Soniccouture - Ondes [20/08/11] [Kontakt]

Soniccouture - Ondes | 20/08/11 | Kontakt | 1.47 GB

LUTHIER DE L'ELECTRONIQUE

Perhaps one of the most enigmatic musical instruments of all time, The Ondes Martenot ( literally ‘Martenot Waves’) was invented by Maurice Martenot in 1928. The original unreliable tube-based design was refined and later models remained in production until 1988. An interesting overview of the instrument can be seen on Youtube.

The Ondes Martenot has been used in many film scores first dating from 1931; Odna by Shostakovich, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Ghostbusters (1984), A Passage to India (1984), through to present day movies such as Amélie (2001) and recently There Will Be Blood (2007) by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.

THOMAS BLOCH RETURNS

Thomas Bloch is perhaps the most renowned Ondist in the world ; when great musicians and producers are inspired by the sound of the Ondes Martenot, it is often him they turn to. Radiohead, Tom Waits and Damon Albarn have all worked with him.

So, we knew Thomas was the only man to help us to recreate this bewitching instrument..

PLAYING THE ONDES MARTENOT

The instrument produces sound using oscillators, as with a conventional analogue synthesiser, but it is the various unusual methods of control which give the instrument its' unique character :
The Keyboard and Ring Controller

LE RUBAN - THE RING CONTROLLER

The most famous is the metal ring, which is worn on the finger of the right hand. The ring is not used when the keyboard is being played, like the ribbon controllers we are used to.

When the Ondes is switched to ‘ring mode’ (au ruban), the ring becomes the sole method of determining pitch ; a very skillful technique, particularly so when you consider that in order to produce any sound at all, you must simultaneously manipulate the clear, lozenge shaped device, known as the touche d’intensité..

The touche d’intensité is a large button on the control drawer of the Ondes Martenot, and is pushed and tapped to produce the tone of the instrument ; in effect , it controls the volume envelope of the instrument. The touche d’intensité is controlled with the left hand while the player uses either the ring or the keyboard to produce the melody.

Next to the touche d’intensité are a series of switches and dials which control the oscillators and create the timbre of the note - as well as send levels to the three loudspeakers.

  

Filesonic:

http://www.filesonic.com/folder/10144551

Fileserve:

http://fileserve.com/list/kknUTYZ

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Soniccouture - Bowed Piano [Kontakt ]

Soniccouture - Bowed Piano | Kontakt | 1.20 GB

What happens when you take a perfectly good instrument - one thats been around for hundreds of years - and completely rethink it?

Many musicians have dug their hands into the piano, John Cage prepared it with bolts between the strings, others have strummed it or hit it with their hands, but one of the most ethereal and unorthodox techniques is that of bowed piano. You can see videos of Bowed Piano Techniques on Youtube..
The Sound

The ultimate pad-sound? Organic, shape-shifting, massive, foreboding yet delicate.. The sound of the Bowed Piano is incredibly versatile very musical and completely unique. It seems to strike a middle-ground somewhere between a synthesiser pad and a stringed instrument and manages to sound like neither. A sound that adds space and movement to a composition, also bringing a magical, shimmering high end and baleful character that evokes so much.

First suggested by the composer Curtis Curtis-Smith in 1972, the technique uses flexible bows made from monofilament nylon fishing-line which are then coated in rosin. The nylon is threaded under the strings, and the performer can coax a sustained tone from the piano.

Bowed piano has since been adopted and expanded upon by various other composers, including George Crumb and more extensively by Stephen Scott.

The Soniccouture Bowed Piano instrument was recorded using a 9 foot Baldwin Grand, a popular model with Bowed practitioners. A matched pair of Bruel & Kjaer microphones were the only choice to capture such a sound. Each key has alternate samples to prevent repetition of attack transients, and there are 3 articulations per key - Normal bowing, Hard bowing, and short, staccato bows. The Normal and Hard samples are looped long, for infinite sustain. When playing, you can crossfade from normal to hard bowing using the mod-wheel, and the staccato bows are activated via a keyswitch.

Filesonic:

http://www.filesonic.com/folder/9766301

Fileserve:

http://fileserve.com/list/zjZXntA

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