Sometime last year I wrote about how I had once owned a Moog MG1/Realistic Concertmate. It’s not just that I had no idea what it was or barely used it while I had it, or even that I sold it to some friends for like fifty bucks - it’s that of all the crap I’ve hung onto over the years I had to get rid of that. And every once and a while something comes along to remind me how misguided I was at certain points in my life.

Today this is pointed out via Analog Industries. Alerted to a new freebie sample set from the dedicated geniuses at Goldbaby that utilizes a Moog MG1 run through a bunch of Audio Damage plugins. I’m not on a broadband connection right now so I won’t be able to audition them for a while. But I’m prepared to download and weep.

_{Photo ripped the matrixsynth flicr stream}

Here’s a sample set that’s so underground it doesn’t even have a website. I don’t know why, I’m a complete sucker for these kinds of things; I think there should be more folks out there sampling off-beat instruments, found sounds, toys, forgotten instruments.

Actually, I guess I should be doing that. Damn, I’m lazy.

Anyway, thanks to KvR user Architeuthis for not being lazy.

Sorry, this is my first sample library and so I don’t have all that professional stuff going for me like a website and a quick Pay to Download system setup. That will hopefully come in the future.

* Recorded in 24-bit / 96,000khz
* 15 tone musical box in the key of G#
* 14 alternative samples per tone, 210 samples total
* Coming soon for registered users: A version of the sample library with crank noises

- Listen Here (first two melodies dry, third melody using EQ and KarmaFX reverb)
- Download Manual here

Send $15 to my paypal account argitoth-at-gmail dot com and you will receive a username, password, and product key to your e-mail. When sending the payment, specify the following:

-First and Last name
-An e-mail you want to register the product with

It is available for Kontakt. More samplers will be supported soon. Reply to this thread if you would like support for the sampler you use.

I actually haven’t receive my link yet, so I’m posting this on good faith. The links are going out fairly quickly; by the time I got back to my computer several hours later it was waiting for in my inbox. He’s a verified paypal member and seems to have been around KvR for a while, so let’s assume this is all on the up and up. The demo does sound pretty fantastic, and I have the perfect track for this.

^{Photo by Kriss Szkurlatowski, via stock.xchng.com.
So, yeah, the photo is just something I found and does not represent the sampled box.}

Here’s something cool and unexpected.

Our heroes over at Soniccouture.com have gone and whipped up another product that makes you wonder why no one had thought of it sooner.

Scriptorium.

Rather than just produce another of their fine sample instrument libraries, Soniccouture have tucked into the guts of Kontakt and give us a toolkit for taking Kontakt to the next level. One of my favorite things in the Soniccouture libraries is giving us access to the hidden goodies that help power their masterful sound design. And now they’ve really gone to town and programmed up a whole 35 Kontakt scripts that range from “You’re fucking kidding me, right? Awesome!” (Group Sequencer) to, “Huh. Interesting…” (Morse Code). A few are borrowed/upgraded from some of their other product, so I can attest to their quality. And I’m damn excited to try the others: if you’ve ever hunted for useful Kontakt scripts on the web you know what a score this is.

So, if you haven’t played around with scripts in your copy of Kontakt you’re missing a whole lot of time-wasting fun. They’re dead easy to work, really; if a dilettante such as myself can use them then certainly most others can. And these look to open up a whole world of possibilities. Plus there are 60 instruments included to get you started, along with 3 demo 4 tutorial videos.

I have a great idea for re-building a certain discontinued softsynth that I missed out on buying, and this is just the ticket to get me started.

And, although this is both version 2 and version 3 compatible, it’s perhaps another argument as to why NI should allow for other upgrade options.

This has to be the best licensing agreement I’ve read.

For The sounds found project:

You are free to do with them whatever you desire. Authorship is void here. Too many declarations of property are made by people who simply pressed a record button, this project exists to encourage a different path.

How can you not love any project that has samples of “20021217: Scissors, like any room, Heidelberg” or
“20020922: Mad violinist, bathroom, St. Wendel”?

I’m not sure how one goes about submitting but there seems to be a very cool community working over at http://www.intelligentmachinery.net. Grab your field recorder and explore the ambiance of your life.

Coming soon: The bucolic soundscapes of Pawtucket.

Further my post concerning BeatBurner, I got around to installing it onto my DAW. Figured if I was gonna run my mouth off…

Though I downloaded the full package, I haven’t yet installed the included beats. While BeatBurner only processes 16bit wavs - we’re digital lofi so we don’t let that stop us, do we? - I have plenty of fodder for this thing. More than a few folders full of my early ACID loop collections, various freeware loops, stuff culled off Brit music mag cover disks - a bunch of crap to be sure, but some that have stood me well over the years - mostly shopworn breakbeats, but some other oddball stuff I’ve picked up. I thought I’d run them through it, let me evaluate the ‘burners potential on material I am well familiar with.

And it is indeed very cool. So, yes, not a beat-slicer. More like a very musical audio modulating filter synth wave-shaper thing. Every loop I loaded up sounded great and made me want to squirrel it away for later use. With just a bit of fiddling you can coax some unique sounds out of it, depending on what you’re feeding it. It’s a one trick pony, more or less, but it’s a great trick that sounds fantastic once you know what you’re doing, more or less.

It seems petty to fault the program’s shortcomings since it’s a few years old and, you know, free. They are what they are - off the top of my head I can think of 4 things I wish it did or did better - but since we’re all more or less in agreement that what sounds good is good no matter what goddamn bit-rate it was recorded at, it is a nice tool for getting some new use out of old sounds, and has a lot of inspiration potential. Tip: Disengage the sync on the delay and lfo for instant dub fun.

So I’m definitely going to kick into the coffer once the next paycheck comes in.

EDIT: Okay, so I’ve spent some more time with it, and not so right with the “one trick pony” thing. It actually has quite a few tricks up its sleeve. It would be great if it did 24bit samples, just for the breadth of shit you could throw at it. So, it’s not Kontakt. But it’s way more capable and interesting than a lot of commercial synths.

• I’ve said before, I’m not inclined to fault companies for what they didn’t put in their product - I generally know what I’m getting into when I fork over for a license and trust that it will meet my expectations. I’ll even be pretty forgiving for “bugs” and what I see as over-sights/blunders in the execution - to a point of course. And, as I’ve also said, most of the companies we’re talking about in the independent audio software world are benign to very cool. But indulge me in climbing on my rackety and feeble pulpit and address my benefactors over at Native Instruments.

Greetings Native Instruments Co.,

Congratulations on all the great products you’ve been releasing lately. I hope you’ve been having a lot of success with them. However, I want to specifically address your upgrade policy on your Kontakt line of products.

I’ve been using Kontakt since literally the day it arrived at a local Mega Lo Guitar Mart and upgraded to version 2 because of all the fine work you put into improving and expanding the product. It’s been great. I even purchased the tutorial DVD to more fully utilize it’s deeper features; to what extent this is actually the case is sorta besides the point. Suffice to say, I’ve acquired (legally it should be said) a lot of soundware that does fully utilize Kontakt’s deeper features.

The latest version Kontakt 3 looks pretty swell also. Looks like you improved a lot of the features. Perhaps not a whole version upgrade. But, you know, it’s your product you can give it what number you want really; who am I to judge the work that went into it? I look forward to trying it out.

My problem is this: Why do I have to buy the whole library that comes with it? Honestly, I don’t really use the 2 NI Kontakt libraries I have as it is. And while I’m sure you’ve done some stunning work on improving the included library, and the reports seem pretty favorable, I don’t see this being a whole lot different. I’ve got a lot of these sounds well covered, and the last thing my sample drive needs is more redundancy.

I’m guessing it’s because you want to keep it a boxed product, no? That even with your very well implemented registration management, and your high profile, a boxed product is more like a “physical thing” - shelf space and all that - and thus somehow less prone to being ripped off or dismissed as not worth the investment. Okay, I may well be grasping, but, seriously, couldn’t you offer an “engine”-only download update for users? Well, I know you *could*, but for some reason you don’t. No offense to the many sound designers and editors who put together your library. But I just don’t need it. And it seems a waste for me to buy a whole lot of packaging and content for what probably comes to about 20MB of program and plugin files.

And, yes, I know it’s only around $130.00 street. It’s not really the price so much as it is the waste of it all. Offering it for under 90 bucks from you website seems a reasonable amount to pay considering what you’re charging for the boxed upgrade.

I’ll just give in and get it I suppose. I’ll get sick of manually exporting MIDI files, or trying to built multis will finally drive me batty and I’ll get the packaging then go ahead then download the latest build. Either that or you’ll release Kontakt 4 and just upgrade to that. Or, considering how I’ve wound up with a lot of your products, just before the next version is released you’ll blow out the remaining stock of 3 and I’ll just pay what it would theoretically cost me for a download now. And then start the cycle again…

Do you see the folly?

Cheers,

Your Customer,
Digital Lo-Fi

Hey, check this out:

That’s about 6 hours of mucking about, using a not-complete selection of the included instruments. “Mixed” directly in Kontakt, a little Ambiance on a send, a taste of Vintage Warmer on the two bus.¹ Perhaps finalized a little too loud.

And I have no idea what I’m doing!

Well, that’s not entire true. You see…

As you may have heard, the Soniccouture Gamelan is indeed the business. A meticulously assembled and presented Kontakt library, it begs superlatives. It’s as challenging as it is effortless, as simple to assemble and play as it is mind-blowingly complex.

So imagine it in the hands of someone who has a greater musical mind than myself.²

Soniccouture has said that the primary audience seems to be those who will use this for soundtracks and scoring, beds of music for video games and such - and indeed, I imagine this will become a prominent part of our semi-collective soundscape. For someone who’s bread and butter it is turning out interesting and varied music this is a brilliant tool.

But here’s the thing. It’s a fascinating theoretical study of music and composition; a more esoteric aspect of musical theory now more easily available³ to the curious and studious. So I imagine that this would have huge appeal to the educational market as well. As a teaching tool this appears an essential companion to the written and visual record of this fascinating aspect of our collective musical culture.

Using the really clear and well-considered manual, reading and listening to each piece in context, it would be hard not take something away greater than just a cool sound you might use in one of your tracks. I sincerely believe I learned valuable musical information just putting together that demo.

Listen, I’m a long-in-the-tooth punk, underground, and sometimes pop guy who’s a johnny-come-lately to the world of electronic music composition. And what I’ve retained about theory could fit on a notecard. For me so much of this all is the exploration. Trying things and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Learning that which I didn’t know. (Sometimes it’s a joy being a neophyte because there’s a whole world open to you.) So, that I’m able to assemble something that may be technically imperfect but of which I’m not ashamed is a real testament to what Soniccouture has pulled off here. And there’s features I haven’t even begun to explore.

Finallly, I don’t know how much of the limited edition packaging they have - word is it was going quickly - but if you’re at all on the fence you’ll kick yourself if you miss this edition. It really conveys the value that this truly is. It reminded me of seeing PiL’s Metal Box for the first time and being completely impressed by what an amazing object it was.⁴ Even my girlfriend, who usually and understandably glazes over when I start talking about cool music software, remarked on how classy the packaging was.

—

Update: Just this morning Soniccouture released a Gamelan Set tuned to western equal temperament. In their words, “Some of you will appreciate the chance to play the Gamelan instruments in western tuning, and some of you will just ignore this version and tell us we’ve sold out.” I’m definitely in the former group.

—

^{1 I know I sound silly trying to sound like I know what I’m talking about.
2 I take it you’ve listened to the demos. If not, do so now. They’re really beautiful.
3Some people have groused about the price, which is considerably more than Soniccouture’s other products. It is what it is, and in my opinion it is more than worth it. My point being, it is not out of reach of universities and music tech schools.
4The first release of Project5 also elicited this reaction; that was a truly unique and cool piece of packaging.}

Somewhat long, poorly shot but cool video after the jump. Bare with it, it goes some interesting places:
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My new friends over at soniccouture.com have sent me a press-release for their next piece of sampling goodness, and it’s too good not to share it with whomever stumbles across this blog

They’re thinking big: rather just a single instrument they’re going for the whole ensemble. To be specific a Balinese Gamelan ensemble.

Funnily enough, the subject of a Gamelan set came up on their forum many months ago, and I made the comment “you know that soniccouture would make a badass Gamelan sample set.”¹

Seems I was right: 25 different instruments, 24GB, and, I am certain, the usual care and musicality that go into their pristinely sampled instruments.

This one isn’t cheap, and it’s gonna eat up a large chunk of your sample drive, but as near as I can tell there’s nothing else out there like this, certainly nothing as extensive. For those of you doing soundtrack/sound design work, this is a gimme; for the rest of us, I’m sure the investment will be worth it, and will give you a multitude of sounds you would have to search long and hard to come close to approximating.

Full specs after the jump.

Also, remember, there’s still time to get in on their download instrument sale. I was using Konkrete Drums just last night thinking how damn useful it is.
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Elaborating on my last thread:

Whatever your denomination or beliefs, there’s no avoiding it: since we’re apparently a Christian nation whether we damn well like it or not we’re in “holiday” mode. So the thought of buying audio software is a little dicey. I mean, I guess you can get a partner/friend/relative to log on, download, and transfer a license to your name, but short of getting them to tithe to Guitar Center or order boxed product through, say, amazon.com, it’s a little much to expect Grandma to download a softsynth for you. “No, Nana, that’s Albino. A-l-b-i-n-o. Yes, like the little Johnson boy.”

So naturally, a lot of online companies are having holiday (read: end-of-the-year) sales. Hey, cool. Just that most dudes (yes, dudes, boys, men), especially those with families, don’t have a lot of discretionary funds to splash around. And in these uncertain economic times…

Me, I’ve managed to buffer myself pretty successfully from Christmas. No kids, an understanding family, and a very patient girlfriend. But even when I did/do participate in Christmas, I like to buy myself one or two small gifts as reward with putting up with the whole thing. That said, I’m a freelancer and I have to be somewhat frugal for long stretches of time. And since my birthday is coming up, so, I’m in the same boat, more or less.

Nevertheless, if you do have a chance to stock-up on your music software now is a good time. So over the next few days I may point out a few things I use or that look interesting to me.

Second on a list with no particularly order:

Rayzoon Jamstix2.

Marked down from an already low $99 to $49.

I’ve been using this a bunch lately, and while some of the control is a little obscure, and even with the plain skin it’s not the slickest interface, but it is a really smart piece of drum-sample programming. It’s brain, once you start getting used to how it works, is incredibly sophisticated. For just banging out ideas it’s really hard to beat. (Pun not intended but acknowledged.) And moreover, while you can use it to host other drum VSTis (BFD, DFHS) its stock kit is really usable. The drum styles can be tweaked - they tend towards the busy out of the box - and the jam with feature is really frickin’ cool.

If you don’t use another drum-sample playback system (hee hee), I suggest if you can a couple of the add on packs. These have some really nicely sampled drums in them.

Here’s a deal for you breakbeat junkies:

Dusted William Super Funky Ass Drums - an impressive collection of 24bit REX2/wav loops for download for the introductory price of $10. Act fast, as I have no idea when this price ends; I think soon.

I’ve only just begun exploring the collection but I will attest to its quality. Just great sounding beats that have a lot of character but are dry and free of the over-processing that plague these kinds of collections.

This is not a “construction kit” per se, whereby you can mix and match different loops into a sequence which, at least remotely, plays like a continuous drum track. No, these are Breakbeats. But once you really start chopping up beats - snare pattern from this, kick pattern from that - or want to bung it through the DSP of your choice, you appreciate the usefulness of cleanly recorded but vintage sounding breaks. None of that, “Hey, let’s run the loop through a completely over-cranked filter and call it unique content!” Or “Well, let’s make it sound like it was ripped from vinyl by squashing the hell out of it and adding in noise.” No, when I’m buying breaks I want the groove, a great player playing a great sounding kit, recorded well. Making it sound completely over-processed I can handle myself.

That the collection contains both the REX2 & wave files makes this doubly useful. Lately, I’ve come to appreciate the versatility of REX files, though I still can’t bring myself to shell out for ReCycle. So I’m always happy not to be locked into one or the other format.

So, get in while the getting is good. This is a bargain at twice the price.