Short pieces written to demonstrate some of the patches of various sound libraries...

Sound Library Demos

A short demo ofmy new freebie library - "microForj - Van Houzen Trumpet".  It features 3 dynamic layers and uses Kontakts optional "Authentic Expression Technology" (AET).  It's available here: http://goo.gl/VwW71y 

FYI - All other brass is from the Notion native instruments.

"El Matador Enters the Kitchen!" - microForj.UofI.VanHouzenTrumpet (demo)

You can find Bela D's V Alto Choir at: 
http://www.beladmedia.com/site2015/v-alto-choir/

I thought some folks might like to hear about my experience working with Bela D's "V Alto Choir"... 

So full disclosure first: I inquired with Bela D if I might do some demo work for them and they graciously allowed me to try my hand at a piece, so I did receive a copy of the library in exchange for my efforts. 

But I have to say gratis or not, this library is a real pleasure to work with, and well worth the paltry $100 Bela D charges. The sample quality is extremely high, something other folks have noted about Bela D's products in the past. Getting it to make great music is pretty easy, though be warned - if you're not familiar with the "sequenced verse" approach, you'll spend a very confused moment trying to pound out some notes and hear only silence. 

The trick is to pick an "element" (one of the various syllables) first and assign it to a "verse" (a container for a set of syllables). The syllables then round-robin through each verse as notes are played. I believe this is the same technique Bela D introduced in their solo vocal libraries in 2008. 

I wasn't sure which syllables I wanted, so I chose a single syllable for each verse (all verses are preassigned to a keyswitch). Some of the syllables hit a little rough for what I was after, but fortunately there's a knob that lets you dial down the attack of each element in a verse. So you can have a soft, slow attack on one syllable of one verse and a fast, hard attack on another within the same verse. There's also a knob for releases, but I never needed to change that. 

When you do get some sound it's gorgeous - full, rich, and very human. I messed around with several different themes initially, but Bela D encouraged me to experiment with a slow, ethereal approach and - sure enough - hobbits and elves started popping out of the woodwork. Once you discover the vibe this library was built for, it's hard not to fiddle with a Rivendell style "Lord of the Rings"-esque theme all night long. It's seriously enchanting. 

But do be aware - this isn't a "Conan the Barbarian" style power choir. It has a good variety of different syllables, yes, but the glory of this chamber choir (the documentation mentions 24 altos) comes out when held on long notes and softer passages. I found it sits in the mix best with an ambient verb and/or the built-in IR, so the attacks are already going to be softened from that. That doesn't mean you can't create leading melodies with it, but the choir shines best when the melodies are slow and stately. For best effect, double it with a solo woodwind (flute or clarinet worked nicely, and a high bassoon or oboe in just the right range can be effective, too) - it creates a nice spooky sound. 

I also had a chance to mess around with the slimmed down LE version as well. It has nice low-wallet-impact of $25, so checking it out is pretty painless. You only get 6 syllables, but there's still a boatload you can do with it. For simple background of chordal "ahhs" and a splash of other syllables, it would be hard to beat. 

All in all, it's a great library and it's really easy to make it sing. Hope some of y'all find that useful... 

Jack O' Lantern - V Alto Choir (Bela D Media Demo)

Music created using Plectra Series 4: Turkish Oud, the upcoming Kontakt virtual instrument by Impact Soundworks!

Plectra Series 4: "The Ottoman in Spain" by Kurt Landre

Product Website -- http://www.beladmedia.com/site2015/phantom-voice/

Score -- http://goo.gl/ORNan0

Pirates or Monks, anyone?  Maybe a tour of the Russian countryside during winter?  

This is a new one from Bela D Media and if you've liked any of their other choir libraries, you're gonna love this one.  Lots of syllables to choose from and a good long sustain on the samples to top it all off.



Queen Anne's Revenge - Phantom Voice Choir (Bela D Media Official Demo)

"Child At Play"
Composed by Kurt M. Landre
Ilya Efimov Tin Whistle. Demo track 

"Child At Play" by Kurt M. Landre (Ilya Efimov Tin Whistle)

Incredible new *FREE* trombone library from Ivy Audio.  You've GOT to check it out:

http://www.ivyaudio.com/Carpenter-Trombone

The Dirge of Ahz (IvyAudio.CarpenterTrombone Demo)

Something showing the more delicate side of Impact Soundworks Shreddage Drums library...


Grinding The Gears (ImpactSoundworks.ShreddageDrums Unofficial Demo)

Here's another terrific freebie from Ivy Audio...

http://www.ivyaudio.com/ClareSolo

Undone (IvyAudio.ClareV2 Demo)

http://impactsoundworks.com/products/orchestral/bravura-scoring-brass/

El Matador Enters The Kitchen! (Bravura Brass Version) - Impact Soundworks Bravura Brass Demo

The Undoing Of A Thing Once Done (Bravura Scoring Brass - Ensemble Patches Demo)

Ilya Efimov Low Whistle sample library for Kontakt. Demo Track 
Composed and mixed by Kurt M. Landre'

"The Turasóir" by Kurt M. Landre' (Ilya Efimov Low Whistle)

Music made using the SONIC FOREST sample library for Kontakt, now available from Impact Soundworks! http://impactsoundworks.com/products/electronic/sonic-forest/

The Sonic Forest is based on an electroacoustic instrument of the same name, capable of producing a range of both pure and inharmonic tones. This library expands the 'forest' theme with an evolving granular engine that creates endless echoes and sprouts based on the notes you play.

SONIC FOREST: "The Ragged Breath of the Hunter" (Dressed) by Kurt M. Landre

Afterstorm - Kurt Landre

More Information: http://vis.versilstudios.net/vsco-standard.html

VSCO Trailer - Kurt Landre [Kontakt]

Music created using DJANGO: Gypsy Jazz Guitar, now available from Impact Soundworks!

https://impactsoundworks.com/product/django-gypsy-jazz-guitar/

DJANGO: Gypsy Jazz Guitar "Djangled" by Kurt M. Landre

The Charmer - A Swarm Of Shawm - by Kurt Landre

Music written and produced using the Ventus Ethnic Winds - Tin Whistle instrument, developed by Impact Soundworks and available now for Kontakt!

https://impactsoundworks.com/product/ventus-ethnic-winds-tin-whistle/

Ventus Tin Whistle: "Leaves in the Creek" by Kurt M. Landre

Trees - The Giants

Music created using Ventus Series Bansuri, a solo woodwind instrument/sample library for Kontakt by Impact Soundworks! Available now:

https://impactsoundworks.com/product/ventus-ethnic-winds-bansuri/

Ventus Bansuri: "Shiva Wept" by Kurt M. Landre

V SOPRANO CHOIR Dawn of the New World Kurt M Landre’

Kurt M. Landré 

Born in the dimming haze of the latter half of the late 20th Century, Landré's musical fate was sealed even before his birth when his mother began pushing the family piano around the living room in an attempt to induce a fruitful end to her 10-month pregnancy. Landré apparently got the message and found his way into this world the very next day, with piano moving lessons following just a few years later. 

He was afterwards raised on a steady musical diet of Bach, Beatles, Beethoven, Chicago, Rossini, Three Dog Night, and the raw, pure horror of live, dueling accordion music (and yes, there were many fatalities). After his first musical forays into classical piano and cello, he discovered synthesizers in the mid 80's and his tastes began rapidly migrating from New Wave, to Punk, to modern classical composition.

Landré's formal education consisted of stints at Pacific Lutheran and the University of Oregon, where he annoyed all his professors with a continual and unyielding insistence on parallel fifths in every composition. Finally, in a desperate attempt to get himself barred from all things musical, he began playing Post Pop Punk and quickly devolved into a cruel Pacific Northwest caricature of an over-caffeinated, rim-spectacled, folk-strumming-three-chord monstrosity. He is most famous for having blackened the jubilant mood of a crowd of over 1000 people after striking only a single, well-timed chord on a poorly tuned mandolin.

Having fully alienated all popular music lovers worldwide, Landré returned to his roots and began composing music for entirely virtual orchestras, and quickly established himself as a demo composer, creating works for sound library companies such as Impact Soundworks, CL-Projects, Samplism, Lux Nox, Versilian Studios, and others. 

He is currently the House Composer for Bela D. Media, but can be still found attempting to strangle and torture the joy and happiness out of numerous acoustic instruments.

Influences:

Alexander Courage (Star Trek, Original Series)
John Williams
Samuel Barber
Gustav Holst
Steve Reich (steve Reich Steve reich steve riech STEVE REICH - does *anyone* other than me ever get that joke?)
Sean Beeson
Ennio Morricone
Peter Gabriel (Birdy, Last Temptation of Christ)
My grandfather and mother's accordion playing (play the accordion, go to jail - THAT'S THE LAW.)
Martin O'Donnell

Sound Library Demos

kmlandre