Applied Acoustics Systems, developer of “software based synthesis tools,” has expanded its Sound Bank Series with new titles for its Chromaphone percussion synthesizer.

Chromaphone combines acoustic resonators to create drums, percussion, mallet, string, and synth-like instruments. Drum skins, bars, marimbas, plates, strings, and tubes form pairs that are “sparked to life” by a configurable mallet and a flexible noise source. In describing how the software works, AAS explain that they have developed “a novel coupling technology” that precisely models how vibrating objects interact and influence each other capturing key acoustic behaviours of musical instruments.

Sound designers Martin Walker, Simon Stockhausen, and Michel Drapeau have been commissioned to produce the first three collections of presets.

“These banks will cover a lot of sonic ground as each sound designer will bring his own influences and signature touch,” said Marc-Pierre Verge, CEO of AAS, “Chromaphone is still very new so the sound design possibilities are wide open and we really liked what the sound designers have presented so far.”

The new AAS Chromaphone sound banks will be available later during the first quarter of 2012 and will retail for $39 each. The instant download delivery package will include both Chromaphone preset files as well as the free AAS Player plug-in. The AAS Player plug-in runs on both Windows and Mac OS X as a standalone application, and supports the VST, Audio Unit, and RTAS plug-in formats.