Universal Sordino is Numerical Sound's new product designed to bring the con sordino (muted) sound to any orchestral string library or string recording. Universal Sordino is designed to be truly universal in application: as long as your recordings and/or sample libraries are separated by instrument or section (i.e. violins, violas, cellos or basses).  

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Universal Sordino can also work with any other string recording, including acoustic sections or solo strings.The wide variety of impulses included caters to recordings ranging in miking distance 
(from right on stage to far away) and brightness (from very dark to very bright).  

Universal Sordino truly is designed to be universal in application: as long as your recordings are 
separated by instrument or section (i.e. violins, violas, cellos or basses) 

Timbral Impulses are available in 3 perspectives Stage, Near and Far with 4 tone variations 
Half Sordino, Bright, Normal and Dark. Each tone group has 4 options for reducing the low end
Very Light, Light, Medium, Full and Deep which retains the full low end of each string instrument. 

Expressive Control with  Universal Sordino

The natural sound of the many sordino variations mean that DAWs that support host automation can create additional expressive control for libraries by dynamically controlling the wet/dry ratio in a convolution  engine. If MIDI learn is supported, the frequency balance can be dynamically controlled using a MIDI CC 
of your choice (typically the same one you use for dynamics) so that the sordino is fully applied at 
quieter dynamics while the dry signal comes through unprocessed at louder dynamics.

There are all sort of creative possibilities that open up when you start applying Universal Sordino to the appropriate register of mixed ensemble strings or synth patches. You can also dynamically automate the wet/dry balance of these impulses to add an expressive character to your strings.

Introduction video on Universal Sordino

Using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses with Kontakt or Reverberate

Universal Sordino Demos

All individual dry string stems - V1, V2, VA, VC, CB were rendered by David Howarth and Per Lichtman except VSL Dimension Strings by Ernest Cholakis. 

These dry tracks were imported into Reaper and a convolution insert was added for each audio track each track. Note dry is set to 0% or mute and wet to 100%. The 5 tracks were bussed to a convolution reverb impulse mix in at -12dB . The IR impulse selected was "230_ERc200ms_2s0_Brighter_44k.wav" which is from The Hollywood Sound Impulse Response Collection" but is included as a bonus IR in Universal Sordino. For the Rachmaninoff demos the reverb was mixed in at -6dB.

Limiting of between 1-3dB (Ozone Advance) was applied so that the audio levels were perceptually equivalent..

After each Universal Sordino Timbral Impulse link the next line specifies which timbral impulse was chosen for the demo.

Here are the first 8 bars of a live recording of Edvard Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor - 2nd movement. RNCM Chamber Orchestra in the Royal Northern College of Music Concert Hall in Manchester, England 1993.

David Howarth plays the piano in this recording. 

Here is a recording of Edvard Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite, Åse's Death with the Limburgs Symphony Orchestra, Otto Tausk Conducting. The violins, violas and cellos are played con Sordino.

Cinematic Strings 2.1 un-muted. 

Cinematic Strings 2.1 using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=238 VC=242 CB=247

LASS Strings un-muted.

LASS Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=237 VC=241 CB=246

VSL Orchestral Strings un-muted.

VSL Orchestral Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Near Perspective V1=128,V2=133 VA=138 VC=141 CB=146

VSL Appassionata Strings un-muted. 

VSL Appassionata Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=226,V2=232 VA=236 VC=241 CB=246

VSL Appassionata Strings with it's con Sordino samples.

Berlin Strings Expansions A + B un-muted.

Berlin Strings Expansions A+B using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective  V1= 229,V2=234 VA=238 VC=241 CB=246

Hollywood Strings un-muted.

Hollywood Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.. 
Far Perspective V1=TI 230,V2=235 VA=240 VC=243 CB=247

Hollywood Strings with its con Sordino samples. 

Spitfire Albion II Loegria strings un-muted.

Spitfire Albion II Loegria strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.. 
Stage Perspective V1=26,V2=33  VA=38 VC=41 CB=46

VSL Solo Strings I un-muted.

VSL Solo Strings I using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Stage V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=42 CB=47

VSL Chamber Strings un-muted.

VSL Chamber Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=41 CB=43

String Essentials un-muted.

String Essentials using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=43 CB=48

CineStrings Core un-muted.

CineStrings Core using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=238 VC=242 CB=247

Adagietto Strings un-muted. 

Adagietto Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=28,V2=33 VA=39 VC=42 CB=46

Adagio Solo Strings un-muted.

Adagio Solo Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=27,V2=32 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

Adagio Divisi Strings un-muted.

Adagio Divisi Strings using Universal  Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=27,V2=32 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

Adagio Ensemble Instinct Strings un-muted. 

Adagio Ensemble Instinct Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=28,V2=33 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

Adagio Ensemble Perdition Strings un-muted. 

Adagio Ensemble Predition Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=28,V2=33 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

Adagio Ensemble Strings un-muted.

Adagio Ensemble Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=27,V2=32 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

BML Mural Strings Volume 2 un-muted.

BML Mural Strings Volume 2 using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=27,V2=33 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

BML Mural Strings Volume 2 with Tree Mic's un-muted.

BML Mural Strings Volume 2 with Tree Mic's using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.

Stage Perspective V1=28,V2=33 VA=36 VC=41 CB=46

EWQLSO solo strings un-muted. 

EWQLSO solo strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=253,V2=259 VA=263 VC=268 CB=272

EWQLSO ensemble strings un-muted. 

EWQLSO ensemble strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=43 CB=48

VSL Dimension Strings un-muted.

VSL Dimension Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=251,V2=256 VA=262 VC=266 CB=271

This passage is the intro to the second movement from Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto No. 2. First is the original without processing followed by a version with Universal Sordino applied.

Here is the start second movement of Rachmaninoff: Pianoconcerto no.2 op.18 with pianist Anna Fedorova. The strings are con sordino.

VSL Solo Strings I un-muted.

VSL Solo Strings I using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=42 CB=47

VSL Chamber Strings un-muted.

VSL Chamber Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=41 CB=46

VSL Chamber Strings with its con sordino samples. 

VSL Orchestral Strings un-muted. 

VSL Orchestral Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Near Perspective V1=128,V2=133 VA=138 VC=141 CB=146

VSL Orchestral Strings with its con sordino samples.

VSL Appassionata Strings un-muted. 

VSL Appassionata Strings with Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=226,V2=232 VA=236 VC=241 CB=246

VSL Appassionata Strings with its con sordino samples.

Cinematic Strings 2.1 un-muted.

Cinematic Strings 2.1 with Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=238 VC=242 CB=247

LASS First Chair un-muted.

LASS First Chair using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=237 VC=241 CB=246

LASS Divisi ABC un-muted 

LASS Divisi ABC using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=237 VC=241 CB=246

LASS First Chair + Divisi ABC un-muted.

LASS First Chair + Divisi ABC using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=237 VC=241 CB=246

String Essentials un-muted.

String Essentials using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=43 CB=48

Hollywood Strings un-muted. 

Hollywood Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=230,V2=235 VA=240 VC=243 CB=247

Hollywood Strings with its con Sordino mode activated.

Berlin Strings Expansion A+B with Tree mics un-muted. 

Berlin Strings Expansion A+B with Tree mics with Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=229,V2=234 VA=238 VC=241 CB=246

Berlin Strings Expansion A+B un-muted.

Berlin Strings Expansion A+B using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses. 
Far Perspective V1=229,V2=234 VA=238 VC=241 CB=246

Berlin Strings Expansion A+B with its con Sordino mode activated. 

Adagietto Strings un-muted.

Adagietto Strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=230,V2=235 VA=240 VC=245 CB=250

CineStrings CORE un-muted. 

CineStrings CORE using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Far Perspective V1=228,V2=233 VA=238 VC=242 CB=247

EWQLSO ensemble strings un-muted. 

EWQLSO ensemble strings using Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=30,V2=35 VA=40 VC=43 CB=48

EWQLSO Ensemble Strings with its con Sordino samples.

Spitfire Solo Strings un-muted. 

Spitfire Solo Strings with Universal Sordino Timbral Impulses.
Stage Perspective V1=29,V2=34 VA=38 VC=41 CB=46

     $89.95  (US)