For the past 3 years, sample library developers Orchestral Tools have expanded the definitions of the virtual orchestra through their Creative Soundpack series, which has presented inspiring combinations of preexisting organic and synthetic instruments to meet a variety of compositional and sound design purposes.
Looking to step beyond the familiar and into the realm of pure sonic exploration, Orchestral Tools have announced FABRIK, a series of new virtual instruments designed to inspire the rapidly growing world of audio creators with dark, experimental musical textures that can’t be found anywhere else.
Orchestral Tools is launching the series with Transit and Radome, which are available now for SINEplayer.
A new breed of virtual instruments
Orchestral Tools has built its reputation on a detailed approach to capturing every nuance—both sonic and playability-wise—of the real and synthetic instruments that make up its best-in-class virtual libraries. With the new FABRIK series, the sample library designers have applied this approach and the power of their proprietary SINEplayer to chasing a new breed of virtual instruments built from the ground-up by combining sounds from field recordings, electronic noise, and unusual acoustic instruments.
“FABRIK was developed as an experimental counterpoint to our Creative Soundpack series, and also to explore our love of avant-garde sound production,” said Orchestral Tools Found and CEO Hendrik Schwarzer.
“These instruments offer combinations of elements captured in special locations to create truly unique sounds that each tell their own story.”
Transit: The pulse of the modern urban landscape
Transit utilizes authentic field recordings made of Berlin’s rail traffic to create a library of instruments built from the sounds of industry and transportation.
Transit includes raw percussive kits, resonant tonal and atonal sound patches, and unique noise instruments to evoke the pulse of a modern city, capable of generating driving, percussive textures, thick nocturnal pads, and gritty mechanical sounds ideal for an urban soundscape.
Radome: Haunting sounds from a cavernous past
Radome brings a dark, experimental twist to the sound of the cello. The instrument is built off of experimental cello techniques performed by Franziska Aigner and recorded inside of a cavernous radar dome at Berlin’s Teufelsberg—part of an abandoned CIA listening post, and notable for its unusual echo and reverberation sounds.
Combined with electronic noise, ambient textures, and distorted sonic artifacts, the result is a truly haunting sounding instrument perfect for creating suspenseful drones, eerie melodies, and unique percussive textures.
“There’s a more diverse community of creators, musicians, and performers exploring new avenues for composition and sound design than ever before—and we’ve been inspired by them to push the boundaries of what sampled instrumentation can be,” said Schwarzer.
“With FABRIK, we’re excited to provide these artists as well as our core OT customers with unique new instrumental voices to challenge and excite them in equal measure. We can’t wait to share more as the series develops.”
Transit and Radome are on sale at a two-week introductory discount, priced 29 EUR and 49 EUR respectively (regular 39 EUR / 69 EUR).
More information: Orchestral Tools
