ONE-SHOTS
Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander
UEBERSCHALL TRANCE ID
RETINAL SCAN REQUIRED
Produced by a team that's worked with such diverse acts as Christina Aguilera, Eminem, Boy George and Alex M.O.R.P.H. to name but a few, Trance ID features more than 1,000 loops and 260 related single sounds that draw stylistically from such progressive trance gods as Paul van Dyk, Tiësto and Armin van Buuren. Highly sophisticated and polished for commercial club and radio styles, the library features a huge variety of complementary synth sequences, lead phrases, bass lines, pads, atmospheres and effects that can be cross-matched and mutated in exciting ways.
Ueberschall's Elastik loop player has become the centerpiece to all its groove- and phrase-based libraries recently. With 3 GB of material across 40 construction kits, a library as deep and malleable as Trance ID greatly benefits from the beautifully simple yet powerful software interface. For starters, the innovative “loop eye” allows you to quickly whip up musical variations by adjusting the beginning and end of a loop's circular sweep around the radar screen, even reversing of loops or beat-sliced sections on a track-by-track basis. Instant, high-quality time-stretching (10 to 480 bpm) and pitch-shifting allow you to stack and match loops from different kits, while the powerful envelope, filter and kill functions are especially useful for trance. The beats are fierce and bass lines tight, as are the main and alternative lead phrases. The fresh and inspiring content stands out from other libraries I've auditioned lately. Some of the coolest stuff resides in the Intros/Outros folders, which are based on layered builds and breakdowns of the visually inspired pads and cinematic-like effects sounds contained in each kit. From euphoric and high energy to chilled and floaty, Trance ID is exquisitely produced and a beautiful adventure through modern sound design.
UEBERSCHALL (DIST. BY BIG FISH AUDIO)
TRANCE ID > $119.95
At a glance: Sophisticated collection of 40 construction kits and 260 single sounds driven from within the powerful Elastik loop-player interface.
Contact: www.bigfishaudio.com or www.ueberschall.com
MODERNBEATS KLUB KLAPS VOL. 2
THROW YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR
Following up on the first volume's delivery of Lil Jon-, Dre-, Neptunes- and Timbaland-inspired clap sounds, this sequel plays it a little safer stylistically (not quite so many wild and synthetic sounds) but presents more than twice the material for download: 320 claps and nearly 100 clap patterns in WAV and six auto-loading formats for HALion, EXS24, Kontakt, Battery, Reason and Soundfonts.
Recorded on an SSL 4000 G+ console for a classic warm and organic hip-hop sound, the set is organized into eight main preset categories. Klassic Klapz 1 and 2 contain 32 clean and dynamic samples each, with subtle differences in tone, texture and ambience across the stereo field, making these the go-to “producer kits” for creating your own clap patterns or layered textures. Next try augmenting your pattern with FX Klapz 1 and 2; again, two presets of 32 stereo samples each, only this time with more noticeable variation and depth, including layers of finger cymbals, sub-boom and ambience mixed in. Granted, they're not quite as “hyped” or sci-fi as I was expecting. Folders of Loose, Mono, Tight and Solo offer everything from small-crowd/section claps with wide stereo image to tightly flammed claps that layer quite nicely for creating that monster stacked sound. Three Klap Patternz folders labeled 87, 92 and 97 bpm each contain a single preset loaded with 32 stereo loops (16 main and 16 variants), offering lots of rhythmic variety and styles representing the latest urban trends.
MODERNBEATS
KLUB KLAPS VOL. 2 > $29.95
At a glance: More than 415 “signature” clap samples and rhythms covering the latest trends of top producers. Instant download.
Contact: www.modernbeats.com
MASSEY PLUG-INS TD5
HEADS DELAYED IN TIME
Formerly employed at Digidesign and Trillium Lane Labs, Steven Massey has broken away to produce his own elite-quality plug-ins, only now at ridiculously low prices. TD5 is his latest, which sounds and acts like a real-life vintage tape delay. The plug opens to a funky panel that's visually as retro as the deep, familiarly organic, 3-D sound that emanates from within. Available as RTAS and TDM (Audio Units, VST and DirectX are not anticipated, so don't ask), it supports sampling rates as high as 192 kHz natively, 48 kHz on TDM HD and 96 kHz on TDM HD Accel systems.
A numeric LED shows delay time in milliseconds or tempo value in bpm mode; radio buttons let you select 32nd-, 16th-, eighth-, quarter-, half- or whole-note values, as well as dotted or triplet notes. The Delay Time slider lets you smoothly “stretch” the tape length to produce delays from 5 ms to 2 seconds. Cranking the Input knob increases the amount of harmonic distortion quite tastily, while the Blend knob adjusts the wet/dry balance. A simple switch toggles between Vintage and Modern tape-delay simulation; the former induces more subtle distortion, while the latter has an overall cleaner sound. A three-position Tone switch selects between Normal, Dark or Bright EQ curves to suit the source material. Delays can sync to a Pro Tools tempo map, be tapped in manually or run freely based on typed-in values or automation changes. My favorite aspect is the authentic-sounding feedback, from subtle, almost ghostly images to continuously cascading loops of ringing texture.
MASSEY PLUG-INS
TD5 > $79
At a glance: Impeccable vintage/modern tape-delay simulation with ample tonal options and a delicious-sounding feedback loop.
Contact: www.masseyplugins.com
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