Explore the Elegance, Balance, and Rhythm of Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) by Soniccouture
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT): A Review of the Asian Free Reed Collection
If you are looking for a unique and versatile library of Asian free reed instruments, you might want to check out Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT). This library features three ancient instruments from China, Laos, and Japan, each with its own history, technique, and sound. In this article, we will review the features, specifications, and sound design possibilities of this library, and show you how to use it in your own music production.
Soniccouture – Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT)
What are the Asian free reed instruments?
The Asian free reed instruments are a family of wind instruments that have a common ancestor. They are traditionally made from bamboo, and produce sound by both inhaling and exhaling through a mouthpiece that connects to a set of pipes. Each pipe has a metal reed that vibrates when air passes through it, creating a single pitch. By covering or uncovering holes on the pipes, the player can control which pipes sound at once, creating polyphonic melodies and chords.
The three instruments included in Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) are:
The Chinese Sheng: Dating from the 14th century B.C., the sheng is the most technically developed instrument, with metal keys and a fully chromatic tuning. Modern Sheng come in various sizes including some very large bass instruments, but for this library Soniccouture sampled a standard alto instrument with 30 pipes.
The Laotian Khaen: The Khaen has the longest pipes in the collection, but is also the most rustic of the three and lacks the finesse and sensitivity of the other two. A typical Khaen performance uses breathing to create a quick rhythmic pulsing effect.
The Japanese Sho: The Sho is the smallest of the three and has the highest pitch register. The instrument was introduced to Japan from China in the 8th century AD and became a primary woodwind in the court Gagaku ensembles of the Heian period. There has been a rediscovery of the instrument in modern times with new pieces being written for it by such composers as John Cage, Toru Takemitsu, and Alan Hovhanness. Björk used Sho as a primary instrument in the music to her film Drawing Restraint 9.
What are the features of Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT)?
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that captures the authentic and ethereal sounds of these instruments with high-quality sampling and dynamic pressure modelling. The library has 24 bit 96 kHz sampling, 3 GB size with Kontakt NCW compression, and is compatible with Kontakt Player and NKS.
The library offers comprehensive control over the instrument behaviour, with user configurable breath control, including inhale/exhale switching, pitch offset and instability. A full set of envelopes, LFOs and filters add creative possibilities. The library also includes a microtune module with tuning presets, a custom effects insert chain, a custom IR reverb processor with Soniccouture IR library, and 30 sound design snapshot presets as inspiration for your own sonic exploration.
How to use Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) in your music production?
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that can add a unique flavor to your music production, whether you want to create traditional Asian music, ambient soundscapes, cinematic scores, or experimental genres. You can use the instruments individually or layer them together for rich textures and harmonies. You can also use the breath modelling function to recreate realistic or expressive performances, or tweak the parameters to create new sounds and effects.
Here are some tips on how to use Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) in your music production:
Use the Sheng for melodic or harmonic parts that require chromaticism or modulation. The Sheng can play any scale or chord you want, and has a wide range of dynamics and expression.
Use the Khaen for rhythmic or percussive parts that require pulsing or syncopation. The Khaen can create interesting patterns and grooves with its breathing technique.
Use the Sho for atmospheric or drone parts that require sustained or evolving sounds. The Sho can create endless sounds by inhaling and exhaling continuously.
Use the sound design presets for inspiration or experimentation. The sound design presets showcase the sonic possibilities of these instruments with different filters, effects, modulations, and reverbs.
Conclusion
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that offers a unique and versatile collection of Asian free reed instruments. It captures their authentic and ethereal sounds with high-quality sampling and dynamic pressure modelling. It also gives you comprehensive control over their behaviour and sound design possibilities. Whether you want to create traditional Asian music, ambient soundscapes, cinematic scores, or experimental genres,Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) can add a unique flavor to your music production.
What are the benefits of Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT)?
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that offers many benefits for music producers who want to add some Asian flavor to their projects. Some of the benefits are:
It gives you access to three rare and exotic instruments that are not easy to find or play in real life. You can enjoy the authentic and ethereal sounds of these instruments without having to travel or learn how to play them.
It gives you realistic and expressive control over the instruments with dynamic pressure modelling. You can adjust the breath direction, intensity, and instability to create different nuances and articulations.
It gives you creative and flexible control over the sound design with a full set of envelopes, LFOs, filters, effects, and reverbs. You can sculpt the sound to your liking, or use the sound design presets as a starting point.
It gives you compatibility and integration with Kontakt Player and NKS. You can use the library as a plug-in instrument in any compatible host program or DAW, or use it with your NKS hardware for easy browsing and mapping.
How to get Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT)?
If you are interested in getting Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT), you can visit the official website of Soniccouture and download it for $129. You will need Kontakt 5 or Kontakt 5 Player version 5.6.8 or later to use it. You will also need at least 4 GB of RAM and 3 GB of free disk space.
You can also watch some video demos and tutorials on how to use the library on Soniccouture's YouTube channel, or listen to some audio demos on their SoundCloud page. You can also read some reviews from other users who have used the library on their website or on other online platforms.
Final thoughts
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that delivers a unique and versatile collection of Asian free reed instruments. It combines high-quality sampling and dynamic pressure modelling with comprehensive and creative sound design options. It is suitable for any music producer who wants to add some Asian flavor to their projects, whether they are making traditional Asian music, ambient soundscapes, cinematic scores, or experimental genres.
If you want to get Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT), you can visit the official website of Soniccouture and download it for $129. You can also check out some video demos, tutorials, audio demos, and reviews online to learn more about this library.
We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading!
Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT) is a library that delivers a unique and versatile collection of Asian free reed instruments. It combines high-quality sampling and dynamic pressure modelling with comprehensive and creative sound design options. It is suitable for any music producer who wants to add some Asian flavor to their projects, whether they are making traditional Asian music, ambient soundscapes, cinematic scores, or experimental genres.
If you want to get Soniccouture Sheng Khaen Sho (KONTAKT), you can visit the official website of Soniccouture and download it for $129. You can also check out some video demos, tutorials, audio demos, and reviews online to learn more about this library.
We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading!
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