It's easy to get more than a bit overwhelmed when first opening up a Vienna Symphony Library instrument. However, by using key switches, you have instant access to the "Basic Combination All" patches. These are specifically designed to give a composer quick access to most of the fundamental articulations that an instrument might be capable of producing. For example, on the basic violin section patch this works as follows:

• Press C0 and the patch instantly becomes a very short staccato note.

• Press C#0 and the patch becomes a staccato note 0.3 seconds long.

• Press D0 and the patch changes to a note 0.5 seconds long.

• Press D#0 and you get a standard sustained note.

• Press E0 and the patch changes to sforzando.

• Press F0 and the patch becomes a pfp sound over four seconds.

• Press F#0 and the patch becomes a tremolo sound.

• Press G0 and the patch becomes a pizzicato sound.

As you familiarize yourself in the manner in which these key switches work for the violins, you are well on your way to mastering all the string patches, for this set of key switches has the same effect on most every "Basic Combination All" string patch. In fact, all of the VSL instruments have something that is very close to this basic formula.