I’m happy to welcome back Wayne Taylor with a review of Impact Soundworks’ recent Kontakt Player-powered collection of unconventional, whimsical handmade instruments: Leonard Solomon’s Extraordinary Machines.
Preamble
It was the early 80s. I was about 10 and not yet falling in love with music to the extent I would a few years later. Tina was asking what love had to do with it, Frankie was telling us to relax, Van Halen was telling us to jump, and Stevie was calling to say he loved you. Electronic music was in, and dance floors were filling while I listened to A-ha and ELO!
At the same time, Len Solomon began his journey into idiosyncratic handmade instruments. The early 80s are a distant memory as I rapidly approach my 50th year; however, I love music more than ever, and Len is is still building his extraordinary machines. Or so it would appear.
Introduction
The strapline for this offering from Impact Soundworks is “An unconventional, whimsical collection of handmade instruments.” Never has a description been closer to the truth.
When I first saw this, I had no idea what it was. So, I started to do a little research, and what I found really drew me in. Knowing the backstory makes a lot more sense of the instruments and makes me more intrigued to start exploring.
To say Leonard Solomon is a musician and inventor would be to vastly undersell him. He is a classically trained musician, entertainer, street performer, inventor, and eccentric genius one-man band who has performed everywhere, from kitchens to concert halls, from Boston to Japan.
Leonard makes his own instruments using found objects, such as plumbing pipes, balls and plastic bottles. And as the name of the library suggests, they are extraordinary. Or, as he says in this video by Wired, he has “taken that cigar box banjo to a whole new level”! It all makes more sense when you learn he has been a cabinet maker as well as a musician. Well, a little more sense, anyway!
Here he is performing a cover version of Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites by Skrillex on his Squijeeblion instrument! No, seriously. It really is!
Installation and System Requirements
The instrument is compatible with Native Instruments’ Kontakt Player (v6.7.1 or higher), so you will need it if you haven’t paid for the full version of Kontakt. You’ll also need Native Access to install either version.
Installation requires a few steps but should be familiar to everyone who has purchased and downloaded a few Kontakt instruments and/or other plugins.
The download requires Pulse Downloader, a third-party app several library creators use to distribute their products. After entering your product serial, the library is downloaded to your chosen location. The serial is then entered into Native Access before selecting the location to which you saved the library. A more detailed description of this process is in the manual.
The instrument is fully NKS-compatible. Although it doesn’t have a lovely picture to display on my Kontrol Keyboard, it does map nearly all the GUI controls on the controllers, which is handy.
Strangely, there are a couple of controls which have not been mapped. For example, the Bellowphone mapping, shown below, does not include the ‘Tuned’ controller from the GUI on any of its otherwise-mapped-very-nicely controls. It’s not a big deal (and could be mapped quickly enough after installation), but there is space for it, so I just thought… why not?
Note to self: I must invest in a better camera if I am to continue writing these reviews for rekkerd.org. I will, as long as Ronnie allows me to continue getting away with it. But, the above quality will do, for now. If I forget, can you remind me, please? Fanks.
The instruments
There’s quite a pallet of textures included with this library. From the tonal to the atonal, from sound design to straight-up playable instruments, and even Leonard’s very own kazoo! I’ll briefly run through each.
Bellowphone
Leonard first stepped into his Extraordinary Machine building in 1983 with his Majestic Bellowphone. It was initially built to produce a simple set of notes, but he wanted more from it, and then more, still. So, different parts were added over time to provide these additional notes, which simultaneously introduced different timbres.
The instrument combines found materials (even the sheet metal from a toaster) with items purchased from hardware and sports stores. It is comprised of several wind and percussion instruments and is powered by a foot pump—the bellow!
The main interface is broken into 3 parts. On the left, the instrument is visualised as a line drawing. As it is played on the keyboard (or on playback from the DAW, etc), the related part of the drawing is filled with white, as shown in the image. This makes it much easier to understand what’s going on and is a great idea. You’ll also notice that the keys are grouped/coloured to represent how they relate to different instrument parts. So, each set of a given colour relates to the same instrument part. A reset button at the top right of this column will reset all parameters to their default.
The right-hand column contains options which apply to the whole instrument. A volume control for a close microphone and another for the stereo pair used to record the Belophone allow mixing between the two inputs. You can select the way multiple samples are used when the same key is triggered by setting the Round Robin option to Random, Cycle or Off in the Settings section and altering the Velocity Curve used to trigger the samples.
The centre column works on a per-instrument-part basis. In other words, changing the parameters will only apply to the currently selected instrument part. For example, the pan can be set independently for the “small horn” and “little pipe 1” parts. A part can be selected by playing a note from that part or using the dropdown menu above the parameters. From here, various instrument parameters such as Pan and Tuning can be set, as well as a 4-band EQ and an ADSR envelope.
The instrument is quirky. To say the least! There’s a lot of control available, and as with all the other instruments, an FX Rack is made available to further shape the sound (more on this later). However, it’s fair to say that this is a relatively niche instrument, which limits the contexts in which it can be used. This is mainly due to the most unique aspect of the instrument – the fact that it is made up of different smaller instruments, each with a unique and distinct timbre.
Simple chords or even arpeggios can be achieved relatively convincingly; however, melodic lines can push the varying timbre front-and-centre, raising the quirkiness factor. When carried out intentionally, this could be used to good effect; however, using the instrument effectively under more normal circumstances may be more challenging.
This instrument definitely lends itself more to novelty, humorous, whimsical, animation scores, and other works in this vein.
Bottle Organ
The original Bottle Organ made by Leonard was for the Montshire Museum of Science in Vermont and is available for visitors to play. He decided to make one for himself, too, and this is the one that was sampled for the Kontakt instrument.
13 balls blow air over the bottles, which contain a varying amount of liquid, generating a pitch. The balls are set out like the white and black notes on a piano over a full octave of a chromatic scale of C, with the liquid amount set to generate the related tone. Of course, we can play the relevant tones on our controller keyboards!
Three sets of samples, IE three articulations, of varying length: short, medium and long, have been recorded for each pitch. Which of these articulations is played is determined using either:
- Incoming MIDI velocity
- Incoming MIDI CC
- or MIDI key switch (on the keyboard)
The velocity option certainly feels the most sensible and seems the easiest to control (for me, anyway); however, I can also see why the other options would be useful in certain circumstances.
The Equalizer, Instrument, and Envelope settings are present on this instrument again. However, where separate parts of the Bellowphone instrument have their own unique set of these controls, the Bottle Organ uses a single set of parameters for the whole instrument. Which makes sense!
The microphones, round robin, and velocity curve options from Bellowphone are available for this instrument. But this time, we get a very funky squishy ball auto-inflate noise volume control. Great fun! You only realise you need a very funky squishy ball auto-inflate noise volume control once you have one! Oh, and if you play the G3 note, you play the very funky squishy balls auto-inflate noise in isolation! I just sold this plugin to you (nods smugly).
The Bottle Organ is an instrument that could be used over a broader palette than the Bellowphone. However, it enjoys an equal amount of quirkiness! The timbre is more consistent across the instrument’s tonal range since each note is produced in a similar fashion. Of course, the fact that this is not the case with the Bellowphone is part of its charm!
Callioforte
Leonard uses his feet to operate 2 bellows (again, made from balls). He controls the airflow into a series of pipes that produce the sound using an awesome keyboard made from several homemade valves. So… Yes, it’s a pipe organ! Awesome stuff!
The controls for the Callioforte mirror those of the bottle organ, except the articulation settings are missing. Instead, we get a key noise level. The sound, as you might expect, is more ‘breathy’ from this instrument than the Bottle Organ, and also, in a similar vein, this is quite a practical instrument with a consistent sound across its entire range. And we get a four-octave range this time, which is very useful! Approximately the lower two-thirds of the range use the larger set of pipes behind the keyboard to produce the corresponding notes, whereas the final third uses an additional set of smaller pipes, as seen in the illustration on the GUI. The larger set is made up of two rows of pipes, where the rear pipes are shown off to the far right of the illustration.
I love the tone of this instrument. I can see myself using it, with minimal editing, in minimal pieces, slower acoustic pieces, and even as a pad-like instrument with a little delay and reverb for ambience. In fact, the instrument has effects built in! See the final section!
Kazoo
It’s a kazoo! I used to play a kazoo when I went busking with a mate in the ’90s. In fact, we both played one. We would play “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”, which had a kazoo solo in it! Well, our version did. I was always a little surprised that Burt Bacharach had never heard about us before suddenly appearing outside Dundee train station to listen to the finest rendition of his work. I put it down to the lack of social media in those days.
Anyway, as seen in some videos of Len performing, it’s clear that his kazoo is a critical component of his sound. And it’s a great choice for a number of reasons. It’s an instrument that can be played using his mouth alone (since it’s mounted on a stand), keeping his hands free for his extraordinary machines. It’s quirky, which is very much in keeping with his general style. And it’s a great instrument to cut through the overall mix to punch a melody through.
Like I said, it’s quirky. It never quite hits the correct pitch centre, but instead, it kinda floats around it, which is great. The samples used in the instrument embrace this concept very much. Whilst being well recorded, they are true to the character of the instrument; it’s relatively clear that no editing has taken place.
This time, we get a range of just over two octaves, from A1 through C4 (the orange mapped keys on the instrument layout). As a fantastic bonus, we get a bunch of sounds, little runs, and melodies (the purple key mapping). I must admit to laughing the first time I played through these.
This time, the number of controls is smaller. Dual microphone placement, instrument, equaliser, and envelope settings are present, as are the round-robin and velocity controls. This time, we also have a checkbox allowing CC1 to control a Low-Pass Filter when checked.
I like this instrument. We need to remember that this entire library is unapologetically quirky and unique, and the Kazoo instrument is no exception. It does what it says on the (tin) GUI. It allows you to play a very well-recorded kazoo using Kontakt. It’s clearly not going to appear in every one of your own songs (well, it could, I guess!), but it’s certainly a handy instrument to have on hand!
Miscellaneous
This instrument contains some of Len’s smaller instruments, each mapped with an alternating colour across the key mapping. The same controls we have now come to expect appear, with instrument, equaliser, and envelope controls on a per-instrument basis and the microphone mix and settings being global.
The instruments are as follows (from left to right on the key mappings):
- Pneumatic Cymbal
- Cuckoo
- Small Horn
- Laughing Horn
- Warbler Whistle
Each instrument produces a single, with the exception of the Cuckoo, which has two. Each key plays a single articulation from the instrument rather than a different pitch.
These are fun, but I don’t know if they are quite as useful as the other instruments. That said, there are some nice samples here to reach for if I need a single sound at some point.
Oomphalapompatronium
So, back to another “playable” instrument; an amazing-looking set of horns pictured from G0 up to C3, with some (crazy) noises made by the instrument thrown in. This is the instrument for you if you want to play a multi-pitched instrument whilst simultaneously playing pig-like grunting noises. I’m not sure anyone can do without this, now I think about it.
The controls are what we now expect, with all parameters affecting the instrument globally.
I like this one quite a lot. On first listen, I wasn’t as sure as some of the others, but when I pitched it down, it suddenly added a whole new dimension. There’s actually some pretty nice bass texture when you do this!
Sound Design Atonal
Sound Design Atonal is a relatively straightforward set of samples, mostly seemingly unrelated. Some interesting sound sounds can be created here using the built-in filter and water. These samples are not one of the stronger reasons to buy the instrument, but they are a nice additional feature, especially if you need a few extra sounds purely for sound design (as the name suggests).
The controls contain the predicted volume, pitch, pan, and envelope (this time with a Depth control which selects the degree to which the ADSR envelope is applied). The filter is followed by an Offset control which controls how fart into the sample the playback beings.
The Gater is an interesting tool that allows pulsing modulation to be applied to the sample. This can synced to the DAW tempo (or not!).
Sound Design Tonal
Sound Design Tonal is a series of 32 interesting little playable instruments. And purely by coincidence, one of these is called “Crazy Pig”. Surely, my comments about the Oomphalapompatronium making pig noises have nothing to do with this! Perhaps fate brought us here…
The controls this time are the same as the atonal sound design instrument but without the offset control.
I really like these! They are a more usable inclusion than the atonal instrument, but I speak for myself here. Especially with some effects applied, several of these could be useful as secondary textures in a piece of music.
Tonal Horns
And so we arrive at the end of the journey. It’s been a long way, but we finally got here. And I’m glad to say we will finish with another useful instrument. Or should I say, 3 instruments. Oh, you lucky things.
We are, to some degree, back into Bellowphone territory with Tonal Horns, but only in so much as the range of playable pitches is handled by multiple, timberly different (is that a term?) instrument “pieces”. Not to the same degree this time as with Bellowphone, but purely because there are only 3 parts. Well, actually, 4 (sorry to confuse) because “big horn” is on the same instrument part as hunting horns. It still changes the feel if you use it as a single instrument, though, but it would be interesting if used creatively.
This time, we get ALL the controls! It’s a veritable control-fest! It’s nearly everything seen in previous instruments, including the articulation controls where appropriate. Oh, and some sound effects too.
In terms of playability, this is similar to Bellowphone for the above reason: it’s made up of multiple parts, each with a different timbral feel. It’s nice, but probably best played as three separate instruments (plus the big horn—everyone needs a big horn!).
FX Rack
Wait though. What’s this? I thought we had reached the end of the journey? And yet we turn the corner, and there is more! I lied. I’m sorry. I mean, I lied in terms of that fact that was the final instrument, but there’s a neat little effects rack built right in, too, in the style of a guitar pedal board. And I did mention it earlier, so you should have expected it. Pay more attention, if not!
The 27 effects available here, from EQ to Chorus to modulation to lo-fi to distortion to reverb, will not set your world on fire, but they are certainly a great little bonus that keeps much more of the sound design inside the instrument. Or at least give you the option to do so.
I’m never really convinced if I would like these to be included in an instrument. I prefer to create my own effects chain in my DAW. I’d rather pay for the instrument and not feel that some of the cost went toward effects unless they play a vital role in the sound or recreation of the instrument. In other words, I want the instrument to be the focus of the developer’s time and my investment.
It may be that these are actually just a GUI for built-in Kontakt functionality, or that this is a stock of plugins thrown in by the developer. In either of these cases, then bonus!
Pros
- You can make pig-like noises with the Oomphalapompatronium! Do we need more pros than that? OK, I will mention more…
- Rather a lot for the cost. 9 instruments plus the effects rack.
- The stand-out instruments for me are the Bottle Organ, Callioforte, Oomphalapompatronium (I’m trying to figure out how to say that, never mind remember how to spell it), Sound Design Tonal and Tonal Horns.
- A lot of thought has gone into the available controls. There are few, but most bases are covered with what has been included.
- I like the visualisations of the instruments on the GUI. It’s helpful to see what you’re playing, especially on multi-part instruments!
- OK. I’m going to give the effects rack the benefit of the doubt and include it here. It’s handy for putting together some rapid sound design.
- Well-thought-through keyboard mapping.
- NKS compatibility.
Cons
- The instruments have varying degrees of usefulness. I can imagine myself using 2, maybe 3 of the instruments with a small degree of regularity, with the others being more of a “library piece”.
- Not all controls are NKS mapped. Why not?
- Some of the content is less useful with any regularity.
Summary
So, what can this be used for? I’m asking myself again now that I’ve played through every instrument and tweaked every control. Animation. Comedy. Light-hearted, whimsical material. But this could also work exceptionally well with darker, more dramatic material, especially with some well-placed reverbs and delays. It also has a clear and useful place in sound design. There’s nothing else quite like it!
Leonard appears to be the utterly (dub-stepping) charming gentleman genius – the Willy Wonka of chitty-bang bang-looking musical inventor-creators! And I do love this Kontakt instrument. Thank you, Len!
Thank you Wayne for another comprehensive review!
For more details on Leonard Solomon’s Extraordinary Machines, head on over to the Impact Soundworks website where you can check out some audio demos and a video walkthrough, or purchase the library for $49 USD.
W_yne is a songwriter and musician who dabbles in contemporary pop music with some rock on the side and a sprinkling of poetry. Find him at thesmallestmachine.com.
