Cinematique Instruments has announced the release of Double Bass Harmonica, a sample library for Kontakt.
The double bass harmonica was more popular several decades ago, when harmonica ensembles were more common. The bass harmonica is a double-deck instrument with two hinged bodies, the lower having all the natural notes, and the upper having all the sharps/flats – so it is fully chromatic covering a range of two octaves, starting with EE (like the lowest note on a bass guitar). Each of the holes of the harmonica has two reeds tuned an octave apart – thus this harmonica has 58 reeds total. The double bass harmonica is an “all blow” instrument.
It was a tough cookie to catch the real timbre and authenticity of this giant harmonica. Thus we tested several recording settings in which we recorded at least every second note in a long sustained and a short variation. We ran with velocity layer and Round Robin variation and came out with three seperate sample sets recorded with different microphone set-ups. Beside this we recorded a typical flutter fx and added some scriptings to provide more opportunities.
Double Bass Harmonica features
- Dbl Bass Harmonica Close MW Flutter KEY (very close and intimate sound, key switched, long, short and release notes, flutter FX, additional script).
- Dbl Bass Harmonica Double (bright sound, real doubling because of two different sample sets, long looped notes, additional scripts).
- Dbl Bass Harmonica KEY (authentic sound, key switched, long, short and release notes, additional script).
- Dbl Bass Harmonica Mud (rich and muddy sound because of three different sample sets playing simultaneously, long looped and release notes, additional script).
- Dbl Bass Harmonica Triple Texture (pad alike FX sound assembled out of four different sample sets, additional script).
- Kontakt 3 or higher is required.
Double Bass Harmonica is available to purchase for 18 EUR.
More information: Cinematique Instruments / Double Bass Harmonica
