Soundiron has released a vintage 1970s Italian synthesizer library built for Native Instruments Kontakt. Bontabulous Fabtraption captures the vintage analog sounds of the unique Bontempi HP 544-20.
This Italian synthesizer was introduced to the market in the late 1970s. It features a 49-key keyboard and drum/rhythm machine, as well as a variety of knobs and faders to control layer volume, instrument type, envelope, modulation and filter.
The Bontabulous includes synth sustains, staccatos, piano, violin, and “Magic Chords” dialed in from the organ. It also contains 34 sampled tempo-syncable drum machine loops. The instrument articulations were recorded in wide stereo and direct line in. Included, are twenty evolving atmospheric pads from the source content to enhance versatility. Bontabulous offers a time-traveling aural preview of the historic Bontempi line of products, complete with rich tonal colors ready to enhance any genre of composition.
Bontabulous Fabtraption is on sale at Plugin Boutique for $19 USD until August 20th, 2021 (regular $29 USD).
Also available is Canjo, a Kontakt instrument library that brings the sounds of a homemade single-stringed fretted instrument made from a wood stick, string tuner, and tin can.
The can resonates with a twangy and metallic tone and sounds like a cross between a banjo and mountain dulcimer. It is typically held like a guitar, but can also be played on a table or lap. The Canjo is fretted diatonically with a 12 note range, making it perfect for pluckin’ folk melodies on the back porch or around a campfire.
In true Soundiron fashion, they tinkered to stretch Canjo’s sonic abilities to its limits, capturing fully playable picked plucks, smooth plucks, harsh plucks, slides, bowed sustains, staccatos, and spiccatos. After that, they created a wide selection of ambient soundscapes, pads, and drones from the source content to make the library even more versatile. This Canjo is equally comfortable playing traditional Americana or masquerading as a convincing brittle viola, cheap slide guitar, or melancholy erhu.
The Canjo is available for $22 USD until August 22nd, 2021 (regular $29 USD). Both libraries require the full version of Kontakt 5.5 or higher (Kontakt Player not supported).
More information: Soundiron