The impressive sound quality and originality of the SoundObjects collection makes it extremely versatile in a wide variety of musical situations. The possibilities are limitless with these bell-like sounds, percussive instruments, ethereal pads and numerous other types of virtual instruments. Moreover, the no-noise technology – leaving no room tone and no reverb whatsoever – allows for layering and transposition – up to 5 octaves ! – without any added artifact.

Selected by a professional composer and percussionist, these objects, including saw blades, plumbing pipes, ceramic tiles, metal sheets and the like, were chosen for their unique sound qualities, versatility and musical capabilities. These unique sounds blend beautifully in any musical context : classical, jazz, hip-hop, techno, movie soundtracks… The warmth and presence of these unearthly virtual instruments offer a near infinite range of creative possibilities.

The collection also features a number of exceptional traditional instruments, including Thai gongs, tubular bells, and various Chinese cymbals and gongs.

Technical information :

All sound objects were originally recorded (in stereo) in 24 bits/192 kHz format, in ideal acoustic and technical conditions. SoundObjects collection will start to be available Q1 2010 in Ableton’s Live Sampler format, 24 bits/96 kHz.

Note : The elimination of the room tone in all SoundObjects samples makes it possible to avoid excessive equalizations and unwanted reverberation that might create sound problems during mixing.

Advantages of sampling at 24 Bits/192 kHz (or 96 kHz) :

• Intensifies the quality of the digital audio recording by enhancing the attack of the sound, the decay of the sound resonance, tonal brightness and sound realism.
• Widens the sound range of the samples without any distortion, keeping sound integrity even at the extreme ends of the register (samples can absorb virtual transpositions of more than three octaves up or down) (demo)
• Makes it possible to discover unexpected and often astonishing sounds when samples are transposed from their original pitch to other registers.

Audio equipment and software used for production and postproduction :

• CMC 6/ MK5 Schoeps microphones
• Millenia preamp
• A/D RME FireFace 800 converter
• Logic Pro / EXS24 sampler

List of virtual instruments in the SoundObjects collection

Sampled through the whole duration of the sounds and at more than 4 levels of dynamics.
Note : Each instrument in a thematic group has a distinctive and unique sound quality.

Bell-like sound instruments :

• Ceramic tiles of different sizes (10 instr.)
• Joist hangers of different shapes and sizes (24 instr.)
• Post holders of different shapes and sizes (7 instr.)
• Metal plumbing elbows of different sizes (8 instr.)
• Metal sheets of different shapes and sizes (8 instr.)
• Saw blades of different sizes (11 instr.)
• Metal rods of different sizes (13 instr.)
• Ground plates (2 instr.)
• Various metal structures (4 instr.)
• Gardening forks (5 instr.)
• Sink drains of different sizes (10 instr.)
• Glass bell of different sizes (2 instr.)
• Percussion-like sound instruments :
• Electrical boxes of different sizes (2 instr.)
• Wheelbarrow pans (3 instr.)
• Plastic baskets of different sizes (3 instr.)
• Plastic plumbing pipes and fittings of different sizes (7 instr.)
• ABS pipes of different sizes (6 instr.)
• Instruments stroked with a violin bow :
• Joist hangers of different shapes and sizes with 3 different attacks (slow, medium, fast) (19 instr.)

Conventional acoustic instruments (sampled at 5 levels of dynamics) :

• Leedy & Ludwig tubular bells (18 notes) from the beginning of the 20th century
• Thai gongs, one bronze and one metal set
• Chinese cymbals (2 sets)
• Chinese gongs (2 sets)
• 25 layer instruments made of “natural” sound objects instruments
• 110 patch instruments made of sound objects modified with various software plug-ins