Recording - October 2016 - 58

Soundware Showcase
Spitfire Audio Ólafur Arnalds Composer Toolkit
by Darwin Grosse

Man, it used to be so simple. If you recorded
rock bands, you needed a multitrack deck, a mixer
and some mics. Recording techno music? A batch
of synthesizers and a good drum machine. And if
you did film scoring, you needed a massive bank
of samplers and a pile of string ensemble disks. But
it doesn't seem to work like that anymore-mainly
because the borders between music genres are
constantly being blurred. Rock bands are mixing in
elements of film music, and film music is starting to
sound more like rock and techno tracks.
Spitfire Audio enters this world with Composer
Toolkit, the work of multi-instrumentalist and extraordinary composer Ólafur Arnalds (winner of the
BAFTA Award for his soundtrack to the BBC program Broadchurch). In this virtual instrument collection for the Native Instruments Kontakt platform, we
have a series of instruments that can offer the temperament of a film score to many musical environs,
and generate the depth of emotion that can modernize almost any soundscape.
One of the hallmarks of Spitfire Audio's work is
a no-compromise dedication to quality-and the
resulting heavy-duty system requirements. Because
these instruments depend on the most advanced
features of the Kontakt engine, you need to have
the full version of Kontakt in order to run the library.
You will also need a fair amount of disk space
(15.2 GB) for its extensive set of long-form samples,
and at least 31 GB of disk space during the install
process. But if the instrument has what you need,
the results are absolutely worth it!
The sample library is split into three groups:
Composer Toolkit, Felt Grand Piano and Sonic
Warps. Each has a unique signature despite the
fact that many of the sounds are based off of a
specially-prepared 1904 Bechstein grand piano
recorded in Ólafur's studio in Reykjavik, Iceland,
and they are all sound-mangled to a tee.
One piano, three inspiring approaches
Ólafur is known as a composer with deep ambient ties, and that background is on display in this
collection. The section labeled Composer Toolkit is
replete with organic and harmonically rich sounds,
and includes both enhanced piano sounds and
companion instruments that are meant to blend with
that piano. These patches are perfect fodder for
ambient beds, film and video scores, or background soundtracks. This folder of sounds has quickly become a go-to location for me when I find
myself needing inspiration.
The next section of the library is the Felt Grand
Piano collection. It is more detailed, with access to
the individually miked piano tracks, and features a
unique interface that allows you to dial in an
instrument mix that will meet your needs.
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RECORDING OCTOBER 2016

Interestingly, the two provided microphone selections/locations make a substantial difference in the sound, and actually provide a great source for track
designers that want to combine the intriguing sound of the piano with their
own effects collection. [Spitfire adds: "There is also a mix of the KM84s with
a pair of C12s, mixed into a pair of Pultec EQs and slammed through a
1178 stereo compressor to give the distinctive Arnalds sound. This processed
sound has been paired with a 'Spaced' sound in a 'Mixed' patch that Ólafur
has further processed to give a unique take on his signature piano."-Ed.]
Finally, the Sonic Warps section of the library has a large collection of presets-many more than the other sections-but also provides the most idiosyncratic sounds. With patch names like "Hopes and Dreams Pad" or "Voices in
the Machine", it's pretty clear that these sounds are meant to provide an emotional sound that can generate both highlights and deep backgrounds. They
form a great collection of immediately usable sounds.
In use
Each of the three sections of the library has found its place in my workflow, but
for different reasons. The Composer Toolkit series is the creative juice of the library,
Delivery: Web download or physical hard drive (extra charge);
samples require 30.4 GB to install and then take up 15.2
GB of disk space (uncompressed on the fly as needed).
Format: Windows 7+ and macOS 10.8+, loads in Native
Instruments Kontakt 5 (latest version recommended); will
not run within free Kontakt Player
Copy Protection: Only for Kontakt itself, which uses an NI Service
Center serial number
Licensing: Sounds can be used royalty-free in original music
recordings; no resale or repackaging in products for
resale permitted
Documentation: online user manual
Price: Download £199 (~$259 US), add £69 (~$89 US) for delivery on
hard drive; educational and bundle pricing also available
More from: Spitfire Audio, www.spitfireaudio.com

http://www.spitfireaudio.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2016