BBO Harps - Three Harps Playing Together

The Vienna Symphonic Library has announced the release of BBO Harps, an all-new addition to its Big Bang Orchestra series. They say that, recorded on the large Stage A of Vienna Synchron Stage, the Pack features an ensemble of three harps playing together, delivering shimmering glissandos, lush chords, ethereal textures, and dramatic effects. Here's more details direct from the company...

Recorded Live on Stage A
BBO Harps features entirely new recordings, made exclusively for this Pack by harpists Tina Zerdin, Veronika Villanyi, and Magdalena Furntratt. All three performed together, each adjusting phrasing, timing, and touch to the ensemble. The result is a natural, organic blend that no layering of single-harp recordings could achieve - a shimmering tapestry of sound shaped by the exceptional acoustics of Stage A. Each harp was recorded with two different close microphones, complemented by mid, Decca tree, surround, and high surround setups, giving users complete control over their mix, from intimate detail to cinematic spaciousness.

Three Harps, One Voice
Composers have long known that a single harp easily disappears against the full orchestra. In his Principles of Orchestration, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov notes that at least three harps in unison are needed to be heard against a full orchestra. Stravinsky scored his original Firebird for three harps, Bruckner calls for three in his Eighth Symphony, and Richard Wagner demands no fewer than six in his Ring cycle. Modern film scores continue this tradition, doubling and tripling harps for that unmistakable sense of wonder. BBO Harps brings this rare orchestral color to the Big Bang Orchestra - ready for grand orchestral swells, enchanting transitions, and every moment that calls for a touch of magic.

Glissandos, Chords & Effects
While a solo harp such as Synchron Harp lets users perform glissandos by sliding a hand across the keys, an ensemble of three harps calls for a different approach. BBO Harps offers the synchronized performances of all three players, blended into one glowing voice: users simply select a scale or mode and a key, press a note, and the ensemble plays. The Pack includes glissandos up and down in various tempos and lengths, in all keys and modes, as well as chords in all keys and scales, delicate bisbigliandos, looped performances, and random playing for evolving, ethereal textures. Gong and thunder effects reveal the harps' darker, more explosive and mysterious side.

Epic Weeks: Big, Bold, and Built for Impact
During Epic Weeks, Vienna Symphonic Library celebrates everything that's big, bold, and made for massive scores, expansive soundscapes, and powerful rhythms. Through November 2, 2026, customers save up to 45% on the company's most powerful collections - including the largest string ensembles of Appassionata Strings and Synchron Duality Strings, the uber-large ensembles of the Big Bang Orchestra, Studio Epic Horns and Fanfare Trumpets, as well as Power Drums, Vienna Choir, Smart Orchestra, the monumental Rieger Organ, and many more.

Big Bang Orchestra is Vienna Symphonic Library's series of massive orchestral performance Packs, designed for composers and producers working in film, TV, trailers, games, and beyond. With BBO Harps, the series now comprises eight Packs - Tutti, Riffs, Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, Choirs, and Harps - each offering a distinct orchestral color and texture, recorded on the legendary Stage A of Vienna Synchron Stage.

Pricing and Availability:
BBO Harps is available now at an introductory price of €69 (reg. €99), and a 30-day free trial lets users explore it in their own productions before they buy. To mark the occasion, the company is also launching Epic Weeks, offering savings of up to 45% on its biggest and boldest collections through November 2, 2026.

More information:

• BBO Harps

• VSL Expands Synchron Percussion Range 18-Sep-26
• VSL Introduces Vienna Essential Orchestra 01-Sep-26
• A Collection Of Straight-Muted Brass 06-Jul-26
• Vienna Symphonic Library Updates 18-Jun-26
• Meticulously Sampled Harpsichord 02-Apr-26