For this month’s pick we are going to look at a couple of outstanding percussion libraries. These aren’t collections of standard shakers and tambourines but instead you will find Riqs, Dehollahs, Tablas, Tavils, Kanjeeras, Dholak, and many other percussion instruments from both the Middle East and India.
First, let’s look at Rhythms of Arabia. Rhythms of Arabia is a finely crafted collection of percussion loops from the Arab world. Inside this product you’ll find over 1000 loops played in various different rhythmic styles from that region. The product is organized by BPM with various folders of different instruments contained within. The loops are recorded dry, giving you the freedom to place them in your music with ease and maximum flexibility.
Score of India contains a few similar instruments to Rhythms of Arabia but stands alone with it’s own unique vibe and feel. As you may assume from the name of this product, Score of India is a perfect fit for any film/tv score needing a boost of energy and drive from authentic Indian percussion. Whether you are scoring an action packed drama, a soaring landscape, or a high speed chase scene, you’ll find a perfect fit with these loops.
It’s February, and as it’s been cold up here in the United States so let’s heat it up a bit with a couple of products just begging to be used in your next chart topping track. This month I’ll be looking over a couple of Hip Hop products that provide you with live instruments that normally wouldn’t be accessable to most people.
Nothing sets apart a track more than the use of live strings. Live string players are expensive and it takes a lot of experience to record and capture the nuances of these instruments. Big Fish Audio has made it a bit easier to include live strings in your Hip Hop, Pop, or R&B tracks with Urban String Sessions. Urban String Sessions provides and excellent assortment of live string loops recorded in a mid-size studio setting. Each loop includes various parts and sections broken out to allow for further arrangement and custom mixing. Any way you slice it I think you’ll love how quickly and easily these loops will fit with your music.
My second selection for the month contains live played Indian percussion played along with hip hop beats. Hip Hop India was played by master percussionist Sanket Athale. What truly makes this library stand out from ordinary ethnic percussion libraries is Sanket’s ability to incorporate expertly played Indian percussion with a modern approach. Take a listen to the demos and you’ll hear what I mean. Every instrument was recorded in complete isolation allowing you to select and choose the exact group of instruments of your choosing. No sample library one-shots will ever replace the nuance and feel of a live player and Hip Hop India is truly no exception.
Well it’s that time again for the pick of the month. Not only is it a new month but a new year. Everybody is ready to work off the holiday weight and begin the uphill climb of keeping our New Year’s resolutions. Here is a resolution for you that should be easy to keep: try something new. Don’t fall into the musical rut of always doing the same things. It’s a new year and a time to branch out and continue to expand our musical sound pallets. So this month, in that spirit, I present two products to help you think outside of the musical box.
Gypsy Cafe is a new project recently released by Big Fish Audio in cooperation with Dieguis Productions as part of the Xtended Series. This library is a little Gypsy, a little Parisian, a little Italian, and a lot amazing. It’s a perfect blend of old meets new as expert production quality as well as authentic instruments and players were used in the making of this project. Like all Extended Series products this library features construction kits that are packed full to the brim with intros, verses, choruses, endings, as well as multiple variations with each instrument included.
Next up for your consideration is the appropriately titled Mariachi. This library is also a Big Fish Audio library in cooperation with Dieguis Productions, and part of the Textured Series. As you might expect this library contains all the essential elements of Mariachi, Guitarron, Nylon Guitar, Vihuela, Violins, Trumpets, Gritos, and Choros. What you might not expect is how good these kits sound. Just check out the demo and you’ll see what I mean. So you are fairly warned, listening to the Mariachi demos will most certainly create an instant craving to drive down to your nearest mexican food restaurant for chips and guacamole with your favorite margarita. You’ve been warned!
This month get ready to rock around the Christmas tree…and Menorah with two premium collections of rock construction kits.
First up, we look at Fuel: Hard Rock. Fuel is an outstanding collection of 20 monster construction kits that explore some of the most popular sounds in rock. Fuel covers the sounds of bands like AC/DC all the way to Nickelback. Packed full of aggressive and hugely distorted guitars, driving drums, and intense basses, Fuel nails the sound of this long lasting musical genre.
Close cousins to the hard rock genre, punk is also a mainstay of american rock music. Rebel: Modern Punk Rock covers the sounds of some of the most popular rock bands of the past 10 years. You will find a lot of use out of these 25 awesomely rebellious construction kits. If you’re a fan of such Punk Rock legacies like Blink 182, Green Day, and Fall Out Boy this library is a must have.
It’s time for the production department pick of the month. Every month I scour our catalog to highlight a few products that I think truly exemplify quality libraries that our customers will want to hear about. This month I want to bring your attention to two hip hop libraries that focus on the trending Dirty South style.
First off let’s look at Kings of the South: Dirty Crunk Kits. This particular product has been at the top of the Big Fish Audio top sellers for a number of months now. This product nails the sound to a “T” with loads of 808’s, saw synth leads, massive horns, vocal BGV’s, and everything else that is Dirty South. The hooks are catchy and the sounds are well crafted, making it a breeze to construct your own Dirty South hit.
Our second product we will look at is Off the Hook Dirty South 2. If you are familiar with the “Off the Hook” series then you would already know this product is going to contain top quality loop content with excellent production quality. Volume 1 was a complete smash hit and volume 2 has raised the bar to a whole new level. There are 41 construction kits and from top to bottom you’ll find a ton of high quality Dirty South loops and sounds that will keep you rockin for a long time.