Recording - June 2017 - 24

Soundware Showcase

Spitfire Audio
Albion V Tundra
By Darwin Grosse
What do you do with a sample library that brags about having
been recorded "at the edge of silence"? How could it possibly
be useful? Well, when you put innovative recordings together
with the mastermind sound designers at Spitfire Audio, you get
a sound library that has more than a few surprises up its sleeve.

Breakdown of the sounds

The library name-Tundra-evokes cold, dark and chilling
feelings, and these are completely embraced by the included sounds.
The use of quietly-recorded orchestras, along with uniquely articulated
instruments, provides a not-quite-normal halo around all the samples.
Combine this with a Spitfire staple-the availability of multiple mic
positions and instrument playing styles-and you have a remarkable
sound set that can expand your ideas of an orchestral instrument.
Tundra features more than 28,000 samples spread over 57 GB
(uncompressed; it takes 89 GB of free space to install, but then
takes up 45 GB on your disk in normal use). You can get it as
a download or pay for it to be shipped to you preinstalled on a
hard drive. It works with Native Instruments Kontakt or the free and
included Kontakt Player, and is organized around five subsets.
The first, and largest, is the Tundra Orchestra, which features
a 100-piece orchestra recorded with a variety of mics in
many different playing styles. The sounds are beautiful and
gentle-sounding, and are enhanced by a built-in reverb that
is perfectly matched to the orchestral sound. You have access
to string, woodwind, and brass sections, each with separate
high and low instrument groupings. You will also find an additional
'soft and wild' group for the high and low strings, which
includes very quiet recordings and edge-case articulations
(including several types of col legno, pizzicato and tremolos).
The second subset is called Brunel Loops, and features sequenced and
effected loops that combine a pair of samples with massive amounts of
modulation, a rhythmic sequencing system and a crossfader. This is all
built upon a script-based system that Spitfire calls the eDNA interface,
and which lets you morph between sample sets to create even more
movement. There is also a serious amount of FX processing available
to make these sequenced loops sound like fully-mastered production
tracks. In a similar vein, the third subset-Stephenson's Steam Band-
takes the orchestral samples and uses the eDNA interface to create dark
and movement-filled drones and pads. Many of the included presets
take advantage of the mod wheel to give even more sonic control.
Another subset is labeled Darwin Percussion (love the name!), which
is simple-just 20 percussion voices in a single preset-but is a set that
will see action whenever you need to get people's attention. Imagine the
percussion that you'd hear at the beginning of any adventure movie:
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RECORDING June 2017

that's what you'll be banging out with this preset. Finally, rounding up
the library, is the Vral Grid, which is a special-purpose drone machine
that uses another custom Spitfire interface (the Evo Grid) to provide an
innovative way to create drone-y pads and backgrounds.

Elaborating on the presets

The user interface for each of the library subsets is purpose-built.
The eDNA interface, used for the Brunel Loops and Stephenson's
Steam Band, provides quick access to a large array of modulations,
sequences and realtime controls-perfect for the kind of
performative work that is 'home base' for this part of the library.
The Tundra Orchestra and Darwin Percussion sets feature an
interface similar to other Spitfire libraries, with an Easy Mode
for defining space and expression, and an Advanced Mode that
allows you to manage microphone selection and controller use.
The Evo Grid provided with the Vral Grid set is an oddity; you select
individual 'evolutions' for different note ranges across the keyboard,
then use MIDI input to created combined-and often spooky-
drones. This initially irked me: "How could they make something so
illogical?" Then I tried it, and I became a believer. Tons of fun, super
musical and inspiring, and a unique playing experience!

Conclusion

No word describes Spitfire Audio's libraries better than 'cinematic', and Albion V Tundra lands solidly in that realm. From the
warm embrace of the Tundra Orchestra to the chest-pounding
rumbles of the Brunel Loops and Darwin Percussion, everything
about this library screams depth, power, and a high-gloss sheen.
Add in the instant background created by the Vral Grid and
Stephenson's Steam Band sets, and you have all the tools to create
anything from a gold-standard Hollywood action score to an
amazing ambient soundscape. This library has so much content,
and so many ways to approach it, that I could only scratch the
surface in this review, but at every turn it provided beautiful,
compelling results. Another brilliant library from Spitfire!

PRICE: £399 (approx. $519 as of press time)
MORE FROM: Spitfire Audio, www.spitfireaudio.com

http://www.spitfireaudio.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - June 2017