Jun 30, 2006 5:25 PM

VirtuosoWorks has released five Sound Kits (ranging from $29 to $69) that add extra sounds and techniques to the standard orchestra that ships with Notion software. These new samples were recorded at Abbey Road Studios in Studio One using London Symphony Orchestra players, and include strings, percussion, brass, woodwinds and harpsichord.

The Expanded Strings 1 sound kit (pictured) features new sounds for violin, viola, cello and bass sections, played in several articulations. Its performance techniques comprise tremolo, accent tremolo, con sordino, con sordino accent, con sordino staccato, con sordino pizzicato, con sordino tremolo, con sordino accent tremolo, con sordino half-step trill and con sordino whole-step trill.

Expanded Percussion 1 offers new sounds played by Neil Percy, principal percussionist of the London Symphony Orchestra. It includes castanets, cowbells, cuckoo, drumsticks, maracas, power toms, ratchet, roto-toms, shakers, sleigh bells, temple blocks and wood block. It also offers supplementary playing techniques and timbres on bass drum, cabasa, claves, cymbal, guiro, orchestral crash cymbals, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tambourine, triangle and whip.

The Expanded Brass sound kit introduces euphonium and stopped horn, each with a full range of dynamics and articulations. Also included are flutter-tongue and straight-mute sounds for horn, trumpet, tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium and tuba. Straight-mute techniques include legato, staccato, accent, trills and flutter-tongue.

The Expanded Woodwinds sound kit features includes new instruments like contrabassoon and E-flat piccolo clarinet, each including legato, staccato, accent and trills, as well as flutter-tongue and sub-tone for piccolo clarinet. Also included are flutter-tongue sounds for piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet and bass clarinet.

The Harpsichord sound kit features John Alley, principal keyboardist of the London Symphony Orchestra, playing a 1972 Robert Goble & Son instrument.

For more information, visit VirtuosoWorks at www.notionmusic.com. For more new product announcements, visit http://mixonline.com/products/new/.

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