Anyone interested in a virtual bouzouki? Your thoughts wanted.

[isworks]

Hi all, My name is Andrew Aversa. I'm a world music aficionado, composer and co-founder of Impact Soundworks, a sample library developer. We specialize in recording unusual, unique and custom instruments, then editing the results and releasing them for use in Kontakt format by composers and producers all around the world. We've recorded instruments like the North Indian sitar, Japanese koto, and most recently, an 8-string acoustic bouzouki crafted by Antonis "Larisseos" Theodorou.

My personal goal in doing this isn't to try to replace live musicians in any way, but rather to give people access to beautiful instruments and sounds that are normally difficult to obtain (or, difficult to find skilled players). The bouzouki is one such instrument. I have always really loved its sound, but finding someone in my area (Baltimore) who can play one skillfully is a challenge.

Here's a video of this sampled instrument in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvmlr2iGLgw

What are your thoughts? Do you find the sound realistic? Would you use it for your own songs, perhaps for sketching or writing purposes before recording your own instrument?

I also wanted to ask this community what sort of instruments you might like to see recorded for future libraries. Dimitris Plagiannis, creator of this bouzouki sample library, has already recorded an electric version which is even more unusual. Are there any other mandolin-type instruments that are rare, unique or hard to find? Perhaps one of you has one that you might be interested in sharing!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

[greg_tsam]

I don't have a need for such things but I was impressed with the bouzouki sound.

[Mandobart]

Andrew - Welcome to the forum. This is a unique request. Most mandolin family instruments are somewhat obscure. The hardest to find would be a mandobass; but from what I understand the sound shouldn't differ substantially from a double bass played pizzicato. I find it very hard to believe there are no accomplished 'zouk players around Baltimore. I don't believe you're looking hard enough. I've found good 'zouk players in towns of 5,000 people out in the sticks of the western US.

[belbein]

Great stealth advertising, though, Andrew. Way to go !

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

The demo sounds really nice. Hard to believe the sound is sampled.

[Chip Booth]

Sounds like a nice set of samples. I use the Konakt Player for drum samples and am always open to other instruments. Quite frankly I would love a nice set of archtop F hole mandolin samples for songwriting and demos.

I notice that it seems like many sample sets such as this one only work on the full paid version of Kontakt, while I use the free player. I understand that there is a licensing fee to distribute for the free player but I can't help but wonder how much this limits the usefulness and user base. At the moment I use 2 sets of instrument samples on Kontakt. I don't know how much extra I paid for sample sets that work on the free player but even if the fee is an extra $50 a set it would take 8 instruments before I made up the difference in having to buy the full player at $400. Since I rarely make any money with the work I do with Kontakt I am unlikely to ever buy the full version.

[Wolfboy]

The bouzouki is one such instrument. I have always really loved its sound, but finding someone in my area (Baltimore) who can play one skillfully is a challenge.

Really? Have you asked at Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe in Catonsville, Guitars of Pikesville in Pikesville (obviously) or House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park? Or gotten in touch with the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra? Or asked around in the Greek community in Highlandtown?

[nobullmando74]

That is as cool as the other side of my pillow.

[isworks]

All: Thanks for the kind words on the sounds!

Sounds like a nice set of samples. I use the Konakt Player for drum samples and am always open to other instruments. Quite frankly I would love a nice set of archtop F hole mandolin samples for songwriting and demos.

Sounds good; do you have a link to a particular instrument or brand that you think would be ideal for sampling?

Regarding the full Kontakt requirement, unfortunately this is a limitation placed by Native Instruments which is very expensive for the developer to get around (basically, you have to pay a large sum to license the player, assuming they are even interested in working with you.) However, we ARE working on 'SFZ' versions of our libraries which will load into basically any sampler, including free stuff like "LinuxSampler". So, that might be of interest.

Really? Have you asked at Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe in Catonsville, Guitars of Pikesville in Pikesville (obviously) or House of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park? Or gotten in touch with the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra? Or asked around in the Greek community in Highlandtown?

Believe it or not, I wasn't familiar with those locations - my local musical network is mostly composers, hobbyist musicians, studios and folks at Peabody Conservatory. So, when I look for a collaborator or session player, that's where I look (or Craigslist!) Much thanks for the heads up. I look forward to making some connections with those folks.