When it comes to composing using Loops, many often turn up their noses. And the prejudice according to which this format is the exclusive prerogative of the Deejays has not yet been completely eradicated.
The Rigid Audio library, composed entirely by Loops, will perhaps help dispel this myth; especially since, as I suggested in the title, it could rightly be defined as a generator of soundtracks at the service of the inspiration and creative workflow of the modern composer. Will he be able to change the minds of even the most hardened purists about Loops? Let's find out in this test.
DEVELOPER
Cinematic Loops Volume One is a full-bodied library of Loops developed by the German house Rigid Audio, a very active production company of Samples Libraries that counts various and diversified titles on the market.
The library in question is extracted from a larger work by Rigid Audio, the Synferno Cinematic Sound Module, and is composed of 300 Loops format WAV, all available in the key of C and metronomic indication 103 BPM (with the possibility of Pitchshifting and Timestretching), for a total of 730 MB of content. Also included in the title 10 Percussive Loops, available in the folder Bonuses.
All Loops have a sampling depth of a 24 bit/44.1 KHz. The product is sold, via digital download, on the developer's website at the promotional price of only dollars 5.
DEVELOPER DATA
Rigid Audio is a company based in Berlin. It has not been founded for a long time, however it has already managed to position itself fairly well on the reference market, thanks to an editorial policy that aims at an effective diversification of the titles offered, which share good quality and low costs.
KIND OF THE LIBRARY
Being part of the Synferno Cinematic Sound Module, Cinematic Loops Volume One is a library specifically designed and created to provide a useful tool to set up in a practical and versatile way the composition of music applied to the image.
The 300 Loops range in various sound territories, however the overall mood of the title is based on an emotional system more akin to genres close to theambient, All 'electronics, atmospheric music and at the sci-fi of futuristic orientation.
CONTENT OVERVIEW
The Loops contained in the library ensure several sonic arrows to the quiver of the modern composer: interesting harmonic and melodic sequences, Guitar Loops and strings, environmental noise and various synths from avant-garde timbre textures.
Once the library is loaded into the Kontakt Player (or in other Samplers), we will find a single folder, called Rigid Audio Synferno Series - Cinematic Loops Vol.1, which contains all 300 Loops. At the bottom you can find an additional sub-folder, called Bonus, which includes the 10 complementary percussive Loops available.
Outside the Daw, the main folder also contains a text document, useful for those wishing to subscribe to the newsletter by Rigid Audio (an operation that is rewarded with the gift of a Free Contact Instrument of your choice), a .jpg image representing the title cover and a direct link to the developer's website.
The 300 Loops are very heterogeneous, and perhaps it would have been better to divide them into distinct folders according to the genre they belong to, which would certainly have facilitated the Workflow. In any case, you can find: Synths Loops, Pads and Soundscapes Loops, Guitar Loops, Acoustic Loops, Ambiences Loops, Percussion Loops, Vocal Loops, Brass Loops and other hybrid Loops, classifiable as Miscellaneous.
So, there is plenty of material. Let's now analyze in more detail what I believe are the best and most representative Loops of the library, which among other things are the same ones I used to compose the two Audio Demos that as always accompany the Age Of Audio reviews.
TECHNICAL - AESTHETIC ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS
The Loops are listed in ascending order (from Loop 1 to Loop 300) in the folder mentioned above. By passing them through a scattered review, you will find very good material from which to draw inspiration and with which to lay solid foundations, especially of a rhythmic and harmonic character for a convincing musical composition.
The Loops are generally of good sound quality: the various elements that make up the sequences are well balanced and well mixed together and the various instrumental parts are reconstructed in a very well distributed stereo positioning. If you decide to purchase this library, you will be pleased to find that the Loops are basically ready for use: it will be rare to have to resort to further EQ or compression processing to improve their invoice.
Even the portability of the Loops in the various Construction Kits is very practical: you will have infinite possibilities for combining the Loops with each other, and in this way the title ensures excellent longevity of use.
As I said, let's now move on to a more detailed exposition of the Loops used to compose the accompanying Audio Demos:
- Loop 06. A sound carpet of strings in ensemble played with a very effective Tremolo articulation with a sure kinematic yield.
- Loop 08. An enveloping and atmospheric Soundscape; ideal for creating fairytale and surreal soundscapes.
- Loop 13. Great Synth Square Lead. It plays an intriguing melodic theme and stands out very well as a solo instrument in the mix.
- Loop 22. Extremely evocative acoustic guitar arpeggio, very well picked up and executed.
- Loop 39. Acoustic guitar chords in a well-defined strumming sequence with a good harmonic system.
- Loop 42. Very suggestive and spatialized sound effect in the three-dimensional sound field.
- Loop 53. Convincing and immersive Psy - Trance or Chillout chord sequence.
- Loop 71. Another remarkable acoustic guitar arpeggio. I have to say this class of Loops is really well thought out.
- Loop 82. A valuable Whoosh effect perfect for transitions between one scene and another.
- Loop 93. A very flexible arpeggiated synth.
- Loop 108. Other Soundscape well executed and which certainly can find an appropriate place in various sound contexts.
- Loop 118. A good melodic synth that seems to reproduce a resonant music box with appropriate reverb tails.
- Loop 123. Interesting harmonic sequence accompanied by the rhythmic scanning of a purely Glitch kick.
- Loop 131. Involving female voice loop with Vocoder effect.
- Loop 152. Great Pad that introduces reflective cinematic scenes with an esoteric Phaser effect.
- Loop 162. Deep synthetic drone for dramatic or emotional scenes.
- Loop 169. An intimate, muted Brass Loop.
- Loop 175. Sound carpet that creates a mystical and ethereal listening suspension.
- Loop 199. Good Trance Chords sequence, perfect for the classic Crescendo required by the genre.
- Loop 207. A very emotional carpet of arches that can lend itself to romantic scenes.
- Loop 214. Paired with the previous Loop, a very expressive melodic sequence performed by an orchestral first violin.
- Loop 222. Roboante Brass Loop in Fanfare style.
- Loop 240. Timbral texture obtained with a hybridization between a Synth and a Pad. Rich in evolutions.
- Loop 246. Another harmonic sequence excellent for an Intro or a Build - in Trance.
- Loop 252. A Loop that reproduces a sulphurous and arcane chorus. Horror movies and thrillers could greatly benefit from this.
- Loop 268. Well-curated ambient effects featuring atmospheric chords punctuated by an excellent Synth.
- Loop 300. Experimental and resonant synthesizer.
RECOMMENDED USES AND DESTINATIONS
The Synferno Series Cinematic Loops Vol.1 is a very versatile and powerful tool for composing soundtracks applied to the moving image. Whether it is Film, spot, jingles, Audio Brand Logo o trailers, those who compose for industry and audiovisual post - production and Sound Design will certainly be able to profitably make use of this Rigid Audio home library. The arsenal of Loops to which you will have access will in fact serve you both to sound more dynamic scenes, with the classic Ostinato of strings and tight percussion, and more calm and introspective atmospheres, using combinations of Loops Ambient, Atmospheric and Sci - Fi Oriented. A good sector of Loops is then marked by a strong inclination towards the sound worlds of Goa and Psy - Trance, so even producers involved in these situations will be able to find a lot of good material. Finally, thanks to the extreme versatility at its disposal, the title will also be useful for musicians who intend to enrich their works with particular nuances, to practically any genre they belong to.
PROJECTED IMPACT
Looking at it overall, the library is certainly of good quality, and especially at the promotional price of $ 5, the value for money is absolutely excellent. Personally, if I didn't have the NFR copy that I used for the review, I would also purchase it after the promotional launch period. It is a full-bodied, complete and very versatile library. The sound quality is almost always up to par and this is an essential aspect. As already mentioned, however, it has a single and not negligible flaw: all 300 Loops are contained in a single indistinct folder, so often before finding the suitable Loop you waste a lot of time sifting through the contents. This defection can slow down the Workflow considerably and consequently can have repercussions on the creative vein. Apart from this (if they want purists can also continue to turn up their noses at the word "Loops"), I definitely recommend it.
See you next review and good music to everyone.
Peter Fraccavento
USEFUL INFORMATION
Producer: Rigid audio
Distributor: Rigid audio
Model: The Synferno Series Cinematic Vol. 1
Price: $ 5
https://soundcloud.com/ageofaudio/cinematic-loops-rigid-audio-audio-demo-1-endless-steppe
https://soundcloud.com/ageofaudio/cinematic-loops-rigid-audio-audio-demo-2-arcane-remedy
