Download: CoreBass Cherry Slides (5.86 MB)

This free 5-string bass slides sample library contains a total of 45 slides, including dives and swoops, on various strings of the bass.

Download: CoreBass Cherry Harmonics (115 MB)

This free 5-string bass harmonics sample library contains five harmonic nodes, each with 2x round robin and release samples.

First of all, there’s the rhythm electric guitar sample library. What’s left to be done is to create the presets, write the manual, and compose the demo songs. We’re really excited about this release–it pushes the limits of KONTAKT and the realism of sampled instruments. But we’ll let you be the judge of that when it’s released in a few weeks. Oh, and the reason for this delay is also because the release is dependent on a few other updates related to the product line.

Then there’s the update for CoreBass Pear. We’re completely re-writing the scripting to reduce the CPU/RAM usage and adding a few more features while we’re at it. The playability is a lot better, and the velocity response is sounding great!

We’re also working on a utility that will be extremely useful for ALL users of KONTAKT. It can be used in conjunction with Orange Tree Samples products, or applied to other sample libraries as well. The utility will be very affordable, and will undoubtedly become a staple of your workflow.

Finally, another sample library that’s on the horizon is a collection of Native American Flutes. We combined multiple velocity layers and round-robin with performance-modeled scripting to create a product that has a magical realism to it. Here’s an audio sneak peek so you can hear what I mean:

This is played live through a two-octave MIDI keyboard, and uses only a fraction of the articulations we sampled.

We really appreciate your patience, and check back soon!

Download the “KS to CC” patch here.

Sample libraries have become more extensive, including more and more articulations, usually accessible by keyswitches. New technology has emerged to improve realism, such as release samples and round-robin alternating samples. Physical modeling has become more elaborate, reproducing more detailed sound models and accounting for more aspects of physics. However, both sampled instruments and physically modeled instruments face the same dilemma: the performer itself must be modeled.

The first problem to face is what to do with limited MIDI data, from the sequencer or MIDI keyboard. MIDI is a very keyboard-oriented format, which makes it naturally limited in terms of controls. Basically, you can control the pitch of the note, velocity, as well as a few controllers (including the pitch wheel). However, you are limited as to how many controllers you can use simultaneously in a live performance.

Example: Iconic Bass: Jaco uses the sustain pedal to activate the slide mode, which changes any overlapping notes into a smooth glissando. The speed of the slide is based on the velocity of the overlapping note. The ability to slide from one note to another is a important characteristic of the fretless bass.

Due to the limitations of simultaneously accessible MIDI controllers, some automatic interpretation needs to be made by the sample library. For example, which frets and strings to use in a guitar library must be intelligently determined. Bowed instruments must be able to control bow pressure, speed, and direction. Although these controls can be assigned to MIDI controllers, the practicality of having all these elements instantly controllable must be questioned, as to not limit the use of sample libraries to sequencing but include live performance from a MIDI keyboard. While sequencing allows you to fine tune every element of the sample library dynamically, having too many controls to keep track of can be overwhelming and counterproductive.

Example: Strawberry Electric Guitar includes a layer-based mapping system which allows you to define exactly how the instrument behaves. It includes controls for how to translate MIDI data as well as letting you adjust the automatic interpretation.

Another thing to consider is the limitations of not only the instrument, but the performer as well. Most sample libraries account for pitch range limitations, but how many model hand movement speed and the maximum reach of the player’s hand? These both are important considerations in most instruments.

Modeling player limitations is essential when interpreting MIDI to automatically control elements of the instrument’s performance. That way the scripting engine for the sample library has a framework to anticipate and automate characteristics of the instrument beyond the instant control of the MIDI keyboard or MIDI sequencing. This can involve controlling something as obvious as articulations…

Example: CoreBass Cherry Slapped models the thumb and index finger position in order to accurately determine whether a note should be slapped or popped in true slap bass playing style.

…or details such as fret noises:

Example: CoreBass Pear tracks the hand position on the fingerboard, not only to correctly decide which strings to use when playing, but to model the finger position to reproduce the sliding noise created when switching positions. The scripted finger positions follow traditional upright bass playing technique.

Modeling the player in virtual instruments allows users who aren’t familiar with how the particular instrument is played to create realistic tracks. It also overcomes the characteristic artificial sound that virtual instruments tend to have, by replicating essential humanistic elements that would otherwise be too difficult and time-consuming to sequence manually.

Added articulations include:

- Effects such as scrapes, pickup hits, dives, and much more
- Trills (in intervals of half-steps, whole-steps, and minor 3rds)
- Tremolo
- Scraped notes
- Blues muted/unmuted strummed notes
- Octaves
- Aggressive squeals
- Tapping

And more! The extended Strawberry Electric Guitar library will be available mid-December.

If you use the sample start variable in the “play_note” function, there is an important inconsistency that you need to account for: the conversion ratio between milliseconds (which ENGINE_UPTIME uses) and microseconds (the unit of the sample offset variable) does not equal 1000 as it should, and as how Kontakt 3 and 4 respond. Instead, the ratio is 1081. Basically this means that if you want Kontakt 2 to play a sample starting 1000 microseconds (μsec) in, you have to tell it to start at 1081 μsec to achieve the correct sample start time.

To account for inconsistencies such as this, you need to make separate K2 and K3/K4 patches. What I like to do is include a constant within the script, like this:

declare kontakt.version := 2
declare kontakt.offset_ratio := 2
select (kontakt.version)
case 2
kontakt.offset_ratio := 1081
case 3 to 4
kontakt.offset_ratio := 1000
end select

In previous versions of Kontakt, you used to be able to detect the Kontakt version within the script, using the differences in effect IDs, but that was changed in the latest release of Kontakt 3. Now you have to change the “kontakt.version” variable manually.

If you’re creating a sample library that uses many articulations, it can become impractical to map each articulation into a separate group. Kontakt’s interface is unwieldy when having to manage dozens of groups. However, if you discard Kontakt’s native volume-velocity modulation, you can use the velocity dimension to expand each group’s capacity. This technique essentially gives you 127 articulations per group.

While this allows you to create well-organized groups, you have to account for velocity affecting volume by using the “change_vol” function in Kontakt–which is a good idea anyway, because it gives you greater control over the volume curve than using Kontakt’s volume modulator. As for selecting the articulation, KSP gives you two options: use the “change_velo” function to change the event velocity to the desired velocity number (which relates to the articulation), or to ignore the MIDI event and use the “play_note” function to manually play samples.

This technique reduces CPU usage too, especially when using group effects. Also, using many groups in Kontakt can slow the program’s response time, which makes mapping and editing the NKI patch tedious.

Sample libraries are traditionally static and inflexible. While they might provide realistic results, sequencing and performance usually involves the user adapting to the way they work–their mapping, their keyswitches and controllers, their velocity layers, etc. The lack of customizability adds unnecessary difficulty to the product’s learning curve.

Next generation sample libraries are dynamic–they adapt to your playing and perform the way you want them to. Whether professional or hobbyist, users will appreciate the library saving them from extra sequencing work, having to keep track of where keyswitches are, and memorizing controller numbers by giving them complete control of these elements themselves.

Here are some examples of features found in Cinesamples’ Djembe which demonstrate how this next generation of sample libraries operate:

- Dynamic mapping of notes–the different hits can be remapped to any key. Included are presets for electronic drumsets and different keyboard layouts.

- Note ranges automatically adjust to fill all unmapped keys. This is particularly useful for percussion instruments, since it allows you to easily perform fast rolls and flams by providing several adjacent keys which trigger the same samples.

- Ability to audition the tone within the interface. When adjusting a setting such as the microphone mix, or volume levels, it can become a hassle moving back and forth from the computer mouse to your MIDI keyboard to test the sound. This feature, when enabled, automatically auditions the sample while you’re adjusting a setting.

- Intelligent round-robin, which insures that samples repeat the least amount possible. Commonly round-robin acts as a basic counter which doesn’t guarantee that the same sample won’t be repeated soon afterwards.

Other libraries which include features characteristic of this next generation of sampling include Orange Tree Samples’ Strawberry Electric Guitar and Grand Kalimba. While most of the other Orange Tree Samples libraries contain at least intelligent round-robin and the ability to remap keyswitches and controllers, these two libraries in particular include settings to dynamically change their mappings, all within the Kontakt interface.

Generally strummed guitar libraries (loop libraries aside) take one of two methods. The first is to sample full guitar chords in upstroke and downstroke strum directions. While they sound realistic, they limit you to specific chord voicings, strum speeds and many other details that are constantly varying to create a realistically dynamic strum sequence. The other route libraries take is to power single notes with an arpeggiator, which automatically creates strum patterns. This gives you more flexibility at the sake of realism.

One of the Orange Tree Samples libraries we’re working on right now is a rhythm guitar version of the Strawberry Electric Guitar for Kontakt. This library encompasses all rhythm guitar, from simple strumming patterns to funk rhythm guitar, powerchords, and much more. It combines a powerful, guitar-specific arpeggiator with specifically recorded samples for strumming.

While the product is still in the early stages of development, we thought we’d share some of the cool features of this upcoming guitar library:

1. Finger placement

Not only is the fretting position modeled, but the placement of each finger automatically on the fretboard as well! That means that when you change from one chord to another, you will hear a realistic transition from the fingers moving to their new positions. This transition noise is essential for realistic strumming sequences.

2. Chord voicing definitions

Although the library includes preset chord definitions, you can create your own voicings within the interface.

3. Fretting pressure

When rhythm guitarists play, the pressure with which they fret the chord accompanies the strumming pattern. This is a big factor in all styles of rhythm guitar, and is particularly noticeable in reggae and funk guitar.

4. Barre chords and capo

Barre chords are automatically accounted for, and you can capo the guitar as well (which allows for different chord possibilities).

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If you have any comments or suggestions, we’d love to hear them!