Exploring alternative violin articulations

Let’s use a violin line in six different ways, using contrasting textures and articulations

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Here, we program a string ensemble with separate parts for Violin 2, Violas and Cellos, using dedicated instrument patches from Vienna Symphonic Library’s Dimension Strings, with plenty of controller data to sculpt velocity crossfading and volume, per part. In this example, we add a high ‘regular’ Violin 1 part from the same sample library.

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We choose something a little less conventional as our first ‘alternative’ top line. Using Spitfire Audio’s Ólafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions library, we select the Chamber Waves programme, which allows us to use volume swells. As a result, we compose half-beat crescendo builds to each new chord change.

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Next we use Spitfire Audio’s Albion V: Tundra library, loading the Other Harmonics patch. This produces an extremely pure, fragile tone which shimmers above the surface of the other strings. You can hear the patch on its own for a bar before the rest of the arrangement starts.

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Also in the Tundra library is this Ricochet patch. It involves violinists skimming over the surface of the strings to produce an arpeggiated pattern. Minor chords are triggered in the upper octave and major ones below, hence the big jumps in the MIDI note display. The result is ethereal.

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A final articulation from Albion V: Tundra. This is a Col Legno Stratto patch, whereby the string notes are played with the back of the bow (the wooden bit) rather than the hairs of the bow. The result is ghostly as there’s no characteristic string ‘bite’.

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In this final example, we explore how detune – usually associated with synth patches – can be effective in a more traditional musical context. This Woozy Vibrato patch is from Spitfire Audio’s London Contemporary Orchestra Strings library and bends its notes in and out of tune.