EMBERTONE

User Manual
Version 1.0
 Table of Contents
​Introduction 2
​System Requirements 3
​Articulation List 4
​User-Interface 5
​UI: Performance 6
​UI: Articulation Menu 7
​UI: Character 8
​UI: Intuition 9
​UI: Control 10
​UI: Control Preset Editor 11
​UI: Settings 12
​Tips 13
EULA 15

Introduction

Welcome! Thank you for your purchase of the Joshua Bell Violin Essential!

This virtual violin is produced for Kontakt Player, developed in a collaboration with renowned violinist Joshua Bell.
We wanted to capture the incredible musicality of Joshua Bell playing his priceless Stradivarius violin​, so we set out
to record an immense variety of sounds/articulations and developed a new performance engine to create our most
ambitious virtual instrument yet, ​with all of the detail and love that you can expect from an Embertone release.

The “Essential” version of the instrument has all of the core samples, with much of the back-end complexity brought
down to the most basic level. No tweaking required to get beautiful, expressive, and r​ ealistic​ melody lines!

We hope that you enjoy using the Joshua Bell Violin Essential as much as we enjoyed producing it. If at any point you
have questions about the UI or functionality of the instrument, refer to the pages below for detailed explanations
and descriptions which may help you. There are also video tutorials available on our website if you find yourself
looking for extra hands-on tips and advice.

All samples were performed by Joshua Bell himself.

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System Requirements

Kontakt / Kontakt Player 5.6.8+ Kontakt Player Download:

This product will load in the FREE​ Kontakt Player https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/
and the FULL version of ​Kontakt​. komplete/samplers/kontakt-5-player/free-download
That means that no additional software purchase is required Confused about the difference between Kontakt and
when you purchase this instrument! Once you’ve purchased the Kontakt Player? You’re not the only one! For more info visit:

Joshua Bell Violin Essential, if you don’t already own a version of https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/
samplers/kontakt-5-player/kontakt-player-vs.-kontakt/
Kontakt, use the link to the right to download the FREE Kontakt
Player.

Legacy Patch
Available upon request, we have a set of NKI’s that will allow you to load the Joshua Bell Violin Essential in Kontakt 5.4.+ and
up. Keep in mind, this version does not officially support any of the advanced NKS features.

Computer Recommended Specs

- Mac OS X 10.10, 10.11 or macOS 10.12 (latest update), Intel Core 2 Duo
- Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 (latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit) Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2
- 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended for large KONTAKT Instruments)
- An Internet connection and a graphics card that supports OpenGL 2.1 or higher are required to download and activate
this product. Once installed and activated, the product can be used offline.

NKS Ready
The Joshua Bell Violin Essential comes ready for NKS Compatible devices, such as the Komplete Kontrol keyboard, Maschine,
Komplete Kontrol and Kontakt/Kontakt Player software. That means your NI Device will load with custom Joshua Bell Violin
Essential presets on its hardware!
Komplete Kontrol NKS Features:

Blue Keys The playable range of the violin, from G2–G6.

Red Keys Indicates a LATCHING keyswitch.

When you press this down and release, whichever
articulation/trigger is assigned to this key will
remain afterwards.

Yellow Keys A MOMENTARY keyswitch. The assigned

articulation/trigger will only apply while the
keyswitch is held.

Green Keys An INSTANT Keyswitch. Pressing the keyswitch

itself immediately activates the
articulation/trigger, and reverts upon release. This
is a really fun way to play trills and tremolo!

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Articulation Comparison

Articulation
Specific Articulation Essential Full
Group
Normal Non Vib + Con Vib, MF (2-4X RR Variations) ✔ ✔
4 Attack Styles: Soft, Normal, Sharp, Harsh ✔ ✔

Sustain Con Sordino ✔ ✔

Sul Ponticello ✘ ✔
Sul Tasto ✘ ✔
Slur: Norm Speed, Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✔ ✔
Bow: Normal Speed, Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✔ ✔

Legato Slur: Immediate Speed, Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✘ ✔

Transitions Bow: Immediate Speed, Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✘ ✔
Portamento: Non Vib + Con Vib – MF ✔ ✔
Harmonics: Bow, Slur, Portamento, Non Vib Only – MP ✘ ✔
Normal – Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✔ ✔

Legato Immediate – Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✘ ✔

Rebows Emotional – Non Vib + Con Vib – P, MF, FF ✘ ✔
Fastest ✘ ✔
Crescendo – Short, Long ✘ ✔

Contour Decrescendo – Short, Long ✘ ✔

Swells – Short, Long ✘ ✔

Tremolo Normal, Con Sordino, Sul Ponticello MP, F ✔ ✔

Performance Half Step, Normal, Con Sordino MP, F ✘ ✔

Trills Whole Step, Normal, Con Sordino MP, F ✘ ✔

Harmonics Sustains ✘ ✔

Staccato P, MF, FF 8x Round Robin ✘ ✔

Spiccato P, MF, FF 8x Round Robin ✔ ✔

Ricochet Separated – For custom scales/passages. 2–8x Round Robin ✘ ✔

(Bounces) Performances – on single notes ✘ ✔

Pizzicato P, MF, FF, Bartok (Snap) 4x Round Robin ✔ ✔

P, MF, F, FF Natural Note Releases ✔ ✔

Release Soft Release performances ✘ ✔

Harsh/Dramatic Release performances ✘ ✔

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Feature Comparison

Feature Essential Full

True Legato Articulation Sets: 10 25
Normal Speed Bow Change Legato: P MF F ✔ ✔
Normal Speed Slur Legato: P MF F ✔ ✔
Fast Bow Change Legato: P MF F ✘ ✔
Fast Slur Legato: P MF F ✘ ✔
Portamento/Slides: MF (with modeled dynamics) ✔ ✔
Normal Speed Same-Note Transitions: P MF F ✔ ✔
Fast Same-Note Transitions: P MF F ✘ ✔
Emotional/Scoop Same-Note Transitions: P MF F ✘ ✔
Harmonics Legato Transitions (all MP): Bow, Slur, Slide ✘ ✔
> Octave Legato Transitions ✘ ✔
Real-time Dynamics and Vibrato Control ✔ ✔
Character Control #1: Fine-tuned Timbre Impulses ✘ ✔
Character Control #2: Custom Space IRs ✘ ✔
8 Settings to control the INTUITION Engine:
Slur/Bow Variance

Vib/Non Vib Variance

Global
Portamento Tendency ✔
on/off
Constant Dynamic Fluctuation

Attack/Speed/Interval Pitch Instability

Multi-Stop Attacks

6 Premade Control Presets ✔ ✔

Fine-tune editing of Control Presets to fit your workflow ✘ ✔
Poly/Mono Switch ✔ ✔
Polyphonic Legato ✔ ✔
Double Stop Logic ✘ ✔
Portamento Speed Variability ✘ ✔
Pizzicato Resonance Control ✘ ✔
Dynamic Range + Curve Dials ✘ ✔
Vibrato Speed Control ✘ ✔
Authentic, modelled Sordino Filter ✔ ✔
Sul Pont and Sul Tasto Options ✘ ✔

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User-Interface

We built this user-interface with three important things in mind: An aesthetic that represents Joshua Bell and his personal style,
Real-time feedback connected to y​ our​ performance, and Intuitive access to articulations and customization. Reference the topics
below to familiarize with the different pages of the user-interface which comprise the many features of the instrument.

Performance Control
The Performance page is the opening section of the interface, Choose from a selection of presets for controlling your virtual
appearing when you load the instrument. This page is the violin using MIDI hardware.
home base, and contains many primary performance controls
along with visual articulation, vibrato, and dynamics feedback. Control Presets
There are 6 presets to choose from, each highlighting a
Articulation Menu different workflow/mode of performance.
This is your manual articulation selection view. Navigate
through the maestro’s sample performances and select which
articulation you would like to play.

Intuition
Intuition mode is a large set of randomization and
humanization patterns that will make your melodies come to
life effortlessly.

A live violinist does not play every note uniformly with

computer-like perfection. The features included in this page
allow you to accurately simulate human tendencies and
imperfections, using an advanced performance engine
specifically designed and modeled after deep analysis of
Joshua Bell’s performances.

Understanding Controls and UI Elements

You can easily learn what any UI button/control on the interface does by mousing over it to display a description at the bottom of
the Kontakt window within the ​Info​ area. This is a helpful feature we recommend activating while learning the interface.

You must first enable the ​Info​ view area from within the
Kontakt Workspace Management drop-down selector
before you are able to see these descriptions.

Mousing over keys on the Kontakt ​Keyboard​ will also display

a text description of the keyswitches in the ​Info​ display, so
you can easily locate key assignments.

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 UI: Performance
1 Dynamics
This element controls the dynamic intensity throughout the
instrument. You’ll notice the articulation indicator in the center
of the UI will change according to the position of this slider.
When the dynamics control is assigned to velocity, the slider will
move in response to every notes’ intensity. When assigned to a
CC, it will smoothly respond to your CC movement.
2 Reverb
At the lowest position on the left, Reverb is deactivated. As the
dial moves up, wet/dry balance will adjust accordingly.
You can change the reverb type from the ​Character​ page.
3 Polyphonic Mode
By default, the instrument is in monophonic mode, meaning
that only one note can be played at a time. With this control
activated, an advanced polyphonic legato system allows you to
play multiple notes at once. Note that even in polyphonic mode,
you are still triggering “true” legato transitions. It’s polyphonic
legato!
Joshua Bell Violin Essential - User Manual
4 Performance Indicator / Articulation Menu
Button
The heart and soul of the instrument! This element responds to
your performance, showing you the articulation by text and
musical notation, as well as the dynamic and any extra stylized
markings for visual feedback. This area doubles as the entry to
the Articulation Menu, where you can select and purge any/all
articulations from a single place.
5 Vibrato
Controlled via the modwheel by default, the Vibrato slider is
one of the most important elements of the instrument. At the
lowest position, non-vibrato samples are triggered. New notes
that are performed when the slider is 50% or above will result
in Joshua Bell’s ​Natural Vibrato​. If you play a new note with the
slider below 50%, you can manipulate the non-vibrato samples
with our ​Simulated Vibrato​. Note that once a natural vibrato
sample is triggered, it cannot transition back to a non-vibrato
sample - and conversely, a non-vibrato sample cannot
transition to natural vibrato.
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 UI: Articulation Menu

1 Sordino 3 Purge Articulations

This button will put a virtual mute on the maestro’s priceless
Stradivarius. The tone becomes a bit smaller and sweeter.
2 Articulation Selection
Joshua Bell Violin Essential comes with the most crucial
articulations -- 8 sets of legato transitions, tremolos, spiccatos,
and pizzicatos. For a full comparison between the Essential and
Full versions of the instrument, consult the chart from page 4.
The little blue button on the top right corner of an articulation
will purge/load samples for that articulation. Note that the
purge button only appears when you mouse over an
articulation box. The ​Sustain​ articulation cannot be purged,
since it is the basic foundation of the instrument.
This feature is useful for situations when you want to save
RAM/drive storage use, or if you have a less-powerful
computer. You can purge all the articulations you deem
unnecessary to disable them entirely, and make the instrument
much lighter on processing. An articulation will appear disabled
while purged.

For more information about specific articulations, refer to our website for multiple video walkthroughs,
including a video devoted entirely to the articulation page.

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UI: Control
Joshua Bell Violin Essential Has 6 full performance schemes. These schemes are a combination of CC assignments, keyswitches,
speed properties, and lots more. We tailored these presets to fit a wide variety of personal workflows. Note that 4 of these presets
have identical keyswitch mappings… and the distinguishing feature of the alternate presets is a different KS mapping scheme.

Pro Controller Pro Controller (Alternate)

In this preset, Long and Short Dynamics are both controlled by Identical to the main Pro Controller preset, with two
CC11, vibrato is controlled by CC1/Modwheel. Uses the exceptions: (1) The keyswitch mapping uses the alternate setup
standard keyswitch configuration. (see below) and (2) Short Dynamics are controlled by v​ elocity.

Simple Keyboard Simple Keyboard Controller (Alternate)

Identical to the main Simple Keyboard preset, except using the
Meant for those without the luxury of a fancy MIDI controller,
alternate keyswitch mapping (see below)
in this preset both long and short dynamics are controlled
simply by velocity. (Even with a fancy MIDI Controller this is fun
to play!) Uses the standard keyswitch configuration.
Standard Keyswitch Config:
C1 - Reset Instrument Articulations
G1 - Bow Change Legato
Intuitive Shorts G#1 - Slur Legato
The same as “Pro Controller”, except the script is listening for A1 - Portamento Legato
very short notes. When you play low velocity short notes, you A#1 - Spiccato
will trigger pizzicato samples. When you play hi velocity short B1 - Tremolo
notes, you will trigger spiccato samples. Uses the standard C2 - Pizzicato
keyswitch configuration. C#2 - Silent Slide In
D2 - Sordino ON
Master Modwheel D#2 - Sordino OFF
E2 - Poly On
We tried some experimental control options for Master
F2 - Poly OFF
Modwheel. The main attribute to this preset is that the
F#2 - Instant Rebow
Modwheel controls dynamics + vibrato. However, this preset
features an alternate way to trigger the three main legato Alternate Keyswitch Config:
styles. Play with very light OR very heavy velocities and you’ll C0 - Reset Instrument Articulations
hear portamentos. At medium/low velocities, slurs will be C1 - Bow Change Legato
triggered, and at moderately high velocities you’ll get bow C#1 - Slur Legato
change legato. Uses the standard keyswitch configuration. D1 - Portamento Legato
D#1 - Spiccato
E1 - Tremolo
F1 - Pizzicato
F#1 - Silent Slide In
G1 - Sordino ON
G#1 - Sordino OFF
A1 - Poly On
A#1 - Poly OFF
B1 - Instant Rebow

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UI: Intuition

The Full version of Joshua Bell Violin features a complex humanization and randomization script that we call INTUITION. You can see
more details on Intuition in the feature comparison chart above. For Joshua Bell Violin Essential, we perfected and preset the 8
functions that make up Intuition, and provided a single ON/OFF switch for users. When ON, the instrument will automatically vary
between bow change and slur legato, and also naturally vary between non-vibrato and vibrato samples. The result should feel
universally natural! *
​ NOTE that keyswitches and moving CC for Dynamics and Vibrato will override the Intuition settings

Tips from your Embertone Buddies

– If you quickly press the same note after previously releasing it, you will trigger a Rebow legato articulation.
This feature is great for naturally performing realistic bowed passages with quick repetitive patterns.

– The Joshua Bell Violin Essential engine uses a very special feature that analyzes and listens to the notes you are playing, and
automatically adjusts the volume between articulation crosspoints to achieve smoother transitions between notes. Feel free
to go to-and-from any articulation combination and expect natural results.

– You can play realistic trills thanks to some of the advanced Pitch Intuitions. While holding down a high note, try rapidly
pressing+releasing a neighboring note.

– For smooth, fast, and accurate playing during quick Legato runs - hold down the Sustain Pedal (CC# 64)!

– Vibrato is a living, evolving, emotional thing. It can’t stagnate for long or else it will sound artificial. Ride those CCs to alter the
intensity of vibrato!

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Thanks

Thank you to Joshua Bell and his team for working with and trusting us to bring this amazing project to reality. A big
thanks also to our Alpha/Beta team for helping us during testing, to our wonderfully talented and dedicated friend
Andreas, and a very special thanks to Lizzie, Kate, Julian, Eliana, and Milo for putting up with our crazy all-night editing
binges. ♡

Last but not least, thank ​you​ for your support. We’re proud to be making things for such a kind and talented community
of composers and musicians, and it's our users that allow us to continue doing the crazy things we do.

Now go make some music!

Enjoy, and if you have questions or concerns, email us at s​ upport@embertone.com​.

Much Love,
The Embertone Team

Credits
Recording Artist Joshua Bell
Instrument Production Alex Davis, Jonathan Churchill
Recording Engineer Richard King
Recording Location Avatar Studios, New York City
Artist Management David Lai, Ross Michaels
Publicity and Social Media Jane Covner, Alicia Edwards, Jonathan Miller
Programmer Andreas Lemke
Sample Editor Soundemote
Art and Graphic Design Creative Mints, Jonathan Churchill, Big Splash Design
Additional Sample Work Dustin Painter, Scott Haskin
Custom IRs, Personality EQs Ernest Cholakis, Numerical Sound

© 2019 Embertone, LLC / All Rights Reserved, ® Embertone

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 End-User License Agreement

What You Can Do

You can use these sounds in your music, your arrangements, music productions,
and live performances without worrying about royalties or permissions at all! If you
highlight our instrument in your music and want to credit us, we wouldn’t be against
that. ​☺

What You Cannot Do

The Joshua Bell samples cannot be re-used in a competing product. Do not copy,
distribute, transfer, share, trade, or loan, our instrument – because it’s meant solely
for you!

The right to use the The Joshua Bell Violin Essential is granted to the original
purchaser only. The license may be transferred, ​but only through Embertone
directly​. The Product will only work with Native Instruments Kontakt Player 5.7.1
(and up), and is not designed/intended for any other sampler. The sounds are
licensed “as is” without warranties of any kind.

Once you download the Joshua Bell Violin Essential, we cannot accept refunds or
returns. Our support is limited to the samples themselves. All support with respect
to Kontakt must be directed to Native Instruments. This license agreement is
effective from the moment the product is installed by any means.

Watermarking
This product uses a user-identifying watermark. We do this to protect ourselves in
the case of theft and misuse. Please support us if you want more awesome
instruments like this one!

And please read through our documentation before seeking tech support!

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