Happy New Year

Just one sample for today. I recorded firing up fireworks battery, grimly named "Dracula". Here's 40 seconds of colorful mayhem (I assume it was colorful, as I was watching level meters...), captured with Sony PCM-D50, 96kHz, 24 bit, stereo, 18MB in rar file. Free to grab and use as you please. Happy New Year!

mp3 preview here

Beat Assembler 48

This experiment took me a while to complete and it made me scratch my head pretty hard a couple of times. I wanted a drum machine in Kontakt, that wouldn't be bound to 4/4 signature and standard time grid. Also I wanted to break with table based patterns and have visual presentation more like in a DAW.
Beat Assembler does that and more. It's a drum machine with sequencer, which can generate automatic program according to preset scheme and set of parameters. It creates a master pattern which then is being fit into a time-frame, matching current tempo and time signature. The pattern can be quantized to defined grid, which can use a range of unusual note fractions, like 1/5 or 6/11, everything being visualized on the fly. The machine also lets you define time signature manually, so you're not limited to 4/4 in standalone mode, furthermore allowing some irrational settings like 4/3 or 5/7. So, if you like to experiment with strange percussion patterns, you may enjoy this one.

Additional features include:

• four voice groups with automated distribution, where you can set effects and modulation parameters for each group;
• manual sequence editor, so you can move notes around the grid; 
• note recorder, so you can play a pattern by keyboard and then quantize it inside out.

Here's a video, where I'm trying out the machine:

Beat Assembler is free to get and play with. It requires full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4 or newer. Download it HERE. 6 MB, RAR archive. Have fun!

If you like the idea, I have made paid, expanded version of the machine, named Beat Assembler XT, you can read about it here.

Concerning the midi export as requested in the comment, Kontakt 4 can't write midi files. But it does output midi! All you need to do is to go to 'options > engine > send midi to outside world' and make sure 'script generated notes' option is selected. Now, if your DAW supports it, you can patch Kontakt's midi output to a midi track and start recording right away. Beat Assembler XT does export midi clips via drag'n'drop mechanism in Kontakt 5.

Rekombinator

Rekombinator is new instrument/sample shell for Kontakt, I've been working on. It takes a sample, splits it to fragments and re-sequences them to create new sounds. It can restructure drum loops, create evolving drone pads, glitch effects or turn a voice into robotic madness. In short, it's lot of fun. At least it has been for me.

This instrument requires full version of NI Kontakt 4.24 or newer and is available at Loot Audio.

If you'd like to examine detailed description, here's fairly confusing operator's manual in funny English.

And here you can see it in action: