Virtual Symphony by Ergo Kukke is a fully synthesized orchestral instrument for Kontakt, offering four layered sources, morphing pads, deep modulation, and nine effects for creating realistic and evolving orchestral sounds.
Overview and Core Concept
Virtual Symphony is a Kontakt instrument built entirely from synthesized and processed sounds, not samples of a live orchestra. It provides four flexible sound sources covering Strings, Brass, Woodwind, Percussion, Plucked, Sections, and Church Organs, which can be layered to create unique timbres. The instrument is designed to be CPU-friendly while offering a wide sonic palette for composition and sound design.
Each source includes independent controls for EQ, envelope, filter, pitch shifting (up to +/-36 semitones), and panning. The keyboard range is fully open, with a suggested sweet spot around C3 in Kontakt (C5 in a DAW). For bass instruments, play three octaves lower; for higher instruments, try one octave higher. Some sources are multi-velocity sampled, while others can be made velocity-sensitive via the ENV tab.
Morphing and Manipulation Pads
The Source Movement manipulation pad lets you control the gain distribution ratio among the four sources, allowing you to morph or fade between orchestral sections in real time. This creates evolving sound movements that are impossible with a traditional orchestra. The Filter Movement pad provides independent control over filter cutoff and resonance for each source, enabling detailed timbral shaping.
You can apply horizontal, vertical, or circular modulation to both pads, and route each pad globally or per-source. This combination offers extensive control over how the sound changes over time, making it suitable for both subtle shifts and dramatic transformations. The pads are designed to be intuitive, allowing for quick inspiration during composition.
Modulation and Effects
The Edit Modulation menu contains four LFO modules and four envelope modules, which can modulate any source parameter. This allows for dynamic movement in filter, pitch, amplitude, and other parameters. An Edit Randomize page provides toggles to randomly change sets of parameters, helping you discover new sounds quickly.
Nine effects modules are included: Chorus, Distortion, Lo-Fi (Bitcrusher), Replika Delay, Spatial (Stereo Field Enhancer), Filter, Phasis (Phaser), Convolution (Reverb), and Flair (Tuned, Harmonics-Enhancing Flanger). These can be used to mix, thicken, distort, or widen your sound, adding flavor and depth to any composition.
Workflow and Applications
Virtual Symphony is designed to accelerate your creative process. Onboard snapshots provide quick starting points for inspiration. You can build a score from scratch or use its large sound to beef up existing orchestral arrangements. The ability to layer and morph between sections makes it ideal for cinematic scoring, trailer music, and hybrid compositions.
For mixing, use the per-source EQ and filter to fit each layer into your project. The pitch shifting and randomization tools are useful for generating new ideas or creating unconventional textures. The instrument is suited for composers who want to explore beyond traditional orchestral limitations, whether for realistic passages or experimental soundscapes.
Key features
- Four sound sources with independent EQ, envelope, filter, pitch shift, and panning
- Source Movement pad for morphing gain distribution among sources
- Filter Movement pad for per-source filter cutoff and resonance control
- Horizontal, vertical, and circular modulation for both pads
- Four LFOs and four envelopes for modulating source parameters
- Nine effects including Chorus, Distortion, Lo-Fi, Delay, Spatial, Filter, Phaser, Convolution Reverb, and Flanger
- Randomize page with toggles for parameter randomization
Best for
Best for composers and sound designers seeking a synthesized orchestra for cinematic scores, trailer music, or hybrid tracks. Ideal for those who want to quickly create evolving orchestral textures and morph between sections, and for adding a large, unique sound to existing arrangements without using sample libraries.