One of the sample libraries used is a virtual instrument based on acoustic guitar harmonics, and percussive sounds. The instrument, called Guitarmonics, uses the Kontakt sampler and offers five different sampled patches: Fingerstyle; Pick; Reverse; Pad; and Percussion, with optional built-in reverb and delay.
The Fingerstyle and Pick patches present a chromatic harmonics option played with the finger or with a pick, respectively. These patches are useful as they offer a unique sound that, even though is not so hard or unusual on acoustic guitar, can be played fast and easily in all chromatic pitches, which cannot be done on the real instrument. The Reverse patch consists of the harmonics samples played in reverse, which can be particularly useful for sound effects and textures. In the reverse patch, when a key is played, there is no immediate sound, as the sample is played from the end to the beginning, starting with silence and growing backwards to the moment when the harmonic was struck, producing a riser effect with a strong hit in the end. For that reason, the notes must be held until the desired effect is reached, going until the very end of the sample or not; the sustain pedal can be helpful to hold the notes until the exact desired moment, as can be seen in the scores.
The Pad patch is one of the most unique and interesting of the Guitarmonics, as it offers an original and distinct pad that lies somewhere between a synth and organ-like sound. This patch was created only from the tails of the harmonic samples of the acoustic guitar. The main sample of the pad patch was built by layering different parts of the tail of various octaves of the harmonic samples, giving movement as they vary in intensity and change in the stereo field. An envelope modulation also allows the use of the pad patch more like a lead synth keyboard, with a “bell-like” attack, as featured right in the first cue, also predominant in the cue “Hit”. The higher the velocity, the faster the envelope attack, and therefore a lower velocity will give a slow attack for the pad.
The Percussion patch brings a great variety of percussive and drum like sounds that can be achieved with an acoustic guitar, from tapping and hitting the top or the back of the instrument to picking and plucking muted strings. Playing those sounds with a virtual instrument allows more agility and different rhythmic patterns than what could be achieved only with the live instrument.
Please Note: The full version of Kontakt 5.5 or above is required. Not for Kontakt Player
