Splurgo Audio has released new String Arpeggios and Tape Drums sample packs.
New Splurgo sample packs
String Arpeggio Loops – String instruments are used to play arpeggios in classical music. Along with scales, arpeggios are a form of basic technical exercise. Take this exercise in some nice loops and you will find a pack filled with string arpeggios. These loops are played on the cello. This pack consist of 40 loops in the keys of ‘A’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ beatmapped at 90 bpm. All files are available in Acid Pro Wav and Apple Garageband AIFF.
Tape Drum Machine Loops – Drum machines, which were invented somewhere in the 30’s of the 20th century, are still used a lot in todays music. Here’s an opportunity for you to do so too. This pack consists of 64 loops beatmapped at 100 and 120 bpm. All files are available in Acid Pro Wav and Apple Garageband AIFF.
The String Arpeggio Loops pack is available to purchase for $5.95 USD; the Tape Drum Machine Loops pack is $8.95 USD.
Time+Space has announced the release of Spiritoso: Live Cello Phrases, a Kontakt sample library from Zero-G.
Produced by Dan Graham, the man behind last year’s sample library smash Animato, this latest release from sampling legends Zero-G features thousands of live recorded cello phrases, rhythms, chords and arpeggios played by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra cellist Ian Bracken.
Dan produced this enormous collection after failing to be impressed by the level of realism offered by other cello libraries and, thanks to the features listed below, Spiritoso delivers incredible sonic control and a truly organic sound that will work seamlessly with other orchestral libraries…
Spiritoso: Live Cello Phrases features
57 Kontakt 4 instruments which allow patterns to automatically sync to the tempo of your projects.
A wide variety of chord, rhythm and scale types can be selected using key-switches and the dynamic level pp to ff can be smoothly crossfaded by mod wheel.
Ensemble size can be zoomed from solo to 12 players
Two mic positions (close and room) can be chosen or blended.
This massive 17Gb collection is compressed down to 8Gb of material using Kontakt 4’s new lossless compression technology and includes 5000 WAV files in addition to the 57 Kontakt 4 instruments.
Spiritoso: Live Cello Phrases is available to purchase in DVD format, and as a download from Time+Space (exclusive) for RRP £99.95 GBP / 115 EUR.
Soniccouture has released version 1.1 of the Skiddaw Stones, a Kontakt sample library featuring a lithophone composed of 61 tuned and shaped rocks, made from the rare hornfels stone, found in Cumbria, England.
We’ve given Skiddaw Stones a cosmetic facelift, and more importantly, we’ve added 30 new sound design Presets that explore the sonic limits of what you can do with a ton and a half of rare rock.
Added to that is a new effects page, featuring the full Soniccouture IR Reverb collection, which really sets the stones off beautifully.
The Skiddaw Stones is now available at 30% off the regular price of 59 EUR (excl. VAT) by using coupon code Y7FIMHS8D2 at checkout. The update is free for registered users.
Soniccouture has also announced a new library: Soniccouture Ondes.
A sneak preview of our next release ; it hasn’t been easy, but we’ve had so many requests for this instrument over the years. We recorded it with Thomas Bloch, the master of such things, in December last year. It’s sounding very good, with a completely unique character.
Violinist, arranger and orchestrator Pete Whitfield has recently released his third strings sample library with Loopmasters, Realstrings Vol. 2: Cinematic Loops.
The library features authentic strings samples recorded in Pete’s studio, where he also records real strings for major labels, TV companies and radio/media companies.
Pete writes:
I’ve taken, for inspiration, the music of artists like Hybrid, Cinematic Orchestra and Bjork and the media scores that capture a similar feel.
There are 126 loops (mostly 4 bars) at tempos from 110 – 140; they each offer a distinctive character as individual loops, but they are also organised into 12 construction kits.
This is the 1st time I’ve tried this and the feedback from writers and producers is already very positive, so the next pack will do a similar thing but slower tempos and darker moods.
The 126 loops are available in 24 bit/44.1kHz wav format, as well as Rex2 loops (an Apple Loops version is available separately).
Divided up into 12 sequence kit folders the loops include chords, melodic lines, held notes, figures, etc. that work well together. Basically like construction kits.
The folders and files are well structured, indicating key, tempo, and type of sound.
Besides audio loops you will also find various scores for violin and cello as MIDI sequences, as well as in Sibelius format and printed scores in Acrobat PDF. Pete’s passion for his work shows.
Having these sequences is really useful as you can make modifications to the phrases and use your own sample library or virtual instrument. In the example below I used Tone2′s ElectraX synthesizer to play a phrase from sequence 3.
Realstrings Vol. 2 continues in the same vein as the previous two string sample packs by Pete Whitfield on the Organic Loops label. This is a collection of outstanding orchestral strings loops. Dynamic, emotional, dramatic, and real. The themes are inspiring and useful in many music genres like hip hop, chill, house, film and game soundtracks, etc.
The construction kit approach works well and having a collection of MIDI sequences is a big bonus.
“I love my work!” it says on Pete’s website. His sample libraries are a reflection of this statement. If you are in need for some high quality strings loops you can’t go wrong with the Realstrings sample packs.
Native Instruments has announced the release Session Strings, a versatile virtual string ensemble for KONTAKT 4 and the free KONTAKT PLAYER.
Brought to life through the advanced functionality of the KONTAKT platform, SESSION STRINGS provides charismatic, highly expressive acoustic string sounds for pop, soul, R&B, disco, house and other contemporary music styles.
SESSION STRINGS recreates a string ensemble comprising four violins, three violas, two celli and two double basses, captured and produced in one of Germany’s most renowned recording studios by sampling expert Thomas Koritke’s new sound design house e-instruments. All recordings were taken from exclusive instruments from the 18th and 19th century, played by top musicians from some of the finest European orchestras, resulting in outstanding tone and articulations on the highest level of musical virtuosity.
By fully utilizing the advanced features of the KONTAKT platform, SESSION STRINGS puts the full expressive arsenal of a world-class string ensemble at the fingertips of the user. The individual instrument groups are mapped conveniently across the keyboard, with intelligent legato and glissando based on dedicated samples. Easily controllable falls, swoops and crescendo variations allow producers to create soulful and dynamic string licks with ease.
The authenticity and creative value of SESSION STRINGS is further enhanced through the unique and highly versatile “Animator”. This powerful function can be engaged seamlessly during play to transform incoming notes into virtuous staccato, spiccato and pizzicato chords and arpeggios, with the timing and groove easily adjustable by the user, and while maintaining natural legato articulation at the same time. An integrated studio-grade convolution reverb also provides a variety of completely realistic room ambiences.
SESSION STRINGS also provides a full set of optional “Motown versions” for all included sounds, utilizing a special sonic treatment that authentically recreates the distinctive and highly sought-after vintage string sound of the legendary soul recordings from the 60s and 70s.
Session Strings features
Includes 48 Instruments: 10 Standard Performance + 10 Motown Performance (combining articulations such as Sustain, Falls, Scoops, Staccato, etc); 14 Standard Individual + 14 Motown Individual (single articulations per patch).
1,65 GB (equals 2,3 GB of uncompressed samples).
Powered by KONTAKT 4 PLAYER / KONTAKT 4 (4.0.5)
Session Strings is available to purchase as a download for $119 USD / 99 EUR.
Soniccouture has announced the release of Bowed Gamelan, the third free instrument in Soniccouture’s Exclusive Content series.
Following a Soniccouture tradition of playing instruments the wrong way, we present this unique library of a Bowed Gamelan instrument. This library is actually made from just one instrument of the gamelan ensemble, the ugal. This is pitched in the middle of the gamelan range, and so is quite versatile and generally leads the gangsa section of a traditional Balinese group. This instrument has 14 keys which cover a range of almost 3 octaves.
The metal Ugal keys were bowed using a standard cello bow, vertically across the thin edge of the metal. Instead of a conventional microphone, a Trance Audio Trance Inducer contact mic was used. This gives the sound an incredibly detailed, surgical scraping quality.
Bowed Gamelan features
24 bit 44.1khz Sampling.
Total of 140 samples. The samples are looped with a bow change included in the loop, for a natural sounding sustain.
5 Alternate round robin samples per note.
Key-off samples.
Formats: Kontakt, EXS, Ableton Live.
Bowed Gamelan is available as a free download with every 3rd product purchased since the new Soniccouture site launched in August.
Send an Email or use social networks Twitter, or Facebook. Listen to some tunes at SoundCloud, or subscribe to the RSS feed to get all the lastest news in your news reader.
