Category: User Guides

Installation

Lyrical Bansuri is installed from within the Rhapsody player. Click here to download Rhapsody and view the library installation instructions.

Technical Specifications

643 Samples @ 183MB 24Bit/48kHz
9 Articulations
3 Phase aligned dynamic layers (sustain articulation)
Close, dry mic for flexible positioning

The Instrument

The bansuri is a traditional Indian bamboo flute that holds deep cultural significance and mesmerizing musical qualities.

With a history spanning thousands of years, it has become an integral part of classical and folk music in India. Crafted from a single length of bamboo, the bansuri’s design allows for a range of hauntingly lyrical tones, making it a versatile instrument for expressing a wide array of emotions.

Its soothing and meditative sound has also found its way into various genres of world music, captivating audiences far beyond the borders of India. The bansuri’s ability to evoke a sense of tranquillity and spirituality has earned it a cherished place among musicians and listeners alike, enriching the tapestry of global musical traditions.

The User Interface

The interface is divided into sections; the header bar at the top, the body in the middle, and the status bar and the footer at the bottom. There are also some additional windows for the Settings panel and Preset Browser.

Header

The Body

There are several knobs and sliders on the interface. For example the main volume slider (marked VOL) above the keyboard, and the AHDSR knobs below the envelope display.

You can control these by clicking on them and moving your mouse up and down or side to side, depending on the orientation of the control. Doing so will change the control’s value, which will be displayed at the same time.

Almost all of the knobs and sliders can be controlled with a MIDI continuous controller, either a hardware controller or MIDI data sent from your DAW or plugin host.

Many of the controls already have specific CC numbers assigned to them by default. Change or adding a MIDI CC assignment is as easy as right-clicking (or CTRL+clicking) on the control and either selecting a CC from the “Assign MIDI CC” popup, or click the MIDI learn option and moving a hardware controller. You can also remove MIDI CC assignments from this same popup

Velocity Response

For the short articulations velocity is used to trigger different dynamics. A higher velocity correspond to a higher dynamic.

For the Performance articulation it serves multiple purposes under-the-hood but primarily you’ll notice it controls the attack of a note. Playing a lower velocity generally produces a longer, smoother, attack. While a higher velocity can create a shorter attack and even provide an overblown breathy bite at the start of a note.

The velocity response table allows you to scale the MIDI velocity values coming into the instrument. The X axis represents the input velocity and the Y represents the output velocity.

The vertical line shows the currently played input velocity.

– Nodes can be added to the table by left-clicking.

– Nodes can be dragged around by holding left-click on a node and moving the mouse.

– You can delete a node you’ve added either by right-clicking on it or by holding ctrl/cmd and left-clicking on it.

– There are two methods to adjust the curve between two nodes. Start by placing your mouse cursor between the nodes. Then either hold right-click and move the mouse up and down, or roll your mouse’s scroll-wheel up or down.

Articulations

In addition to the versatile Performance articulation, Lyrical Bansuri includes a selection of playable and pre-recorded articulation.

Envelope

The gain envelope allows you to control the Attack Curve, Attack Time, Decay Time, Hold Time, Sustain Level, and Release Time of the sound of instrument.

For a faster, punchier attack, just shorten the release time, or you can increase it for a more ambient sounds with less transient.

Each Stick has a different envelope profile which will be saved in your custom presets.

Dynamics

The expression knob is a sub-volume control, applied before the master volume. This control provides an overall volume change to the instrument. This can be used in conjunction with the dynamics controller to customise the dynamic range of the instrument and create niente effects.

Each note of the long articulations were recorded at multiple dynamics levels. The samples were then phase aligned to eliminate any chorusing or phasing artefacts when the samples are crossfaded.

The dynamics knob allows you to smoothly crossfade between these different dynamics. A volume change is also applied automatically to keep the dynamics consistent and realistic across the range of the instrument.

Vibrato

The vibrato rate knob controls the speed of the vibrato. A lower value will produce a slower vibrato while a higher value creates a faster vibrato.

The vibrato depth knob controls the intensity of vibrato.

Random variations are added to the vibrato in real time to give it a more natural and human feel. These variations adapt to the intensity and rate you are using.

The Status Bar

Resource Usage

This shows the CPU and RAM usage of the instrument. You can also see the number of voices currently playing.

Tip: If you are sending MIDI into the instrument but the voice count and RAM usage remain at 0 and you hear no sound. It’s likely that the instrument is unable to locate the samples. Return to the Rhapsody home screen and relocate the samples for the instrument.

Master Volume Slider

This slider controls the volume. By default it is mapped to CC #7.

Master Pan Slider

This slider controls the left/right balance. By default it is mapped to CC #10.

The Keyboard

Playable Keys

The highlighted white keys on the keyboard show the playable range for the current articulation.

Key Switches

The red key switches at the lower end of the keyboard can be used to change the active articulation.

The blue key (C1) is used to retrigger the last note played. This can be useful for fast repetitions or double/triple tonguing techniques with woodwind instruments.

MIDI Panic

The MIDI panic button is there in case something goes wrong and a note get stuck and won’t turn off. Hit this button and it will kill all currently sounding notes.

Preset Browser

The preset browser is accessed by clicking the name of the currently loaded preset in the header.

The browser itself is divided into three columns allowing you to select a preset based on its bank and category.

Performance techniques

The Performance articulation is designed to be played in real time and contains a few features to make obtaining a realistic performance easier and more natural for a keyboard player.

Using a Breath Controller

A breath controller assigned to the Dynamics knob can greatly help enhance the realism of your performance.

Long Notes

Holding down a key will sustain a note indefinitely. Every sample will loop so you can maintain a note of any length. For a realistic performance you should try and keep in mind how much air the player would be using to hold the note and stop when appropriate.

You can use the continuous controller assigned to dynamics to create swells, crescendos, diminuendos, or any other dynamic expressions. A breath controller, mod-wheel, or expression pedal is perfect for this.

Short Notes

To play a short note just release the key earlier and the note will be shorter. Play the note at a higher velocity with a brief swell on the dynamics controller to create a punchy staccato note. Using more or less force, releasing the key earlier or later, and varying the dynamics can create a variety of short articulations.

Attack and Accents

Playing softly, with a velocity below the current dynamic, will trigger a slower attack. A velocity at around the same level as the current dynamic will trigger a normal attack. A note with a velocity higher than the current dynamic will produce an accented attack.

Legato

Playing in an overlapped style, holding one note while playing the next, will trigger a legato transition between the notes. You don’t need to worry about pacing your playing to get a smooth transition or to compensate for lag. The instrument will detect your playing speed, the pressure you’re using on the keys, and a few other parameters to calculate each transition.

Glides

Glissandi, slides, portamento, and smears can be triggered by pressing one key while another is already held and your sustain pedal (or other controller assigned to CC64) is engaged. The rate of the glide is controlled by velocity, a higher velocity produces a faster glide.

Trills

Trills of any interval, duration, or tempo can be played in a very natural fashion using the built-in retrigger feature. Hold down the first note of the trill while pressing and releasing the second. This is especially realistic when the library is used in combination with a breath controller linked to dynamics.

Chords

Although the instrument is monophonic it is sometimes useful to be able to play two or more notes at once. The library has a built-in chord detector that will attempt to differentiate between a legato transition and playing a chord.

There is no guarantee that it will be accurate 100% of the time. If you try to play a chord but only one note sounds it means the system thought you were trying to play a legato transition. This feature should be used sparingly and is included as a tool for sketching rather than for crafting a realistic performance.

Acknowledgements

Musician: Dumindu Dassanay
Editing and Scripting: David Healey
Demos: Ben Piccus, Hew Wagner, Maria Lazareva, Nigel Andreola,
Andreas Holmebukt, Duncan Formosa, Lashman, Dr Emmet

Installation

Modern Bodhran is installed from within the Rhapsody player. Click here to download Rhapsody and view the library installation instructions.

Technical Specifications

13300 Samples @ 1.4GB 24Bit/48kHz
4 Drums
3 Dynamic layers
3 Stick types
5 Microphones + Stereo Mix
Separate up and down strokes (6x RR)
36 variations per tone
5 Performance patches to suit all playing styles
22 MIDI loops to get you started
Hand written notation for each MIDI loop

The Instruments

Modern Bodhrán brings the age old traditional Celtic frame drum into the contemporary music landscape. With its rhythmic heartbeat resonating through centuries of Irish culture, the bodhrán has evolved into a captivating instrument sought after by musicians across genres.

Whether you’re composing cinematic scores, folk tunes, or experimenting with electronic music, Modern Bodhrán empowers you to add an authentic and innovative touch to your compositions, igniting the spirit of the bodhrán in the modern era. This collection features four unique drums:

Drum 1 was built by Seamus O’Kane in Ireland in 2005. It’s made with lambeg skin and has 8 standard tuners on the inside of the rim which are manipulated with a screwdriver. This is quite a big drum with a 16″ frame and it has a beautiful smooth tone with a huge range. The tones have a really clear and soft quality, with a booming low end and a very high and striking top end.

Drum 2 is a wonderful bodhrán made by Christian Hedwitschak, who is based in Germany. He crafts beautiful bodhráns, and they are certainly some of the most sought after and revered in the bodhrán playing community. The model we sampled is the Martin O’Neill Signature line, made around 2014. This is a slightly smaller drum at 14″ with a depth of 6″. It has a beautiful skin with a huge range of tones that gives a very balanced sound across the whole range of the drum.

Drum 3 was built sometime around 2007 by Steve Forman. Steve is a fantastic and highly respected percussionist based in LA who relocated to Scotland. This bodhrán is one he made as part of his Tambourine Studios Bodhrán collection. This bodhrán is made with a premium natural rawhide goatskin, on a 13″ all-maple Keller cylinder frame. It has a wide range of tones and a slightly ‘harder’ tonal quality to the skin

Drum 4 was crafted by John Wilson of Skye Bodhráns sometime around 2009/2010. Another of the more modern style bodhráns with a deep rim and smaller 13″ frame. It has quite a wide range of tones and responds nicely under a mic and live. It also gives a good range of volume and responds well to the strength with which you strike the skin. As is common for many bodhráns made around this time, it is a more comfortable drum to play with its diameter and depth, but not as big a range tonally as one of Seamus O’Kane’s.

The User Interface

The interface is divided into sections; the header bar at the top, the body in the middle, and the status bar and the footer at the bottom. There are also some additional windows for the Settings panel and Preset Browser.

Header

The Body

There are several knobs and sliders on the interface. For example the main volume slider (marked VOL) above the keyboard, and the AHDSR knobs below the envelope display.

You can control these by clicking on them and moving your mouse up and down or side to side, depending on the orientation of the control. Doing so will change the control’s value, which will be displayed at the same time.

Almost all of the knobs and sliders can be controlled with a MIDI continuous controller, either a hardware controller or MIDI data sent from your DAW or plugin host.

Many of the controls already have specific CC numbers assigned to them by default. Change or adding a MIDI CC assignment is as easy as right-clicking (or CTRL+clicking) on the control and either selecting a CC from the “Assign MIDI CC” popup, or click the MIDI learn option and moving a hardware controller. You can also remove MIDI CC assignments from this same popup

Velocity Response

The velocity response table allows you to scale the MIDI velocity values coming into the instrument. The X axis represents the input velocity and the Y represents the output velocity.

The vertical line shows the currently played input velocity.

– Nodes can be added to the table by left-clicking.

– Nodes can be dragged around by holding left-click on a node and moving the mouse.

– You can delete a node you’ve added either by right-clicking on it or by holding ctrl/cmd and left-clicking on it.

– There are two methods to adjust the curve between two nodes. Start by placing your mouse cursor between the nodes. Then either hold right-click and move the mouse up and down, or roll your mouse’s scroll-wheel up or down.

Sticks

For every stick and every tone of the four drums, we recorded both up and down strokes at three dynamic levels. Each of these was recorded six times to give a total of twelve repetitions at each dynamic.

Envelope

The gain envelope allows you to control the Attack Curve, Attack Time, Decay Time, Hold Time, Sustain Level, and Release Time of the sound of instrument.

For a faster, punchier attack, just shorten the release time, or you can increase it for a more ambient sounds with less transient.

Each Stick has a different envelope profile which will be saved in your custom presets.

Expression & Damping

The expression knob is a sub-volume control, applied before the master volume.

The damping knob controls the negative gain of a 800hz high-shelf filter. At a value of 0 the filter is disabled, at 100% a gain of -12dB is applied.

The Mixer

We recorded everything with five microphones. Three were placed at the back of the drum and two at the front. In addition a stereo mix of the five microphones is included.

The on-screen mixer provides control over each microphone position’s panning, volume, and output. Additionally the power button below each volume fader can be used to purge or load the channel’s samples, which is useful if you want to reduce the instrument’s memory usage.

The mixer only shows three mic positions at a time. Clicking the small arrow button at the centre edge of the mixer will show the additional positions.

The following microphones were used:

– AKG D112 at the back
– AEA R92 Ribbon at the back
– Schoeps CMC 6 at the back
– Sennheiser 421 at the front
– Schoeps CMC 6 at the front

* The back refers to the side of the drum into which the musician’s hand is placed. The front refers to the striking side of the drum.

The Status Bar

Resource Usage

This shows the CPU and RAM usage of the instrument. You can also see the number of voices currently playing.

Tip: If you are sending MIDI into the instrument but the voice count and RAM usage remain at 0 and you hear no sound. It’s likely that the instrument is unable to locate the samples. Return to the Rhapsody home screen and relocate the samples for the instrument.

Master Volume Slider

This slider controls the volume. By default it is mapped to CC #7.

Master Pan Slider

This slider controls the left/right balance. By default it is mapped to CC #10.

The Keyboard

The bodhrán is capable of producing a range of tones depending on how and where the player places their hand inside the drum.

We recorded five tones for each drum and stick. Low, Low Middle, High Middle, High, and No Tone (hand flat on the back of the drum skin). In addition we recorded rimshots with the Hot Rod and Tipper to help you recreate that authentic bodhrán sound.

Playable Keys

The virtual instrument’s on-screen keyboard has been colour coded to help you trigger the tones you want.

Yellow: Low tone, Green: Low middle, Pink: High middle, Blue: High, Orange: No tone, Grey: Rim-shot

Key Switches

The red key switches at the lower end of the keyboard can be used to change the active stick.

MIDI Panic

The MIDI panic button is there in case something goes wrong and a note get stuck and won’t turn off. Hit this button and it will kill all currently sounding notes.

Preset Browser

The preset browser is accessed by clicking the name of the currently loaded preset in the header.

The browser itself is divided into three columns allowing you to select a preset based on its bank and category.

Presets

The sample library includes five factory preset patches for each drum:

Spread Down Up

This has the down and up samples spread across the keyboard in two groups. The down samples start at C2, the up samples start at C4. Each tone is stretched across a few keys so you get some tones in-between the recorded ones. The round robins are triggered randomly as you play a note repeatedly.

Spread RR

Like the spread preset the up and down samples are separated into two groups. Down starts on C1 and up on C4. Each key triggers a different round robin and the samples are not stretched across multiple keys. This gives you complete control if you want to play a specific sample.

Key Tone

With this preset you can select the tone to play using the coloured keys C3 to F4, but these won’t produce a sound. You need to use the trigger keys (B0-E1 or B4-E5) to “strike” the drum. With two sets of triggers keys you are able to play either left or right handed.

B0, C1, B4, and C5 will all trigger a down sample. D1, E1, D5, and E5 will trigger an up sample. By having two up and two downs within each set of trigger keys you are able to easily play double down or double up strokes, which is a common bodhrán technique.

Mod Tone

With this preset you select the tone using your keyboard’s mod-wheel, or another controller mapped to CC1. With your right hand you play a note in the range B2 – E3. B2 and C3 will trigger a down sample, D3 and E3 will trigger an up sample. You can also trigger rim-shots using keys F3, G3, and A3.

Auto Down Up

Using this preset you don’t need to worry about playing separate down and up samples. You can just focus on the rhythm and let the software handle the direction. With this patch enabled you’ll see a new control on the interface in the header of the Sticks section. Clicking this will open a menu allowing you to select a rhythm: 4/4, 3/4, 7/8. Choose the one that matches the rhythm of your piece.

For example if you are set to 7/8 the pattern will be down, up, down, up, down, up, down, down, up, down, up, etc. With 3/4 it will down, up, down, down up down.

This control can be automated using MIDI learn so you can switch pattern dynamically. Be aware that switching pattern resets the internal counter so the first hit of the new pattern is always a down stroke.

Additionally the keyswitch C2 can be used to play a rest – no sound will occur but the pattern will progress. D2 can be used to reset the pattern to the beginning. C1 can be used to retrigger the last hit in order to play fast repetitions.

MIDI Loops

Modern Bodhrán includes 22 MIDI loops, available as a separate download through your account. These represent a selection of commonly used bodhrán patterns. They were created from original notation provided by Marissa. Scans of the hand written notation are included. You can find out all about Marrisa’s bodhrán notation system at her website.

The loops were created using the spread down up preset, so they will only play correctly if you set the instrument to that preset. All of the loops are quantized and use the basic, unstretched tones. I recommend you adjust them and experiment with different velocities, tones, and timing to create more varied and dynamic performances.

Acknowledgements

Musician: Marissa Waite
Recording by Grans House Studio
Editing and Scripting: David Healey
Demos: Ben Piccus, Thomas Booker-Price, Pixelee, Filip Jonathan,
Lashman, J. M. Quintana Cámara, Arron Clague

Kazbek includes two traditional Georgian/Armenian instruments recorded on location by local musicians.

The duduk is a double reed instrument with a sound similar to an English Horn. It’s usually played in pairs with one player performing the melody while another plays a drone.

There are two types of salamuri, reeded and non-reeded, Kazbek contains the latter. It’s a fipple flute style instrument, similar to a recorder. According to wikipedia legend salamuri tunes cheer people up, tame animals, make birds sing, and relieve human sorrow.

Installation

All Libre Wave virtual instruments and effects follow the same installation procedure. Please see the detailed installation guide for instructions on how to setup this product on your system.

Interface

Quick Start

• The menu at the left can be used to move between the various control sections – Mixer, Velocity, Expression, etc.
• When you move a knob or slider with your mouse its value will be displayed.
• Hold down ctrl or cmd to increase precision when you move a knob or slider.
• You can double click a knob or slider to reset it to its default value.
• If you hold the shift key while clicking on a knob or slider an input box will be displayed where you can enter a specific value.

Automation

To use MIDI learn to link a continuous controller (CC) to a knob or slider:

1. Right click the control.
2. Select MIDI learn.
3. Move a hardware knob, wheel, or fader to assign it to the control.

Many of the knobs have default CC assignments. You can view all CC assignments in the MIDI Automation tab of the Settings window. This is explained in more detail later in this guide.

You can remove CC assignments, including those assigned by default, by right-clicking the control and selecting Remove CC.

Many of the on-screen controls will respond to automation within your DAW without needing to assign a CC to them first. Check your DAW’s user guide for details on how to access automatable parameters.

Keyboard Layout

• The illuminated black and white keys show the playable range of the currently loaded instrument.
• The coloured keys trigger ornaments and phrases.
  • Salamuri: Yellow keys trigger rips (up and down).
  • Salamuri: Green keys trigger bends.
  • Salamuri: Red keys trigger runs.
  • Duduk: Yellow keys trigger trills.

Dynamic Controls

Velocity

Note on velocity (how hard you hit a key) controls the attack of each note. Playing a low velocity will create a longer attack and a high velocity will produce a shorter attack.

Velocity can also be used to control the initial Dynamic of a note. You can enable this using the button in the Dynamics section of the interface.

Vibrato

The vibrato intensity and rate can be controlled using either the two independent sliders or the XY pad. The XY pad is a great option when using a touch screen and provides continuous control over both parameters at the same time.

The vibrato intensity control (beneath the XY pad) sets the amount of vibrato that will be applied.

The vibrato rate control (to the right of the XY pad) sets the speed of the vibrato. The higher the value the faster the vibrato will be.

Expression

The expression control provides an overall volume change to the instrument. This can be used in conjunction with the dynamics controller to customise the dynamic range of the instrument and create niente effects.

Dynamics

Each instrument was recorded at three dynamic levels. The dynamics control allows you to smoothly crossfade between these recordings. A volume change is also applied automatically to keep the dynamics consistent and realistic across the range of the instrument.

Pitch Bend

You can use your MIDI keyboard’s pitch bender wheel to bend the pitch of a single note up or down by up to one semi-tone.

Sensitivity Curves

Many parameters have editable sensitivity curves. These enable you to adjust how the instrument responds to you when you perform with a MIDI controller.

• Move a node by clicking on it and dragging.
• Add a new node by clicking anywhere along the curve that doesn’t already have a node.
• Delete a node by right clicking it.
• Edit the curve between two nodes by hovering your mouse cursor over a node and moving the scroll wheel up or down.

Performance Techniques

The library is designed to be performed in real time and contains a few features to make obtaining a realistic performance easier and more natural for a keyboard player.

Using a Breath Controller

The breath controller mode can be enabled in the interface’s dynamics section. In this mode no sound will be triggered until the Dynamics controller is at a value greater than 10. If the value drops below 10 any notes that are playing will be stopped. You should assign your breath controller to control Dynamics.

Note duration

Holding down a key will sustain a note. For a realistic performance you should try and keep in mind how much air the player would be using to hold the note and stop when appropriate.

You can use the continuous controller assigned to dynamics to create swells, crescendos, diminuendos, or any other dynamic expressions. A breath controller, mod-wheel, or expression pedal is perfect for this.

To play a short note just release the key earlier and the note will be shorter. Play the note at a higher velocity with a brief swell on the dynamics controller to create a punchy staccato note. Using more or less force, releasing the key earlier or later, and varying the dynamics can create a variety of short articulations.

Attack and Accents

Playing very softly, with a velocity below 20, will trigger a slower attack, a velocity above 20 but below 70 will trigger a normal attack. When playing at velocities of 70 or above an attack overlay sample will be triggered first and blended smoothly into the start of the sustain sample.

Legato

Playing in an overlapped style, holding one note while playing the next, will trigger a legato transition between the notes. You don’t need to worry about pacing your playing to get a smooth transition or to compensate for lag. The instrument will detect your playing speed, the pressure you’re using on the keys, and a few other parameters to calculate each transition.

Retrigger

A sustain pedal (or other controller assigned to CC64) can be used to retrigger a note. Whle the sustain pedal is held down any key that is released will be retriggered. Releasing the sustain pedal will stop the note.

If you want to retrigger a note immediately after a glide you need to release the sustain pedal at the end of the glide and then hold it down again before releasing the key for the retrigger.

Trills

Trills of any interval, duration, or tempo can be played in a very natural fashion using the built-in retrigger feature. Hold down the first note of the trill while pressing and releasing the second. This is especially realistic when the library is used in combination with a breath controller linked to dynamics.

Glides

Glissandi, slides, and portamento can be triggered by pressing one key while another is already held and your sustain pedal (or other controller assigned to CC64) is engaged. Playing with a lower velocity will trigger a slower glide while a higher velocity will create a faster one.

Chords

Although the instruments in this library are monophonic it is sometimes useful to be able to play two or more notes at once. The library has a built in chord detector that will attempt to differentiate between a legato transition and playing a chord. There is no guarantee that it will be accurate 100% of the time. If you try to play a chord but only one note sounds it means the system thought you were trying to play a legato transition. This feature should be used sparingly and is included as a tool for composing rather than for crafting a realistic performance.

Preset Browser

The plugin includes a selection of default presets which you can customize and you can also create your own.

The name of the currently loaded preset is always displayed at the top of the interface. Clicking on it will open or close the preset browser. The arrow buttons next to the name can be clicked to load either the previous or the next preset.

The browser is divided into separate columns which are used to organize the presets into categories or banks. The presets themselves are displayed in the right most column.

Filtering

You can filter the list of presets by typing in the search bar at the top of the preset browser and hitting enter.

Clicking the star icon next to a preset will add it to your favourites list, clicking it again will remove it from your favourites. You can see all your favourites by clicking the larger star icon next to the search box.

Adding and Editing Presets

Click the Add button beneath the appropriate column to add new categories, banks, or presets. You can use the Delete and Rename buttons to edit existing entries.

You can save any changes you’ve made to an existing preset by clicking the Save Preset button next to the search bar.

Adding or saving a preset stores the state of the controls on the interface as well as the currently loaded samples.

Import and Export

Clicking the More button will open a drop down menu offering you a number of options for importing and exporting your presets.

Settings

The settings screen gives you control over the sampler engine, hardware configuration, and MIDI options. The settings that are available will vary slightly depending on if you are using the standalone instrument or the plugin.

Engine Tab:

• Standalone application only
  • Driver: This is used to set the audio playback system that the instrument will use. The choice of drivers will vary depending on your operating system.
  • Audio Device: You can select which hardware audio output device (soundcard/audio interface) you want the instrument to use.
  • Output: If your chosen device has multiple outputs you can use this menu to select which will be used by the instrument.
  • Buffer Size: This is the buffer used by your chosen audio device. Lowering the buffer size reduces latency but if it’s too low it can cause pops and clicks to be heard.
  • Sample Rate: This is the sample rate of your chosen audio device. The available options will vary based on your hardware.
• Standalone application and plugin
  • UI Zoom Factor: You can increase or decrease the size of the instrument’s interface using the options in this menu. All of the instrument’s graphics and text are designed to scale perfectly without blurring or fuzziness.
  • Streaming Mode: Select the option that suits the type of drive you are using to store the instrument’s samples.
  • Max Voices: The amount of polyphony the instrument can handle. If the value is too low you may notice some dropouts when playing a lot of notes.
  • Clear MIDI CC: Use this button to reset all MIDI continuous controller assignments you have made using the MIDI learn feature.
  • Change sample folder location: If you move the samples to a new location you can use this button to point the instrument to them.

MIDI input tab: Displays the hardware MIDI devices that the instrument can see. You can check the boxes alongside the device names to enable those devices for MIDI input. This tab is only visible in the standalone application

MIDI channel tab: From here you can select the incoming MIDI channels that the instrument will respond to.

MIDI automation tab: Displays information about any MIDI continuous controller numbers you have assigned using the MIDI learn feature. It also allows you to adjust the range of values that the continuous controllers will use and provides you with a quick way to invert the values if desired.

About tab: Shows information about the plugin. If you ever require assistance with the plugin it’s a good idea to provide its version number which you’ll be able to find in this tab.

Acknowledgements

Recording Coordinator: Olajide Paris
Editing: Olajide Paris & David Healey
Scripting & Graphics: David Healey
IDE: HISE

A mute is a device a musician can fit to their instrument to change its sound. There is usually a reduction in volume and a change in tone depending on the instrument, the type of mute, and the performer.

A mute works like an acoustic equalizer. By blocking sounds and absorbing energy the mute filters out certain frequencies while allowing others to pass.

Introduction

Sordina is a VST effect plugin that runs on GNU/Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. It’s purpose is to emulate a wide variety of instrument mutes – currently brass and saxophone.

As with real mutes each of Sordina’s virtual mutes has a different character and responds slightly differently to the input signal they are applied to.

Here’s an A/B comparison of a trombone playing with a real bucket mute and the original un-muted recording being processed by Sordina’s virtual bucket mute.

Installation

Please see the detailed installation guide for instructions on how to setup Sordina on your system.

Quick start

As the plugin is intended to alter the sound of an audio signal it should be placed either after a VST instrument in the plugin chain, on a track containing audio, on an audio bus, or on the master output.

Sordina can be added to a DAW track as either an insert or send effect. This guide will assume it’s being used as an insert.

After the plugin has been added to the audio chain select a mute from the preset browser.

Interface

Quick Tips

If you hold the shift key on your keyboard while clicking on a knob you’ll be able to type in a specific value.

You can move the knobs on the interface more precisely by holding down the control key on your keyboard at the same time.

Double clicking a knob will reset it to its default value.

Clicking the Libre Wave logo will display some information about the plugin and provide a clickable link to the librewave.com website.

Mix & Gain

The Mix knob allows you to adjust the balance between the incoming dry signal and the processed wet signal. To recreate the true sound of the mute on a solo instrument this should be set to 100%. Values lower than this are useful for blending the sound with other instruments and for creative purposes.

The presets that come with Sordina have been volume calibrated against reference recordings but this calibration may not necessarily fit with the audio you will feed into the plugin. The gain knob allows you to adjust the output volume to suit your specific needs.

Frequency analyser & Meters

The window in the middle of the interface displays a real time frequency analysis of the incoming and outgoing audio. The yellow colour shows the unprocessed input signal, while the muted signal is displayed as blue.

On each side of this window is a traditional volume meter. The yellow one on the left shows the volume of the incoming audio while the blue meter on the right shows the volume of the processed output signal.

Filter

The knobs marked HPF and LPF control the cut-off frequency of a high-pass and low-pass filter respectively.

Like a real mute the response of the virtual mutes varies depending on the specific instrument being played. The filter is useful to alter the characteristics of the muted sound to adjust for such variations or to sculpt the output audio for a desired result.

A graphical representation of the filter is overlaid on the FFT analyser.

Wah Wah

When a compatible mute is selected the Wah knob will be enabled. This knob can be controlled in real time using host automation to create a live wah wah effect.

Automation

All of the knobs will respond to automation messages from your DAW. Check your DAW’s user guide for details on how to access automatable parameters.

You can load mutes on the fly by automating the Presets parameter. You should avoid doing this while audio is playing on the track where the plugin is inserted because it will result in unwanted clicks or pops. If you want to change the mute in the middle of a line you should leave enough silence in the part to avoid this issue.

Preset Browser

The browser is divided into three columns. In the left column you can select the instrument you want to mute. For example if you are routing a trumpet recording or a trumpet virtual instrument into Sordina then you’ll probably want to select Trumpet & Cornet from this column. However there are many creative combinations possible by selecting a mute intended for a different instrument.

From the centre column you can select the type of mute. The options available will vary depending on the instrument. See the tables below for more details.

The third column displays the mutes available for the selected instrument and mute type. All of the virtual mutes in Sordina have been created by analysing recordings of real instruments and their mutes*. The names you see in the third column contain the brand of mute that was analysed and either the mute’s model or some other relevant information

Clicking the star icon next to a mute name will add it to your favourites list, clicking it again will remove it. You can see all of the mutes you have marked as a favourite by clicking the larger star icon next to the search box above the first column of the preset browser.

You can filter the list of mutes by typing in the search bar and hitting enter.

If you’d like to save any changes you’ve made to a preset you can do so by clicking the Save Preset button next to the search bar.

Mutes

French Horn

Piccolo Trumpet

Trumpet & Cornet

Flugelhorn

Trombone

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Saxophone

*Libre Wave and Sordina are in no way affiliated or endorsed by the manufacturers of the mutes analysed for the creation of this plugin. Their names and trademarks are referenced only as descriptors for the user’s information.

Acknowledgements

Produced by: David Healey
Demo Audio: David Budimir
GUI Design: David Healey