Rekombinator III

After three years hiatus I'm back and just released Rekombinator III. Working on this instrument was a long and bitter journey, but finally I managed to make it all work. This is granular sound machine, a major update of Rekombinator II. Version III has the same sample pool and basic mechanics as version II, but is has entirely different internal structure, also effect section is completely redesigned and modulator has new design mode and vastly improved functionality. So here's what's new:

Support for sample drag and drop. Rekombinator II had a bad release timing, NI released Straylight (which has very similar concept) just when I have been finishing the manual and then introduced sample drag and drop loading to Kontakt. Rekombinator II had somewhat compromised functionality, because I struggled to make it user manageable to edit and expand sample pool. Now when you can just drag a sample into UI it made no sense, so I had to rebuild internal design. Anyway in Rekombinator III you can just drop the sample into UI to load it. The instrument will attempt to detect pitch and volume level and adjust sample settings automatically. Additionally the same functionality applies to convolution reverbs, now you can just drop your IR files into the UI.

Effects section is completely new. Rekombinator II only had chorus and phaser hard coded into specific point in signal chain. Now there's a kind of effect rack. There are four effect containers, you can select which effect to load into each of them, and where to put it in signal chain. Whether to process only one sample, both or put it as insert after send point or in master bus after send return point. It supports effects that has been added to Kontakt after Rekombinator II release: Choral, Phasis, Flair, Replika delay and new algorithmic reverbs. Also there is brand new preset system for all the effects, with a browser and ability to save your own presets.

Modulator has now new shape design mode, based on idea similar to vector graphics. You can set up LFO waveform by moving/adding/deleting nodes in XY pad area.

Finally the modulator can now be attached to (almost) any controller in the instrument including the effect rack. Also controllers have visual live feedback of modulation. This part, combined with editable effect rack, was particularly challenging and it made me almost gave up on the whole thing multiple times.

You can watch instrument quick walkthrough here:

The instrument requires full version of Kontakt 6.6.1, the last version which supports Windows 7.

Available at Loot Audio.

ps. I gave up on Facebook, my apologies if you tried to contact me there and I did not respond. I just can't stand it.

Rekombinator II

I have just released Rekombinator II at Kontakt Hub. I started this project last November, so it took me quite a while to finish. It's the sequel to granular machine from 2015. Sequel rather than an update, the theme is similar, but it's whole new and quite different instrument. It's a take on granular playback implementation in Kontakt. There are built in granular based playback modes in Kontakt (time machine), but here it done with scripting. High frequency step sequencers are being activated for each note and grains are generated by playing fragments of the sample using internally triggered notes. It does result in high voice count and relatively high CPU utilization, but it opens some fun possibilities.

This instrument gives you full control over playback speed and playback position in realtime, play forward, backward, in nonlinear fashion or just freeze the sound. Works nicely for very slowly evolving drones and soundscapes when using extreme playback speeds, like 0.5% of the original. Rekombinator II has two waveform slots, so you can blend two samples. Each slot has independent control of basic engine parameters, like speed or playback position and separate audio path. Then there's hybrid modulator, introduced in Sawmill, where you can use step sequencer controller to render an LFO waveform. You can use it, for example, to create a nonlinear playback curve, make the playback head position travel around the waveform in fancy ways. Like in first Rekombinator, it is possible and not complicated to use any samples.

The instrument requires full version of Kontakt 5.8.1 (Kontakt 5 with latest update) or Kontakt 6. When pushed, it can produce noticeable CPU load, it's fine on my 10 years old 6 core, so I think any half decent modern processor should handle it easily.

Rekombinator II is now retired and replaced by Rekombinator III.

Spookomatic

Spookomatic is one of a kind instrument for generating eerie ambiances, melancholic pads and ghastly atmospheres. It is using multiple layers of melodic sounds, background ambiances and sequenced environment noises, all being dynamically transformed by an array of step sequenced modulators, to create an organic, rich, living soundscapes. As the name suggests, the instrument is focused on chilly, mysterious and creepy tones, while not being deadly serious. Like a generic horror flick, it's a bit scary and a little silly, but unlike such kind of a movie, it can be quite unpredictable.
Spookomatic is self-configuring sound machine, it automatically creates random patches, which can be tweaked afterwards. Just press the shuffle button and hear what you can find, it's a sort of a ghost in the machine.

Here's a how it sounds, in a compilation of different patches:

And here's a brief guide to user interface:

There are eleven step sequencers per layer, modulating parameters, like pan, tune, filters cutoff and send effect levels. What is uncommon about the sequencers, is that the sequence can be interpolated, that is, the parameter values can change gradually in between sequence steps, according to different curves. Each sequencer can run at different speed and different cycle, creating quite non-repetitive, yet tempo synchronized textures.

Here's how modulation sequencers work:

Spookomatic in cold numbers:

• 21 melodic sound sources, created with acoustic instruments (guitars, reed organ, voice, non-musical objects), vintage analog synthesizer and digital synthesis,
• 30 types of background noise from field recordings, or digital sound manipulation,
• 192 noise fragments to create sequenced ambiance,
• up to 10 sound layers,
• up to 110 modulation sequencers,
• 4 instrument configurations,
• 144 selected presets,
• 999999999 possible patches.

The instrument requires full version of NI Kontakt sampler, version 5.5.2, or newer to run. Depending on patch, it may be rather CPU intensive (there's a lot going on under the hood).

It's available at Loot Audio.

This instrument is new take on the idea, I was exploring with older, free instrument, Scape-o-matic. It has similar character and engine, though Spookomatic takes it to a new level.

Electric Noisebow

Electric Noisebow is imaginary virtual instrument for Kontakt sampler. It can generate drone sounds, noise soundscapes, ambient atmospheres or unfolding distortions. It is based on two sample sets I made by playing modified Reno electric guitar with an E-Bow. The clean set is built of sustained tone samples. The dirty set contains distorted sounds, I've got by putting the E-Bow very close to the vibrating string, so the string would start to collide with E-Bow housing. I edited all samples by hand to get more or less seamless loops, which are rather lengthy. Especially noise loops which span for 20-30 seconds. The instrument has double convolution reverb unit, which can be used to sweep between reverb and sound types. There is note doubler and round robin mechanism synchronized with transport position, so used in a project, the instrument should render repeatable results.
Here's example track created with one instance of the instrument in a single take:
http://www.fairlyconfusing.net/audio/electric_noisebow.mp3

And here's a small walk-through video:

The instrument is available at Loot Audio. Note, that it requires full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4.2 or newer to work. There are 36 WAV samples, 88,2 kHz, 24 bit and the whole instrument takes about 220MB or drive space.

Cracklebot unchained

I bundled special version of Cracklebot noise machine with Haunted Jukebox. I nicknamed it "Cracklebot unchained", the only difference from regular versions is, that "unchained" bots do include setup and configuration panels, so one can experiment with different generator engine settings.
I posted two "guided tour" videos, where I play with Cracklebot configuration. I used Youtube annotation system to comment on what is actually happening. See, if it looks like fun or not.

Haunted Jukebox instrument and Cracklebots unchained set, is available at Sampleism.

Cracklebot Red

I had a couple of new ideas while playing with Cracklebot noise machine that I posted yesterday. They spawned a modified version of the instrument, which I labeled Cracklebot Red. To find what a cracklebot is, please read previous post.

Changes in red edition:

• used 4 convolution units instead of 2, replaced the delays, this needs considerably powerful CPU,
• reverb mixdown knob now controls return of all 4 units, delay mix knob is replaced with dry signal level knob, so now you can listen to just wet output of all reverbs, which is what I was aiming for,
• there are now 12 layers/tracks per groove instead of 9,
• there are small adjustments in groove generation constraints, larger possible sequences, different possible sequence speeds, etc.

Download here. Free to get and making noise with.

The archive doesn't include the manual, so if you really want to read it, get the regular bot.

Further late night experiments, took me to yet another incarnation of the machine. I wanted to see, how would it sound like, when pushed to 8 convolution reverbs and 16 layers, with more relaxed groove generation setup and different, evolving modulator signal distribution. If you're into evolving weird ambiances and have lots of CPU cycles to spare, you may see, if you can get it working.

Cracklebot - vinyl noise machine

Cracklebot is automated drum machine based on vinyl noise samples. I sampled worn and dirty, empty grooves from my vinyl collection. Lead-ins, lead-outs, silent parts in between tracks, those have been chopped to 115 short slices or pops, crackles, scratches and noises. Cracklebot is sequencing them into tempo synchronized, noise grooves. The machine can create new, random patterns on a single click, so it's quite fun play with.

It looks and sounds like this:

This virtual machine requires full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4.2 or newer. It's (Cracklebot, not Kontakt) free to download and use in your music. Right here - 4MB. Includes short confusing manual in funny English. Have fun.

Also check further mutations of the machine:
Unchained - with configurable sequence generators.
Red and Violet - for ambiance cracklescapes.

Scape-O-Matic

Scape-O-Matic is sound amusement, gambling device, for Native Instruments Kontakt sampler. It generates random weird and spooky sounds and soundscapes from a button press. If you like to just spin the wheel and see what happens, you may enjoy playing with it.

Here's a preview:

This machine has no user manual, so one needs to figure it out by herself/himself. I can offer few tips though.

• Press the red button, then play the keyboard.
• The equalizer works on dry signal only.
• There are hidden buttons.
• The machine will build sound out of a number of voices. Each voice is likely to have different settings for volume envelope and glide, although you only see setting for the first voice.
• If it sounds really out of tune and you don't like it that way, try setting glide amount to zero. Even, if it seems be be set to zero already.
• There are ways to edit single voices.
• There is a 'data box' labeled 'lucky number', if you feel lucky, you can type in a number there. It will be used as a token for creating next sound (or for performing any randomizing procedure). Same token always creates the same sound.

Here it is. Free of change, but full of little critters. Use it at your own risk. You will need full version of Kontakt 4.2 or newer to make it work.

Queuescape, sequencing bleeper

Queuescape is another confusing device for Kontakt 4 sampler. It's virtual re-creation of  imaginary retro synthesizer. It's based on single cycle waveforms and it has a lot of internal step-sequencers which can control various parameters. It has a kind of bleepy sound of early home computers or gaming consoles.

Here's a set of sound examples:

This device is written in Kontakt script, as a sort of experiment. It is constantly recalculating sequencing data and modulating parameters, which results in surprisingly high CPU usage. Parameters are being set according to sequenced program and tweakable frequency, transitions between sequencer steps can be more of less smooth, according to transition shape and set frequency. Sequencers can be programmed by hand or transformed in many ways with sequence tools. Alternatively you can create random programs with only few button pushes. There is a simple preset system, ready sequences can be saved to file or to memory slot (which can be then recalled by midi note).

Queuescape in numbers:
170 step-sequencers
15 KB of samples
12 pages of confusing and deceiving manual in funny English
10 oscillators
9 in-between-steps transition shapes
6 stage volume envelope
5 effects rack
1 monophonic mode

If you'd like get into details, you will need to confront the manual.

And here's how interacting with it looks like:

Download link - size 650KB. Queuescape model 10 is free to download and use in your music. Note, you need full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4 or newer to make it work.

The wineglass drone.

It is one of my oldest sampling projects and one I consider the must successful, sonically. I guess everyone interested in music (or not) has been trying playing glasses as a kid. I have. When I started to play with samplers, I thought of that and I wanted to try to capture that sound. I picked a wineglass, some brown water (which due to some plumbing problem was the only color available at the moment) and a spoon. I tuned the glass carefully adding drops of dirty water with a spoon and took 12 recordings, about 40 seconds each. It sounds rich and organic and it downtunes in a pleasant way, doing well with a lot of reverb. I have been using it for a couple of years, but just recently I took it a step further, creating loop points, so the drone can go on indefinitely. I also created mappings for sfz and Kontakt adding some extra functionality in Kontakt's patch. Here's a little example of solo wineglass:


And another one, solo too, which was the first improvised take on the drone, (there is a little noise when downtuned, which can be heard here):
And here's an example of butchery on Beehtoven's work, which proves the wineglass as fine tool for murdering a classic:
 
The Wineglass Drone is available at Loot Audio.

The instrument itself is 130MB in 12 wav files, mappings for sfz and Kontakt. You will need full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 4 or newer to open Kontakt mapping. Sfz version is missing GUI and some controllers, it can be opened by various samplers. Loop points are in the files, so it should be easy to load it to any sampler.