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Crocus Soundware has introduced Liminal: HandPan Explorations – a library of a deeply sampled steel Handpan instrument, also known as a Hang or Hang Drum – playable using the full version of Kontakt 6.8+.

The instrument was mic’d in stereo in order to capture both the tonality and natural inherent reverberance of the instrument, as well as the subtle characteristics of the performer impacting the instrument with their hand or mallet.

The video intro for Liminal:

In addition to phrase-like Polyrhythmic samples, the library includes samples of more aleatoric and textured performances called ‘clusters’. These are intended to be used as naturalistic pads, which are well-suited to add unpredictability and creative imperfection to your composition. These add humanistic details not found in something derived from a synthetic source.

The library also includes six one-shot strike articulations, where the performer uses their hands, fingers and mallets. Each of these articulations have 42 velocity layers, capturing minute timbral variations between softer and more forceful strikes.

The user-interface allows articulations to be layered, mixed and reversed. The ‘crossfade gizmo’ allows artful blending of sound layers with intuitive color-coded controls. LFO controls can also be enabled, allowing your DAW’s tempo to dictate the modulation of an individual layer’s volume. This opens the door for tempo-synced swells and unleashes even more creative possibilities for evolving texture.

Features:

• VST3, VST2, AU and AAX compatible host
• 8 GB of samples uncompressed, Stereo samples(1.7GB using lossless compression)
• 45 Polyrhythmic Articulations
• 6 Basic Strikes with 42 Velocity layers
• 7 Clusters
• 5 Tempo-synced Clusters
• 6 Pads derived from processing Cluster samples.

*Note: Made for the full version of Kontakt 6.8 or higher (Not intended for Kontakt Player)

Liminal is available now with an intro price of $42 (normally $70).

Synthesist fischek shared their cover of Reincarnation, from Kitaro‘s new age album, Silk Road 2:

They also shared about the gear used:

• Vital (VST)
• Korg Wavestate (VST)
• Korg M1 (VST)
• Nord Lead 2X as a controller
• Arturia Minilab 3

Synthesist Ian Dixon shared this look at sequencing using the Pitch Lane on the Korg modWave, wavestate, and the new multi/poly.

His examples focus on the modWave plugin, but the technique are relevant to the hardware and software versions of these synths:

Here’s what he has to say about the video:

“I demonstrate how you can use the pitch lane feature of the motion sequencer to build your own complex sequences. You’ll learn how to use the motion sequencer to re-trigger envelopes, control the filter, and manipulate pitch. I also show how the Fit to Scale option ensures your sequences play in your chosen scale, and how the Shape Control lets you fine-tune pitch transitions smoothly.

The video includes examples on the Modwave (the process is identical on the Mono/Poly) as well as the Wavestate.

This technique will unlock a world of sonic possibilities for you on these incredibly powerful synthesizers.”