Acoustic Grand Ensembles Vol.1

Acoustic Grand Ensembles Vol. 1 for Kontakt VST-AU-AAX overview

Welcome to AGE – Acoustic Grand Ensembles – the most comprehensive collection of alternative ensembles ever done.

AGE (Acoustic Grand Ensembles) series is produced by Academy Award, TEC and G.A.N.G Award Winning Composer, Troels Folmann and Emmy nominated composer and orchestrator, Colin O’Malley.

AGE Vol. 1 contains five different Grand Ensembles, including Concert Grand Piano Ensemble, Acoustic Guitar Ensemble, Xylophone Ensemble, Glockenspiel Ensemble and Tubular Ensemble. All containing 9 different microphone positions. The microphones are divided into two core groups: Ensemble (Close, Mixed, Decca, Far, Wide) and Divisi (Spot Mic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). So can choose whether you want full ensemble or zoom in on the individual instrument in the ensembles. Recorded in the same signature hall as 8Dio CAGE.

All the Grand Ensembles were recorded in several different ways depending on the nature of the instrument. The Concert Grand Piano Ensemble both contains articulations such as Sustains, Staccato, Tremolo, but we also recorded the ensemble with Plucked Sustains, Fast Glissandi, Cluster Variations, Rhythmic/Percussive FX etc.

The Acoustic Guitar Ensemble contains both Sustains, Staccato, Bartok, Harmonics, Tremolo, but also a variety of different Rhythmic Patterns and Group Chords, which are all BPM synced etc.

Other Grand Ensembles such as Xylophone, Glockenspiel and Tubular Bells each have their own deep-sampled set of articulations custom designed for the nature of the instrument.

AGE Vol. 1 also contains 50 different custom synths that were all designed with the source content. The entire AGE library contains over 28GB (compressed from +60GB) of data and over 23.000 samples.

The incredible depth of the AGE articulations is supported by our custom Chaos Engine. The Chaos Engine allows you to easily manipulate the instruments by the ability to randomize all the rack-fx (key-control, internal step-sequencer, advanced arpeggiator, filters, EQ, bit-crusher, distortion, trance-gate, dual stereo-delay and dual convolution reverb).

In addition the entire user-interface (UI) was designed in gorgeous 3D and in a way that allows both newcomers and experts to get rolling in a matter of seconds. AGE is using a variety of components from our exclusive V8P series giving you the ultimate flexibility and playability.

AGE is the most comprehensive collection of Alternative Acoustic Grand Ensembles ever done. Something magical happens when you take several Concert Grand Pianos, put them in a magical hall and surround them with microphones. It is no longer a piano, but something more then a piano. A tiny Glockenspiel or Xylophone becomes so much more when they are played in larger ensembles.

Hyper Flexible Control

AGE has one of the most advanced, yet highly intuitive interfaces for orchestral sampling. We took a variety of the concepts from our V8P/8W Orchestral library and ported into AGE. The end result is a +35.000 lines of code UI, which includes an advanced articulation browser with assignable articulations, advanced arpegiation and polyphonic step sequencing features. Additional midi and remapping functions – all allowing the ultimate end-user experience.

Superior Mixing

AGE contains up to 12 different microphones, which are divided into 5 ensemble mics (close, mixed, decca, far, wide) and 4-7 divisi/spot mics (spot 1-7). The flexibility of microphone positions allows you to dial in the perfect sound of your choice. In addition AGE also comes with a wealth of convolution presets, so you can add otherworldly flavors to your sound. AGE is utilizing a variety of custom scripts from our exclusive 8W library.

Chaos FX 3.1 Engine

The AGE Chaos Engine is perhaps the most extreme feature in AGE. The AGE Chaos Engine allows you make over 1.500 sample parameters randomize with one click, while also randomizing our new 8Dio FX System (3.0). So both the sample content and the assigned FX will be randomized in one glorious cocktail. The great thing about the AGE Chaos Engine is that you can control precise how much chaos you want – from a little cosmetic change to the birth of a completely new universe of sounds – all with one click.

50 Custom Synths

AGE contains a custom designed set of 50 multi-sampled synthesizers. The synths were all derived from the AGE source content and designed to work with all the different ensembles. Each ensemble has 10 custom synths which are designed to augment the ensemble. So for example the deep-sampled Grand Piano Ensemble has 10 additional piano synths, the deep-sampled Guitar Ensemble has 10 guitar synths etc.

Articulation Sequencing

The 50 AGE custom synths also comes with a unique feature called: “Articulation Sequencing”. It is sorta like wave-sequencing on steroids, but taking it to a whole other level. In essence you can cycle through all the different synths, so every time you press a key a new synth will be playing. This allows for much more complicated textures and is god-sent when used in conjunction with our advanced arpeggiator found in our AGE Chaos FX section.