Native Instruments Discovery Series - Balinese Gamelan v1.5.2

MALLETS, METALLOPHONES, GONGS

• Get hands-on with six playable, tweakable mallet instruments
• Perform patterns with a new generative arpeggiator, The Jammer
• Includes 2 GB of expertly recorded samples

DISCOVER BALINESE GAMELAN

The Discovery Series heads this time to Indonesia, delving into the world of the BALINESE GAMELAN. This KONTAKT instrument contains 2 GB of pristine samples, comprising six essential gamelan instruments – each with two tuning variations. Powered by KONTAKT 6 and the free KONTAKT PLAYER, BALINESE GAMELAN is packed with features for tweaking and manipulating sounds. The latest update also includes The Jammer – a unique generative arpeggiator for performing and layering authentic patterns.

THE MUSIC OF GAMELAN

Often translated as "orchestra," gamelan is an ensemble of instruments from Indonesia, typically Java or Bali. The music itself is often characterized by bright, metallic, percussive qualities, distinctive and complex tuning, the rich layering of instruments, and its cyclical form.

Ensembles differ significantly from one another but are made up of a combination of beautifully crafted metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs, bamboo flutes, strings, and even vocals. Instruments are built and tuned for specific ensembles, so tunings can differ considerably between gamelans. A peculiarity of the Balinese variant is that each instrument is paired and slightly detuned relative to its partner, resulting in a natural chorus effect.

A LIVING, BREATHING INSTRUMENT

The instruments in this release were sampled from the London Symphonic Orchestra's Semara Dana Gamelan Ensemble in exacting detail. Their unique timbres and textures have been faithfully recreated through a painstaking recording of numerous velocity layers – a true labor of love by creators Soniccouture.

This instrument focuses on compact versions of the tuned instruments, split into three categories: The big gongs, the paired metallophones and the kettle gongs.