Review: V Pad Pro Series by Bela D Media

Bela D Media has recently released a new series of inspiring and affordable sketchpad libraries. Josh Turvey takes a look at the first two installments.

Summary

The V Pad Pro Series is a solid, entry-level solution for composers and producers searching for an ethereal, multipurpose vocal-instrument library. The addition of sampled, synth-string pads round off a compact and focused feature-set that caters to niches within the Film, Media, and Video Game industries.

Pros:

• The vocals and synth-strings are well performed and sampled.
• The instrument features a good range of key-switching capability.
• The combination of vocal and synth-strings samples provides a streamlined workflow.
• The instrument is supremely easy to understand and use.

Cons:

• Some users may find the instrument’s light feature-set to be lacking.
• Temporarily only compatible with the full version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt 6 and above. Both libraries will soon be available in LibreWave’s free, Rhapsody player format.

Intro

Harnessing the talents of professional choirs and solo vocalists, USA-based Bela D Media have built an impressive collection of sampled, virtual-instruments libraries in the years since their inception. Aside from ‘Scoring Noise Pro’, the human voice takes centre stage throughout their catalogue, offering a range of products that explore different timbres, tonalities, use-cases, and vocal styles.

Described as being “an inspiring and affordable sketchpad designed specifically for MIDI composers”, the V Pad Pro Collection, is an ongoing series of small, lightweight ‘vocal and string-pad’ libraries that explore different combinations of articulated vowels. Below, we delve into the first two instalments to gauge how they might suit certain applications and workflows.

Design & Features

Reminiscent of early era Kontakt libraries, Bela D Media have prioritised a simple and straightforward design for V Pad Pro (see image below). Though the interface might not appeal to modern sensibilities, the V Pad Pro Series does a solid job of compacting all of its features into a one-page design, thus ensuring that users can start creating with minimal fuss.

Both instalments (V Pad Pro 1 & 2) contain two sampled elements—a “synth-based chamber string section, along with an operatic female alto soloist”. Each approximately 6–8 seconds long, the samples are non-looped, which is typically the case for vocal-instrument libraries because it results in a more authentic performance. Users can switch between the different samples using the assigned key-switches (green boxes), whilst simultaneously playing back the sampled range of the instrument (orange box).

Bela D Media have provided multiple options here (discussed later in the review), thus enabling users to interact with the sampled material in multiple ways. To further refine the output of the instrument, bypass switches for the in-built EQ and Reverb effects are available in the centre of the interface (blue box). Additional EQ controls (red box) are provided so that users can sculpt the sound according to taste. Lastly, the keyboard’s mod-wheel controls the depth of vibrato, which can be used to add expression to the vocal performance.

In Use

Bela D Media have undoubtedly succeeded in creating an out-of-the-box solution that is easy to use. V Pad Pro’s streamlined feature-set provides a frictionless experience that eliminates creative barriers, which will likely appeal to users of all experience levels. One minor quirk concerns the lack of audio output upon loading the libraries into Kontakt. This is clearly stated on Bela D Media’s website, but users are required to select from one of the pre-assigned key-switches (click to see image) to activate the instrument.

The options accessed via the key-switches affect the overall behaviour of the instrument, thereby giving users the choice between a blend of synth-strings and vocals, or just the vocals in isolation. Though a dedicated option to trigger the synth-strings with-out the vocals isn’t provided, there is a small window that allows this to occur due to the instrument’s assigned octave ranges: synth-strings (C2-G3), and vocals (D#3-G4). This versatility ensures that users have plenty of options when using the V Pad Pro series as a compositional tool.

As the focal point of each library, the recorded vocals capture two vowel sounds each. Where the V Pad Pro Series differs from other vocal-based virtual libraries is in the choice of the recorded vowels. Rather than opting for standard ‘A-E-I-O-U’ sounds, Bela D Media have captured variations that are common to spoken language, such as ‘Eh, Ah, EW, and AW’—all of which can be accessed via the pre-defined key-switches. Notably, the vocals can be set to trigger in legato. This is an important consideration when creating polyphonic, harmonic phrases because it ensures that each note’s duration remains in sync—even when pressing and holding notes at different times. Used correctly, this can result in richly evocative choral phrases that are both expressive and emotive.

The quality of the vocal performance and recordings has resulted in a natural sounding library that is ambiguous enough to suit a wide range of use-cases. Film and video-game composers will likely extract the most value from each library, but the V Pad Pro series is equally adept at supplementing modern productions with genre-agnostic vocal pads and textures. There are, however, some limitations within the instrument that prevent it from being a bonafide sound-design tool. For example, it’s not possible to blend between the two included vowels within each library—either by volume or spectral morphing. Users are thus forced to swap between them via the aforementioned key-switches, which can feel clunky and static depending on one’s desired use-case and result.

Conclusion

As an ongoing project, it’ll be interesting to see how Bela D Media develops the V Pad Pro series with future instalments. Most premium vocal libraries are significantly larger in scope and size, so Bela D Media have an opportunity to position themselves uniquely by offering a series of high-quality, niche-focused libraries. The inclusion of more vowels will ultimately give the series more versatility, but it would also be nice to see different vocalists and vocal styles included in the lineup.

Additionally, augmenting the libraries with more creative features would greatly expand the instruments’ utility. Features, such as vowel-morphing, and optional sample-looping would encourage users to interact with the sampled material in different ways, thus providing greater value without compromising on Bela D Media’s streamlined vision. Admittedly, such features extend beyond the original intention of the instrument, which has been thoughtfully recorded, designed, and executed. The overall result is a highly usable instrument that excels in bringing a haunting and ethereal quality to one’s composition—all without breaking the bank.

Technical Info

1. Simple download and installation process.
2. As a Kontakt library, macOS and Windows are both supported—with options for VST, VST3, AU and AAX.
3. Requires the full version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt 6 (or higher).
4. V Pad Pro will soon be available in LibreWave’s Rhapsody player format, thus removing the need for the full version of Kontakt.
5. There is no user manual, but brief instructions can be found on the relevant instrument pages of Bela D Media’s website.
6. Both libraries are well-optimised, and light on CPU usage.

Disclaimer: This review was conducted on a MacBook Pro M4 Pro with 48 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD (macOS Sequoia 15.3.1). User experience with the reviewed software may vary with different technical specifications.

Alternatives

1. Native Instruments — CHOIR: Omnia
2. Sonixinema — Sirens
3. EastWest Sounds — Hollywood Fantasy Voices
4. Best Service — Shevannai

The V Pad Pro series of libraries are available to purchase for $49.99 USD each at the Bela D Media store. Rekkerd readers can use coupon code BDMREK20 at the checkout to receive a 20% discount on a purchase.

Josh Turvey is a musician, producer and an avid plugin enthusiast. He provides online, 1-2-1 tuition for guitar and music production for NoiseQuest.