Results for organic

Soundiron has announced the release of Ambius 2: Systematik, a 4.9GB beast of an organic synth collection built on adaptive groove-building and inspiring tone and texture shaping features.

The foundation of Ambius 2 is Soundiron’s Instrument Designer system, which allows you to combine a range of tuned percussive attack samples with a broad variety of richly detailed sustaining pads and leads.

Ambius 2: Systematik represents a huge new step forward in our quest to build a truly flexible and adaptive sample based atmospheric synth.

We wanted a broad collection of richly nuanced flavors with the ability to freely layer, blend and reshape a wide mix of percussive, tonal and textural elements into custom multi-layered dynamic and evolving instruments. We wanted a unified and powerful interface to combine detailed performance and tone shaping controls with a wide pallet of experimental and environmental convolution effects. We wanted a built-in tempo-locking step-sequenced filter and LFO engine that could be adapted to just about any other GUI control parameter on the fly without missing a beat. Ambius 2 is all of that and much more.

To celebrate the release of Ambius 2 Systematik, Soundiron is offering a $30 discount on the price and offering some amazing deals on Apocalypse Percussion, Cymbology, The Struck Grand and our Montclarion Hall Steinway until December 21st, 2012.

More information: Soundiron / Ambius 2: Systematik

Tons of sample libraries are released week in week out, and I reckon it’s getting increasingly harder to get noticed. Still, every once in a while there’s a sample library that grabs my attention.

Since launching their website at the end of 2011, the guys at Samplephonics have been working hard to bring “fresh, unique sounds that inspire creativity and push the boundaries of music and sound”, and that’s certainly what they are doing with libraries like Analogue Witchcraft.

This is quite simply the most diverse and exciting sample pack we have released to date, packed full of leftfield and experimental loops and samples all with their own unique flavour and texture.

Leftfield and experimental, just my cup of tea!

The title Analogue Witchcraft might throw you off a bit so just to be sure you know what we have here. The library includes a fair amount of sounds coming from modular analog synthesizer sources, but this sample pack is not all about that.

For Analogue Witchcraft a combination of vintage and current equipment and software was used. Samplephonics mentions “experimental recording techniques”, I call the pack’s sound fresh. It includes recordings of acoustic guitars and foley percussion, and a Studer Tape Machine was used as well.

This library was made by Paul Rez aka Paul Ressel, an innovative sound designer, composer, and member of electronica band Lark from Cape Town, South Africa. As part of this band that is said to be “one of the key contributors to the rising experimental and idm crossover scene”, Paul is no stranger to blending organic and acoustic sources with digital and electronic sounds.

Have a listen to some demo tracks and example loops from the sample pack below.

The pack includes no less than 226 samples grouped in 7 folders.

The first folder – Acoustic Guitar Day Care – sets the tone right from the start. These are some lovely acoustic guitar samples with a distinct sound, 42 loops in total. The description reads “played in a variety of unorthodox ways and processed in Reaktor and Audiomulch for some subtle effects”. I really like Paul’s style on the guitar, lots of flageolet tones and fragile melodies, lovely!

Taking things to the more experimental side we find Flawed Foley Melodies, a collection of 23 more melodic and rhythmic themes with stringed instruments and cinematic percussion type sounds. Unique in sound and execution.

The Half Buried Drum Loops folder includes 26 heavily processed beats. Heavy compression, long reverbs, nasty distortion. All is allowed here. Again, lots of unique material here.

Up next is the Organic Mechanic folder, in which 37 loops blend organic and mechanical sound sources. This results in more melodic and rhythmic themes, which are more on the experimental side as well. It’s interesting to see the variety of styles, which go from dark cinematic to sonic youth type bass guitar.

The Retriggered to Tape section offers a selection of loops that were processed with tape. The 21 loops include lots of re-triggered piano and guitar sounds.

Just as you think you are getting a good sense of where this library is going we get another surprise. Synthi Hurtful Bass Loops is full of the type of sounds that will make some people question your sanity. You’ll have to reassure them your speakers aren’t broken, explain what idm is, that kind of thing. Samplephonics lists them as “gnarly twisted bass loops, recorded from a selection of analogue synth loops, bass guitars and upright basses”. Gnarly & twisted, check.

The last folder is titled Uncooperative Sequences and they kind of remain in the same area as the synthi bass loops. These sequences also sound quite raw and twisted. There’s a total of 48 melodic and percussive loops, which once again showcase a lovely sonic range and a wide variety of styles.

The sample pack also includes REX files for many of the loops (103 in total), and patches are available for easy auditioning in your favorite soft sampler.

In general the loops have quite a raw and honest vibe, played/composed with feeling and processed with care.

So what do I think?

I would like to describe Analogue Witchcraft as musical, experimental, glitchy, raw & energetic, and most beautiful. These sounds conjure up a childlike enthusiasm in me. The library is like a playground with lots of fun toys scattered around for you to find, pick up, and make your own. My favorite sections are the guitar sounds and the drum loops.

The library is most suited to idm music producers and many sounds have a vibe that would work well for cinematic projects as well.

In short, Paul Rez created a truly remarkable collection of loops with a sound I haven’t really heard before. Recommended, check it out!

More information: Samplephonics / Analogue Witchcraft

Zenhiser has announced the release of its Organic Club Grooves sample pack featuring 445 basslines, drum beats, and synth hooks.

So you’re a house producer, you’re looking for some new inspiration to include in your next track, well have we got something uber cool for you. ‘Organic Club Groovers’ delves into the house scene and shakes things up by mixing an eclectic sound of various house styles and pumping out some incredible grooves to give your tracks the underground house edge they need. Hey if a sample pack could be hipster this would be the one.

‘Organic Club Groovers’ is a smorgasbord of style with one thing for sure, the organic groove and superb swing of the sample pack will have you jackin round the studio in minutes. From organic jazzy vibes through to the retro swing sound of early garage and house ‘Organic Club Groovers’ melts perfectly together to deliver a great range of basslines, beats and synth hooks. And as with all Zenhiser sample packs these house grooves are brand spanking new, with no duplication over our entire Zenhiser catalogue you know that you can keep buying without the chance of doubling up on samples and loops.

The sample pack is available to purchase for $25 AUD.

More information: Zenhiser / Organic Club Grooves

Herrmutt Lobby and Yaniv De Ridder have released Beatsurfing, a new app for iPad that allows you to draw a 3-dimensional controller and use it in two different and complementary ways.

Beatsurfing lets you create your own controller layout & use your fingers to “surf” controls.

You can tap it like you would with your regular MPC or any other beatmaking device, but the best and most innovative use you can make of it is definitely by surfing your fingers along routes, colliding with objects, triggering samples or effects. It’s all about movement, and bringing back this intuitive way to make music.

It can control any MIDI-enabled device (Software, Hardware, or even selected iPad apps through Virtual MIDI), features a very intuitive in-app editing system and integrates seemlessly in any existing Studio or Live setup.

Objects Behaviours can be set to link objects together and multiply the available commands on the surface of the iPad.

Beatsurfing features

• Draw your own controller – Work with the Controller you need, not the one you were given. Simply draw it on the screen with lines, polygons, circles and faders. Size, color, orientation and 3-Dimensional location are all yours to choose.
• Surf! – Use the full potential of the iPad touchscreen: You can tap on the screen, but you better add the Surfing to your production and performance skills to integrate more of that human feel in your music.
• Link any MIDI device – Dj, VJ, Production softwares, Hardware devices, and even selected iPad apps: you can route BEATSURFING to anything that allows for MIDI.
• Objects Behaviours – Each object of your controller can be set to control the others. It creates a system of objects that allow you to add much more to a controller than what meets the eye.
• Intuitive In-App editing – Forget about separated editing software, lenghty changes and whatnot. You can swap between the EDIT and PLAY modes at the tap of a finger. All your objects even remain playable when they’re be re-arranged!

The app is available to purchase for $11.99 USD / 9.99 EUR.

More information: Beatsurfing

Samplephonics has released Analogue Witchcraft, a new sample pack by Paul Rez.

This is quite simply the most diverse and exciting sample pack we have released to date, packed full of leftfield and experimental loops and samples all with their own unique flavour and texture.

Paul Rez, the sound designer and composer behind this sample pack, utilized a number of experimental recording techniques and used some sought after analogue equipment, including a beautifully maintained Studer Tape Machine, UA LA610 recording channels, a Moogerfooger and Maestro Sustainer pedal, as well as Audiomulch and Reaktor for some cheeky digital manipulation.

Analogue Witchcraft features

• 250+ Loops and Samples split into folders:
  • Acoustic Guitar Day Care – a contrast of organic and mechanical sound sources, melodic patterns and rhythmic percussion loops.
  • Half Buried Drum Loops – distorted, twisted and warped leftfield drum loops and breaks.
  • Retriggered to Tape – quirky music loops with added tape personality.
  • Synthi Hurtful Bass Loops – gnarly twisted bass loops, recorded from a selection of analogue synth loops, bass guitars and upright basses.
  • Un Cooperative Sequences – twisted and circuit bent synth loops and samples.
  • Flawed foley Melodies – experimental rhythmical and melodic loops recorded from various natural sound sources.
  • Organic Mechanic – a contrast of organic and mechanical sound sources, melodic patterns and rhythmic percussion loops.
• 802 MB total content.
• Formats: 24 Bit Wav, Apple Loops, Rex2, Kontakt, EXS24, NN-XT.

The sample library is available to purchase for £34.70 GBP.

More information: Samplephonics / Analogue Witchcraft

Samplephonics has released Ambient Soundspheres, a sample pack featuring an eclectic collection of over 100 loops and samples created from field recordings and electronically manipulated organic sound sources.

Gimu is a sound designer and electronic musician from Brazil, here’s what he had to say about creating this truly unique sample library:

‘Some of the loops and samples were made using guitars and basses, but more by generating unusual noises from the instruments as opposed to playing them in the traditional manner. Other times I record noises from my neighbourhood or from my radio or television.

Sometimes I use synthesizers as a sound source, including some really old ones that make really weird noises! I then sample them and process with a variety of tools including distortion, reverbs, delays, tremelos and granular effects.

For me it’s not really about getting melodies out of the source but getting unique sounds that I can treat and create unique timbres and textures with. Melodies seem to find their own way of evolving from the sound and the sound begins to take on a life of it’s own.’

Ambient Soundspheres features

• 104 Ambient Sound Beds, 15-35 seconds long.
• 104 Sampler Instruments, tuned to root key.
• 972 MB total content, 24 Bit Wav, Kontakt, EXS24, NN-XT formats.

Ambient Soundspheres is available to purchase for £34.70 GBP.

More information: Samplephonics / Ambient Soundscapes