EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE

Transcription

1 EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE 8DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE Produced by the whole 8DIO Team Welcome to the 8DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE. This comprehensive dramatic scoring percussion library is the a powerful new pillar of our Epic collection, with unrivaled range, depth, acoustic fidelity and playability. It is an essential tool for any professional soundtrack composer. It s also a deep exploration into the raw sonic potential that the Frame Drum family has to offer. 1 One of the unique advantages that frame drums have over other large drums in the quest for a massive punchy sound is the lack of a second drum head to temper and complicate the sound. With a single large membrane, the frame drum projects nearly all of it s energy outward with a single voice, resulting in a shorter sustain, more singular note and crisper attack. In a hall environment, these properties instantly translates into a sharp, clear and very loud sound that ends in a clean finish and transparent tail. For this EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE library, we captured 2 styles of Irish Bodhrán, a small North African Tar drum, an Egyptian Riq, a Persian Daf and a North American tribal buffalo hide shamanic drum. We captured them in a large A- frame chapel for an authentic, naturally massive sound that no artificial algorithmic or convolution reverb can truly simulate. We recorded in divisi and full ensemble groupings and covering both traditional and expanded playing styles and articulations. We also captured a huge collection of BPM-based performance loops, from BPM. The loops include automatic tempo-syncing functionality that allows them to be matched to a fairly wide range of custom project tempos. Note: This product was formerly known as: Tonehammer Epic Frame Drum Ensemble

2 8DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE OVERVIEW 75 Kontakt patches 2509 Samples Multi-sampled Instruments and BPM-Based Loops 2.28 GB Installed Custom Convolution Reverb Impulses Powerful custom performance control interface Note: Native Instruments Kontakt 4 full retail version required. Credits Produced by 8DIO Performed by Troels Folmann, Mike Peaslee,and Gregg Stephens Recorded, Engineered, Edited and Programmed by Mike Peaslee and Gregg Stephens INSTALLATION This library is designed for the full retail version of Kontakt 4.1 and later ONLY. It cannot be used in the free Kontakt Player. Please read the instrument specifications and software requirements before purchasing this or any other 8DIO products to see the full list of software requirements, features and format compatibility for each library. If you have any problems with our download manager, follow the manual download instructions contained in your download code . After downloading, use Winrar, UnrarX, Unrar or other.rar-compatible program to uncompress the download files. Click Here to download Winrar for PC. Click Here to download UnRarX for OSX. Then, extract the Part 1 of the included rar file set. The other parts will automatically self-extract and install during the process. Next, follow the UI installation process on the page below. 2 Once installation is complete, you can browse and load the included.nki presets using the Files or Database tabs in the Kontakt Browser view on the left side of Kontakt, or with the main File load/save menu. You can t use the Libraries view to load standard open-format Kontakt Instruments like this library. Only locked Powered-By-Kontakt Libraries are supported by that view. The Add-Library function does not support this product.

3 About The Epic Frame Drums: The term Frame Drum actually covers a broad family of percussion instruments from all over the world. In it's barest form a wooden frame with a single stretched animal skin playing head - the frame drum is perhaps one of the oldest types of musical instrument and can be found in on every continent and in nearly every culture, in some form or another. The frame's shape is most often a ring, but can also be found in squares, octagons, crescents and various other geometric shapes. Some can be tuned with straps or lugs, while others are permanently set at a fixed pitch. Many also incorporate beads, rattles, cymbals, jingles, rings, bells, snares or other accessories, to augment the primary sound and add specialized auxiliary articulations. Some are played with hands, while others use thin sticks, thick bones, soft mallets, combs, brushes and other specialized tools to produce a huge range of unique musical tones and effects. Some members of the Frame Drum family may even lack a striking head and rely entirely on rattles or other elements to produce their sound. If you'd like to explore dry solo bodhráns, tars, shamanic drums, riqs, daffs, tambourines and other types of frame drums that incorporate rattles, jingles and bells, then we encourage you to check out the 8DIO Solo Frame Drums, 8DIO Riq Drum, 8DIO Shake and 8DIO Small Epic Percussion libraries. If you'd like to explore more Epic percussion, check out the 8DIO Epic Toms, 8DIO Epic Dhol and 8DIO Small Epic Percussion libraries, as well as selections from our 8DIO Antidrum 1 library. 3

4 System Requirements Please be aware that many instrument and multi-instrument programs in this library are extremely ram/ cpu and hard disk-streaming resource intensive. We recommend that you have at least 2GB of system ram, a dual core cpu and at least a 7200 rpm SATA hard disk before purchasing this 8DIO library. Large sample sets like those found in this library may load slowly and may cause system instability on older machines. Navigation: This library includes a total of 75 instrument programs, so we definitely recommend using the left and right arrow keys located to the right of the instrument name to quickly cycle from one preset to the next within each folder. (See example above) The main Instruments directory contains the primary instrument programs, with sub-folders for each instrument sub-group. You can also use the combination multi-instrument programs in the Multis directory for quick loading with greater input and output mixing and routing options. 4

5 Instrument Program Types This library features many sub-types of instrument programming to allow greater flexibility. The Master patches are heavy-duty combo programs that include all of the different articulations for the entire ensemble or each divis group. Please be warned that they each require a significant amount of ram to load and draw a large number of voices if multiple articulations are struck at once. This is especially true of the All_Master patches, located in the root folder of the instrument directory. Most programs feature two arrangements. The natural version uses the original tuning of the drum and a standard arrangement over the key-range. They also include special key-switches in the lower range of the keyboard, which allow instant re-tuning of the whole instrument, in half-step intervals. You''ll also find tuned version pitches the notes over half-step intervals and spans a larger area of the keyboard. These programs use most or all of the total key range for actual note mapping. Therefore, they do not include the pitch key-switching functionality. The stepping knob is still available in the Tuned patches. 5 Low-memory lite versions. of many larger patches are included. These compact versions of the main patches have round-robin variations reduced to 2 or 4 variations per velocity layer. In place of the natural alternating multi-sample variations, we have added specialized programming that helps to simulate natural tonal and

6 transient variability. This frees up a significant amount of memory and makes these ideal for use in larger projects where the frame drum is not a foreground instrument, but must still sound as organic as possible. We also include the individual single articulations for each drum and performance mode separated a solo instrument. This allows us to tune and spread the articulation over the whole key range, for free semi-melodic playing. You'll find them in the Single subfolder within each sub-folder. Front Panel Controls: Stepping Knob All of the programs in this library feature the front-panel Stepping knob. This control allows you to adjust the root pitch of the entire instrument up or down in half-step intervals, by +/- 24 semitones. Tuning Key-switches Most of the Natural programs feature special keyswitches in the lower range of the keyboard, which allow instant re-tuning of the whole instrument, in half-step intervals. Most of the natural programs arrange the keyswitches from C-2 (-12 semitones) to C1 (+12 semitones). Use the key-switch at C0 to reset the instrument tuning to its original setting. You can deactivate the key-switches by pressing the Key Switch On/Off button. The Stepping knob will still function when the Key Switches are disabled. The Stepping knob and Tuning Key- Switches will always stay in synch with each other, so you can use either one of these two pitch-control methods interchangeably. Attack Knob Most of the programs in this library feature the front panel Attack control knob. This will allow you to reshape the attack of most notes, from sharp to very slow. You can use this to subtly soften the feel of the drums, create automatic crescendos on the longer sustaining effects and even create some rather dramatic tonal pad-like sounds when playing the solo rim articulations. 6

7 78DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE Release Knob Most of the programs in this library feature the front panel Release control knob. This will allow you to reshape the natural reverberant tail for most notes, from a full epic wash to a very tightly muted fairly close-mic'd room sound. Use the knob to set the sustain time before playing a note, or use the Modwheel (CC1) to shape note sustaining/damping on the fly in real-time. Please note: Just as it's impossible to truly simulate an authentic wet sound with a dry recording, it's also impossible to completely dry out a wet recording by using release gating. This control can go a long way to reshape the perceived wetness of the sound, but it can't fully remove the early hall reflections and increase overall presence. Therefore, we recommend our Solo Frame Drum library if you're really after a bone-dry and up-close frame drum sound. Shaping Knob This knob is has two functions in the effects programs within this library. When it's used for single-shot effects, it allows attack position offset control and overall ADSR envelope shaping, to allow more precise customized control over longer evolving effects, such as the large bodhrán mallet drags. For sustaining rolls, it controls the dynamic intensity of the sound, from soft and dull to loud and crisp. In both cases, the knob sets the value. Use the modwheel (CC1) to control shaping in real-time. Custom Convolution Reverb Controls: Each instrument program allows you to add one of our custom-captured convolution reverb impulses and control overall wetness. By default, each instrument program loads with the convolution effect fully bypassed, so that you only hear the original naturally wet sound of the drums in the hall they were recorded in. When you click the front panel drop-down menu on the far right side of the interface, you'll see 8 unique impulse options you can choose from. You can either use this effect to make the sound even wetter and bigger, or you can artificially dampen the original natural reverb tail with the modwheel or front-panel release control knob and then essentially replace the original reverb with a new reverb. Obviously, because of natural coloration and positional differences between the sample source and the impulse source, it won't sound completely natural. However it can be a very useful feature that can produce rather interesting results.

8 88DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE Hall: This setting is a true convolution capture of the classic stone and tile epic scoring hall we used for our Epic Tom, Epic Dhol, and Small Epic Percussion libraries. Bunker: This pair of settings are captures of the abandoned underground WWI artillery bunker that we recorded some of our Rust II library in. Church: These two were captured in a large A-frame chapel. Garage was recorded in a brick parking garage. Stairwell: This was captured in a 7-story tall concrete and brick stairwell. Mystery: This setting is just a cool little surprise. Bypass: You can bypass the reverb at any time by selecting Bypass at the top of the drop-down list again. Wetness Knob You can also set the amount of reverb bing applied, by using the Wetness knob. Because of the dynamic nature of the convolution impulses, turning the knob up more than halfway can often lead to clipping when playing loud notes. This can be compensated for by lowering the main output level slider for the instrument. Instruments: Master Patches The master nki (instrument) and nkm (multi) programs include all of this library's articulations in a single combined package. Therefore, be very careful loading them. They can each require well over 500 MB of free system memory to load and can require a large number of voices if multiple articulations are struck at once. If you have less than 3GB of system ram, we advise you NOT to try loading this program. Due to it's large sample pool and complex programming, this full-sized program can cause system instability, crashing and potential data loss when used on a system with average resources. Use the Master patches at your own risk and ONLY if you have a powerful machine!

9 98DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE Epic_Frame_all_master.nki All ensemble frame drum strike articulations at original tuning, from C1 - D#5. Warning: Requires a very large amount of ram. Not suitable for many users. Epic_Frame_all_master_lite.nki A low-memory version of the full master patch, ideal for most users. Epic_Frame_all_master_tuned.nki All epic frame drum strike articulations, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from C1 G8. Warning: Requires a very large amount of ram. Not suitable for many users. Epic_Frame_all_master_tuned_lite.nki A low-memory version of the tuned full master patch, ideal for most users. Epic_Frame_ensemble_master.nki All ensemble frame drum strike articulations at original tuning, from C1 - E5. Warning: Requires a very large amount of ram. Not suitable for many users. Epic_Frame_ensemble_master_lite.nki A low-memory version of the full ensemble patch, ideal for most users. Epic_Frame_fx_master.nki All long effect articulations at original tuning, from C-1 - A7. Epic_Frame_solo_master.nki All epic solo frame drum strike articulations at original tuning, from C1 - E5. Epic_Frame_solo_master_lite.nki A low-memory version of the full solo patch. Multis: All of the following multis require a very large amount of ram. Not suitable for many users. Epic_Frame_all_master_natural.nkm Each instrument is assigned a separate midi channel by default and each nki uses the same mapping as the natural ALL programs found in each drum's sub-directory. Epic_Frame_all_master_tuned.nkm Each instrument is assigned a separate midi channel by default and each nki uses the same mapping as the tuned ALL tuned programs. Epic_Frame_all_master_lite.nkm A lower-memory version, ideal for most users.

10 Ensemble and Divisi Sub-Groups Ensemble Strikes The Ensemble sub-folder contains various group combinations featuring multiple drums played simultaneously for each strike, resulting in a more complex and powerful tone that interacts in unique ways for each hit. Various combinations blend large and small, deep and high, for a fat, more complete sound. Playing multiple keys at once will create even more massive compound sounds. There are 3 sets in this category: The Frame Drum Heads, Rims and auxiliary Body hits. The first collection combines stick and mallet strikes on the drum heads. The second features combined drum edge and rim strikes and the third features claps, foot stomps and bible thumps, which are an essential and versatile addition to conventional epic percussion. These powerful ensemble hits simply cannot be simulated realistically by combining single dry drum strikes and sending them through a reverb effect. Naturally recorded hall ensemble percussive strikes are the golden standard for epic percussion. Each patch includes key-switch and stepping tuning controls, as well as attack and convolution wetness and impulse select controls. They each also feature room sustain damping settings on the release knob. You can also use the modwheel (CC1) for real-time sustain damping control. 10 Epic_Ensemble_Body_natural.nki All ensemble body strikes at original tuning, from C2 - A3. Epic_Ensemble_Body_tuned.nki All ensemble body strikes, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from C2 C6. Epic_Ensemble_Frame_natural.nki All ensemble drum strikes at original tuning, from C2 D4. Epic_Ensemble_Frame_tuned.nki All ensemble drum strikes, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from C2 C7. Epic_Ensemble_Rims_natural.nki All ensemble rim strikes at original tuning, from C2 A3. Epic_Ensemble_Rims_tuned.nki All ensemble rim strikes, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from C2 C6.

11 Solo Strikes The Solo sub-folder contains single drum articulations, designed to allow custom lead lines, laying and contouring as well as greater dynamic and tonal variety. They're great by themselves or layered on top of the ensemble strikes and effects to provide definition and accents. There are two sub-groups of Solo articulations, with the cleansounding Bodhráns and Tar in one set and the bussing, rattling, jingling Riq and Daff drums in the other. Each program features front panel tuning key-switch on/ off, stepping, attack, release damping and convolution controls. The key-switch range is shifted down an octave in the tuned patches, in order to allow a wider note spread. Epic_Solo_Frame_all_natural.nki All solo frame strikes at original tuning, from C2 - A4. Epic_Solo_Frame_all_tuned.nki All solo frame drum strikes, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from G0 - G7. Epic_Solo_Riq_all_natural.nki All solo riq and daff drum strikes at original tuning, from C2 - A4. Epic_Solo_Riq_all_tuned.nki All solo riq and daff drum strikes, tuned in half-step intervals over a wide key-range, from G0 - G5. Effects The Effect sub-folder contains a variety of specialized percussive effects and sustaining articulations. Each patch includes key-switch and stepping tuning controls, as well as attack and convolution wetness and impulse select controls. They each also feature sustain damping on the release knob and start position control with the offset knob and modwheel (CC1). 11 Epic_Frame_fx_1_large_drag.nki This set is focused on rubber super-ball mallet drags over the surface of the large 28 bodhrán, which creates a dark, eerie moaning sound with a monstrous rumble. Mapped from C2 A#4. Epic_Frame_fx_2_deep_drag.nki This set is focused on rubber super-ball mallet drags over the surface of the deep 16 bodhrán, which creates a dark, eerie moaning sound with a little more resonant tonality. Mapped from C2 G#4. Epic_Frame_fx_3_riq_drag.nki This set is focused on rubber super-ball mallet drags over the surface of the middle-eastern riq drum, which creates a dark, eerie moaning sound coupled with a jarring rattle. Mapped from C2 E3.

12 Epic_Frame_fx_4_riq_rolls.nki These sustaining rattle rolls were produced by shaking the riq drum's large tin discs. Mapped from C2 C5. This patch does not include offset or release controls. Instead, it features roll intensity setting on the shaping knob and realtime crescendo swelling control on the modhweel (CC1). Epic_Frame_fx_5_swells.nki These rolling brush and mallet crescendos build and fade at various speeds and intensities. They're perfect by themselves for creating tension or layered with other percussive parts to build transitions. Loops The Loops sub-folder includes all of the looping performance phrases, divided into the following BPM categories: 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140. There are a total of 1157 individual looping phrases, covering a very broad range of different rhythms, dynamic ranges, and levels of laying complexity, from solo drum grooves to full ensemble poly-rhythms. The Looping programs will automatically synchronize to host sequencer tempo or Kontakt's internal tempo control, even if you change the root pitch with the Stepping knob or the pitch-control key-switches. Please keep in mind that changing the root pitch definitely can and will create very noticeable distortion and other artifacts as the pitch is being shifted at the same time that it's being stretched or compressed by Kontakt's Time Machine 2 engine system. Because of realworld technological limitations, the farther from any particular loop's natural pitch or tempo you go, the more obvious the sonic artifacts you'll hear. We allow playback control in ways well outside of any natural range in order to allow greater flexibility and more creative uses, but obviously, not all loops will work equally well for all possible uses. Therefore, unless you're aiming for a deliberate special effect by overly manipulating the root pitch or tempo of any particular looping sample, we recommend that you stick to using loops that already match or are fairly close to the target tempo of composition. This is why we provide such a large number of loops at such a wide range of root tempos to choose from in distinct BPM ranges. We've also included front panel controls for atack and release, which allow control over fade in and out time to allow for more customized control over loop blending, cross-fading and transitioning. 12

13 8DIO GENERAL LICENSING AGREEMENT LICENSE AGREEMENT By installing the product you accept the following product license agreement: LICENSE GRANT The license for this product is granted only to a single individual user. No unlicensed use is permitted. All sounds and samples in this product are licensed, but not sold, to you by 8DIO, Inc. for commercial and non-commercial use in music, sound-effect, audio/video post-production, performance, broadcast or similar finished contentcreation and production use. Individual license holders are permitted to install this library on multiple computers or other equipment only if they are the sole owner and only user of said equipment. 8DIO allows you to use any of the sounds and samples in the library(s) you've purchased for commercial recordings without paying any additional license fees or providing source attribution to 8DIO, Inc. This license expressly forbids any unauthorized inclusion of content contained within this library, or any any 8DIO library, into any other sample instrument or library of any kind, without our express written consent. 8DIO retains full copyright privileges and complete ownership of all recorded sounds, instrument programming, documentation and musical performances included within this product. REFUNDS Downloaded libraries can't be returned, so we can't provide refunds. or exchanges We may choose do so at our own discretion,but please be aware that as soon as you've downloaded it, you can't return it. RESPONSIBILITY Using this product and any supplied software is at the licensee s own risk. 8DIO holds no responsibility for any direct or indirect loss arising from any form of use of this product. TERMS This license agreement is effective from the moment the product is purchased or acquired by any means. The license will remain in full effect until termination. The license is terminated if you break any of the terms or conditions of this agreement, or request a refund for any reason. Upon termination you agree to destroy all copies and contents of the product at your own expense. This license also forbids any transfer, resale or any form of re-distribution of this product, or its sounds, through any means, including but not limited to, re-sampling, mixing, processing, isolating, or embedding into software or hardware of any kind, for the purpose of re-recording or reproduction as part of any free or commercial library of musical and/or sound effect samples and/ or articulations, or any form of musical sample or sound effect sample playback system or device. Licenses cannot be transferred to another entity, without written consent of 8DIO, Inc. VIOLATION If you enjoy our instruments and care about the hard work that went into this labor of love, then we know you won t pirate. Remember, the more you support us, the more awesome libraries we can afford to make for you. We also reserve the right to prosecute piracy and defend this copyrighted creation to the fullest extent of civil and criminal law to enforce our intellectual property rights. RIGHTS 13

14 THANK YOU. We wanna thank you for buying the 8DIO EPIC FRAME DRUM ENSEMBLE. If you have any questions, concerns, love-letters or hate mail feel free to send it to: Love, Troels & Mike 14 All programming, samples, images and text 8DIO All Rights Reserved. 8DIO is a registered trademark of 8DIO, LLC..