Soliste VLA 419 Viola by Expressive E virtual instrument interface

Soliste VLA 419 - Viola: Physical-Modeling MPE Viola Instrument

Soliste VLA 419 - Viola is a physically modeled viola virtual instrument by Expressive E, designed for expressive real-time playing with MPE controllers. It is available in VST3, VST2 and AU formats for Windows and macOS.

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AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Soliste VLA 419 - Viola is part of the Soliste range of solo string instruments from Expressive E. Built on physical modeling, it responds to continuous playing gestures rather than triggering fixed recordings. The instrument offers three playing modes for bow strokes and sustained bowing, a smart vibrato system, and a customizable sound engine. It is designed to work especially well with Osmose and other MPE controllers, and it also supports Touché and traditional MIDI controllers.

Best for

Expressive solo viola lines
MPE controller performance
Sustained string pads
Pizzicato and tremolo parts
Film and orchestral mockups

Developer: Expressive E
Category: Virtual Instruments
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Three playing modes: Classic, Virtuoso and Expressive Bow
Physical modeling sound engine with selectable bodies
Assisted and manual vibrato with smooth transitions
Velocity-based portamento and Osmose Pressure Glide support
Articulation presets including sul ponticello and pizzicato
Built-in 3-band EQ, Brightness control and convolution reverb
Optimized for Osmose and compatible with all MPE controllers
Onboard MIDI mapping for Touché and other MIDI controllers

03In depth

Playing modes and expressive control

Soliste VLA 419 offers three playing modes. Classic Mode uses a press and tap approach: a tap triggers a bow stroke, while pressing shapes the dynamic intensity of sustained bowing. Virtuoso Mode adds a back-and-forth bowing system for direct, real-time control over the bow.

Expressive Bow Mode combines both ideas. A tap triggers a single bow stroke, and a press responds differently depending on gesture speed. Slow gestures control sustained bowing, while faster gestures engage back-and-forth motion.

Vibrato, portamento and articulations

Vibrato can be played manually with per-note pitch control or any compatible playing interface. An assisted vibrato system can also fade in a natural vibrato on note-on or through continuous gestures, with a transition between the two approaches.

Portamento uses an evolved velocity-based system with adjustable options. Soliste VLA 419 is compatible with Osmose's Pressure Glide feature for real-time portamento through pressure. Articulation presets cover sul ponticello, pizzicato, Bartók pizzicato, staccato and a playable real-time tremolo.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Expressive E
Type	Plugin
Category	Virtual Instruments
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats and operating systems does Soliste VLA 419 support?

Soliste VLA 419 - Viola is available in VST3, VST2 and AU formats. It runs on Windows and macOS.

What are the system requirements?

On macOS, it supports macOS 12 (Monterey) through 15 (Sequoia) on Apple silicon and Intel chips. On Windows, it requires Windows 11 or later. The recommended minimum CPU is an Intel Core i5-7400 or Ryzen 5 2600, with at least 4 GB of RAM. It uses PACE iLok licensing with up to 3 activations and needs no hardware dongle.

Do I need an MPE controller to use it?

No. Soliste VLA 419 is designed for MPE and gets the most expression from Osmose, but it is also compatible with Touché and traditional MIDI controllers without MPE support.

Can I use it with Osmose's Pressure Glide?

Yes. Soliste instruments are fully compatible with Osmose's Pressure Glide feature, which allows real-time portamento control through continuous pressure gestures.