Orchestral Tools has announced the release of its latest innovative sample collection. Created alongside renowned experimental musician Alexander Hacke (Einstürzende Neubauten, hackedepicciotto, Crime and the City Solution) and designed by Sascha Knorr and Timo Loosli, Drones explores the titular musical effect through a series of instruments chosen specifically for their atmospheric and evocative qualities.
The collection provides lengthy sonic textures ideal for sound design, avant-garde composition, and film and game scoring.
“We’ve been a fan of Alexander’s work for years, so when he approached us to create this collection we were beyond thrilled to bring his ideas to life,” said Orchestral Tools CEO Hendrik Schwarzer.
“There’s a primal power to musical drones that transcends individual musical cultures. And given Berlin’s unique relationship with the history of industrial music—including Alexander’s—we thought there was an opportunity here to create a collection that would push the sonic boundaries and playability of drones utilizing the power and flexibility we’ve built into SINEplayer.”
Recorded at the Teldex Scoring Stage in Berlin as well as at Silent Green, a former mausoleum chosen for its dark and mysterious acoustic qualities, the library consists of a series of expressive drones assembled from a carefully selected array of instruments: Acoustic and electric 6-string and bass guitars, celli and basses, trombones, choir recordings, tanpura, hurdy gurdy, didgeridoo, and synthesizers.
All sounds have been captured chromatically for maximum authenticity as well as the ability to stack for chords and cluster effects, and the raw component tones are also available to create custom drones to suit the user’s imagination.
In addition to offering some of the longest notes available in a sample library—often a minute or longer—the drones have been recorded in multiple dynamic layers and their intensity is fully controllable by the mod wheel (or dynamics) for maximum intuitive and expressive playability. The sonic signatures of the drones traverse the entire frequency range, from rumbling sub-aural lows to shimmering highs, providing the perfect foundation for atmospheric scoring, meditative composition, or spooky textural experimentation.
“I’ve always been fascinated by drones as a musical device. A drone is like the bottom layer of a musical pyramid—and their inner movement corresponds to our physical condition as humans. I’ve carried this idea of a drones collection with me for a long time, and I’m pleased that I found a partner in Orchestral Tools—they immediately understood my ideas. I’m looking forward to hearing what people create with these wonderful drones,” says Alexander Hacke.
Drones for SINEplayer (VST/VST3, AU, AAX and standalone) is available for an introductory price of 129 EUR for a limited time (regular 189 EUR).
More information: Orchestral Tools
