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Sonokinetic releases the Alphorn

Sonokinetic BV

Boutique Sampling
We are delighted to release our next instrument "Alphorn"



We have four major categories in our product line-up, being our hugely successful orchestral line, our ethnic line, our vocal range and our 'heritage' line. This product falls squarely in the latter category, being culturally intertwined with the white peaks of the Alps as much as the Carousel organ is indigenous to the streets of Amsterdam or Brussels.

This instrument, recorded on location at the Alphorn Centre in Friesenheim, the south of Germany, and played by renowned player and Alphorn builder Franz Schüssele, is an inspiring mix of nature and craftsmanship, producing silky smooth soft tones and rattling shouts alike, sounding a bit like a very warm brass instrument even though the whole thing including the mouthpiece is made of wood.

We had a great time with Franz trying to capture all the intricacies of this amazing instrument, and we think we succeeded, in the Sonokinetic style, warts and all, to make for a very original and natural sounding approximation of the real thing.

Since the Alphorn has no valves it only plays nature-tone harmonics, in the case of this instrument upwards from a low F. Some of these harmonics are not exactly tempered to our modern ears (most notably the one between Bb and B, and between Db and D). However sounding very off key in these cases we thought it good to offer a version of the instrument as you would get it with a real Alphorn player, so the ‘Natural’ version of the instrument we left unturned. The added benefit of this approach was that we could also add recorded legato transitions of up to three octaves (!) up and down for the natural instrument.

For general usability we also made an ‘Extended’ version, mapping the samples over the missing notes, and tuning it in Kontakt. This extended version is polyphonic, and capable of producing amazing beds of Alphorn ensemble sweetness. Further controls in the instrument are very basic, with a ‘growl’ control and a basic EQ and IR reverb. We, at Sonokinetic BV, are very proud to introduce Alphorn to you, and can’t wait to hear the amazing things you, our valued customer base, will produce with it.

Demos

[flash width=450 height=220 loop=false]https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=https://soundcloud.com/sonokinetic/sets/alphorn[/flash]
https://soundcloud.com/sonokinetic/sets/alphorn

Tutorial




Alphorn is available now for €49.90 from https://www.sonokinetic.net/products/heritage/alphorn/
 
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Well, yes - I also could have opened a new one with a title as "Sonokinetic Alphorn kicks ass" or so :cool:
It took just some time to find the right situation to use this gem, bought it over one year ago during an xmas sale and never got into it.

With the extended and regular tuning it gives rather sweet long tones.
More difficult it would be though to use the original tuning..
 
It is a superb instrument and just watch where my original demo for this lib has been used. Obviously better than the orchestral french horn. Really had to laugh when I found this:

Haha, this is really cool!

Maybe this would be a good lib to simulate historic brass? It sounds somehow ancient to me...
 
It's been out for awhile. I think I purchased it last year. But it was one of the best buys I made all year and one of the most soulful...if I can use that word...brass packages I've ever had the pleasure to use.
 
I am loving the sound of this. I am always looking for brass sounds that can be used for genres other than orchestal. Do you know if sonokinetic release periodic sales on alphorn? it cost 49 euros now. Should I wait for a better price? I am not in a hurry.
 
Can't believe this thread got resurrected. This was probably one of my favourite EVER demo tracks to write for Sonokinetic. That instrument is just crazy fun!


Ha, Reuben, and I thought I was a bit whacked about the head. But this is madly brilliant! Did not remember that one.
 
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