Glissando Concert Harp for Kontakt (Discontinued)

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Replaced by Glissando Harps (link)

A complete and flexible Concert Harp

Glissando Concert Harp features a Camac 47-string Concert Harp sampled in full detail.

Video - Quick Starts

Featuring 4 short videos: Glissando, Harp/Piano modes, Articulations management and Sounds.

Please watch in HD, otherwise the sound quality will be deeply compromised

Audio Demos

This is a selection of audio demos for Glissando Concert Harp. For more info on the demos, please hit our Soundcloud page.

Demos were created by Nicola Pastori, Jay Asher, Federico Mazzei and Enrico Goldoni and mixed by us.

Some demos are also presented with the Harp soloed to get an even better idea of its sound and articulations.

Version 1.5 now available!

New Features and fixes on v. 1.5

  • Glissando

    • Change Glissando Mode on-the-fly using Black Keys (F#0-G#1)

    • Change Glissando Direction using A#1

    • Optionally Stop/Quit Glissando Mode when releasing MIDI Keys (Glissando Settings)

    • Optionally use a MIDI CC# of your choice to start and stop glissando (Glissando Settings)

    • Set Glissando volume offset (Glissando Settings)

    • maximum speed of glissandos raised

  •  Pedals

    • Move Pedals via MIDI (C0-B0), now in 2 ways (via Preferences):

      • Programming - Absolut: velocities 1-40 "#", 41-80 "Nat.", 81-127 "b"

      • Performance - Relative Mode (v. 1.0): playing harder than a user-set velocity will move the pedal to a "sharper" position, playing softer will move to a "flatter" position

    • Pedal action on GUI is now reversed like on a real harp (flat > up, sharp > down)

    • Pedal order reflects the one on a real harp (D C B E F G A)

    • Set the level of Pedal noises in the Articulations page and optionally disable them completely

  • Tonal Centers / Modes - Chords

    • use MIDI CC#74 to set Tonal Centers

    • use MIDI CC#71 to set Modes - Chords

  •  Various bug-fixes

  • Updated in-line Help

Infinite Glissandos - a first for samples harps

The very reason we decided to embark in sampling a concert harp in 2012 was to achieve a flexibility unknown in sampled harps. The sound of the harp is unmistakably linked to the Glissando technique, where the harpist runs her/his fingers through the strings creating a dreamy and catchy sound unique to the harp.

Our Glissando engine lets you play Glissandos at any speed, in any tonal center and setting playable on a real harp.

Any Tuning, any Scale, any Chord

When using the Glissando Mode you're left with only the white keys (as the harp features 7 strings per octave) and change the tuning of each string by switching the positions of the Pedals via MIDI or GUI. We created a selection of the most used tunings in the section on the right to give you a quick way to get the Glissando you want.

Speed and Intensity

Turn on Glissando Mode, play a starting note, then play an ending note. The Glissando starts right away.
Press D#0 to stop or C#0 to quit Glissando mode.

The time difference between the two notes will tell the engine the speed of the Glissando. The relative velocities will be used to create eventual crescendos and decrescendos.

Use the ModWheel to change the velocity/intensity of the Glissando in real time.
Use the Pitch Bend to slow down or speed up the Glissando in real time.

GLISSANDO MODES

GLISSANDO MODES

Glissando Modes

Select one of 7 Glissando Modes via the menu.

Details

Fine tune the Glissando:

  • Soften will raise the attack time to emulate a Glissando played with lightly on the tips of the fingers

  • Accell accelerates or decelerates the glissando along its duration

  • Accent tells the engine how much accent to give to the Start/End notes when one of the Accent modes is selected

  • Randomize Time and Velo introduce a randomization in the timing and velocity between notes giving the Glissando a more human-like response

Playing Modes

This harp instrument can be played in two fashions:

  • PIANO MODE: play the instrument just like you would play a piano

  • HARP MODE: play using only the white keys and modify their tuning using the Pedal keys (C0 to B0)

In both modes, use the Sustain pedal to sustain notes indefinitely like the harp is supposed to do, or release the pedal and play every note in a Staccato fashion.

 The user interface is thought out to be easy and quick to learn and use while featuring the power-user tools some of us love to tweak when working with drums.

Articulated Customs

Customize your playing using the Articulations Panel:

  • Assign or turn off any of the 10 available Key Switches for Articulations management

  • Available Key Switches are: D0 to B0 in Piano Mode, black keys from F#0 to D#2 in Harp Mode

  • Make any of the Key Switches a Two-Way Switch or a Temporary Switch

  • Optionally load a Second Articulation to be activated in place of the first when playing harder than a freely settable velocity level

  • Use the Note Repeat mode to play fast repetitions (on Note Off you will have another Note On event playing automatically)

  • Set the relative level of each single Articulation

  • Select the type and level of the Release Samples

  • Activate and set the level of the natural string Resonances

List of Articulations

  • Pizzicato: this is the most common playing technique. Range is C1 to G7

  • Sons Harmonique: harmonics. Range is A2 to C6

  • Sons Sifflés: sound produced by rubbing the fingers along the length of the strings. Mostly on bass strings. Here they are mapped on C1-D1. Not a tuned sound

  • Sons De TamTam - Rubber: sound produced by hitting the strings with a rubber stick. Range is C1 to C7

  • Sons De TamTam - Wood: sound produced by hitting the strings with a light wooden stick. Range is C1 to C7

  • Sons Guitariques: also called Prés De La Table - is the sound produced by playing the string right next to the lower part of the body. Sound is guitar-like and more brilliant. Range is A2 to F5

  • Mechanics Efx: sound produced by playing the strings between their mechanics. Range is C1 to E6. A randomly tuned sound

  • Pizzicato Nails: sound produced by playing the strings with the nails rather than with the finger tips. Range is A2 to G7

  • Sons Xylharmonique: sound produced by playing the harmonics muffled right after the attack. Range is A2 to C5

  • Sons Xylophonique: sound produced by muting the string at its end and plucking it with the other hand. Sound is of course muffled and warmer. Range is A2 to G7

  • Hits On Strings: sound produced by hitting and releasing the strings immediately with both hands. Range is A1 to G2. Not a tuned sound

  • Sons Ésoteriques: a special technique involving the use of pedals as an effect. Range is A1 to G2. Not a tuned sound

  • Paper Sordino: sound produced by interweaving the strings with paper ribbons. Range is C1 to C5

  • Velvet Sordino: sound produce by interweaving the strings with velvet ribbons. Range is C1 to C4

  • Tinfoil Sordino: sound produced by interweaving the strings with tinfoil ribbons: Range is C1 to E5.

  • Sons Alcoholique: sound produced by rubbing the strings with a piece of cotton imbued with alcohol. Range is C1 to G6. A randomly tuned sound

  • Hits On Body: sound produced by hitting the body of the Harp in different positions with fingers, open and closed hand. The other arm stops all strings from resonating. Range is C1 to B2

  • Hits On Body - Reso: sound produced by hitting the body of the Harp in different positions with fingers, open and closed hand. The strings are left free to resonate. Range is C1 to B2

  • Rattling: sound produced by playing pizzicato with the harpist wearing a noisy jewel at her wrists. Range is C1 to G7

  • Appoggiato: sound produced by playing pizzicato and resting the finger on the next string rather than floating it. Range is C1 to G7

To these Articulations, add the string Resonances, the 3 types of release trails (finger nails, tips and Etoufee) and the sound of stopping the strings with the hand which is produced automatically when releasing the Sustain Pedal.

Mix, Effect and Reverb, with class

The mixer module allows you to balance the mics and apply effects like Delay, EQ, Compression, Distortion and Amp/Cab.

The IR Reverb module in our engine currently features 39 unique proprietary impulse responses. These are originated from vintage plates, hardware and coveted real rooms, which, when used with the harp, push the limits of what can be done with this instrument.

Sound Design with fun

The Mixer page features a section dedicated to envelopes and filters.

Control the Amplitude Envelope with precision using an AHDSR envelope with the addition of the Attack Curve parameter.

Choose among 4 filter types - low pass 2 and 4 poles, band pass and high pass 4 poles - with MIDI CC# assignable Cutoff, Resonance and Envelope Modulation.

Use an intuitive AHD Envelope to influence the filter cutoff via Env Mod.

Screenshots

Ready-to-go

26 global mix-ready factory presets ease your way into using this instrument, or create and save your own.

The Recordings

We selected a warm mid-sized room to record the harp: we wanted to have a flexible sound, one that fits many different styles and scenarios, not an harp fit only to be drowned in an orchestra.

All recordings were done using a pair of Schoeps CMC6 (with matched MK4 capsules) in a stereo AB configuration (wide stereo) and a Neumann M149 tube in cardiod mode as the Mid and a Royer R121 as the Side of a MidSide pair. Vovox cables were run direct to a Millennia HV3D-8 preamp and to an Apogee Symphony converter set at 96KHz/24bit.

Experience and Quality you can tell

We released our first sample library in 2003, with Scarbee.

We know sampling.

We know how to turn a recording session into a set of coherent, greatly playable sampled instruments. Not just a collection of sounds. This effort needs a lot of love for the instruments, preparation, setup, tuning, time, ear, knowledge, dedication and experience.

Our samples have been used on countless tracks in the last 13 years, counting on an ongoing success still sprawling from our first library, Imperial Drums, re-released in BFD format through FXpansion at the end of 2013, our ever-growing product line and the large large number of companies we worked with along the years: Native Instruments, Ableton, Steinberg, Arobas, Cakewalk and Presonus to name just a few.

Glissando Xmas.png

99.00 USD
NOW DISCONTINUED

FEATURED IN GLISSANDO HARPS

DISCLAIMERS:
- this Instrument requires the FULL RETAIL VERSION OF NI KONTAKT 5.5.2 or higher
- this Instrument DOES NOT WORK with the Free Kontakt Player
- this Instrument may be acquired only in downloadable format, download size is about 4 Gigabytes, so expect longer download times on slower connections

Features

  • 3.7 GB of compressed samples content (11.6 GB uncompressed)

  • 8244 samples

  • 2 microphone sets: Stereo AB with Schoeps CMC6 mics and MidSide Stereo with Neumann and Royer mics

  • sampled in full detail: up to 1692 samples per articulation and up to 4 round robin

  • recorded in a warm mid-size room to widen the potential applications

  • 20 Articulations

  • 3 types of release samples

  • Independent management of the instrument's resonances

  • warm and precise sound, recorded through Millennia preamps and Apogee Symphony converters

  • advanced management thanks to our custom advanced scripting engine

  • recorded at 24 bit / 96 KHz, released at 24 bit / 44.1 KHz

Kontakt Features

  • read the dive-in manual for the Kontakt version here

  • custom graphics with multi-panel access to every detail of the instrument

  • 2 playing modes, Harp and Piano

  • exclusive Glissando engine

  • manage Pedals like an harpist

  • easy access to the most used Modes and Chords

  • build your own Articulation Set

  • full effects section

  • expand the sound-scape of the harp with envelopes and filters

  • very quick startup times, just around 400 MB of preload

  • intelligent voice management

  • 26 global factory presets

  • up to 4 round robins

  • 39 custom IR reverbs