Paul J. Bertrand
August 1995
                        Roland Orchestral Expansion Board
                                  String Patches
==========================================================================================
INSTR    TEMPO  ATTACK  DECAY    DYNAMICS      EXPRESSION       TONE       OTHER COMMENTS
==========================================================================================                                                                              
1= Warm   <30   Very    Very    Piano (p)                                                 
Violins   bpm   Slow    Slow    through Mezzo-
                                piano (mp)
                                range.

2= Slow   <30   Very    Very    Piano (p)                                                 
Vlns 1    bpm   Slow    Slow    dynamic range.

3=        =45   Medium  Medium  Mezzo-piano     Expressive                                
Vlns+Vlas bpm                   (mp) through
1                               Mezzo-forte
                                (mf) range.

4= Vl           Medium  Medium  Pianissimo                                                
Sect mono                       (pp) through
                                Mezzo-piano
                                (mp) range.

5= Arco         Medium  Medium  Very wide       Very                        Can play
Violins                         range.          expressive.                 multiple notes
                                                Excellent                   with single
                                                swells                      bowstroke.
                                                (strong                     (As compared
                                                crescendo).                 with
                                                                            staccato.)

6=              Quick   Quick   Mezzo-piano                                               
Marcato                         (mp) through
Vlsl                            Mezzo-forte
                                (mf) range.
                                
7=        =60   Medium  Medium  Mezzo-piano     Good Portato                              
Vlns+Vlas bpm                   (mp) through    ...(?)
2                               Mezzo-forte
                                (mf) range.
                                
8=              Quick   Medium  Forte (f)       NOT for                     NOT for
Agitato                         dynamic range.  melody! Good                melody! Good
Vls1                            Hold > 2        for emphasis                for emphasis
                                seconds to      when                        when
                                allow for       accompanying                accompanying
                                effect.         the melody                  the melody
                                
9= Rosin  =40   Slow    Slow    Piano (p)                                                 
Pad 1     bpm                   through Mezzo-
                                forte (mf)
                                range.
                                
10= Dry   =Flex Quick   Quick   Mezzo-piano                    Plain &                    
Mid-High  ible                  (mp) through                   simple; Dry
                                Mezzo-forte
                                (mf) range.

11=       =60   Medium-   Slow  Piano (p)                                                 
Natural   bpm   Quick           through Forte
Vlns                            (f) range.

12= Sad   =60   Medium- Medium- Pianissimo      Strong                                    
Vln Sect  bpm   Quick   Quick   (pp) through    vibrato; Very
                                Forte (f)       Expressive
                                range.
                                
13=             Quick   Quick   Mezzo-piano                                               
Marcato                         (mp) through
Vas                             Mezzo-forte
                                (mf) range.
                                
14= Arco        Medium  Medium                                                            
Violas

15= Thick =55   Medium  Slow    Piano (p)                                   Good
Violas    bpm                   through Mezzo-                              accompaniment
                                forte (mf)                                  for violin.
                                range.

16= Va    =45   Medium  Slow    Pianissimo                                  Use forte
Sect f    bpm                   (pp) through                                dynamic range.
                                Fortissimo
                                (ff) range.
                                
17= Va          Quick   Quick   Mezzo-piano                    Notes        Might be good
Small Sec                       (mp) through                   should NOT   for CHAMBER or
                                Mezzo-forte                    be           DUET. Each
                                (mf) range.                    sustained.   note sounds
                                                                            separately. Do
                                                                            NOT sustain
                                                                            note.
                                                                            
18=             Quick   Quick                                                             
Agitato
Vas1

19= Sad         Medium  Slow    Piano (p)                                   
Violas                          through Forte
                                (f) range.
                                
20= Fast  =Flex Quick   Quick   Piano (p)                                   Sounds OCTAVE
Cellos1   ible                  through Forte                               lower.
                                (f) range.
                                
21= Vcs   =60   Quick   Medium  Piano (p)       Moderately                  Good detache'
Legato 1  bpm                   through Mezzo-  expressive.                 when played
                                forte (mf)                                  slower.
                                range.
                                
22=             Quick   Quick   Mezzo-piano                                               
Marcato                         (mp) through
Vcs1                            Forte (f)
                                range.
                                
23= Small <80   Quick   Quick   ????            Good strong                 Might be good
Vc Sec    bpm                                   VIBRATO.                    for SOLO??

24=             Quick   Quick                                                             
Agitato
Vcs1

25= Small =60   Quick   Quick                                  Nice clear   Good
Cellos    bpm                                                  tone.        accompaniment.

26= Sad   <60   Quick   Quick   Wide dynamics   Very                        Might be nice
CelloSec  bpm                   (for cello).    expressive.                 for sequences
                                Good                                        requiring much
                                transition                                  transition
                                between                                     between
                                dynamics.                                   dynamics.
                                
27= Cb    =70   Quick   Quick   Fortissimo                                                
Sect ff   bpm                   (ff). Meant to
                                be played
                                loud!
                                
28= Wide        Quick   Medium                                                            
Basses

29= mf    =70   Quick   Medium  Metzo-forte                                               
Basses    bmp                   (mf).

30=             Quick   Quick                                                             
Agitato
Cbs1

31=             Quick   Quick                                               Might be good
Vcs+Cbs                                                                     for CHAMBER,
                                                                            but NOT for
                                                                            solo.
                                                                            
32= 2           Quick   Quick   Very wide                                   Very wide
Basses                          dynamic range.                              dynamic range.
                                Can be played                               Can be played
                                very SOFTly.                                very SOFTly.
                                
33= Euro  =45   Medium  Slow                                   Octaving of  Gets BUSY
Strings   bpm                                                  notes.       really fast!
                                                                            This is due to
                                                                            octaving of
                                                                            notes. Do NOT
                                                                            recommend for
                                                                            CHORDS.
                                                                            
34= Rich  =40   Medium  Slow    Very wide       Very           NOT warm.                  
Strings   bpm                   dynamic range.  expressive.

35= Multi =40   Medium  Medium  Moderate        Moderately                                
Strs 1    bpm                   dynamic range.  expressive.
                                                Moderate
                                                crescendo
                                                (swell).
                                                
36=       =50   Quick   Quick   Wide dynamic    Moderately     Clean when   Nice classical
VlsVasVcs bpm                   range.     Do   expressive.    played       sound when
Cbs                             NOT play loud.                 slow.        played mezzo-
                                                                            piano (mp).
                                                                            
37=       =55   Quick   Quick   Mezzo-Forte     Moderately                                
Bright    bpm                   (mf) range.     expressive.
Strs

38=       =55   Quick   Medium  Mezzo-Piano     Slight                                    
Classicl  bpm                   (mp) through    crescendo
Str                             Mezzo-Forte     (swell).
                                (mf) range.
                                
39= Full  =40   Quick   Slow                    BIG crescendo               Magnificat
Strings   bpm                                   !! (swell).                 endings!

40= Med   =60                   Moderate                       Thinner                    
Str Sec   bpm                   dynamic range.                 tone than
                                                               others.
                                                               "Smaller"
                                                               sound.
                                                               
41= Small       Medium  Medium  Piano (p)                      "Elevator    It's SMALL !!
Strngs                          range.                         Music"       Might be good
                                                                            for
                                                                            accompaniment
                                                                            of solo.
                                                                            
42=       =60   Quick   Quick   Wide dynamics.  Nice Moderate               Can play
Strings   bpm                                   VIBRATO.                    multiple notes
Arco                                            Slight swell.               with single
                                                                            bowstroke.
                                                                            (As compared
                                                                            with
                                                                            staccato.)

                                                                         
43=       80-   Quick   Quick   Mezzo-Forte     Not very                    For extremely
Vivace    120                   (mf) through    expressive                  fast tempos!
Strs      bpm                   Forte (f)       dynamics.                   For detache',
          extre                 range.          Becomes                     stacatto, but
          mely                                  sluggish                    NOT legato,
          fast!                                 below MIDI                  nor
                                                velocity 70.                portamento,
                                                Not as                      nor slurred.
                                                "punchy" as
                                                "Agitato STR1
                                                (44)"
                                                
44=             Quick   Quick                                                             
Agitato
STR1

45=             Quick   Quick                                  Good         Sounds OCTAVE
LowSTR                                                         definition   lower.
Attak                                                          of low
                                                               strings,
                                                               not
                                                               slurred.
                                                               
46= Bad         Quick   Quick                                                             
Guy STR

47=       =60   Quick   Medium  Moderate                       Bass &       Sounds 2
Ominous   bpm                   dynamic range.                 Cello more   OCTAVES lower.
                                                               prominent.
                                                               
48= Lo          Quick   Quick                                  Plain.       Sounds OCTAVE
Express                                                                     lower.

49=       <50   Quick   Slow    Very wide                                   Octaving.
DramaStri bpm                   dynamic range.
ngs

==========================================================================================
DISCLAIMERS: Standard disclaimers apply. I am not very educated in orchestral timbres,
             nor proper musical terminology--but I am trying to learn! This is my first
             take at creating a reference for choosing a patch assignment for an orchestral
             musical part. The "tempo" column is completely "unscientific" chosen quickly by
             my first impression.
		Please help by making corrections, suggestions, and comments so that this
             document may be improved!  My internet address is bertrand@bnr.ca.
	     Thanks for listening!!
