String Formations is a collection of long string textures and gestural effects that can extend the capabilities of traditional string libraries and inject a sense of nuance and humanity into your compositions.
ABOUT THE LIBRARY
Comprising a small chamber ensemble made up of three violins, violas, and celli, this dynamic grouping is ideal for scoring at a smaller scale, or doubling and combining with a larger ensemble instrument to add movement to more traditionally static string libraries.
Recorded in the large hall of The Nave, Studio 1, String Formations offers three mic perspectives that can help blend with other instruments. The close mic offers a great dry sound, whilst the middle conductor perspective and the far mics give a greater sense of the hall.
The library extends the innovative programming we introduced with Smart Trills in Petrichor with our Chordal Textures patch. When smart mode is enabled within these articulations, playing chords will automatically trigger specific interval relationships, weaving a tapestry of texture within your composition.
We have also provided 16 Atmospheric Layers created by processing the original raw samples. These can be used in conjunction with the main set of articulations, or in our Layer Blends engine to stretch the sonic capabilities of the library.
CHORDAL TEXTURES
This set of seven articulations uses a sophisticated performance engine that analyses the notes that are currently held down and intelligently plays back samples which move between the different held notes, adding a unique way to perform chords within a string textures library.
When Smart Mode is enabled, you can play freely without having to worry about selecting specific scales or modes. However, there are options to isolate individual intervals, which can sometimes lead to inspiring chord decisions when improvising with the library.
Within the settings panel of each articulation, there is also the option to increase the density of how many possible intervals are playing at once. Not only does this offer greater control over the timbre of the library, but it also gives another dimension to instrument dynamics on the fly.
THE ENSEMBLE
Three players in each section of Violins, Violas, and Celli make up the ensemble for this library. This dynamic ensemble can be easily scaled for any work. Playing two-handed chords generates a more symphonic texture, whilst individual notes and the Chordal Textures when on light density evoke a more intimate ensemble sound.
Unlike other string libraries with each instrument section recorded separately, the players in String Formations were recorded in the room together, creating a more cohesive ensemble sound.
UNISON TEXTURES
The backbone of String Formations is the 16 Unison articulations that support the Chordal Textures. These range from evolving longs to more unusual pitch bends (Drifts), repeated pizzicato (Droplets), and swells. As demonstrated in the walkthrough, these can be used individually as part of compositions, or combined creatively to extend the sonic capabilities of the library.
LAYER BLENDS
Continuing from Zen: Meditations and Trails, the Layer Blends in String Formations allows the blending of specific raw articulations and processed Atmosphere Layers from the Layer menu. With a total of 27 sounds and 17500+ possible blends, there is a wide range of sonic possibilities that can then be extended further with global effects such as envelopes, filtering, Lo-Fi effects, Delay, and Reverb.
Prefer presets? The Fracture Sounds team have curated 28 snapshots of some of our favourite sounds. Or, simply press the central shuffle button to quickly shuffle any unlocked sounds.
CHORDAL TEXTURES ARTICULATIONS
Flutter
Erratic trills between notes or short tremolos on single notes.
Airy Flutters
Erratic trills between notes played over a bed of soft flautando-like sustains.
Flowing Flutters
Erratic trills between notes played over a bed of soft sustains with random movement between 'sul tasto' and 'sul pont'.
Alternations
Slowly slurred legatos between each note at randomised timings.
Intense Alternations
Slowly slurred legatos between each note at randomised timings more frequently than the previous Alternations articulation.
Glides
Slowly alternating between notes randomly using a 'portamento' slide.
Intense Glides
Slowly alternating between notes randomly using a 'portamento' slide more frequently than the previous Glides articulation.
Sporadic Harmonics
Players occasionally play short harmonics randomly.
UNISON ARTICULATIONS
Airy Sustains
Soft flautando-like sustains with a bit of motion.
Flowing Sustains
Each player transitions smoothly and independently between sul tasto and sul pont.
Currents
Soft 'sul tasto' with individual players 'coming up for air' (occasionally increasing their dynamics and vibrato in short bursts).
Blooms
All players swell together in dynamics and vibrato at random times.
Interspersed Tremolo
Soft bowing with players independently transitioning between 'tremolo' and flautando-like sustains.
Streams
'Col legno tratto' technique involving soft sustains played with the back of the bow.
Flurries
Players occasionally play a quick tremolo randomly.
Sporadic Harmonics
Players occasionally play short harmonics randomly.
ADDITIONAL UNISON ARTICULATIONS
Turbulent Tremolo
'Col legno tratto' sustains with players independently playing tremolos randomly.
Ripples
Soft flautando-like sustains alternating the tremolo speeds and position of the bow on the strings to create a wiry, modulating texture.
Drifts
Regular sustains with players drifting in and out of tune.
Droplets
Erratically repeated 'pizzicato'.
Circulations
Spontaneous 'harmonics' played over a bed of soft flautando-like sustains.
Shivers
Erratic tremolos played over a bed of soft sustains with random movement between 'sul tasto' and 'sul pont'.
Short & Long Swells
Bowed unison swells.
Mixes
In this library, we have provided a close mix, mid-room mix, and far mix.
WALKTHROUGH & FREE DEMO LIBRARY
FEATURES
~ 23 String Articulations and Textures
~ 7 Chordal Textures (Smart Intervals)
~ 28 Atmosphere Layers
~ 28 Curated Snapshots
~ Mic Signals (Close, Mid, Far)
~ Articulation switching and individual articulation settings
~ Layer blends engine
~ Recorded in a large church hall
~ Full NKS support – works with Komplete Kontrol hardware.
~ 13.9GB download size (NCW compressed from a 15GB sample pool).
~ Download through Native Access.
~ Runs in the free Kontakt Player (v6.7 or later). No additional sampler software needed
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