Notion Music announced two new percussion features and two new sound kits: Sessions: Rhythm Section and Expanded Mallets 1 at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in Austin, Texas, November 8-11, 2006.

Additions to Notion’s powerful scoring tools include the ability to notate for drum set (multiple instruments on one staff), alternate note heads (x, triangle, and slash), “stir” feature for realistic sounding jazz brush techniques on snare drum, ghost note notation and performance, and cross-stick and rim-shot notation and performance for snare drum.

“Sessions: Rhythm Section” supplements Notion’s traditional orchestral library with the sounds of a contemporary rhythm section, featuring bass and drum set samples performed by Victor and Roy Wooten at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville and electric guitar samples performed by Vernon Reid at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The drum set includes various techniques for 6-piece drum set and cymbals, all of which can be written as individual instruments as well as in a drum set staff. A broad variety of techniques and dynamics are included for electric bass and electric guitar, including slap techniques on bass and muted sounds on both. Upright bass, Fender Rhodes™ electric piano, and Hohner Clavinet™ are also included.

“Expanded Mallets 1” adds marimba, vibraphone, crotales and chimes to the Notion sound library. Techniques included are strikes and rolls from a 5-octave marimba, strikes on chimes and strikes on crotales. Vibraphone has strikes and rolls with motor off, slow motor speed, fast motor speed and pedal up. Also available is “Expanded Percussion 1” featuring castanets, cowbells, cuckoo, drumsticks, maracas, power toms, ratchet, roto-toms, shakers, sleigh bells, temple blocks and woodblock.

Notion is designed for students, composers and musicians on all levels as a tool for composition, learning, practice, and live performance. It combines a full-featured music notation system with interpretive algorithms linked to a proprietary playback engine that offers samples of thou¬sands of individual notes and articulations played by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

More information is available at the Notion Music site.