ONE-SHOTS
Aug 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander
XFONIC/ZERO-G
DEGREES OF ABSTRACT
LEFT-FIELD BREAKS FOR A DOWNTEMPO SOUNDTRACK
As a bit of a mad scientist sound designer at heart, this is my kind of library. From the same creative folks who brought us Outer Limits comes another 2 GB DVD packed with more than 1,350 of the craziest yet musically inspiring samples this side of Ninja Tune's private vaults. Listening to any of the 40 construction kits on this disc is like taking a magic carpet ride through some subliminal virtual soundscape of weirdness; beats morph with textures, textures morph with timbres and timbres belie their origins. Taking inspiration from many genres and styles, producers Dave and Nic Higham have assembled electro and hip-hop beats row by row in an experiment of vinyl resourcing that can span countless musical styles and moods.
Starting around 70 bpm, the Summer in Winter kit combines a highly percussive plectrum guitar with loops of reverb-drenched synthetic raindrops, an Asian-inspired classroom toy piano, reversed strings and ethnic female vocals. Stepping up to 90 bpm, Hidden Files includes a flickering groove box and soft-funk beat twined with vacant industrial noise, gorgeous backward synth arpeggios, broken radio frequencies and orchestral brass and percussion. Approaching 130 to 175 bpm, things become much more manic but still with an underlying vibe of chilled disturbia. Additional bass loops (acoustic, distorted, electronic and sub) inhabit the 80 to 160 bpm range in increments of 10 ticks. That folder also contains extra drum hits, effects hits and loops, guitar effects, synth and ethereal world vocals. Degrees of Abstract is what Toronto's IboSonic might classify as “sentimentronica,” or music for urban romantic retro-futurists.
XFONIC/ZERO-G (DIST. BY EAST WEST/SOUNDS ONLINE)
DEGREES OF ABSTRACT > $99.95
At a glance: 40 construction kits and more than 2 GB of the most left-of-center intelligent dance and electro-soundtrack fuel. Acid WAV, Stylus RMX, REX2, Kontakt, EXS24 and HALion.
Contact: www.soundsonline.com
REALSAMPLES ACOUSTIC
GUITAR COLLECTION VOL. 1 & 2
SIX STRINGS THAT SING
Every urban and electro producer needs at least one authentic-sounding acoustic guitar in their arsenal. With these two newly released sets from Germany's Realsamples, you'll instantly add impeccably multisampled pop-rock and bluesy-country guitars to your sampling workstation: Volume 1 offers a beautiful, master-built Alhambra, while Volume 2 goes for the darker sound of a Martin western. Recorded at 24-bit/96 kHz, both discs were dithered down to 44.1 kHz for normal playback and cross-sampler compatibility. There are “lite” versions for users with limited RAM, as well as a 16-bit version for pre-GigaStudio 3 users.
Single notes were sampled chromatically with 32 different Velocity layers each. Another folder contains major and minor chords played with several subtle strumming variations mapped to Velocity in a preset for added realism. All samples were recorded straight with no mastering applied — a rule I wish more developers of acoustic libraries would follow. Both guitars play extremely well, with full-length samples ringing out naturally and Velocity crossovers nearly indistinguishable. Though all samples are mono and obviously single-miked, the captured dynamic range of both guitars is deep, with a warm, luxurious tone that will fool almost any discerning ear.
REALSAMPLES
ACOUSTIC GUITAR COLLECTION VOL. 1 & 2 > $59.95 EACH
At a glance: 24-bit multisampled Alhambra and Martin acoustic guitars. Single notes and chords provided. Reason NN-XT, Kontakt, HALion, EXS24 and GigaStudio.
Contact: www.sampling-cds.com
TRACK STAR/BIG FISH AUDIO TECHNOCORE
IF YOU LIKE IT HARD AND FAST
Through the same sample shop responsible for last year's hit Hip Hop Exotica and Reggaeton libraries, French producer/writer/programmer Fabien Renoult unleashes a collection of 25 hard-techno construction kits done up the way the Europeans like it — hard and fast. Tempos on this 2 GB DVD range from a slow-mo 120 bpm stroll through the chill-down room to a 180 bpm sweat fest, with an average around 145 bpm. At 631 WAV/AIFF samples and 408 REX files, each kit offers a key-designated full mix, seven or more drum variations, a bass loop or two, several synth phrases and sometimes a vocal or effects loops for flourish. Each kit also contains a folder of individual drum hits, as well as a drums folder with multitracked beats, allowing you to arrange and mix the drum elements to taste.
Formulaically four-on-the-floor, all kits are four bars in length and lend well to subtractive-style arrangement; throwing all construction components at the proverbial wall and muting parts here and there works best. Aiding this process are well-reasoned inclusions of effects-only versions of drum breaks; strangely processed “thin” loops such as flanged hi-hats; and secondary snare loops and percussion rolls for building transitions, intros and outros. Programming is tight and inventive for a musical style that's been accused of being stuck in a rut. The ethnic bend to several of the kits is inspiring. Even typically stale ideas such as siren drops, detuned kicks and backward cymbal rolls don't predate the progressive edge this library forges from beginning to end. Whether festival tents or rave halls are your venues, Technocore should please the massive.
TRACK STAR/BIG FISH AUDIO
TECHNOCORE > $99.95
At a glance: 25 construction kits of frenetic European hardcore techno. AIFF/Apple Loops, REX, WAV.
Contact: www.bigfishaudio.com
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