This time AudioThing offers us a library for Kontakt dedicated to the Marimba, an instrument that does not lose charm thousands of years after its creation: we are talking about the "Toy Marimba"
Toy Marimba is a small tuned percussion instrument, made of rosewood and string (Fig.1).
In Africa the marimba is traditionally played by one or more players, placed one in front of the other, with the instruments possibly placed at an angle between them. The fretboard boards are struck with light wooden mallets and the pitch of the note varies due to many factors: thickness of the wood, length and width of the bars, degrees of hardness and weight.
It was sampled using wooden and bamboo sticks (Fig 2).
There are slides and glissando, as well as slowed down samples, suitable for creating textures, included as a bonus (see specifications at the end of the article).
On the left side of the Kontakt, the "Instruments Nav", we find the various instruments, 8 to be precise, for a total of 110 samples, also considering the various sample layers.
Toy Marimba's user interface is very clear and pleasant (Fig.3): under the section relating to general settings (MIDI, output, voices and memory use) we find a equalizer, convolution reverb and a envelope with "Attack "and"Release ".
Although the parameters may seem at least minimal, it must be considered that they are quite effective and above all the reverb "sounds" good.
Immediately under the “processing” section we find an arpeggiator a 32 steps very complete, in which we can graphically intervene on velocity and save our presets, up to a maximum of 5.
We can also set the "Random" mode for them and change the "Rate", in addition to the usual extension and mode parameters. Finally we have a "Doubler", a sort of chorus and it shift to -12.
For each "Hit" there are two patches, one made by hitting the marimba with bamboo chopsticks and the other with wooden chopsticks. There are also the "slides" and the "slowed" version
The timbres, physiologically not many, were sampled with the usual care by Audio Thing and make up a library of 101MB Total.
Being a percussion instrument, the adoption of a complete and creative arpeggiator fits perfectly, thanks to which it is possible to create interesting and airy rhythms “on the fly”, enhanced by the excellent reverb algorithm.
The cost of the library is very low compared to the standard (10 €) and is certainly a good buy for those who want to have a timeless acoustic instrument like the marimba, sampled with accuracy and with an insignificant impact on the performance of your DAW.
I remind you that the library requires Contact 4.2.4 or higher in full version.
Features Toy Marimba
8 Contact Instruments (.NKI).
3 Round Robins.
2 Velocity Layers (faded cross).
110 samples (44,1 / 24-bit).
formats: Kontakt and WAV.
Bonus: pad, atmosphere and slow instruments.
See you at the next review.
Alessandro Pescetelli
USEFUL INFORMATION
Producer: Audio Thing
Model: Toy marimba
Website: www.audiothing.net
Cost: €10
Pro
This library, as simple as it is original and with attention to detail, certainly benefits from the use of Kontakt, a mature and versatile platform.
Cons
There are no particular notes to make to the product, if not the request to also be able to count on some modulation and delay effects (phaser, flanger and delay), useful on a creative level in combination with the excellent arpeggiator.
Extra
It is all too easy to place this VSL in a "sound arsenal" dedicated to ethnic music and its surroundings, while instead it lends itself to a very wide use, including the New Wave which incorporates the lines of the early '80s: who does not remember the Nick Rhodes' arpeggiator with synthetic marimba in “Hungry like the wolf”?
