ONE-SHOTS
Oct 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander
ULTIMATE SOUND BANK CHARLIE
RETRO-ORGAN SOUND LIBRARY
Painstakingly recorded at world-renowned Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris, this impressive 3GB library ships on DVD-ROM, which utilizes Ultimate Sound Bank's proprietary 32-bit UVI-Engine (as used in MOTU's MachFive) and harnesses the sounds of the legendary Hammond C-2, as well as a retro suitcase model and the Italian Elka organ. More than 12,500 samples were recorded, capturing every single note of the organs (including key releases), with and without percussive attacks, using top vintage mics and compressors patched through an SSL 9000J console and its pristine preamps. The UVI-Engine is of dual-voice architecture, which makes Charlie capable of playing back two multisamples at a time and allows the user to create hybrids complete with control of two multimode filters, three ADSR envelopes and an effects section for each part. To actually hear the distinctive brushing of the tonewheels and the lively resonance and wide coloration of the speaker cabinet brought a smile to my face and thoughts of “Finally!” as I became intoxicated by Charlie's realism. Sweet, bright, clean and smooth — not to mention dark, dirty, crunchy and ballsy — but always uncannily spot-on, they're the best-sounding rotaries on any virtual organ I've heard. And that's what counts.
Product Summary
ULTIMATE SOUND BANK (DIST. BY ILIO)
CHARLIE > $299
At a glance: Top-rate classic and eclectic organ sounds bundled in a cozy, retro, easy-to-use UI. VSTi, RTAS, DXi, MAS, Audio Units.
Contact: tel. (800) 747-4546; e-mail info@ilio.com; Web www.ilio.com or www.usbsounds.com
LINPLUG ALBINO 2
SOFT SYNTH
Originally released early in 2003, Albino was the result of acclaimed Dutch sound designer Rob Papen (who worked with the Access Virus, the Waldorf Pulse and the E-mu Orbit 3) approaching LinPlug's Peter Linsener with the idea of creating a “dream synth.” Version 2's many new features build upon the original's hallmarks of clean, pure, high-quality sound; uniquely flavored filters; and transparent interface. At the source, Albino 2 adds much-appreciated oscillator sync and 25 all-new digital waveforms to the synth's quad-oscillator architecture. The Silk and Cream filter modules are some of the sweetest I've heard. Silk provides the choice of 12 and 24dB/octave lowpass, 24dB/octave bandpass and 12dB/octave highpass; Cream gives you 12 and 24dB/octave variations of lowpass, highpass, bandpass and notch. Each module has its own preamp saturation dial for oozing gobs of overdrive into the filter path. Also new is a sophisticated programmable arpeggiator with 32 programmable steps, 10 playback modes and a severe case of the swing. Papen has graciously included 1,250 of his stellar factory presets heavily aimed at ambient and progressive trance stylings. Awesome-sounding, a snap to use and never short on instantly gratifying presets, Albino 2 is a product you're sure to reach for time and time again.
Product Summary
LINPLUG
(DIST. BY EAST WEST/SOUNDS ONLINE)
ALBINO 2 > $199.95
At a glance: Analog/digital hybrid soft-synth plug-in with exquisite filters and sonic character. VST2, Audio Units.
Contact: tel. (800) 833-8339; e-mail info@soundsonline.com; Web www.soundsonline.com or www.linplug.com
LOOPMASTERS LOUNGE/CHILLOUT
SOUND LIBRARY
This installment of Loopmasters' Origin Series is an eclectic rest stop at your favorite chillout room. Lounge/Chillout packs just over 500 MB of “session” material onto a value-priced multiformat Mac/PC disc. You get folders of fretless bass loops, drum loops and instrument sequences, each containing subfolders of interchangeable material ranging from 70 to 120 bpm in 5 bpm increments. Other folders include Drum Kits (10 kits as WAV and Redrum files), Percussion, FX & Atmospheres, and Pads. Although these are provided as WAVs and NNXT patches, I found them to be incorrectly mapped. Alas, the library holds its own as an impeccably recorded inspirational journey with loads of happy surprises along the way. The drum loops are outstanding, tight and original, as well as tempo-grouped into families of compatible variations and mixes, and the Redrum kits are wonderful gems brimming with character and luster. My favorites, though, have to be the instrument sequences, which are jam-packed with strangely cohesive material like tasty-to-spacey synth leads, bouncing filtered hook lines, clean-to-crusty electric pianos, fluttering flutes, Jean Michel Jarre — style synth stabs and more.
Product Summary
LOOPMASTERS (DIST. BY BIG FISH AUDIO)
LOUNGE/CHILLOUT > $69.95
At a glance: Chilled lounge elements and laid-back, trippy grooves. WAV, REX2, NNXT.
Contact: tel. (800) 717-3474; e-mail info@bigfishaudio.com; Web www.bigfishaudio.com
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