Instruments in Personal Orchestra 105
Ensemble Files 146
CODA 150
Conclusion 151
Getting Help 152
e Garritan Community 153
Acknowledgments 154
Downloadable Sounds! 155
ADDENDUM 155
Appendix A: Quick MIDI Controller Reference Guide for Personal Orchestra 157
Downloadable Sounds and Other Garritan Products 160
Free Interactive Orchestration Course 161
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Welcome to Personal Orchestra
We have all cherished the sound of a symphony orchestra. Orchestral music is everywhere around
us—in the movies, on television, in interactive games, live performances, radio and in public venues.
It is hard to escape the power and influence that orchestral music has. What makes orchestral music
so expressive and vibrant is its wide variety of instruments. Each and every instrument has a unique
sound capable of expressing the entire range of human emotion. When played together, the instru-
ments blend into a wonderful symphony of sound.
Sometimes we might even wonder how it feels to conduct an orchestra or how our music would
sound in the hands of a capable orchestra. New computing and sampling technology now makes this
possible. With Personal Orchestra the grandeur of a symphony is at your command.
Personal Orchestra has become a standard in the industry and has brought digital orchestration with-
in reach of almost all musicians. We are pleased to offer this fourth edition with the new ARIA sample
engine, new instruments (including the renowned Project SAM Brass) and new programming.
Garritan Personal Orchestra is a dynamic library that is evolving and growing. Please check our
website at www.garritan.com for the latest up-to-date information, updates, FAQs, troubleshooting,
helpful hints and tutorials.
My goal is to bring the power and majesty of a full symphony orchestra into the hands of any musi-
cian who has wanted to enhance their music. It is my hope that Personal Orchestra will enable you
to make great music and that it will enrich your life.
Yours in music,
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Features of the Garritan Personal Orchestra
A Complete Orchestra at your Fingertips—Garritan Personal Orchestra is an award-winning
1.
orchestral library that has become the industry standard. Affordable, easy-to-use and compre-
hensive. It includes all the major instruments of the orchestra—strings, brass, woodwinds,
percussion and keyboards.
Highest Quality Orchestral Instruments—includes the highest quality collection of orches-
2.
tral instruments ever sampled. Quality instruments such as a Steinway® grand piano, Stradivari
and Guarneri violins, concert harps, celesta, concert pipe organ, and many other fine instru-
ments.
No Sampler Required—e entire orchestral library is integrated into the ARIA Player and
3.
works as a virtual instrument. No need to purchase a separate sampler.
Easy-to-Use—Create great-sounding orchestral music quickly and easily. Just load your instru-
4.
ments and play. Standardized controls allow you to become familiar with the library quickly
and master all the instruments easily. Play articulations in real-time and get expressive human-
sounding performances. Express your musical ideas fast and with minimal effort.
Ensemble Making—Garritan Personal Orchestra provides individual instruments from which
5.
you can build your own ensembles and sections the way you want. Construct solos, duos, trios,
quartets, chamber groups, ensembles, sections, or a full symphony orchestra.
Notation Integration to Play from the Score—You can play your orchestrations directly from
6.
the score of supported notation programs.
Universal Format—Supports all popular formats, Mac and PC, as a standalone program or as
7.
a plug-in (VST, RTAS, and OSX AudioUnits), and works with supported notation programs.
An entire orchestra can be loaded on a single PC or laptop.
Suited for Everybody—Professional film composers can use this collection for quick orches-
8.
tral sketches and capturing creative ideas. Hobbyists can use it for adding orchestrations to
their tracks. Educators and students can use it for scoring projects or studying orchestration.
Imagine orchestrating at the beach, or on a plane, or anywhere!
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
What is Personal Orchestra?
Garritan Personal Orchestra is state-of-the-art software that reproduces the sounds of a symphony
orchestra. It has set the standard for orchestral sample libraries.
At its core, Garritan Personal Orchestra contains samples of many meticulously recorded orchestral
instruments. Personal Orchestra integrates a uniquely powerful and high-performance specialized
software sampler designed by Plogue Art et Technologie Inc. More than just sampling, the ARIA in-
strument engine includes specially tailored acoustic programming designed to reproduce the sounds
of real orchestral instruments.
e included ARIA player can work as a standalone or as a plug-in for most major sequencing audio
programs and supported notation programs.
Uses for the Garritan Personal Orchestra
Music composition and arrangement
•
Home and project recording studios to provide symphonic orchestral sounds
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A tool with which to learn orchestration in schools, music colleges and conservatories
•
Working on scores and parts before committing to a real orchestra
•
When accompaniment is needed for practice
•
Rehearsal before a performance
•
Live performance
•
A portable instrument for playing with friends or on stage
•
Our goal is to bring the rich sound of an orchestra to as many musicians as we can with the high-
est degree of realism possible on current home computer
hardware. We believe, however, that no matter how tech-
nologically advanced software instruments may become,
no virtual simulation can ever replace a real orchestra. It
is our hope that this software orchestra will lead people to
consider working with real orchestras and real musicians.
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End User License Agreement
Please read the terms of the following software licensing agreement before using this software. By installing and
loading these products on your computer you acknowledge that you have read this license agreement, understand the agreement, and agree to its terms and conditions. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions,
do not install or use the sounds contained herein. is is the complete agreement between you and Garritan
Corporation that supersedes any other representations or prior agreements, whether oral or in writing.
An important thing to understand is that YOU ARE OBTAINING A LICENSE FOR YOUR USE ONLY—
THE SOUNDS DO NOT BELONG TO YOU. e implications are described below. e sounds, samples
and programming in the Garritan Personal Orchestra remain the sole property of Garritan Corp. and are
licensed (not sold) to you.
What You May Do: You can use these sounds in recordings, music productions, public performances, and
other reasonable musical purposes within musical compositions. You can use these sounds in your own musical compositions as much as you like without any need to pay Garritan Corporation or obtain further permission. If you do use these sounds, we ask that in any written materials or credits accompanying your music that
utilizes material from the Garritan Personal Orchestra (CD booklet, film credits, etc.), that you include the following courtesy credits: “Instrument samples used in this recording are from the Garritan Personal Orchestra”—or
a similar credit where practicable. You are allowed a maximum of four (4) installations per purchase.
What You May Not Do: e enclosed sounds cannot be re-used in any commercial sample library or competi-
tive product. You are absolutely forbidden to duplicate, copy, distribute, transfer, upload, download, trade or
loan this software or any of the contents in any way to anyone. You cannot redistribute this product in whole
or in part through an archive, collection, through the Internet, or a binaries group, newsgroup, or any type of
removable media, or through a network. You cannot resell the product without written permission and payment of an additional fee. e sounds and samples contained within this software cannot be edited, modified,
digitally altered, re-synthesized or manipulated without direct written consent from Garritan Corporation.
Disclaimers and Conditions: A right to use the Garritan Personal Orchestra is granted to the original end-user
only, and this license is not transferable unless there is written consent from Garritan Corporation and payment of an additional fee. e sounds of the Garritan Personal Orchestra will only work with the bundled
Garritan ARIA Player and will not work with any other sampler. Licensor will not be responsible if the content
of this disc does not fit the particular purpose of the Licensee. Please make sure before installing this item that
it meets your needs. Information contained herein is subject to change without notice and does not represent
a commitment on the part of Garritan Corporation. e sounds are licensed “as is” without warranties of
any kind. Neither Garritan Corporation, nor any agent or distributor can be held responsible for any direct
or indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of this product in whatever form. e Aria Engine is
covered by the installer’s End User License Agreement and is incorporated by reference. e Garritan Personal
Orchestra may not be returned for any reason other than manufacturing defects. e terms of this license
shall be construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the United States of America and the State of
Washington. e user agrees to read the manual before seeking technical support and to make sure his or her
system meets the recommended requirements. There are no refunds whatsoever on downloadable products.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
What This Package Includes
is 4th Edition of Personal Orchestra includes the following:
Download file (or 1 DVD) containing the complete Personal Orchestra software, and inte-
•
grated ARIA Advanced Instrument Engine.
A unique serial number so that you can register the product. Don’t lose this—store it in a safe
•
place!
A complete PDF User's Manual and a Getting Started Guide.
•
Before you begin installation, make sure you have read the End User License Agreement in the
pages that follow. By installing the software you are indicating you agree to the terms of the license.
How to Use is Manual
e goal of this manual is to help you learn how to use Garritan Personal Orchestra. Although many
dislike reading manuals, if you wish to get the most out of this new library it is absolutely essential to
read this manual. Doing so will help you understand how to use this software library. e operation
of many of the essential features is not obvious in casual use and we realize many users are not music
technologists. We’ll do our best to make this easier for you. We have attempted to make this manual
easy to read and have provided information about the various instruments, playing techniques, and
modes of control. And, of course, by no means can orchestration or performance techniques be
taught from this or any other manual.
is provided in digital form as an Adobe Acrobat document file (also known as a PDF) which can be
viewed on a computer monitor or printed. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, it is available
free from www.adobe.com. A digital manual is eco-friendly and can be easily updated. If you have a
desire to have a paper copy, you can print this document. A printed copy can be a handy reference.
e easiest way of obtaining the information you seek is to use the Bookmarks pane along the left
side of this PDF document. By opening the Bookmarks pane, you can go to the various topics from
You can refer to this manual whenever you wish. is manual
the section names. With a PDF document, you can also zoom in to make the page larger to see more
details, or zoom out to see multiple pages at once.
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Further Documentation and Resources
For the latest information including updated documentation, pleasevisit our support pages at: www.
garritan.com. ere you can find updated information, corrections or additions to this manual, FAQ
pages answering common questions, suggestions from the users of Garritan software, and news about
upcoming Garritan releases. You can also visit the Garritan Forums for up-to-date information. e
address is: www.garritan.com/forums. Please send any reports of errors in this manual or suggestions
for improvement to info@garritan.com.
Specifications & Computer System Requirements
e following table lists the computer and hardware requirements for using the Garritan Personal
Orchestra. You can use the Garritan Personal Orchestra on most any modern personal computer that
meets the specifications listed below. e specifications provide the minimum standards. For optimal
functioning, it is recommended you have a powerful enough computer with a fast CPU processor, a
fast hard drive, and a large amount of RAM. e ARIA audio engine is designed to make use of the
processing power of your computer’s CPU. e powerful and complex algorithms of the ARIA Player
work best on modern CPUs. We think that’s a small price to pay for the results you will get. Please
also observe the systems requirements of your host application, notation program, and/or sequencing
program if applicable. Please see the Garritan forum or website if you are looking for recommenda-
tions or for more information.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Computer System Requirementsts
Computer Operating System Hardware
Windows PCMicrosoft Windows XP
(SP2 or SP3 recommended)
Microsoft Windows Vista 32
Microsoft Windows Vista 64
Mac Mac OS X 10.4 minimum
(universal binary minimum)
2.8 Ghz CPU Pentium 4 or better, 2.0 Ghz Core 2 Duo or better
•
recommended
1 GB Minimum, 2 GB RAM recommended to play the entire
•
orchestra. ere is a direct correlation between the number of
instruments that can be loaded and the amount of available RAM.
3.5 GB of free hard drive space
•
Hard drive speed of at least 7200 RPM preferred
•
Internet connection for download version, DVD ROM drive
•
required for boxed version installation
Monitor with 1,024x768 resolution or better
•
A sound card compatible with ASIO, DirectSound, or MME
•
Keyboard: A MIDI interface may be required if you are using a
•
MIDI keyboard. Some keyboards use USB. e Mod Wheel on
the keyboard controls volume so make sure to move it up to an audible level. If you do not have a Mod Wheel, then have the ability
to assign the controller within your notation program or sequencer
or to an external controller.
High-quality speakers and amplifier, or high-quality headphones
•
Internet connection for download, updates, and online registration
•
Mac Intel; 2.8 Ghz CPU Pentium 4 or better, 2.0 Ghz Core 2 Duo
•
or better recommended
2 GB RAM recommended to play the entire orchestra. ere is a
•
direct correlation between the number of instruments that can be
loaded and the amount of available RAM.
3.5 GB of free hard drive space
•
Hard drive speed of at least 7200 RPM preferred
•
Internet connection for download version, DVD ROM drive
•
required for boxed version installation
Monitor with 1,024x768 resolution or better
•
A sound card compatible with Core Audio
•
A MIDI interface may be required if you are using a MIDI key-
•
board. Some keyboards use USB. e Mod Wheel on the keyboard
controls volume so make sure to move it up to an audible level. If
you do not have a Mod Wheel, then have the ability to assign the
controller within your notation program or sequencer or to an
external controller
High-quality speakers and amplifier, or hig- quality headphones
•
Internet connection for download, update,s and online registration
•
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e stated requirements represent minimum guidelines for the Standalone Garritan Aria Player. If you
are using the Garritan Personal Orchestra within a host music program, then there may be other ad-
ditional resource requirements. Please also observe the system requirements of your host application,
notation program, and/or sequencing program if applicable. e demands of various other processing
software (including the sequencer, audio and effects processors, other plug-ins, and so on) can affect
functionality.
Regarding Sound Cards & MIDI Interfaces
e quality of the audio interface will have a significant effect on the quality of the sound you will
hear from Garritan Personal Orchestra. It will also have a substantial effect on performance (both
latency and polyphony). erefore, a good sound card is one of the most important components in
optimizing the sound and performance of Garritan Personal Orchestra.
In theory, any audio or sound interface which the manufacturer supports for your operating system
and computer, and that has good drivers—should work. However, you are unlikely to get the best
sonic results from a sound card designed for computer games or system sounds. Most computers
come with a consumer-grade sound card, and we recommend that you get a good quality sound
interface beyond that which is built into your computer. Older SoundBlaster sound cards (which do
not support multiple sample rates) and gamer-oriented or home system sound cards may be prob-
lematic. It is not possible for us to test all built-in or third-party sound cards, and some interfaces do
have problems on some platforms; so please see the specifications page on the Garritan website if you
are considering buying a new sound card to run Garritan Personal Orchestra.
Technical Info
A low-latency audio interface with ASIO 2.0 or WDM/WaveRT(Windows), or Core Audio (Mac),
drivers is required for Personal Orchestra to work as a standalone program. ese drivers are nor-
mally installed with the audio interface, or the most recent versions can be acquired from the man-
ufacturer’s website. Contact the manufacturer of your interface for more information. e drivers
should be set to a buffer size of 256 samples (optimal) or 512 (more latency, but less CPU load) and
44100Hz Sampling Rate.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Please note:
When Garritan Personal Orchestra is running as a plug-in, it uses the audio driver selected by the
host’s setup. If the host (typically your sequencer or notation program) is set up properly and works
well, then the Personal Orchestra plug-in should pass through the same audio and MIDI setup. For
this information, please refer to your sequencer's, notation program's, or host’s manual.
Similarly, any MIDI interface the manufacturer supports for your system should work with Garritan
Personal Orchestra.
Regarding Speakers, Amplification and Headphones
Amplifiers and speakers or headphones are needed to listen to the audio output that Garritan Per-
sonal Orchestra produces through the computer’s audio or sound card(s).
e quality of the audio amplifiers and speakers is extremely important; there is little point in ex-
pending a great deal on high-end computer systems and an audio interface—and using inferior
personal computer speakers.
Regarding 64-bit Computing
Garritan Personal Orchestra is 64-bit compatible and takes full advantage of the new 64-bit operat-
ing systems, processors and hardware that are now available. e Garritan ARIA Player is also fully
32-bit compatible. At this writing, 64-bit computing is entering the marketplace; but 64-bit hosts,
audio and MIDI drivers have not fully penetrated the market. To be true 64-bit the entire audio path
must be 64-bit, including sampler, host, operating system, audio, and MIDI hardware. As more hosts,
operating systems and hardware become 64-bit enabled, Garritan Personal Orchestra will work with
those 64-bit platforms. Please also consult the Garritan website for further information and updated
recommendations. Currently GPO4 works with Windows 64 bit, but not yet with Mac 64 bit OS.
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INSTALLATION
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Installing Garritan Personal Orchestra
Installing Garritan Personal Orchestra is easy. Before you begin, make sure your system meets or
exceeds the system requirements and that there is enough room on your hard drive to contain all the
samples. e full installation requires approximately three gigabytes of free hard disk space. Instal-
lation involves installing the Personal Orchestra instrument samples as well as the advanced ARIA
instrument engine. A setup program will guide you through the process step-by-step.
3 Steps for Installing Garritan Personal Orchestra 4
Step 1. ARIA Engine Installation
•
Step 2. ARIA Player Installation
•
Step 3. GPO4 Sound Library Installation
•
Mac Setup (For Windows Setup See Next Section)
First, make sure your audio and MIDI hardware are set up and working with your computer.
•
Also close any programs you are running.
For the Download version of Personal Orchestra, the Mac Archive Utility will unpack this to
•
your default downloads directory.
Double click on MAC_Garritan_Personal_Orchestra_4.mpkg. Accept the defaults on the in-
•
staller. For DVD versions of Personal Orchestra, take the Installation disc out of its case, put it
into your DVD drive in the computer and close the drive tray.
Double click on the DVD icon, then on the installer.
•
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
If the setup screen does not automatically appear: Use the Apple Finder (Mac) to open the
•
installation DVD; or for Download users. Double click on MAC_Garritan_Personal Orches-
tra_4.mpkg then double-click the Installer Icon.
You will then be asked to fill out your name and to read and accept the End User License Agree-
•
ment before proceeding with the installation.
e setup lets you select which plug-in formats you require. ese plug-in formats allow Gar-
•
ritan Personal Orchestra, in addition to standalone use, to run as a virtual instrument plug-in
that seamlessly integrates into your favorite music software program or sequencer (assuming
that it accepts such instrument plug-ins). Please refer to the chapter “Using Garritan Personal
Orchestra as an Instrument Plug-In” for further information.
e choices are Audio Units, RTAS and VST
•
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You can select the folder into which the Garritan Personal Orchestra application and
•
support files should be installed. For most instances, use the default. If you prefer to in-
stall Garritan Personal Orchestra in a location other than the default, click on “Change
Install Location”.
Setup is now ready to begin installing Garritan Personal Orchestra. Click on “Install” to begin
•
the installation process. Installing library files is very resource-intensive, and it may take some
time to install all the samples.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
After a few moments a dialog box will notify you that the setup wizard has finished installing
•
the Garritan Personal Orchestra on your computer.
When sample installation is complete, you will need to authorize your current copy of the Garritan
Personal Orchestra. is procedure is described in the next chapter.
When you are finished with installation, remove the disc(s) from your drive and store them in a safe
place if you have the DVD version. If you purchased the Download version be sure to make a backup
copy. If anything happens to your computer, you can reinstall the Garritan Personal Orchestra from
the discs or the backup.
IMPORTANT!
Please do not cancel setup after installation begins, otherwise a partial, broken installation may result.
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Windows Setup
e setup in Windows installs four components:
e Garritan Personal Orchestra Setup Wizard
1.
e ARIA Engine Installer
2.
e ARIA Player Installer
3.
GPO4 Sound Library Installer
4.
e four component installations will be successive and it is recommended that you just select
“Next” for each screen and use the defaults.
First make sure your system meets or exceeds the system requirements. See the previous
•
section of this manual for the system requirements. Also make sure your audio and MIDI
hardware is set up and working with your computer.
Close any programs you are running.
•
For the Download version of Personal Orchestra, after download, unzip by double-clicking
•
Garritan_Personal Orchestra_4.zip. Make sure you fully unzip the entire file. Do not run the
EXE file through Window’s compressed folder or Winzip directly. In the downloaded zip
file you will see these items:
Note:
If unzipping is unsuccessful with the Windows utility, you may want to try Winzip or another free
unzipping utility.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
1. e Garritan Personal Orchestra Setup Wizard
Run WIN_Garritan_Personal Orchestra_4.exe from the location where you extracted the files.
•
For DVD versions of Personal Orchestra, take the Installation disc out of the case, place it into
your DVD drive in the computer and close the drive tray. You should see a Welcome Screen.
If the setup screen does not automatically appear: Use Windows Explorer to open the in-
•
stallation DVD, or for Download users, WIN_Garritan_PersonalOrchestra_4.exe. en start
the Sample Manager by double-clicking “Install Personal Orchestra” setup.exe.
You will next see an Information screen letting you know if you have other versions of ARIA
•
installed or other Garritan libraries. Click “Next”.
.
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You will also be prompted for the folder into which the Garritan Personal Orchestra application
•
and support files should be installed; and where the shortcuts and icons should be placed. (You
will be asked later where you want the samples to be installed.) For most instances, use the
default. Unless you have a more sophisticated setup, the default location is recommended. To
continue, click “Next”
e setup lets you select which plug-in formats you require. ese plug-in formats allow Gar-
•
ritan Personal Orchestra 4, in addition to standalone use, to run as a virtual instrument plug-in
that seamlessly integrates into your favorite music software program or sequencer (assuming
that it accepts such instrument plug-ins). Please refer to the chapter “Using Garritan Personal
Orchestra as an Instrument Plug-In” for further information.
e choices are VST & RTAS
•
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Setup is now ready to begin installing Garritan Personal Orchestra. Click on “Install” to begin
•
the installation process. Installing library files is very resource-intensive, and it may take some
time to install all the samples.
After a few moments a dialog box will notify you that the setup wizard has finished installing
•
the Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Main Installer on your computer.
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2. e ARIA Engine Installer
You will be automatically prompted to install the ARIA Engine Component.
•
Follow the prompts in the ARIA Engine Setup Wizard (the “Next” button for the Information
dialog, License, and Installation). After completion, you will see a screen “Completing the ARIA
Engine Setup Wizard". Click "Finish" to exit the ARIA Engine Setup and continue installation.
3. e ARIA Player Installer
After completing the ARIA Engine Installer, you will be automatically prompted to install the
•
ARIA Player.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Follow the prompts and select where you want the program, plug-in component (e.g. Aria Play-
er VST), shortcuts, and icons installed. Setup will then be ready to begin installing the Garritan
ARIA Player. Click “Install”. After completion, you will see a screen “Completing the ARIA
Player Setup Wizard". Click “Finish”to exit the ARIA Player Setup and continue installation.
4. e Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Sound Library Installer
After completing the ARIA Player Installer, you will be automatically prompted to install the
•
Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Library sound files. This installs all the SFZ files, banks and the
actual instrument sample files.
Follow the prompts in the Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Setup Wizard (the “Next” button for
the License Agreement, “Next” for the desired folder destination location, and “Next” for selec-
tion of Standard and/or Notation options and the instruments you want to install.
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Note:
If you use GPO for live play or with a sequencer, choose the “Standard” version. If you use Finale,
Sibelius or other supported notation program, select the “Notation” version. Select both if you have
both a sequencer and a supported notation program. In case of doubt, install both Standard and No-
tation (it takes less than 100kb for both). e only reason we make it optional is so that people who
only need one type can opt to have only that one type show in the instrument selection tree.
e installer will allow you to select or deselect specific instruments during your installation.
Most will choose the default and install all the instruments. Click “Next” to continue.
You will then be prompted to “Select your Samples Directory”. Select the location into which
•
you wish to install Garritan Personal Orchestra. e default location is recommended for most.
You will be asked to select a Start Menu folder. e default is recommended. Click “Next” and
•
you are ready to install the samples.
e instrument sound files will then be copied to your hard drive. You will see screens flash by
•
with status bars for each of the instruments being loaded.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
You will see a final screen indicating that the installation is complete.
•
Garritan Personal Orchestra should now be installed. You can verify this by launching Personal
Orchestra. Once installation is complete and verified, you will need to activate your current copy of
Garritan Personal Orchestra. is procedure is described in the next chapter.
When you are finished with the installation, remove the disc(s) from your drive and store them in
a safe place if you have the DVD version. If you purchased the Download version be sure to make
a backup copy of the original file you downloaded. If anything happens to your computer, you can
reinstall the Garritan Personal Orchestra from the discs or the backup file.
IMPORTANT!
Please do not cancel setup after installation begins, otherwise a partial, broken installation may result.
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Page 30
ACTIVATION
Page 31
Activating Garritan Personal Orchestra 4
After Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 is installed you will need to activate it. You will notice that when
launching Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 for the first time, the following pop-up message appears:
“Your Personal Orchestra 4 is not activated. Do you want to start online activation now?”
Click “Yes” if this computer has an internet connection, and you wish to start the easy activation
process. At any time you can open your browser and go to www.garritan.biz to access our registra-
tion server. You will be presented with the Login screen. If this computer does not have an internet
connection, you can register your Garritan product with any online computer, and simply copy the
“Activation Keycard” to a removable USB drive, or any other method to transfer the Keycard to this
computer.
If you ordered or updated online, you will have already created an account. You simply need to log
in and activate with the user name and password you used when you made your purchase. If you
ordered a physical boxed product, you will need to create a new account.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Log onto the Garritan Registration Site:
Log onto www.garritan.biz and enter the same username and password that you used when you
made your purchase (especially Download customers).
Creating an Account
•
If you have purchased a boxed product, or have not created an account previously, you need to
create an account. You will need to choose a user name and password and enter your email address.
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You will then have an opportunity to enter your Profile Details. Once you do this you can amend
your details at any time.
Privacy Policy: All personal information will be kept strictly confidential. Your information will
not be shared with or divulged to any third parties for any purpose.
Product Registration: Enter Your Serial Number:
You will be asked to enter your serial number in order to register your product.
Where to Find Your Serial Number:
Online Purchases and Updates: If you purchased a product or update online, your serial
number will be mailed to you immediately after purchase.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
ank you for shopping at http://www.garritan.biz
Please save this email for further reference, it contains the serial
numbers of the products you have just bought!
Personal Orchestra 4: 40000-11111-22222-33333-44444
Note:
If you have not received your serial number via email, please check your spam folder.
Physical Boxed Products: If you purchased a physical boxed product, the Serial Number will
be affixed in the DVD case just above the DVD disc.
e Activation Keycard
Once the serial number is entered and you click “Register”, an Activation Keycard will be generated
in your name. You can now download the “Activation Keycard” for this Garritan product. e “Ac-
tivation keycard” is an image resembling a typical credit card. is image contains your registration
and profile details encoded within the Keycard image. It will look like this:
After you have an account and have entered your Serial Number, you will receive an email with your
Activation Keycard. e email will contain your keycard as an attachment (.png file) and the message
will say:
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Dear Customer,
Attached you can find the product activation key for Personal
Orchestra 4.
Please save this email in a safe place, or save the attached product
key on your hard drive.
Your Activation Keycard is also available online at any time. Go to “Activation Keycards” under the
Registration & Downloads tab and download the Activation Keycard for Garritan Personal Orches-
tra 4.
You can now save the “Activation keycard” .png image file to your hard drive (keep it in a safe place).
For convenience, we recommend that you initially save the .png file to your desktop.
Final Step: Activating Garritan Personal Orchestra 4
Locate the “license card” image where you saved it on your hard drive.
Open the Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 software application. If you saved the .png file to your desk-
top or a folder of your choosing, simply click and hold on the file, drag the file icon, or Activation
Key image, directly onto the GPO ARIA Player application and release.
Drag and Drop the PNG file from the desktop onto the Garritan Personal Orchestra ARIA Player
Drag and Drop PNG file from the Desktop onto the Garritan
Personal Orchestra ARIA Application
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Alternative: Drag and Drop the Activation Key: As an alternative, you can also drag the picture
from the web page onto the ARIA Player itself, and it will register in most cases. Please note that not
all browsers will allow “drag and drop” actions from within the program. is is another reason it is
best to save the .png file to your desktop and “drag and drop” it from there.
Drag and Drop Card Image from the Registration Server onto the Garritan
Personal Orchestra ARIA Application
You Are Now Registered and Activated!
e Activation will take place automatically and will bring up the following message:
“Garritan Personal Orchestra is now activated for [your name]”.
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Extremely Important!!
e .png file contains your sensitive, encrypted personal information. Carefully protect this file. DO
NOT GIVE THIS FILE TO ANYONE OR DISTRIBUTE IT IN ANY WAY OR YOUR PER-
SONAL INFORMATION WILL BE COMPROMISED. IF THE FILE BECOMES PUBLIC
THE CARD NUMBER WILL BE BLACKLISTED AND THE CARD REVOKED. WE ARE
NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU GIVE YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS TO A THIRD PARTY. IF
THE CARD IS STOLEN, CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY. Without a valid card you will also not
be able to obtain critical updates to the program.
Important Note:
You are allowed a maximum of four (4) installations. If you have special circumstances or require ad-
ditional licensing, please contact us.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Updating to Latest Version:
Be sure to check the Garritan Web site for any possible updates that have occurred since the time your software
was manufactured. Software is frequently updated and a more recent version may be available.
After the library has been installed, it needs to be activated. You are given a 30-day grace period for each library
before activation is required, but it is recommended that you activate as soon as possible.
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Page 40
HOW TO USE
GARRITAN
PERSONAL ORCHESTRA
Page 41
How to Use Garritan Personal Orchestra
Once installed and authorized, it’s time to get started with the Garritan Personal Orchestra. ere are
three ways to use the Garritan Personal Orchestra: as a plug-in within a sequencer, with a supported
notation program, or you can play it ‘live’ as a standalone application.
Playing Garritan Personal Orchestra as a Standalone
Application (‘Live’ Play)
Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 can be launched by itself and played live via MIDI keyboard or
other MIDI controller. e standalone version of the Garritan Personal Orchestra effectively makes
your computer, audio hardware, and MIDI keyboard into a virtual orchestra that can be played independently of other programs. is mode is ideal for practicing solo instruments, silent play, and live
playing. e limitation is that you can usually play only one instrument at a time. Unlike using it as
a plug-in within a sequencer, your recording ability is limited and you cannot edit your performance
(though you can use various audio software programs for this).
Launching Garritan Personal Orchestra in Standalone Mode
First, make sure that you have followed the instructions in the installation section of this manual. Be
certain that your audio/sound interface and MIDI hardware interfaces are properly connected to the
computer, your speakers or headphones are connected and everything is powered up.
To launch Garritan Personal Orchestra as a standalone application, click on the Garritan ARIA logo
on your desktop or go to the Program Files or Applications folder and launch Garritan ARIA Player
.
Basic Setup Information for Standalone Mode
To use the standalone version you have to configure the Audio and MIDI settings in the Garritan
Aria Player dialog box (found in the Tools menu) before you can play. When used as a plug-in, the
host sequencer or notation program has already set up its audio and MIDI connections, and the
Garritan Personal Orchestra “plugs in” to them. However, with standalone operation Garritan
Personal Orchestra communicates directly with your audio and MIDI interface. Setup for Mac and
Windows computers is similar, except where indicated. Note that if you change your audio interface,
you will almost certainly need to readjust these settings.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Call up the Preferences setup dialog from the Tools menu on the Garritan Aria standalone interface. You’ll
see drop-down menus for MIDI Device, Audio Devices, Stereo Pair, Sample Rate and Buffer Size.
MIDI Device Menu: All supported (and installed) MIDI interfaces are available in this drop-
•
down list. Select the desired MIDI device from the list.
Audio Device Menu: All supported (and installed) audio interfaces are available in this drop-
•
down list. Select the desired audio device from the list.
Stereo Pair: Here you can define which of the stereo outputs should be used. It is normal to
•
have one stereo pair available, labeled 1-2. However many pro audio devices have multiple out-
puts available, in which case you may choose the one that you would like Personal Orchestra
to output through.
Sample Rate: Depending on the sound card and driver you are using, various sample rates are
•
available. Set the desired sample rate here. Choose 44100Hz—if available—for best results.
Buffer Size: e buffer size setting will determine the delay between pressing a key on your
•
MIDI keyboard and hearing the sound (aka ‘latency’). e default buffer size of 512 samples
typically works well, but smaller buffer sizes will give a faster response (lower latency) and high-
er buffer sizes will give better audio performance (more polyphony and higher fidelity). Most
modern computers and audio interfaces can handle a buffer size of 512 samples without a sig-
nificant reduction in polyphony. If the sound is breaking up or crackling when a note sounds,
first make sure that the audio connections and wiring are good, then try a larger audio buffer
size setting. Please note that there is typically a trade-off between higher buffer sizes (polyphony
and sound fidelity) and lower buffer sizes (faster response or lower latency). Also note that the
sound card buffer size settings determine latency, rather than Garritan Aria Player itself.
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Once you have your Audio and MIDI set up, and have loaded one of the instrument patches, you
can begin playing Personal Orchestra. Press (use your mouse to click on) a key on the on-screen piano
keyboard on the Garritan ARIA Player interface. If you can hear the selected instrument, try playing
a key on your MIDI keyboard. If the MIDI and Audio configurations are correct, you should hear
the corresponding instrument. If not, check the MIDI connections and wiring, and the MIDI out-
put channel of your MIDI keyboard.
Also check that the MIDI channel for the loaded instrument is specified correctly. By clicking the
number at the far right of each instrument slot in Aria, you may choose any desired MIDI channel,
or “OM” for Omni, in which case the instrument will respond to any and all MIDI channels. If you
are hearing the notes play, then the basic configuration is complete, and you are ready to use Garritan
Personal Orchestra.
File Menu for Loading and Saving Presets in the Standalone
Configuration presets for Personal Orchestra can be saved and loaded. is
gives the user the ability to customize instruments to suit personal preferences
and save configurations for convenient future use. e File Menu choices are:
Load—any saved configuration preset files in Aria format can be loaded
•
by clicking on this choice and selecting the desired file.
Save—any configuration can be saved by clicking on this choice, typing a name for the custom
•
preset, and saving to a desired location.
Save as default—any settings can be saved as part of the default, to be loaded automatically
•
each time the Aria Player is booted in standalone mode.
Tools Menu—Standalone Mode ONLY
e Tools menu includes:
Preferences—as described in the basic setup information above.
•
Render offline—MIDI files can be rendered to audio offline using this feature.
•
To use the Render Offline feature:
Click on the Load MIDI file button.
1.
Select the desired MIDI file.
2.
Click on the Name audio file button.
3.
Name the Audio File and specify its location.
4.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Once the files are in place, there is just one more step:
Click on the Render button. e audio file will be rendered to the specified location.
Note:
An alternate way to record Audio from Aria is outlined below for users who would prefer to hear MIDI
playback during the recording process.
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MIDI File Player and Audio Recorder (Standalone Version Only)
e standalone version of the player includes a MIDI File Player and Audio Recorder. ey are
located at the bottom of the standalone window. ese features enable the user to load and play a
standard MIDI file and render an Audio file from it. e MIDI controls are located on the left hand
side and the Audio controls on the right.
To load and play a MIDI file:
Click on the “Load” button.
1.
Choose the file you wish to load.
2.
Click on the “Play” button.
3.
e MIDI file will play back using the presently loaded instrument and any other features (e.g. Am-
bience reverb) activated in the player. e progress bar will move to the right as the file is played. To
start the file from the beginning, click on the “Go to Beginning” button. e file can be stopped at
any time by clicking on the “Stop” button.
To record your playback to an audio file:
Click on the “Name File” button.
1.
Name the file and specify its desired location.
2.
Click on the “Record” button.
3.
Start playback by clicking on the MIDI “Play” button.
4.
When playback finishes, click on the MIDI “Stop” button.
5.
Click on the Audio “Stop” button.
6.
e audio file will be located on your drive in the location you specified.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Note:
ere is also an offline rendering feature (explained previously) that is located in the “Tools” menu of
the standalone version. Using the Audio Recorder as explained above, the MIDI file being recorded
will be heard during the recording process.
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra as an Instrument
Plug-In
When used as a plug-in, Garritan Personal Orchestra is not a standalone program but rather a vir-
tual instrument module that is seamlessly integrated into your favorite music software program or
sequencer (assuming that it accepts such instrument plug-ins). ey are called “plug-ins” because
these are modular software applications that run inside a “host” music application, (i.e. a sequencer
or notation program, typically).
ere are various uses as a plug-in:
MIDI recording and sequencing of Garritan Personal Orchestra
•
Audio mixing of Garritan Personal Orchestra with other instrument tracks within a single
•
program
Easy automation of Garritan Personal Orchestra parameters in the music software program
•
Effect processing of Garritan Personal Orchestra sounds using effect plug-ins in a music soft-
•
ware program
Saving and recalling of all plug-in settings when the music software program or sequencer file
•
is reloaded
Integration with other instruments into a “virtual studio”
•
MIDI sequencing is akin to the old self-playing pianos. As the player pianos used mechanical tech-
niques to reproduce performance by associating key presses and durations with holes in paper, MIDI
sequencers use electronic data to record and reproduce performances. When you play a note on a
MIDI keyboard, you are instructing the MIDI keyboard to play a note for a period of time, as well
as how soft or loud that note will sound. e MIDI Sequencer will record and play back this data. A
major advantage to using a sequencer is that all settings are saved together with the song files and are
totally retained and recalled upon reload.
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A great thing about plug-ins is that they work with a large variety of compatible music programs. For
example, Garritan Personal Orchestra can be used as a VST plug-in in many DAWs, music programs,
sequencers, supported notation programs, and hosts. Personal Orchestra can also be used as an Audio
Units plug-in or as an RTAS plug-in.
Here is a chart describing these three plug-in standards:
Plug-in
Standard
VST e VST plug-in stands for Virtual Studio Technol-
ogy and was developed by Steinberg, the makers of
the Cubase family of audio programs. It is also used
by Cakewalk Sonar, Mackie Tracktion, Nuendo,
Magix Samplitude, FL Studio, and other sequencers.
Audio Units e Audio Units (AU) plug-in standard was devel-
oped by Apple Inc. for Core Audio under Mac OS
X. Audio Units is the preferred plug-in format on
Mac OSX and is used by Apple GarageBand & Logic and MOTU Digital Performer.
RTAS RTAS plug-ins (Real Time Audio Suite) are designed
to work in the Digidesign Pro Tools environment.
Pro Tools hardware and software are used extensively
in the pro audio and post production communities.
Description Windows Mac
X X
X X
Basic Setup Information for Using Garritan Personal Orchestra as a
X
Plug-In Instrument
To use Garritan Personal Orchestra as a plug-in instrument, you simply launch your host music
application/sequencer first and then launch the Garritan Personal Orchestra from within it. Make
sure that your sequencing host program is properly installed and configured, and that it is producing
sound properly. Used as a plug-in, Personal Orchestra’s audio and MIDI data is managed by the host
music software application.
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra in a Specific Music Program or Sequencer
Garritan Personal Orchestra works as a plug-in instrument within many popular music software pro-
grams. Each music software application has its own approach to handling plug-in instruments. Each
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
has a different method of installation as well as differing means of loading and accessing plug-ins.
It is important to make sure that you refer to the instructions in your music software application’s
manual regarding the loading and operation of plug-in instruments.
Typically when using VSTs, the .dll files (dynamic-link libraries) associated with software instruments
will all be kept in one VST folder which the host application uses to locate all available instruments
(more information below).
Although it is not within the scope of this manual to delve into how plug-ins work for the various
music applications, there will be tutorials on how to use the Garritan Personal Orchestra with the
various music software programs. Please refer to the Support WIKI pages on the Garritan website at
www.garritan.info.
Saving Personal Orchestra Parameters in a Music Program or Sequencer
While using Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 with a host music application, when you save a se-
quence or project with the host program, all of Garritan Personal Orchestra’s parameters will be au-
tomatically saved as well. You need do nothing in the ARIA Player interface for this to happen. When
you re-load your host music project, the Garritan Personal Orchestra settings will revert to the state
in which they were when you saved your project file.
Important Technical Notes:
Windows VST applications only: To use Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 with more than one VST
application, you need to manually copy the ARIA Player VST_x86.dll, installed into the chosen folder
during installation of the library, to the appropriate VST-compatible host application’s VST folder. Please
refer to your particular application’s user’s guide and the Garritan support site for more information.
Regarding 64-bit hosts: Some hosts have one common VST folder for both x64 and 32-bit plug-ins,
please only use the version of the plug-in that is native to your host, e.g.: x64 bit version of Sonar, use
the ARIA Player VST_x64.dll. Mac OSX has standard folders for both VST and AudioUnits plug-ins
and do not require this extra step.
An additional copy of the VST plug-in is available within the main Garritan ARIA Player appli-
cations folder, in the VST subfolder. Please don’t use this folder as your main “vstplugins” folder.
Page 49
Please note that a saved sequence in one music application may not be useable in other music
applications, as each application generally has its own proprietary format.
VST Expression Support
Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 supports VST Expression, a new system that dramatically simplifies
handling of articulations and expressions with sample libraries within Steinberg’s Cubase. e new
technology makes recording and editing articulation commands much easier, with all articulation
data displayed separately in both track inspector and editor windows. More information about VST
Expression can be found at the Steinberg website.
Using Garritan Personal Orchestra with a Notation Program
Notation is a fundamental part of music creation. Notation programs allow you to easily create and
print sheet music with your computer. Until recently it was not possible to play realistic sounds from
notation programs, but Garritan has pioneered the use of notation software programs with samples.
ere are two ways to use Garritan Personal Orchestra with notation programs. One is to use it di-
rectly from within a notation program that is capable of hosting plug-in instruments. e other is to
use the ARIA Player in Standalone mode and route MIDI output from the notation application to
the player. Recent advances in notation technology will allow you to play Personal Orchestra sounds
directly from within certain notation programs.
Note:
Some notation programs may not support software instrument plug-ins. And some older versions may
also lack plug-in support. Please check your notation program to make sure it supports VST or Audio
Units software instrument plug-ins.
ere are many resources concerning the specifics of how to use Garritan Personal Orchestra with
various notation programs on the www.garritan.info website including tutorials, notation files, tips,
techniques, plug-ins, special programming, troubleshooting advice, and informative links.
Page 50
HOW THE
ARIA PLAYER WORKS
Page 51
How the Garritan Aria Player Works
e Basic Interface and the View Screens
e Aria Player is a custom-made player developed specifically for Garritan libraries such as Personal
Orchestra. It constitutes the best sounding and most powerful sample engine available, built from
the ground up for high performance and exceptional quality. e Aria Player enables you to load
Garritan Personal Orchestra instrument sounds, control various parameters for playback, and do a
number of other things. e software engine was custom designed and programmed by Plogue Art
et Technologie Inc. e Aria Player has various view screens or “windows” that are accessed by the
four view tabs to the right. ose screens consist of the “Mixer” window, the “Controls” window, the
“Effects” window, and the “Settings” window.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
e Mixer Window
1. Slot (1 - 16): You can have up to sixteen instruments loaded in each instance of the ARIA Player.
2. Load Instrument: Click here to load an instrument in the corresponding channel.
Clicking the instrument slots brings up a dialog box from which you can load the instrument(s) of
your choosing. e instruments will be grouped in a simple hierarchical menu by Garritan Library.
You can choose your instruments by instrument group Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Harps, Key-
boards, Pipe Organ, Solo Strings, Section Strings, and Choir.
Choosing “Empty” will remove an assigned instrument from a channel. Choosing “Import” will al-
low you to load an .sfz file (a patch) to use as an instrument sound. Choosing “Reload” will restore
the default parameter settings for that instrument.
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3. MIDI Channel Assignment: Click the number to the right
of the Instrument field to select the channel for the instrument
you have loaded. If an instrument is assigned to that channel, you
should see its pitch range represented on the virtual keyboard at
the bottom of the window.
4. Tune: e “Tune” Control will allow you to make tuning ad-
justments to each instrument. Tuning controls are adjusted by
click and drag – horizontal movements to the right make the pitch
sharp. Tuning range is +/-100 cents.
5. Output Assignment: Here you can assign outputs.
e default is channel 1 and 2 (stereo).
6. Sends: e Send Knob controls the amount of sig-
nal sent to the Ambience reverb for each corresponding
channel.
7. Pan Control: is slider controls the left-to-right
balance of the audio of the corresponding channel. Also
see Stereo Stage control information.
Note:
You can CTRL-click (Command-Click on OSX) a knob to put it back to its default position.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
11. Window Selection—Mixer/Controls/Effects/Settings:
8. Keyboard: e bottom of the window features a virtual onscreen keyboard that indicates the range
of notes that can be played on that instrument. When a channel with an instrument assigned to it is
selected, a section of the keyboard will be highlighted. Keys that are being played will be shown in
real time.
9. Keyswitch Identification: is section identi-
fies the keyswitches being used. Keyswitches are
used to change between techniques and articula-
tions without the need to load separate patches.
e keyswitches are displayed below the instrument’s range using the color pink. e selected key-
switch is displayed with a yellow color and the represented patch is identified in the window to the
left of the keyswitches.
Note:
In the Notation instruments all keyswitches are located in the very bottom octave. is location is below
the display range of the virtual keyboard. However, the keyswitches can still be seen and chosen for test-
ing by clicking in the space where the keyswitch name is shown. is will open a menu of the available
keyswitches. You can choose a keyswitch from the menu..
10. Volume Control Sliders & Solo/Mute Buttons: is slider controls the relative vol-
ume level of the corresponding channel. Above the volume control sliders are the solo and
mute buttons.
ese four tabs allow you to select between Mixer, Controls, Effects
and Settings Windows.
12. Load Ensembles:
Click here to load ensemble presets.
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Controls Window
All virtual knobs in the Controls Window can be adjusted by holding down the left button of your
mouse and moving it up or down (rather than in a circle, in the direction of the knob). Release the
button to set the level. You can CTRL-click (Command-Click on OSX) a knob to put it back to its
default position. e numerical text below the knob will give a measurement reading.
Equalizer Controls
e EQ section is a three-band equalizer, with each band having a separate gain knob (-24dB to +24
dB). e “Low” controls the filter’s gain for the bottom of the spectrum, the “Mid” for the midrange
frequencies and the “High” controls the
top end of the frequency spectrum. Ad-
just by placing your cursor over the de-
sired knob, left click/hold, and move the
mouse forward or backward. Release the
mouse button at the desired number.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Auto-Legato Controls (including auto-trills)
Auto-Legato is a convenient way to create smooth legato note transitions
whenever note overlaps are present. is feature automatically detects note
overlaps and applies changes to the attack and decay characteristics of the
note transitions. ere is one control button:
On/Off button. is activates/disables Auto-Legato. e button lights when activated. is switch
can also be controlled using CC#102.
is control also provides auto-trills. is is an extremely convenient way to create trills. From a
MIDI keyboard, just hold the first note of the trill while pressing and lifting the second note of the
trill and the two notes will alternate.
Please note that Auto-Legato works monophonically and can cause loss of that instrument’s ability
to play chords (polyphonically). Auto-Legato is mainly for use as an easier way to achieve legato. You
may get better results with manual techniques, though they take more effort.
Stereo Stage Controls
When Stereo Stage is turned off instruments can be panned from left
to right in the usual way. is positions instruments left to right by
relative left/right volume intensity only. When Stereo Stage is turned
on it adds calculations that simulate the arrival times from the posi-
tion of the instrumental sound source to a pair of virtual stereo micro-
phones plus the first reflections from side walls, rear walls, and ceiling.
is can create a more three dimensional image for positioning instruments on the stereo stage, both
left to right and front to back, especially for monaural instruments (e.g. solo instruments that lack
recorded stereo information.)
ere are two controls visible on the Controls page of the interface for Stereo Stage.
On/Off button. is activates/disables Stereo Stage. e button lights when activated. is
1.
switch can be also be controlled using CC#103.
Depth. is sets the position of the instrument front to back on the stereo stage. Small percent-
2.
age numbers place instruments closer to the microphones; larger percentages place instruments
Page 57
farther back on the stage, 100% being near the back wall of the stage. e Depth parameter
can also be controlled with CC#36.
When Stereo Stage is activated the panning knobs in the mixer section of ARIA still control the left
to right positioning.
Note:
As in real life, instruments that are placed near the microphones will display greater separation from left
to right than instruments that are positioned near the back wall of the stage.
Instrument Controls
e control parameters available in this sec-
tion will vary from instrument to instrument.
Some instruments may have few controls and
some may have many, depending on the pro-
gramming of each instrument. ese controls
usually correspond to CC MIDI controller
numbers and load with default settings.
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Effects Window
e Effects tab brings up the control settings for Ambience reverb. Ambience can be used (with the
send knobs) to apply flexible room reverb to the sound of the Personal Orchestra Instruments.
e acoustic environment is integral to the overall sound of an orchestra. How the instruments blend
and project to the listener can be vital to the musical performance itself. Natural reverberation or am-
bience is very noticeable in live orchestral performances. From the early cathedrals, which were once
a focal point for musical performance, the sound of reverberation seems to impart a sense of awe and
wonder. Today’s orchestras are often heard in a concert hall which also can elicit the same emotional
response as it wraps and captivates the listener in sound. Concert halls have their own unique ambi-
ent sound and no two concert halls sound exactly the same. Many of the greatest halls, such as the
Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Symphony Hall in Boston, or the Great Music Hall in Vienna, were
built more than 100 years ago, before the advent of modern acoustic science, yet hearing an orchestra
in those spaces is breathtaking.
Reverberation describes the phenomenon that occurs whenever a sound is made in an ambient space.
Whenever a sound is produced in an enclosed space it radiates in all directions. When these radi-
ated sounds hit a surface such as a wall or the ceiling, the sound is either reflected or absorbed. e
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first reflected sounds are usually stronger and become more and more diffuse as the sound bounces
around the room. Our ears and our brain recognize these signals and let us know about the type and
size of space we are in.
Much in the same way as the acoustical space adds a great deal to the music, reverb can impart that certain
three-dimensional ambient sound to an instrument or group of instruments. Reverb can also help to smooth out
the sounds of the instruments and cause them to blend together in the mix by giving them a sense of space and
effectively smoothing the sonic edges. Of all the effects that can be applied to music, reverb is perhaps the most
widely used one, which may be because it emulates the sound that’s literally heard everywhere around us
.
Personal Orchestra integrates the Ambience™ Reverb—a great sounding reverb that rivals the qual-
ity of the best commercial reverbs. Just as Personal Orchestra is a “virtual instrument” designed to
simulate musical instruments, Ambience allows you to simulate the reverberation of a concert hall
and many other spaces. You can create virtual concert halls, ballrooms, recital halls, parlors, audi-
toriums, cathedrals, and other spaces.
Ambience is turned on by default and to deactivate it you must click the ON/OFF button. It is often
not desirable to use Ambience reverb if you have your own reverb or convolution program.
Ambience has a number of performing space presets to choose from. ese
presets have been custom-made for Garritan Personal Orchestra and it is rec-
ommended you first try out these presets. Presents include Ballroom 1 & 2,
Cathedral, Concert Hall 1 & 2, Jazz Club 1 & 2, Parlor, Piano Hall 1 & 2
and Recital Hall 1 & 2. You can also edit these presets or experiment with the
various settings to customize the acoustical environment as needed.
ere are a number of main knobs in the Ambience control panel. e most important parameters are
reverb time (the time for the reverb to fade away), size (the size of the room) and the pre-delay time.
Below is a description of the relevant controls in Ambience:
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Note:
To control the amount of reverb for each instrument, use the Sends in the Mixer window.
DECAY—is controls the time it takes for the reverb reflections to fade away into silence
•
DIFFUSION—Diffusion is the reflecting surface’s ability to spread the reverb out. is con-
•
trol has a subtle effect on the sound and is especially noticeable with small room sizes.
SIZE—is controls the size of the room. Note that long reverb time and small room sizes do
•
not mix well. For natural sounds, a large room size, such as a concert hall, should be accompa-
nied by a long reverb time, and vice verse.
PREDELAY—is controls the amount of time between the direct sound and the first of the
•
reverb reflections. It is pre-delay that defines our perception of the size of the room.
WIDTH—is controls the stereo spread from mono (0%) all the way to a wide stereo (100%).
•
It is recommended this be set close to 100%.
QUALITY—is knob allows you to trade off reverb quality for CPU usage. High quality
•
equates to high CPU usage. You can make fun effects if you set it very low (try it!). If there is
too much CPU demand on your machine, try turning down the quality.
VARIATION—is control creates a new variant of the same room.
•
LEVEL—is controls the amount of the processed reverberant sound.
•
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Tip:
Try using different Ambience levels for different instrument groups, try assigning one level to the strings
and a different level for the brass. Often instruments toward the back of the stage, such as brass and per-
cussion, may need more reverberation than, say, the strings or woodwinds.Use the effects “Send” in the
Mixer window to control the levels. Be judicious and try to avoid drowning the orchestra in too much
reverb or muddying the sound with delay trails. Remember, in some smaller spaces, instruments can be
fairly intimate. Ambient effects should blend as part of the sound without being perceived as something
that was added. Careful and proper use of panning and equalization will also help to keep the various
sections from interfering with one another. e effort to make your virtual performance spaces sound
just right will prove invaluable.
Note:
It is important to bypass the on-board reverb of the ARIA Player when using Reverb or Convolution in
your sequencer or host program. Otherwise you will have two simultaneous reverbs and it will sound
very muddy.
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Settings Window
e Settings tab brings up additional information about the ARIA Player. is screen displays the
version of the software and its copyright information as well as information about how the ARIA
sample engine is performing. e information in the two left-hand columns indicates the software’s
current CPU and RAM usage, disc efficiency and current MIDI events and settings. You may adjust
some of the settings in this window by clicking on the box to reveal a drop-down menu:
Dyn Max: Determines the threshold for RAM usage by the software. e default is “256 MB”
•
and the other choices are 128 and 512.
Pre-Caching:Determines how many samples of an instrument the software will process before
•
playing them.A higher setting will result in longer initial load times, though you should in-
crease this setting if you are using a slower computer. e default is “32 Kb.”
Quality: Determines audio quality of the playback and recording. e default is “Normal
•
(Hermite).”
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Tuning System: Determines the tuning system of the instrument in
•
the software. ere are different tunings for regions throughout the
world, but to start, we recommend the default, “International 440.”
Other choices are shown on the right:
Inst. Poly: Determines the amount of polyphony (multiple notes
•
sounding simultaneously) each instrument can play. A higher setting
will allow for greater polyphony but also increase CPU usage. e default is “32.”
Get More Sounds Button: Clicking this button will bring you to a
Web page where you will be able to download more instruments and
sounds.
Get Help Button: Clicking this button will bring you to a Garritan
Support web page where you will be able to obtain help.
Scala Import Button: e import button provides a variety of
other tunings that can be imported and used with Personal Or-
chestra. e scala file import feature enables the use of thousands
of other tunings, if desired.
e following menu appears when the “Import” button is clicked:
e Scala Center box allows you to select the base note (or center) of your scale.
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PLAYING GARRITAN
INSTRUMENTS
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Playing Garritan Instruments
Garritan provides stellar tools to transform high-quality instrument sounds into stunningly realistic
performances. e ARIA Player offers an easy, intuitive, and standardized control system to enable
you to play and shape the orchestral instrument sounds, either in real-time or through a sequencer
or notation program. e controls for one family of instruments generally carry over to other sec-
tions so that you feel at home with the entire soundset and the system is streamlined so that you can
make great music quickly. With little practice, you can perform several tasks simultaneously, as a real
musician does, so you can hear the musical results as you play. is chapter introduces you to the
performance controllers that offer you a wide range of possibilities for musical expression.
Basic Controls (Brass, Wind and String Instruments from Personal Orchestra)
e Real-Time Control System (for Brass, Winds and Strings):
With a MIDI keyboard it is possible to start making music within minutes of installing GPO. e
four basic controls are shown above. Play the keyboard with your right hand. e sharpness of an
instrument’s attack is controlled by how hard you strike the key. With your left hand, use the modu-
lation wheel to control dynamics and special keyswitch notes that will alter the playing style of the
samples (like turning brass mutes on and off). e sustain pedal connects the notes, allowing you to
make slurs and legato transitions.
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In addition to these four basic controls, Personal Orchestra features other controls for greater control
over your instruments, all of which are user-adjustable. Automatic Variability imparts subtle changes
in tuning and timbre, and portamento controls let you continuously glide between notes like string
or trombone players. With this controller-based approach, you play your articulations in real time
in much the same manner as a real player does.
Note:
Instruments which do not sustain their sounds, such as pianos and drums, follow the General MIDI
convention using note velocity for dynamic and sustain pedal for sustains.
1. Modulation Wheel Control (Volume and Expression for Sustain
Instruments)
Shaping Dynamics & Playing Expressively
One thing that makes an orchestra sound great is dynamic contrast. Every phrase and the notes them-
selves have unwritten dynamics and nuances that players interpret. Without dynamics, music lacks its
depth of expression. Dynamics and expression in Garritan Personal Orchestra are achieved through
the Mod Wheel. Normally, this controller is mounted on the left side of the keyboard and is played
with the left hand. With Personal Orchestra, the Mod Wheel simultaneously controls both Volume
(ppp to fff) and Timbre (brightness or tone) for all non-percussive instruments. Especially with the
brass instruments, louder levels produce a brighter sound.
Get to Know Your Mod Wheel for expressive, sustaining instruments like winds and most strings!
e Mod Wheel controls the dynamic ebb and flow of volume and timbre changes. In the case of a
sequencer, make sure to record a nudge of the Mod Wheel at the beginning of every MIDI track so that
GPO instruments will start with the correct volume upon playback. Remember that in GPO the Mod
Wheel is not a “set and forget” controller. It is intended to be used as an expressive controller that is in
nearly constant motion, shaping the volume and timbre of a passage. It is analogous to the air being blown
through a wind instrument or a bow being drawn across the strings in a stringed instrument.
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You will discover that using the Mod Wheel Control adds a new dimension of feeling and expres-
sion to your performances, making them all the more believable. Try experimenting with the Mod
Wheel to develop control over the dynamics. As you play a melody, attempt a gradual crescendo or
decrescendo, instead of going suddenly from soft to loud or loud to soft.
As shown above, the, Modulation Wheel allows you to simulate a surging crescendo/diminuendo
Exercise:
Play a melody with your right hand only and notice how there is little variation at all. It doesn’t sing as it
should. Now imagine how you would sing the tune. Where is the peak of the phrase? Where would you
make a crescendo and a diminuendo? Now, as you play the melody, attempt those crescendos or decre-
scendos with the Mod Wheel. Listen to the effect as you make gradual changes, adjusting the dynamics
to suit your musical sensibilities.
IMPORTANT!
Even though instruments in ARIA load with a default value, it is best to always record Mod Wheel data
at the beginning of every MIDI sequence track in order to start with the correct initial volume.
Note:
In addition to the Mod Wheel (CC#1) GPO will also respond to breath control (CC#2) and MIDI
expression (CC#11) to control the function of expressive volume/timbre. Be careful to use only one at a
time or the data between these controllers will cause interference. It is not necessary for the user to take
any steps to activate these extra controllers. ey are always active.
In typical General MIDI soundsets, the Mod Wheel is used for its typical function to add modulation
or vibrato to the sound.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
2. Note Velocity (Attack for Sustain Instruments/ Volume for Percussive
Instruments)
Virtually all keyboards made today support a feature called “Note Velocity” which refers to how fast
(or hard) you strike a given key. e harder you press down a key, the harder and sharper the attack.
e gentler you hit the key, the softer the attack.
Applying proper accentuation brings clarity and emphasis to the notes being played. It also shapes the
rhythm and flow of a piece of music. e degree of force you apply to the keys will vary depending on the
instrument selected and the musical context. With brass and woodwinds, accents are made by “tongu-
ing” to emphasize certain notes. With strings notes are emphasized by how hard the player digs the bow
into the string. Whenever you feel that a note should be accented, do it by striking the key harder.
It is important to note that this control relates to attack strength (for the most part) independent of
volume. Most instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra (brass, woodwinds and most strings) have
volume controlled by the Mod Wheel. So, don’t always try to play notes louder by banging on the
keyboard, or the result may be a heavily accented note that you did not intend. Percussive instru-
ments (including the piano and pizzicato strings) do use note velocity for volume and volume-related
timbre changes, in addition to attacks. e Mod Wheel won’t do anything for those instruments.
3. Sustain Pedal (Legato for Sustain Instruments / Sustain for Percussive
Instruments)
Legato—Playing Smoothly and Evenly
So far, we have focused on aspects of performance that are controlled with your fingers, but an im-
portant part of your performance comes from your foot. Most keyboards include a sustain pedal.
Instruments that can play sustained notes (string sustains, woodwinds and brass) use the sustain pedal
to activate the legato playing techniques. “Legato” literally means connected and directs the performer
to play smoother transitions between notes instead of accenting each one.
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Legato is achieved by holding the sustain pedal down for the desired group of notes. Whenever you
depress the sustain pedal, the attack portion of the sample is removed to create much smoother tran-
sitions between notes. Just like note velocity accents notes to make them sound detached, the legato
feature blends notes into an unbroken seamless musical phrase. To get an idea of what the legato
sustain function does, consider the following illustration. is is what the waveforms of a musical
phrase looks like when played on a typical sampler:
Notice how disconnected the notes are. Using the Sustain Pedal removes the attack portion of the
sample and connects the notes for smoother sounding effect. Using Mono Mode makes sure there are
no overlaps. e result is a phrase that sounds like a real legato phrase.
In the case of brass and woodwind instruments, notes are tongued when you have your foot off the
Sustain pedal. Slurs between notes occur when you hold down the pedal. For section strings, détaché
notes are activated when the sustain pedal is up and legato notes are triggered when the pedal is down.
You can also depress the sustain pedal to emulate same-string note changes which are used in rapid
scale passages. Some instruments, such as the harp and triangle, use the sustain pedal to switch be-
tween the standard full decay of notes and damped notes. For instruments actually possessing sustain
pedals (pianos), it functions as you would expect.
Note:
Strings, brass, and woodwinds can also be used with the Auto-Legato feature as an alternative to using the
sustain pedal. is feature automatically detects note overlaps and applies changes to the attack and decay
characteristics of the note transitions. Auto-legato is located in the Control tab on the ARIA Player.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Choosing Between Auto-Legato and Sustain Pedal Legato (CC#64)
Since Garritan Personal Orchestra gives two choices for legato creation the question arises: Which
should I use? e answer is, “It depends.” Here are the main differences so that you can make an
informed choice. Auto-Legato is the most convenient method to use and can give good results when
it is applied to take advantage of its intended design, but has some limitations. ose limitations
are related to the way it handles polyphony. Its detection of overlapping notes and automatically
stopping the first of the overlapping notes in favor of the second means that it functions in what is
commonly known as “mono mode.” is gives automatic transition control and the ability to do easy
trills but it can only play one note at a time. is means it works well with any single line parts. It
won’t work for polyphonic parts where more than one note is played at a time. is means it is best
applied to individual instrumental parts like solos or section parts that don’t use divisi or otherwise
split the section into playing chords from a single MIDI track.
In contrast, using CC#64 is more flexible and can potentially give superior results but requires more
work on the part of the user. It is up to the user to place the CC#64 “switch” data in the MIDI tracks
as needed. It is also up to the user to precisely determine note overlaps since the amount of note
overlap won’t be automatically determined as with Auto-Legato. is gives the user great flexibility
in adjusting the sound of the note transitions but requires considerable attention to detail to get the
best results. Usually, a combination of carefully chosen note overlaps, CC#64 switching, and CC#21
(release/decay) data will allow the user to craft the smoothest legato note transitions. Sometimes in
section string parts it may even be advisable to avoid using CC#64 and just overlap the notes to best
effect. It all depends on the type of transition the user desires. Experimentation is the key.
Most users will probably find themselves using a combination of the two types of legato, the choice
dictated by the requirements of the track and the specific instruments being used in the composition.
In the case of single line parts the user may wish to begin by using the convenient Auto-Legato and
only changing the approach to CC#64 if Auto-Legato is insufficient for the desired results. If polyphonic parts are needed then CC#64 is the correct choice.
One more thing to keep in mind: e MIDI controller CC#102 switches Auto-Legato on and off
(0=off, 127=on.) is lets you place data in your tracks to activate Auto-Legato conveniently for
single lines and turn it off for manual control during polyphonic or special case situations.
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4. Keyswitching (Changing Articulations and Techniques In Real-Time)
Keyswitching is a feature that allows you to change articulations quickly while playing. With a simple
touch of a key located on the keyboard below normal range of the instruments, you can move be-
tween different playing styles of an instrument without having to load multiple patches in multiple
slots in the ARIA player. Many instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra have Keyswitch patches,
denoted “KS” next to their name. When you press a key in the Keyswitch area, the ARIA Player loads
the corresponding articulation into the playing area of the keyboard. e Keyswitched notes are dis-
played on the player keyboard in yellow and brown. All patches load using the first Keyswitch as the
default. Keyswitches remain active until another Keyswitch message is received. When the appropri-
ate note on the Garritan Personal Orchestra ARIA Player is pressed, it automatically switches to the
corresponding articulation. Here is an example of a typical Keyswitch layout for section strings:
Keyswitch Tips:
Always put the Keyswitching note for the particular instrument 'before' the first note of the articulation
•
you want to play, not at the same time!
If you transpose your score, you must be sure not to transpose the KS notes! Any transposition to these
•
notes will change (or eliminate) their function.
Although it may be tempting to use your mouse to trigger one of the displayed Keyswitches in the
•
ARIA Player, it is seldom recommended. e Player's graphic representation of keys, wheels, and
knobs are primarily there for auditioning sounds.
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5. Additional Controls:
In addition to the four basic controls, there are many other ways you can fine tune your Personal
Orchestra performances.
Pitch Bend Wheel: is control bends the pitch of a note. You can add scoops, slides or drops
to solo strings or the trombone at the beginning or ending of notes and passages.
Automatic Variability Controls: ese controls automatically create tuning and timbre vari-
ability from note to note. e VAR 1 knob controls intonation with random tuning variations,
adjustable from a few cents to an entire semitone. e VAR2 knob introduces random variations in
timbre quality by adjusting a filter on the instrument. e combination of both controls proves a
more human result in the quality of the sound. e VAR 1 and VAR 2 controls can also be adjusted
or varied throughout a piece by using MIDI controllers CC#22 and CC#23, respectively. See the
chapter on ARIA Player Operation for additional information on this feature.
Portamento Control: is control lets you slide from one note to another. It is particularly
helpful with some instruments, such as the trombone and the strings. ere is a knob that adjusts
the portamento for instruments that use this function. Additionally, MIDI controller CC#20 can be
assigned to an external MIDI fader or drawn as graphic data in your sequencer of choice. Portamento
is off by default. In general, slides between smaller intervals require greater values than slides between
larger intervals. It is best to draw the data manually (for any specific notes that require slides) in your
sequencer or to assign this feature to a separate hardware controller (CC#20) for real-time control.
Length Control: e default length is the natural release/decay length of the sample. As you
adjust MIDI controller CC #21, the length of the release/decay of the sample can be varied over a
useful range. is can be used along with MIDI note length data and velocity strength to give a wider
variety of articulation types ranging from very short and light to accented and forceful. With strings
this can help simulate bow strokes from light sautille to strong marcato. It can also give control of
note releases in legato situations by lengthening releases for smoother overlaps. With pizzicato patches
very short values can give the impression of a damped pizzicato. With wind instruments, very short
staccato notes can help create the illusion of double- and triple-tonguing.
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Vibrato Control: Non-vibrato (NonVib) solo woodwind and brass instruments have vibrato
control. ere are two vibrato controllers: Aftertouch (controls vibrato intensity) and Controller
CC#17 (controls the vibrato speed). Using these controls, vibrato can be added to a solo part with
natural variations in entrance timing, speed variations, and intensity.
Hidden Aftertouch (aka Channel Pressure) Vibrato Intensity: Many keyboards send Af-
•
tertouch data when finger pressure on a key is varied while the key is held. Aftertouch data is
used to adjust the vibrato intensity of an NonVib instrument. is controller data can also be
“drawn” into MIDI tracks manually.
Vibrato Speed Controller CC#17: is controller, when used in conjunction with After-
•
touch, will vary the vibrato speed. CC#17 can be assigned to an available slider or knob on
a hardware keyboard to give real-time control. is controller data can also be “drawn” into
MIDI tracks manually.
It is important to be aware that the vibrato features do not apply to any instruments with naturally
recorded vibrato in the samples (such as stringed instruments). Instruments that have vibrato control
will display a knob labeled “VibSpd(CC17)” in the Instrument Controls on the Controls tab of the
interface.
Note:
M-Audio and some other keyboards often use CC#131 as a substitute for Aftertouch when the keyboard
model doesn’t have Aftertouch sensitivity built in. A programmable slider on the keyboard can be as-
signed to CC#131 and the keyboard will output Aftertouch data.
Hidden Pitchbend Defeat Controller, CC# 19: is controller is used on sustained string
samples and the trombone to aid the creation of portamento effects when going from detached (non
legato) playing to legato playing. is controller switches the instrument to a layer that does not re-
spond to pitchbend data. is gives you the flexibility to draw pitchbend data between two notes that
only has effect on the second note of the pair when carefully placed CC#19 data has also been added
to the track. is can be used to help solve certain kinds of portamento problems.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Hidden Playable Trills/Wider Interval Tremolo Controller, CC# 15 (Strings): e Solo
String Keyswitch instruments use CC#15 to control an alternative switching system for trills on Key-
switch notes G# and A. e standard Keyswitches (G# thru B) give you control over half-step and
whole-step trills, plus their muted counterparts. e CC#15 controller extends trill intervals from a
half-step to as wide as a major third using the following v
0-32 = half step
•
33-64 = whole step
•
65=96 = minor third
•
97-127 = major third
•
ere are advanced controls for the various instruments detailed in the following sections.
Putting It All Together for a Real-Time Performance
e basic system is to use your right hand to control the attack of each note; Mod Wheel in the left
hand, to control dynamics; and the sustain pedal with your foot to connect the notes. It couldn’t be
easier! With the more advanced controls you can fine tune your performance. is approach lets you
play your articulations in real time in much the same manner as a player of the actual instrument
does.
Using both hands and feet to perform the different tasks simultaneously requires some coordination.
e key is to start simple and to realize that you do not have to do it perfectly the first time. e best
way to learn is to practice playing just the notes with one hand. Learn the fingerings for the notes and
apply the accents, where appropriate. Once you are acquainted with the notes and the accentuation
scheme, gradually add the other controllers. For example, play a melody with the right hand. After a
few practice runs try riding the Mod Wheel for expression too. en add the sustain pedal for legato
phrasing. Soon you’ll develop coordination, and by combining the different controls in real-time
you’ll have an unlimited amount of expressive capabilities. Once you get the hang of it, you can play
almost anything that comes to your musical imagination. Create ensembles of your choosing with
individual instruments. By using the real-time performance controls to play each instrument with
expressiveness, the final result can be extraordinary.
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Building Sections from Individual Instruments
In orchestral scores, composers often write multiple parts for one type of instrument to achieve
chords and harmony. With the larger sections, such as the strings, there can be many players on a
single part. However, each individual player will still have his or her unique style and phrasing.
With Garritan Personal Orchestra, it is possible to simulate the individual players in an orchestra
through a process called Ensemble Building. You build instrumental sections, one instrument at a time,
exactly the way you want. You can position the players in almost any arrangement on the stage. You
can play separate lines or play in unison, you can add more section instruments progressively for a
climax, and do divisi lines. You can change the layout for a symphony orchestra, a baroque orchestra,
or a chamber orchestra. Smaller groups such as concerto layouts, duos, trios, and quartets are also
possible.
is is a unique and intuitive approach to MIDI orchestration.When you create a section from
separate instruments performed and recorded individually, with variations in timing and expression,
achieving a very realistic performance becomes much easier.
Garritan Personal Orchestra includes a very great number of instruments that can be employed as
individual players in a section environment. Most instruments (brass, woodwinds, and solo strings)
have derivative ensemble player (Plr) instruments. ese are solo instruments designed for building
ensemble sections. e Plr instruments can be used to create custom-sized ensembles while keeping
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
resource demands to a minimum. Ensemble instruments are panned to slightly different seating posi-
tions but can be changed according to the wishes of the user. e ensemble player (Plr) instruments
do not share samples with each other and can therefore be played together without phasing problems
(avoid mixing Solo and Plr patches of the same instrument, however). Personal Orchestra’s large string
section patches can often be convenient to use rather than building a large string section of your own.
Nevertheless, multiple solo Plr string instruments will also allow you to create string sections of vari-
ous sizes.
Example:
If you want a Horn section, load in the first, second and third ensemble player (Plr) horns to get your
section. A second set of Plr horns will provide the fourth fifth and sixth players. e “overlays” can also be
used to make the section sound even bigger, with greater control over brightness at loud levels. us, you
can create your section playing in unison, playing separate parts or playing divisi with unique expression
and phrasing from each loaded instrument.
When you start building sections from separate instruments, with all the instruments playing indi-
vidually, it will sound incredibly realistic. To learn more see the Ensemble Building tutorials on the
Garritan website at www.garritan.com.
An Overview of the Orchestra
e orchestra as we know it today took centuries to evolve. Since the first cavemen learned how
to produce sound, musicians have organized themselves into groups. An orchestra is a group of
instrumentalists who play music together. e term is commonly used to describe a large ensemble
composed of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. e word “orchestra” itself derives from the
Greek and refers to the semi-circular space in the front of the theater where performers stood. In a
modern orchestra, the players are seated in a semi-circle facing the audience and the conductor.
e combining of instrumentalists into string, brass, woodwind and percussion sections is a relatively
recent development in the evolution of the orchestra. Early orchestras first emerged over 400 years
ago. ey were often just an ad hoc group of musicians getting together and playing whatever instru-
ments they had at hand. Small orchestras later accompanied operatic and theatrical performances and
also played for royalty and the noble classes. In the 1600s and 1700s, the evolution of instruments
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accelerated and by the nineteenth century, the variety and number of musical instruments led to the
need for a conductor. e golden age of the orchestra was born, and the orchestra finally emerged
from its supporting role into prominence. As cities grew, the demand for musical performances
increased. Concert halls were built throughout Europe and North America to showcase the orches-
tra. People traveled for miles to see and hear an orchestra. Composers began writing longer, more
complex works for larger and more varied groups of instruments. With a wider array of instrumen-
tation and a growing body of musical works, the orchestra continued to flourish. By the twentieth
century some orchestras comprised more than 100 full-time professional musicians. Today, most of
the world’s major cities have their own symphony orchestra, which has become a symbol of cultural
pride. e finest orchestras tour foreign countries and serve as musical “ambassadors” for their respec-
tive countries. Contemporary composers write orchestral music for television, film, and interactive
media, as well as the concert hall.
ere are four main families of musical instrument in the modern orchestra: the strings, the wood-
winds, the brass, and the percussion. Instruments within each family share common attributes and
produce their sounds in a similar fashion. e strings are played with a bow or are plucked; the brass
and woodwinds are blown; and the percussion instruments are struck.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
STRING INSTRUMENTS
e strings consist of four instruments—
violin, viola, cello and double bass—and are grouped
into sections bearing the names of the instruments. e
stringed instruments look very similar, but differ in size
and tone. Violins have the highest voices and the brightest
tone; basses have the lowest voices and darkest tones,
and the cellos and violas fall in-between. e stringed
instruments all have four strings and produce sound
the same way; by drawing a bow across the strings or by
plucking with the fingers.
THE STRING FAMILY
e four individual strings of each stringed instrument are each tuned as follows:
Note: Basses sound an octave lower than written.
PITCH RANGESSTRINGED INSTRUMENTS
It is important to be aware of the range (the highest and lowest notes available) of each instrument. Each
stringed instrument has a particular pitch range. e chart below shows the typical ranges of the individual stringed instruments as they correspond to a piano keyboard. Virtuoso players can often play beyond
the typical upper range of the instrument.
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THE EXQUISITE STRINGED INSTRUMENTS IN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA
e stringed instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra includes a pair of Stradivaris, a Guarneri, several
Gaglianos, two Pierrays, two Montagnana cellos, a Testore, a Pallota viola, a Calcanius, a Klotz, a Vaillant,
and a Betts, all of which were made in the seventeenth century. Visit www.garritan.com for a complete
list of the stringed instruments in this collection. Amazingly, these stringed instruments have lasted hundreds of years and still have such a powerful and beautiful sound. e stringed instruments in the Garritan Personal Orchestra library are collectively worth millions of dollars, although the true value of any fine
stringed instrument is in its sound, which is priceless. e sounds of these exquisite stringed instruments
are now at your command.
Pictured above: A few of the actual Stringed Instruments Sampled in this Library. Stradivarius, Guarneri,
Gagliano, Montagnana and Pallotta
Playing Personal Orchestra Strings:
Aside from being sampled from some of the world’s finest instruments, the string patches in Garritan
Personal Orchestra are programmed in a way that allows for playability and customization. e solo
patches of each member of the string family are included in the library as well as keyswitch patches.
e keyswitch patches incorporate the most commonly used string articulations into one patch, with
the articulations activated by a key outside the playable range of the instrument. Aside from the stan-
dard solo patches and keyswitch patches, Garritan Personal Orchestra includes multiple ensemble
string patches, each programmed in a way that allows you to build custom string sections. ese
ensemble patches are useful in creating unison and divisi lines where control over each instrument in
the section is desired. ere are buildable ensembles for each member of the string family. For more
information on ensemble building, see the previous section on “Building Sections from Individual
Instruments” in this manual.
Garritan Personal Orchestra also includes prebuilt string sections for every member of the strings
family. ese section samples include sustained/legato, pizzicato, trills, tremolo, muted, and short
bow articulations. ere are also keyswitch instruments that combine these articulations into one
patch. e articulations in the keyswitch patches are activated by a key outside the normal range
of these instruments. Also included in Personal Orchestra are full section patches that include all
stringed family instruments grouped together as a way to audition sounds without loading each
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
instrument section separately. Aggressive patches for the short bow and sustained string patches are
included for when a more aggressive sound is needed. ese patches should be used when a brighter
or harder articulation is desired as the sound of the attack is greater with these instruments.
In order to obtain the best results when using Garritan Personal Orchestra it is imperative to use the
built-in programming for the samples. While the samples are certainly playable without understand-
ing the programming behind them, it is only when the programming is understood and utilized that
your string solo and ensemble passages will truly come alive. Listed here is the programming included
in Personal Orchestra’s solo and ensemble string samples and how it is activated with common midi
controllers.
Basic Controls
Velocity – Attack and Volume (non-sustain only)
Velocity is used to control the initial ‘note on’ attack strength on all sustained/legato solo and
ensemble string patches. is attack equates into how hard the bow strikes the string. Velocity
is also used to control volume/timbre on short bow and pizzicato patches.
Modulation Controller CC# 1 – Volume (sustain only)
is controller is used to the control volume and timbre characteristics of all sustained/legato
solo, ensemble, section and full string patches. Playable with your keyboard’s mod wheel or
external controller surface. Can also be drawn in your sequencer tracks by hand.
Legato Controller CC# 64 – Legato
is controller is used to create legato lines. You can use and external sustain pedal to control
the legato function or it can be entered in your sequencer by hand. Pedal up (CC64 0-63) is
detache, pedal down (CC64 64-127) for legato. Alternatively, you could use the Auto-Legato
feature.
Portamento Controller CC# 20
is controller is used to create portamento during legato passages based on note intervals and
CC value. e closer the notes the higher the portamento value used. Inversely, the larger the
interval between notes, the lower the portamento value used. Notes further than an octave
apart typically do not use portamento. is controller can be used only in conjunction with
legato playing when the sustain pedal controller is active.
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Length Controller CC# 21
is controller is used to shorten or lengthen the release/decay of the samples. When used with
the short bow patches this controller is useful for creating the effect of marcato articulations or
can inversely give the effect of lighter bowstrokes in a sautille fashion. When using this control-
ler with sustained strings higher values of cc#21 can useful for getting smoother legato lines
by increasing note overlap due to sample release times being increased. Most instruments load
with this controller set to a moderate level by default.
Variability Controllers CC#’s 22 & 23
CC# 22 controls the intonation of the notes and is useful during repeated note phrases. is
control should be used in moderation. CC# 23 controls variations in timbre/volume for the
solo and ensemble patches and is useful in repeated note phrases to reduce the appearance of
the ‘machine gun’ effect.
Additional Programming:
Hidden Pitchbend Defeat Controller CC# 19
is controller is used on all sustained string samples to aid the creation of portamento effect
when going from detached (non legato) playing to legato playing. is controller switches
to a layer that does not respond to pitchbend data. is gives the user the flexibility to draw
pitchbend data between two notes, but only having an effect on the second note of the pair
when carefully placed cc#19 data has been added to the track. is helps solve certain kinds of
portamento problems.
Hidden Playable Trills/Bow Noise Controller CC# 16
is controller has two functions that are patch specific. When used with the AG (aggressive)
short bow patches this controller controls bow noise and can be used to add ‘grit’ to the sound
of the patch. e Solo keyswitch strings use cc#16 to control an alternative switching system for
trills on keyswitch notes G# and A. e standard keyswitches (G# thru B) give the user control
over half-step and whole-step trills plus their muted counterparts. e cc#16 controller extends
switching to intervals from a half-step to as wide as a major third using the following values
0-32 = half step
33-64 = whole step
65=96 = minor third
97-127 = major third
:
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Keyswitch Assignments for the Solo String Keyswitch patches:
B (8ve) = Playable whole step trills
A# (8ve) = Playable whole step muted trills
A (8ve) = Playable trills with ½ step as default (intervals selectable with cc16)
G# (8ve) = Playable ½ step muted trills as default (intervals selectable with cc16)
G (8ve) = Playable tremolo
F# (8ve) = Playable tremolo mute
F (8ve) = Pizzicato
E (8ve) = Downbows
D# (8ve) = Upbows
D (8ve) = Automatically alternating up and downbows
C# (8ve) = Sustain mute (legato with sustain pedal)
C (8ve) = Sustain (legato with sustain pedal)
Keyswitch Assignments for Solo and Section String Keyswitch patches:
Note:
When using the short bow patches in Garritan Personal Orchestra, there are hidden keyswitches that
allow the user to use the precise bow direction needed. If control over bow direction is needed or de-
sired, this is attainable with these keyswitches. e mapping for this function is as follows:
E (8ve) = bow stroke 2
D# (8ve) = bow stroke 1
D (8ve) = automatically alternating bow strokes
Keyswitch assignments for the Section and Full String keyswitch patches:
B (8ve) = Whole step trills (legato with sustain pedal)
A# (8ve) = Whole step trills mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
A (8ve) = Half step trills (legato with sustain pedal)
G# (8ve) = Half step trills mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
G (8ve) = Tremolo (legato with sustain pedal)
F# (8ve) = Tremolo mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
F (8ve) = Pizzicato
E (8ve) = Downbows
D# (8ve) = Upbows
D (8ve) = Automatically alternating up and downbows
C# (8ve) = Sus+short mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
C (8ve) = Sus+short (legato with sustain pedal)
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Note:
e keyswitch assignments will vary depending on instrument Solo string keyswitch assignments are
similar, with the exception of the tremolos and trills which are “playable” and do not contain the extra
cc#16 controller for larger intervals:
B (8ve) = “Playable” whole step trills (legato with sustain pedal)
A# (8ve) = “Playable” whole step trills mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
A (8ve) = “Playable” half step trills (legato with sustain pedal)
G# (8ve) = “Playable” half step trills mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
G (8ve) = “Playable” tremolo (legato with sustain pedal)
F# (8ve) = “Playable” tremolo mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
F (8ve) = Pizzicato
E (8ve) = Downbows
D# (8ve) = Upbows
D (8ve) = Automatically alternating up and downbows
C# (8ve) = Sus+short mutes (legato with sustain pedal)
C (8ve) = Sus+short (legato with sustain pedal)
*(8ve) represents the octave (always below the range of the instrument).
Pitch Bend
•
is controller can be used to add ‘scoops’ or ‘drops’ to the solo violin at the beginning or end-
ing of notes or passages. Especially useful for fiddling. Can be used in conjunction with the
portamento controller (CC# 20).
More information about the stringed instruments in Personal Orchestra including specific tutorials
can be found at www.garritan.com.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
THE WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS
e Woodwind family consists of a wide variety of instru-
ments, each with its own unique sound. ese instruments
include varieties of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons.
Quality woodwind instruments sampled in Personal Orches-
tra include Haynes flutes, Selmer clarinets and Heckel bas-
soons.
Most of the woodwind instruments really are made of wood
and some are made of metal (the flutes, historically, were made of wood but are now made with metal).
Woodwind instruments produce their sound by having air blown through a hollow tube. Holes along
the length of the body are opened or closed using the fingers (or small pads that are part of a keyworks
mechanism), producing varying pitches. With the exception of the flute family, woodwind instru-
ments require reeds to produce their sound
Whereas the four members of the string family produce sounds in a similar fashion, woodwinds pro-
duce their sound differently from one another. As a result, the bassoon has a very different tone than
a flute and neither resembles the sound of a clarinet.
THE WOODWIND FAMILY
e woodwind instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra:
Pictured left to right: Piccolo, Concert Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Oboe, English Horn,
Eb Clarinet, Bb Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Bassoon, Contrabassoon.
.
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PITCH RANGES WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS
e chart below shows some of the typical ranges of the individual woodwind instruments as they correspond to a piano keyboard. ese ranges are not absolute and virtuoso players can often play beyond the
typical upper range of the instrument.
Playing Personal Orchestra Woodwind Instruments:
e wind instruments samples in Garritan Personal Orchestra are expressive and beautiful. Whether
you choose to use them in a solo context, in small intimate ensembles, or in vast orchestral pieces,
they are built to suit your every need quickly and painlessly. Included in the library are solo and en-
semble versions of all the major instruments in the wind instrument family with some surprises that
you would expect from larger, more expensive libraries. For playability there are keyswitch versions
of the flute and piccolo flute.
In order to obtain the best results when using Garritan Personal Orchestra it is imperative to use the
built in programming for the samples. While the samples are certainly playable without understanding
the programming behind them, it is only when the programming is understood and utilized that your
woodwind passages will truly come alive. Listed here is the programming included in Personal Orches-
tra’s solo and ensemble woodwind samples and how it is activated with common midi controllers.
Basic Programming:
Velocity – Attack
Velocity is used to control the initial ‘note on’ attack on all sustained/legato solo and ensemble
woodwind patches. is attack equates into how forceful the instrument is played. Note: Ve-
locity is only active on the pedal ‘up’ layer of the instrument. e pedal ‘down’ layer has no
attack on the note start.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Modulation Controller CC# 1 – Volume/Timbre
is controller is used to the control volume and timbre characteristics of all sustained/legato
solo and ensemble woodwind patches. Playable with your keyboard’s mod wheel or external
controller surface, or can also be drawn in your sequencer by hand.
Slurred/Legato Controller CC# 64
is controller is used to create properly articulated tongued and slurred lines. You can use
an external sustain pedal to control the slur (legato) function or it can be entered in your se-
quencer by hand. Pedal up (CC64 0-64) is tongued, pedal down (CC64 65-127) for slurred
(legato). Alternatively, the Auto-Legato feature can be used.
Portamento Controller CC# 20
is controller is used to create portamento during legato passages based on note intervals and
CC value. e closer the notes, the higher the portamento value used. Inversely, the larger the
interval between notes, the lower the portamento value used. Notes further than an octave
apart typically do not use portamento. is controller can be used only in conjunction with
legato playing when the sustain pedal controller is active.
Length Controller CC# 21
is controller is used to shorten or lengthen the release/decay of the samples. is control-
ler can be used to improve emulation of double and triple tonguing in the woodwinds. Most
instruments load with this controller set to a moderate level by default.
Variability Controllers CC#’s 22 & 23
CC# 22 controls the random variability of intonation of the notes and is useful during re-
peated note phrases. is control should be used in moderation. CC# 23 controls random
variations in timbre for the solo and ensemble patches and is useful in repeated note phrases to
reduce the appearance of the ‘machine gun’ effect.
Additional Programming:
Hidden Vibrato Intensity Controller (Aftertouch)
Many of the non-vibrato solo woodwinds have a hidden vibrato intensity controller to allow
the user to apply the level of vibrato to the instrument. e intensity controller controls the
level of vibrato. is controller does not apply to the instruments that contain natural vibrato
and only applies to instruments that have a non-vibrato choice (shown NV.) is controller
has also been added to some instruments that do not normally have vibrato (the clarinet or
Page 87
French horn.) To be used along with the Vibrato Speed controller CC# 17. is controller can
be drawn in by hand or can be activated with a keyboard that has Aftertouch sensitivity.
Vibrato Speed Controller CC# 17
is controller when used in conjunction with the vibrato intensity controller will vary the
vibrato speed of those instruments that normally contain no vibrato. As before, this would not
affect instruments that have natural vibrato and will apply only to non-vibrato patches (shown
NV.) To be used along with the Vibrato Intensity Controller (aftertouch).
Keyswitch Assignments for the Woodwinds Keyswitch patches:
ere are only two keyswitch patches in the woodwind library, the flute and piccolo flute. is
allows the user to switch between the natural vibrato and non-vibrato choices of these instru-
ments on the fly. ese keyswitches are as follows:
C(8ve) = Vibrato
D(8ve) = Non-vibrato
E(8ve) = Flutter
(8ve) represents the octave (always below the range of the instrument).
Note:
e keyswitch assignments will vary depending on instrument.
More information about the woodwind instruments in Personal Orchestra including specific tutori-
als can be found at www.garritan.com.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
THE BRASS INSTRUMENTS
e brass instruments in a modern orchestra in-
clude variations of the French horn, the trum-
pet, the trombone, and the tuba. Each possesses a
unique color and range, from the bright piercing
sound of the trumpet to the deep, dark tones of the
tuba. e brass section is typically seated between
the woodwind and percussion sections.
Similar to the woodwind instruments, sounds are
produced by air being blown into a funnel-shaped mouthpiece connected to a hollow metal tubing
that terminates in a bell. Holes in the tubes are opened and closed by valves or a slide, which produce
changes in pitch. e vibrating lips of the player have the same function as the reeds in the woodwind
instruments.
THE BRASS FAMILY
e brass instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra:
Pictured left to right: Piccolo Trumpet, Bb Trumpets, French Horn, Tenor Trombone,
Alto Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba, and Contratuba.
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PITCH RANGES BRASS INSTRUMENTS
e chart below shows the typical ranges of the individual brass instruments as they correspond to a piano
keyboard. ese ranges are not absolute and virtuoso players can often play beyond the typical upper
range of the instrument. Good brass players can also play pedal tones. Pedal tones are notes that lie below
the natural range of an instrument and take a great deal of control to produce.
Playing Personal Orchestra Brass Instruments:
e brass in Garritan Personal Orchestra has been exquisitely captured and allows for a very dynamic
brass section in your midi orchestration. In addition to the standard solo patches included in Per-
sonal Orchestra, there are also ensemble patches that allow the midi orchestrator to custom size his
brass section to meet the need of the composition. In addition to these ensemble instruments there
are brass overlays, mutes, as well as aggressive patches. e overlays are used to create a larger brass
sound while the aggressive patches are useful in adding a punch to the brass section by increasing
the hardness of the attack. For more information about the ensemble building feature of Garritan
Personal Orchestra, see the previous section on “Building Sections from Individual Instruments” in
this manual.
In order to obtain the best results when using Garritan Personal Orchestra it is imperative to use the
built-in programming for the samples. While the samples are certainly playable without understand-
ing the programming behind them, it is only when the programming is understood and utilized
that your brass passages will truly come alive. Listed here is the programming included in Personal
Orchestra’s solo and ensemble brass samples and how it is activated with common midi controllers.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Basic Programming:
Velocity – Attack
Velocity is used to control the initial ‘note on’ attack strength on all sustained/ legato solo and
ensemble brass patches. is attack equates into how forcefully the player releases the air col-
umn to begin the note.
Modulation Controller CC# 1 – Volume/Timbre
is controller is used to the control volume and timbre characteristics of all sustained/legato
solo and ensemble brass patches. Playable with the mod wheel or external controller surface, or
can also be drawn in your sequencer by hand.
Legato Controller CC# 64
is controller is used to create properly articulated tongued and slurred lines. You can use and
external sustain pedal to control the legato function or it can be entered in your sequencer by
hand. Pedal up (CC64 0-63) is tongued, pedal down (CC64 64-127) for legato. Alternatively,
the Auto-Legato feature can be used.
Portamento Controller CC# 20
is controller is used to create portamento during legato passages based on note intervals and
CC value. e closer the notes, the higher the portamento value used. Inversely, the larger the
interval between notes, the lower the portamento value used. Notes further than an octave
apart typically do not use portamento. is controller can be used only in conjunction with
legato playing when the sustain pedal controller is active.
Length Controller CC# 21
is controller is used to shorten or lengthen the release or decay of the samples. is control-
ler is useful for creating Sforzando articulations when using the aggressive brass patches or for
getting a staccato sound. It can also be valuable in helping to create convincing double and
triple tonguing passages.
Variability Controllers CC#’s 22 & 23
CC# 22 controls the intonation of the notes and is useful during repeated note phrases. is
control should be used in moderation. CC# 23 controls variations in timbre/volume for the
solo and ensemble patches and is useful in repeated note phrases to reduce the appearance of
the ‘machine gun’ effect.
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Additional Programming
Hidden Vibrato Intensity Controller (Aftertouch):
Many of the non-vibrato solo brass instruments have a hidden vibrato intensity controller to
allow the user to apply the level of vibrato to the instrument. e intensity controller controls
the level of vibrato. is controller does not apply to the instruments that contain natural vi-
brato and only applies to instruments that have a non-vibrato choice. is controller has also
been added to some instruments that do not normally have vibrato (French horn.) To be used
along with the Vibrato Speed controller CC# 17. is controller can be drawn in by hand or
can be activated with a keyboard that has aftertouch sensitivity.
Vibrato Speed Controller CC# 17:
is controller when used in conjunction with the vibrato intensity controller will vary the
vibrato speed of those instruments that normally contain no vibrato. As before, this would not
affect instruments that have natural vibrato and will apply only to non-vibrato patches. To be
used along with the Vibrato Intensity Controller (Aftertouch.)
Hidden Pitchbend Defeat Controller CC# 19
is controller is used on the solo trombone samples to aid the creation of portamento when go-
ing from detached (non legato) playing to legato playing. is controller switches to a layer that
does not respond to pitchbend data. is gives the user the flexibility to draw pitchbend data be-
tween two notes, but only having an effect on the second note of the pair when carefully placed
cc#19 data has been added to the track. is helps solve certain kinds of portamento problems.
Saturation Controller CC# 16
is controller is used in conjunction with the aggressive brass patches (denoted AG) to add
more forcefulness and ‘grit’ to the sound of these patches.
Pitch Bend
is controller can be effectively used with the solo trombone patches to create ‘scoops’ or
‘drops’ at the beginning of notes or passages. Can be used in conjunction with the other por-
tamento controllers (CC# 20 & 19).
Keyswitch Assignments for the Brass Keyswitch patches:
Keyswitches in the brass give the user the ability to switch between open and muted versions
of the instruments. ese keyswitches are as follows:
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
C (8ve) = Open
D (8ve) = Muted
(8ve) represents the octave (always below the range of the instrument).
Note:
e keyswitch assignments will vary depending on instrument.
e Overlays:
e brass instruments have “Overlay” instruments, sampled at the f or ff level that can be layered with
the solo and ensemble instruments to achieve a fuller, more massive section sound. e trumpets,
trombones, and tubas each have one Overlay instrument and the French horns have two. In general,
the Overlay instruments can be used to:
Add "body" and resonance to the sound of a brass section. is can affect the apparent size
•
of the section—making it sound larger.
Increase the contrast in timbre from soft to loud. e contrast increases as you add more
•
Overlay. e soft end of the spectrum becomes mellower, the loud end becomes brighter and
brassier.
Give the impression of a larger section size while using fewer resources, consuming fewer
•
instrument slots within a Personal Orchestra instance.
Give greater control over strong articulations. e French horns have two Overlay instru-
•
ments (f and ff) because the horns often require a large range of timbre variation in typical
orchestral writing. e combination of Solo and Player (Plr) instruments with either or both
Overlays can create a large variety of characteristics.
More information about the brass instruments in Garritan Personal Orchestra including specific
tutorials can be found at www.garritan.com.
Page 93
Project Sam Brass:
is newest version of Garritan Personal Orchestra now has more brass instruments. A selection
of Project SAM brass samples are now included. Project SAM is the most respected orchestra brass
samples on the market. Included are samples from SAM Horns, SAM Trombones, SAM Trumpets
and SAM Solo Sessions. Known for its ambient, cinematic sound, Project SAM Brass instruments
are regularly used in film, TV and music. For Personal Orchestra, the Project SAM brass sections
and solo instruments were streamlined and programming modified to blend with the other Personal
Orchestra instruments and were then optimized for the ARIA player.
Special pricing is available to Personal Orchestra users who want to upgrade to the full Project SAM
Orchestral Brass Classic.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
THE PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
e Percussion instruments are often the loudest mem-
bers of the orchestra and are seated at the back of the
orchestra. e instruments of the percussion family are
played by being hit, shaken or scraped. Percussion liter-
ally means “hitting of one body against another.” e
percussion section provides a variety of rhythms and
tonal textures in an orchestra. It is also the most varied
section, and since there are many different percussion in-
struments, players often master a variety of instruments.
THE PERCUSSION FAMILY
e pitched percussion instruments in Personal Orchestra:
Pictured left to right: Timpani, Tubular Bells, Glockenspiel,
Xylophone, Vibraphone, Grand Concert Marimba.
Some of the unpitched percussion in Personal Orchestra:
Pictured left to right: Bass Drum, Gong, Toms, Mark Tree, Snare Drum, Triangle, Orchestral Cymbals,
Handbells, Maracas, Tambourine, Castanets
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PITCH RANGES PITCHED PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
Percussion instruments are divided into two groups: pitched and unpitched. Unpitched instruments have
an indefinite tone—like a hand clap or thud—such as the bass drum, snare drum, maracas, cymbals or
gong, to name but a few. Pitched instruments, such as the xylophone, timpani, marimba, tubular bells,
and others play specific pitches. e chart below shows the ranges of the individual pitched percussion
instruments as they correspond to a piano keyboard. Unlike the other instruments of the orchestra, these
ranges are absolute, and players cannot usually play beyond the range of the instrument.
Playing Personal Orchestra Percussion Instruments:
Garritan Personal Orchestra has a varied collection of percussion instruments at your disposal. Al-
most all of Personal Orchestra’s percussion instrument patches are keyswitch instruments with the ex-
ception of the cymbals, wind machine, and the basic orchestral percussion combo patch. e combo
patch combines the commonly used orchestral percussion into one patch.
e programming in Personal Orchestra’s percussion is not as involved as that as of the sustained
instruments due to the nature of these instruments. Some of these controllers are universal across all
percussion instruments while some pertain to select instruments or types of instruments.
Basic Programming:
Velocity – Attack Volume
All percussion instruments included in Garritan Personal Orchestra use velocity for attack and
volume control.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Length Controller CC# 21 – Sample Length
is continuous controller allows the user to manually adjust sample release/decay time. is
controller is not available for all percussion instruments.
Modulation Controller CC#1– Percussion Roll Volume (for actual recorded rolls)
e modulation control for the percussion instruments that use it works in a similar manner
as the sustained instruments. ere are four percussion instruments in Personal Orchestra that
use the mod wheel for rolled crescendos/decresendos when the proper note is played. ese are
the cymbals, snare drum, and bass drum. e wind machine also uses mod wheel control of
volume. e more mod wheel data applied to these instruments the louder the ‘roll’.
Controller CC# 64 – Dampening
In most other instruments in Personal Orchestra this controller is used either for legato or note
sustaining. Percussive instruments use the sustain pedal for standard sustain while in “Pedal
mode 2.” e vibraphone adds a second instrument choice that can function in standard
“Pedal mode 1,” at the expense of keyswitching.
Variability Controllers CC#’s 22 & 23
CC# 22 controls the intonation of the notes and is useful during repeated note phrases. is
control should be used in moderation. CC# 23 controls variations in timbre/volume for the
affected percussion patches and is useful in repeated note phrases to reduce the appearance of
the ‘machine gun’ effect. Note: Not all percussion instruments use these controllers.
Instrument Specific Programming:
Bass Drum:
Controller CC#20 – Bass Drum Fundamental
Although the bass drum is an instrument of indefinite pitch, its tone is very deep and
booming and capable of being adjusted. e bass drum in Personal Orchestra has an ad-
justable fundamental that is controlled by a knob designated “BDFund” in the controller
section of the ARIA Player. is control can add a great deal of energy to extremely low
frequencies, so use it with care.
Controller cc#16 – Aggressive Brightness
Advancing this controller can give the impression of harder mallets being played aggres-
sively.
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Vibraphone:
Controller CC#20 – Attack
For the vibraphone this controller controls the vibraphone’s attack speed. is allows con-
tinuous control of the vibraphone’s attack speed from hard to ‘bowed’ attacks. is control-
ler will be labeled as ATTACK on the ARIA Player interface.
Controller CC#22 – Tremolo Level
For the vibraphone this controller controls the level of tremolo and allows control of the
vibraphone’s tremolo level. is controller is to be used in tandem with CC# 23, tremolo
speed. is controller will be labeled as TRMLEV on the ARIA Player interface.
Controller CC#23 – Tremolo Speed
For the vibraphone this controller controls the speed of the tremolo. is allows continuous
control of the vibraphone’s tremolo speed. is controller is to be used in tandem with CC#
22, tremolo level. is controller will be labeled as TRMSPD on the ARIA Player interface.
e Keyswitch Percussion Instruments:
As discussed earlier, almost all of Personal Orchestra’s percussion patches are keyswitch instruments.
e instruments load defaulted to single hits, but when the “D”keyswitch is activated the notes play
followed by a release trigger of the same note making it possible to play single note ‘rolls’. ese rolls
can be played in realtime and timing and speed can be varied according to need. It is recommended
that when using this function that the variability controllers are used as well to reduce the ‘machine
gun’ effect. Exceptions to this are instruments that normally do not play rolls. ese keyswitch patch-
es are activated as follows:
C(x) = standard single hits as before
D(x) = playable release trigger rolls
In addition to this, the timpani patch in Personal Orchestra has left and right hand samples that allow
the user to play in rolls. e left and right hand samples are the same pitches, but an octave apart.
More information about the percussion instruments in Personal Orchestra including specific tutori-
als can be found at www.garritan.com.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
THE KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS AND THE HARP
e harp is an ancient instrument that dates back to antiquity.
Many keyboard instruments evolved from the harp. e harp
consists of a series of strings stretched over a triangular frame.
e harp is played by plucking the strings with the fingertips.
e concert harp has seven pedals, each one representing a note
of the scale. e pedals adjust the length of the strings, with all
its octaves, either a semitone up or down. e harp can have a
range of up to seven octaves. Harps are known for rapid arpeggiated runs and glissandi, which create
distinctive color. e two harps that are included in the Garritan Personal Orchestra collection are a
Venus Grand Concert harp and a Wurlitzer Concert harp, circa 1920s.
Various keyboard instruments are often included in orchestras. Keyboards have a standard chromatic
key arrangement of black and white keys playing notes a semitone apart. Keyboards have been with
us for over 600 years after first appearing in organs and later the clavichord, harpsichord and piano.
In Garritan Personal Orchestra, high-quality keyboard instruments were sampled. A Steinway® Con-
cert Grand Piano was sampled at two dynamic levels (Steinway® name used by permission). e harp-
sichord is a double manual French harpsichord, built by Hubbard, and the celesta was manufactured
by Mustel. e Concert Pipe Organ is a German Baroque pipe organ built by Rudolf von Beckerath.
It has three manuals and pedals, containing 11 individual stops.
THE KEYBOARDS AND HARP
Keyboards and Harps in Garritan Personal Orchestra:
Pictured left to right: Concert Grand Harp, Steinway® Concert Grand Piano,
Harpsichord, Celeste, Rudolf von Beckerath Concert Pipe Organ.
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PITCH RANGES KEYBOARD AND HARP INSTRUMENTS
e keyboards can have the widest range in an orchestra. e chart below shows the ranges of the keyboard instruments of Personal Orchestra as they correspond to a piano keyboard.
Playing the Personal Orchestra Keyboard & Harp Instruments:
It has been said that the keyboard and harp instruments included in Garritan Personal Orchestra
could stand alone in libraries of their own. It is true that these instruments are among the finest qual-
ity and complete this libraries vision of offering an orchestra for every musician.
The STeinway Grand Piano
is is perhaps the easiest instrument to play of Garritan Personal Orchestra. e programming is the
easiest to grasp and allows for a fully functional concert piano experience. Included in Garritan Per-
sonal Orchestra is a Steinway Grand piano patch as well as two piano duo instruments that are meant
for duo piano pieces, as well as a lite version of the full piano patch when instrument auditioning is
needed. For those who wish to have a more detailed concert grand piano, the Authorized Steinway
Virtual Concert Grand Piano may be of interest. e Authorized Steinway Virtual Concert Grand
Piano was developed in partnership with Steinway & Sons and provides many more features than the
piano in Personal Orchestra. For more information about the Authorized Steinway Virtual Concert
Grand Piano go the www.garritan.com/Steinway.html.
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A GUIDE TO GARRITAN PERSONAL ORCHESTRA® Version 4
Basic Programming:
Velocity – Note Attack and Volume
e pianos note attack and volume is controlled by velocity. You have the full spectrum of
dynamics attainable through this controller from ppp to fff.
Sustain Pedal Controller CC# 64
When using the Sustain Pedal Controller you are able to play the piano with sustains, just like
a real piano. is controller will only work when the proper options are enabled within Gar-
ritan Personal Orchestra.
The harPSichord
e harpsichord’s programming is also simple, yet effective. On top of the simple programming all
the ‘stops’ are available on one patch through a keyswitch.
Basic Programming:
Velocity – Note Attack and Volume
e harpsichord note attack and volume is controlled by velocity. You have the full spectrum
of dynamics attainable through this controller from ppp to fff.
e Harpsichord Keyswitch Assignments:
e harpsichord uses a keyswitch to select between its different stops. e instrument loads
defaulted to the 8’ Stop. e A(5) = 8’ Stop, B(5) = 8’ + 4’ Stop and C(6) = Buff Stop. Below
are the keyswitch assignments and what stops they represent:
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