IMPACT : STEEL (Kontakt 1, Kontakt 2, Halion 3 Library) Designed, recorded, edited, and produced by Wilbert Roget, II of Impact Soundworks. Visit www.impactsoundworks.com to see the rest of our catalog! INTRODUCTION Impact: Steel was intended to fill a gap found in popular commercial sound libraries. While several other products have metal hits and “found” percussion, none are extensively sampled and usable as individual, expressive instruments. The goal of this project was therefore to create a unique, detailed, and playable library with the same amount of multisampled detail one would expect from a high end percussion bank. There are 6 main patches, 8 special/alternately-mapped patches, and 16 FX patches in all, totaling 73 articulations of extensively multisampled hits, scrapes, rolls, and designed textures. The instruments were recorded in a medium-sized recording booth, insulated yet retaining some ambience and “air” in the samples; this facilitates mixing for small ensembles and rooms as well as large orchestral forces. Impact: Steel was designed to be as playable as possible, on both drum controllers as well as MIDI keyboards. As such, all main patches are keymapped without overlap, and can be loaded on a single channel for instant playability of all instruments. On a MIDI keyboard, hits are mapped to black keys, while scrapes, rolls, and tremolos are mapped to white keys. This increases ease of playing for composers without dedicated drum controllers. An additional set of “L/R” patches is included as well, with left/right hand hits separated onto adjacent notes to facilitate playing fast passages. All samples are 24-bit, stereo, 44.1 kHz. INSTALLATION To install the Impact: Steel library, simply extract the “IS-Kontakt_Halion.zip” archive to a directory of your choosing. Once all files have been extracted, you should have an “Impact Steel” folder in the directory containing five subfolders: Audio Files, Documentation, Halion 3 Patches, Kontakt 1 Patches, and Kontakt 2 Patches. If any of these folders are missing, it is possible that your download was incomplete, or the zip unarchiving process was interrupted. If re-extracting or re-downloading the file does not result in the proper subfolders appearing, please scroll down to the Troubleshooting section in this document. Patches from Impact: Steel are loaded and used simply by opening your sampler of choice and loading patches from the appropriate folder. For example, if you are using Kontakt 2 (or later), you would navigate to the “Kontakt 2 Patches” folder and select the file you want to load from there. If you are using Halion 3, you may have to move the “Audio Files” folder into the “Halion 3 Patches” folder for patches to immediately link properly. We strongly encourage you to leave the files in the “Audio Files” folder unaltered. Modifying, renaming, moving, or deleting any of the files within this folder may negatively affect the Impact: Steel patches or even cause them to not load. If you do plan on editing any of the Audio Files, create a backup first! PATCHES DESCRIPTION All main Impact: Steel patches are mapped without overlap, and can be loaded onto a single channel for instant playability of all instruments. On a MIDI keyboard, hits are mapped to black keys, while scrapes, rolls, and tremolos are mapped to white keys. This should increase ease of playing without a dedicated drum controller. An additional set of “(LR)” patches is included as well, with left/right hand hits separated onto two adjacent notes. This facilitates playing fast passages, and allows direct control over variation samples. C4 = Middle C Large Steel Frame 1 – Deeper hits, scrapes, tremolos and rolls from a three-sided 15”x15”x7” frame. C2: Soft mallet roll (3 velocities) C#2: Soft mallet hit 1 (7 velocities, 2 variations) D2: Hammer tremolo D#2: Soft mallet hit 2 (7 velocities, 2 variations) F2: Chain scrape slow F#2: Hammer hit 1 (7 velocities, 2 variations) G2: Chain scrape medium G#2: Hammer hit 2 (7 velocities, 2 variations) A2: Chain scrape fast A#2: Hammer hit 3 (7 velocities, 2 variations) C3: Dime side-scrape slow (3 velocities) D3: Dime side-scrape medium (3 velocities) E3: Dime side-scrape fast (3 velocities) Large Steel Frame 2 – Higher pitched hits and scrapes from a three-sided 15”x15”x7” frame. C#3: Rod hits 1 (7 velocities, 3 variations) D#3: Rod hits 2 (7 velocities, 3 variations) F3: Dime edge-scrape slow (3 velocities) F#3: Muted rod hits (7 velocities, 3 variations) G3: Dime edge-scrape medium (3 velocities) G#3: Dime hit+scrape (7 velocities) A3: Dime edge-scrape fast (3 velocities) Large Steel Frame Bass-FX – Same mapping as Large Steel Frame 1, pitch-shifted down and filtered for a much deeper bass. Additionally, an automated high-pass filter is available via modwheel. Try layering both patches on the same channel! Large Steel Frame 1 / 2 (LR) – These patches have similar mapping as their main counterparts, but with left hand / right hand variations mapped to adjacent keys. For example, the Soft Mallet Hit on C#2 has the alternate hand on D2, F#2 hammer hit becomes F#2 and G2, and so on. There are no scrapes, rolls, or tremolos on these patches. Large Cylinder – Fingered hits and rolls from a hollow metal cylinder, 8.5” in diameter and 7” tall. C4: Roll (3 velocities) C#4: Hits (9 velocities, 3 variations) D#4: Lid hits (7 velocities, 3 variations) Large Cylinder Bass-FX – Same mapping as Large Cylinder, pitch-shifted down and filtered for a much deeper bass. Try layering both patches on the same channel! Large Cylinder (LR) – No rolls included. Hits on C#4 and D4, lid hits on D#4 and E4. Small Cylinder – Fingered hits from a hollow metal cylinder, 6.5” in diameter and 3.5” tall. F#4: Hits 1 (7 velocities, 3 variations) G#4: Hits 2 (7 velocities, 3 variations) Small Cylinder (LR) – Hits on F#4 and G4, G#4 and A4. Metal Spring – Plucks and scrapes from a 5.5” metal spring. A#4: Single pluck (7 velocities) C#5: Downwards grate (7 velocities) D#5: Upwards grate (8 velocities) Single Pluck Tuned – Tuned plucks from a 5.5” metal spring. C2-C4: Single plucks, tuned (7 velocities) Metal Cone – Various hits on a bell shape, 6.5” in diameter by 4” tall. F#5: Hammer hit, side (7 velocities, 2 variations) G#5: Hammer hit, edge (7 velocities, 2 variations) A#5: Soft mallet (7 velocities, 2 variations) Metal Cone (LR) – Side hit on F#5 and G5, Hammer hit on G#5 and A5, Soft mallet on A#5 and B5. FX Clang Ensemble 1 / 2 / 3 – These patches simulate a group of percussionists playing Large Steel Frames. The simplest way to build this ensemble is to load all three Clang patches onto a single channel; volume, tuning, and positioning are adjustable for each player individually via your sampler’s mixer. You can also scroll down and adjust the EQ settings to change the timbre of individual instruments as well. And finally, of course, you can load all three patches onto separate channels and sequence them separately. Clang Ensemble mapping is similar to Large Steel Frame 1 / 2 (LR) – hits are on black keys and the next adjacent white key, with no rolls, tremolos, or long scrapes. Please note that each Clang Ensemble patch includes hits from both Large Steel Frame 1 and 2, and that unlike other LR patches, round robin rules are still in effect. FX Giant Hits (all) – This “sound menu” patch contains processed ambient hits, sculpted from other Impact: Steel samples. If you are using the Kontakt 2 version of this patch, you can use the modwheel to increase the attack length – this can create very mellow, spooky background hits. Please note that for simplicity, this patch is mapped to white keys only. C3: Giant Hit full (2 velocity layers) D3: Giant Hit, resonant E3: Grey Steel F3: Underwater pipe G3: Tunnel hit A3: Horror hit B3: Deep cylinder, mellow C4: Deep cylinder (3 velocity layers) D4: Bellowing drone hit E4: Singing steel hit F4: Tearing steel G4: Piano scrape A4: Horror scrape B4: Big bright scrape FX Giant Hits - Bellowing Drone / Grey Steel / Horror Hit / Underwater – These Giant Hits patches are pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. In Kontakt 2, the same modwheel->attack control from the previous patch is available. FX Sweeps and Textures (all) – Ambient textures, drones, and sweeps, also sculpted from other Impact: Steel samples. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch features dynamic filtering via modwheel, allowing for realtime timbral control. Some patches are bound to a highpass filter, and others to a lowpass filter; this is indicated as HPF or LPF in the keymap list (again, this applies only to the Kontakt 2 version of this patch.) C4: Sweep - Deep Crisscross (HPF) D4: Sweep - Falling Scrape (LPF) E4: Texture - Underwater Drone (HPF) F4: Texture - Singing Steel (HPF) G4: Texture - Nuclear Reactor (HPF) A4: Texture - Buzzing Overtones (LPF) B4: Texture - Singing Overtones (LPF) FX Sweep - Deep Crisscross – A giant moving sweep with a 3D crisscross feel. Pitched and tuned, with range C3-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch adds a high-pass filter via modwheel. FX Sweep - Falling Scrape – A long, flanged scrape with some initial droning bass. Pitched and tuned, with range C3-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch adds a low-pass filter via modwheel. FX Texture - Buzzing Overtones – A thick buzzy tone with harmonics and sub-bass. Pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch is looped, and adds a low-pass filter via modwheel. FX Texture - Nuclear Reactor – A complex tone with strong pitched content, moving harmonics, sub-bass and both mellow and edgy components. Pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch is looped, and adds a high-pass filter via modwheel. FX Texture - Singing Overtones – Has a slight buzz, subtle bass, and a focus on the harmonics, producing a twisted yet angelic timbre. Pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch is looped, and adds a low-pass filter via modwheel. FX Texture - Singing Steel – A very thick, spooky tone without much pitched content, and some sub-bass. Pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch is looped, and adds a high-pass filter via modwheel. FX Texture - Underwater – A very mellow sound, with subtly evolving harmonics and a prominent sub-bass. Pitched and tuned, with range C2-C5. The Kontakt 2 version of this patch is looped, and adds a high-pass version via modwheel. TROUBLESHOOTING & FEEDBACK If you are experiencing difficulties with Impact: Steel, or would like to share any comments, questions, feedback, or experiences with the library (eg. projects you’ve used it on recently), please email support@impactsoundworks.com. We’d love to hear from you! COPYRIGHT & LICENSE AGREEMENT All sound recordings, performances, scripting and/or code contained in this product is the property of Impact Soundworks unless otherwise noted, and remain the property of Impact Soundworks after the product is purchased. This license extends only to the individual who purchases this product, unless that individual is purchasing on behalf of another individual, in which case it is the actual user of the product who is granted this license. The licensee is entitled to the use and unlimited editing of the product within the scope of music production and composition. The product may be installed on as many computer systems used by the licensee as desired, but in no case does a single license allow multiple individuals to use the product. The licensee may not use the product in the creation of other sample, sound effect, or loop libraries. The licensee may not use sound recordings contained in the product as individual sound effects for sound design work, unless the sounds are significantly processed, layered, and otherwise altered beyond recognition. The licensee may use the product in the creation of music for production libraries. Redistributing, reselling, electronically transmitting, uploading, sharing, or renting the product in any way, shape, or form is prohibited by law. The licensee may create a physical backup copy of any digitally purchased and downloaded product. This backup copy is subject to the same limitations as the original copy of the product, and may not be transferred to any other individual for any reason. Copyright © 2007 by Impact Soundworks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.