After years or intensive research and development, Vienna Symphonic Library is proud to announce that Vienna MIR is finally more than just an idea. VSL presents this multi-impulse response convolution engine and mixing solution at Winter NAMM 2009.

VSL announces that the downloadable version will hit the internet early this year while a DVD will follow months after. MIR takes convolution reverb to wuthering new heights with up to 256 different multi-channel room impulse. That's a lot of calculation, even for a single 64-bit computer, which meant that Vienna Symphonic Library had to get creative on this one.

Vienna, who recently released Vienna Impreial, an impressive model of the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand with CEUS installed featuring individual samples that numbered in the six-figure range, applies the same excruciating mindset to sampling rooms. With MIR, VSL makes sure to take advantage of the opportunity to sample its chosen venues with several sources, directions, positions and formats to ensure the capture of each room's unique acoustic quirks.

When you take an instrument to MIR's virtual stage on any concert hall, the stage position signals one or more sets of eight impulses, whose sets include impulses for six horizontal directions and two vertical directions. MIR applies the directivity characteristics before it applies convolution of impulses, so the result relies on the frequency distribution and volume an instrument sends around in multiple directions. MIR crunches a lot of complex numbers in real time and bingo-bango! You get a strikingly accurate representation of what the instrument would sound on from that particular point on the stage.

One final note -- the Ambisonics impulse response format supports interpolating points so you're not stuck with the spots that VSL decided to mic. Get up, stretch out and move around.

Vienna MIR also gives you a control icon that provides an instant overview while easily giving you access to tweak pretty much any instrumental sound parameter. It allows you to pick up your virtual baton and whittle your sound from the conductor's chair. Not only will you have the normal benefits of conducting, like telling your players to change position, orientation and volume, you'll have superconductor powers -- like the Terminator. You can get a visual display on any instrument's loudness, room interaction and sonic and spatial profiles. In future versions, you might even be able to identify which of your players are potential enemy combatants and which are normal civilians.

The Rundown:

• Technology
• Highly specialized impulses of line arrays in 60° steps in six horizontal directions as well as upwards and downwards
• Up to 40 sectors per stage for instrument placement, with interpolation between sectors for seamless transitions
• Up to 5,000 individually recorded impulse responses for each room, depending on the size of the stage and the number of microphone positions
• Instrument-specific algorithms according to individual directional frequency profiles
• Four-channel Ambisonics recordings for output in various stereo and surround formats (up to eight output channels)
• Recorded from up to four carefully selected positions -- from the conductor’s rostrum as well as from the audience perspective
• Ease-of-Use
• Intuitive graphic user interface with innovative multi-parameter control icon
• Real-time playing mode (low latency for arranging) and mixing mode (higher latency due to larger buffer size for calculating up to 20,000 convolutions during mix-down)
• VST / AU inserts for each instrument channel as well as the master channel
• Character Presets for quick timbral changes, available for most Vienna Instruments
• Advanced GUI features such as Instrument Grouping, Hide Icon, Scroll Zooming etc.
• Vienna MIR Download Edition
• Available in Q2 2009
• Stand-alone application for Windows XP / Vista 64 systems
• Runs exclusively with Vienna Instruments
• Includes five halls of the Vienna Konzerthaus
• Vienna MIR Premium Edition
• Boxed product, multiple DVD-ROMs
• Available in Q3 2009
• Stand-alone application and VST / AU plug-in for OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and Windows XP / Vista 64 systems
• Open for Vienna Instruments as well as any third party VSTi or other external audio signals
• Additional acoustic spaces