Instruments

More behind-the-scenes with Electri6ity

Hi Big Fish fans. My name is David Das and I’m the product manager behind Electri6ity. While Electri6ity itself took more than three years to develop, the real breakthrough in sampling technology is a culmination of decades of sampler evolution and innovative ideas. Twenty years ago, our concept of sampling was largely, “Stick a mic in front of the violin, let the player play middle C, then play back that recording of middle C when the keyboard player plays middle C.” That’s the very ground level of sample libraries. In a very rough sense, that’s what the famous Mellotron did in the early sixties.

Then the next leap in innovation came as samplers became capable of handling velocity layers (i.e. play a note softly, and trigger a recording of the violin playing softly, which is very different in character from the violin playing loudly). Chromatic sampling increased realism some more, as samplers relied less on pitch stretching (which always produces artifacts). Release layers (the sound the instrument makes upon releasing a note) added more.

Electri6ity takes all of that to a much greater degree. With Electri6ity, we’ve basically deconstructed the electric guitar into its tiniest fragments: pick noise, sustains, releases, and so much more. We’ve found ways to represent playing styles, like vibrato and legato, convincingly. We’ve designed new ways to simulate some of the most amazing details, like pick position and angle, string resonance, amp behaviors, bends, unison bends…all of this so that when you sit down to play any of the Electri6ity guitars, the massively complex engine behind it can effortlessly re-create the experience of playing an electric guitar for you.

Don’t believe me? Watch composer Rich Friedman show you:

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General - Instruments - Loops

Top 10 Loops and Instruments – May 2010

The month of May brought the release of several new products for Big Fish
Audio, none more anticipated than Vir2’s Electri6ity. With more than 24,000
24-bit samples and the most advanced scripting to date, it’s no surprise that
Electri6ity quickly claimed the top instrument spot of the month, even though it was released two weeks in. Judging from the initial response from its user base, I have a feeling this product is in for a long
ride at the top.

On the loop side of things, Cinematic Percussion grabbed the top honors, followed
closely by Kings of the South: Dirty Crunk Kits and Urban Inspiration. Also
breaking into the top ten were two new products from Nova loops, Urban Pop
Heat and Hustla Anthems.

TOP 10 LOOPS TOP 10 INSTRUMENTS
Cinematic Percussion Kings of the South: Dirty Crunk Kits Urban Inspiration Electri6ity MOJO: Horn Section Addictive Drums
1. Cinematic Percussion 1. Electri6ity
2. Kings of the South: Dirty Crunk Kits 2. MOJO: Horn Section
3. Urban Inspiration 3. Addictive Drums
4. Epic Drums 4. Hollywoodwinds
5. Smooth n’ Sexy R&B Guitar Pak 5. Acoustic Legends HD
6. Pop Ballads 6. World Impact: Global Percussion
7. Urban Pop Heat 7. Cinesamples Percussion Bundle
8. Hustla Anthems: Dirty South Edition 8. VI.ONE
9. Plush 9. Miroslav Vitous String Ensembles
10. Crank’d: Urban Rock 10. Celtic Instruments
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