virtual instrument

Syntheway has introduced ElectriKeys, a virtual electric piano based on vintage Fender Rhodes MK1, Hohner Clavinet D6, Wurlitzer and Yamaha CP-70 e-pianos. It is available for Windows and Linux based VST/FST hosts – no Mac version is available.

Features

• Sound is generated via a hybrid method that combines synthesis and sampling techniques, to create the most realistic sounds of these vintage electric pianos.
• EP Selector. One instrument offering the sound of four legendary e-pianos:
  • Fender Rhodes Electric Piano (Stage Piano Mark I)
  • Hohner Clavinet D6
  • Wurlitzer Electric Piano
  • Yamaha CP-70 Electric Grand Piano (Brilliance: Mellow, Normal and Bright)
• Tremolo Section: Recreates the classic effect (which was called vibrato on the real Rhodes™ front panel). Contains a LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) with modulation depth, frequency and offset. The panning slider controls the output effect distribution between left and right speaker and to help create a broad spectrum of stereo tremolo effects.
• 5-Band Parametric Equalizer: EQ composed of five parametric filters with Frequency, Bandwidth and Gain knobs. Equalization allows you to lower or raise the volume of specific frequency ranges for bass and treble manipulation. Also contains global gain wheel to adjust the overall volume (Turn the wheel to right to boost a band, or to left to decrease its level).
• Decay & Release Time: Decay sets the note decay while the key is pressed. Release sets the release (fade out) time after the key is released, offering unique tone to each player.
• 32 presets for Tremolo effects and Parametric EQ ready to play. Creating new sounds is as simple as combining these presets in different ways and tweaking any associated parameters from there as desired.
• Signal’s Harmonic Spectrum (Freq. analyzer)
• FULL MIDI Automation: Complete MIDI Continuous Controller. Every parameter can be controlled via MIDI or host automation.

Pricing and Availability:
$35 USD

Scarbee has released Black Bass, a sample library made for N.I. Kontakt 2.2.

Black Bass is produced and recorded by Scarbee director Thomas Hansen Skarbye himself and developed together with Kontakt script wizard Nils Liberg to create a highly playable instrument for musicians, composers, and producers looking for a unique bass sound.

“I wanted to record my own favourite four string bass – THE sound that I always come back to,” says Thomas. He continues, “I use flatwound strings to get that warm, creamy sound of the 70’s disco and funk bass lines and because my bass has a maple (hard wood) fretboard – it sounds great when slappin’ too!”

“Black Bass software helps us to achieve a sound and feel so close to “classic”, that I expect we’ll be using it for many future projects.” said, Nile Rodgers, founding member of Chic, world renowned producer, musician, guitarist, and songwriter. Read more…

Jayzen Sound Design has introduced Jayzen Acoustic Bass, a sample library, in Soundfont format, that captures that “old time sound” from a large, 1950’s era stand-up acoustic bass. According to Jayzen, it can be used to recreate those Bass sounds heard on Country and Rock albums of the late 1950’s, or for modern Acid Jazz inspired tunes.

The main patch of this Virtual Instrument contains over 3 octaves of sampled Acoustic Bass notes. The notes are accurately recorded, with lows that extend deep into the sub frequencies. All notes play out in full when held, (no sustain-looping was used).

There are also 3 bonus patches of slides and special effects. Two patches of slides (one where the notes slide upward shortly after being played, another where the notes slide downward) and a patch of special effects sounds – string scrapes, string slaps, and various bridge hits.

The collection is priced at just under $10. Read more…

Tascam today announced three new drum libraries developed by multiple Grammy award winning musician and recording Engineer Larry Seyer.

The new POWERkits Volumes 1, 2 and 3 libraries from Larry Seyer Digital, focus on providing high quality musical instrument drum sounds with very low computer processing power requirements. POWERkits is the first plug-in library to be released in a new series of plug-ins from Larry Seyer Digital’s POWER line.
Packaged in groups of 10 drum kits per library, the POWERkits instrument series offers the same sound quality as the original Larry Seyer Acoustic Drums library which used to require a dedicated computer and GigaStudio 3.

“Now in a stand alone software product and Powered by GVI to function, POWERkits drum libraries provide the musician and producer with a sound palette of uncompromising quality while requiring very little processing power,” said Johnny DeLeon Tascam’s Musical Instrument Channel Manager.

POWERkits are priced at $99.00 each, and will be released this month.

SONiVOX has released their new line of DVI Products (downloadable virtual instruments). The DVI series products feature a large selection of affordably priced instruments and collections of instruments.

Description:

Designed for users’ instant gratification and ease of use, SONiVOX DVI’s are made in collaboration with the TASCAM Giga development team, melding SONiVOX’s instrument content with TASCAM’s GVI sample playback technology. As a result of this partnership each DVI product is downloadable and instantly playable as a plug-in or as a standalone instrument.

The initial rollout of DVI products include, Steel String and Nylon String Acoustic Guitars, multiple Drumkits, Basses, Electric Guitars, Harpsichord, Electric Pianos, Vintage Synths, Harp, Bagpipes, String Ensembles, Brass Ensembles, and more, all affordably priced from $11.95 to $79.95 USD.

SONiVOX DVI’s are available now directly from SONiVOX’s webshop and are PC, Standalone, VSTi, RTAS-compatible, with MAC compatibility following in the fall.