Realsamples

Realsamples release their second immaculately conceived Italian Harpsichord library, featuring 8 different samples per note (4 releases per note), of a stunning rare Harpsichord recorded using the highest end channel strip. Some of the best harpsichord sounds on the market.

The French Harpsichord library features a double-manual instrument by renowned French builder Nicolas Pigalle. The instrument - built in Dijon in 1771 - features an "enchanting sound with singing clarity and a substantial bass", as Professor Beurmann explains. These qualities - along with its huge tone which also manages to bring out its delicate, sophisticated finesse and detail - make it is an excellent representation of the French style. "It is one of only two surviving harpsichords from Dijon, a city once so rich in musical tradition, the other also being by Pigalle.", he continues.

The Italian Harpsichord III library features an instrument built around 1690 by an anonymous maker. Featuring three sounds - a front and a rear 8' register as well both together - it allows for the traditional rich and slick Italian harpsichord tone, offering additional flexibility by choosing the adequate 8' or using the gentle 2 x 8' combination with its inspiring and complex harmonics.

The English Harpsichord library presents an instrument built by Jacob Kirckman in 1766. Due to its two manuals and many registers, the Kirckman harpsichord offers lots of unqiue sounds, sampled with 6 different register combinations, including the upper 8', lower 8' (principal 8'), both 8' together, the 4' register, the lute stop as well as the nasale stop only available with Kirckman instruments.

The 'Real Cello Collection' by Realsamples features a solo cello in all its glory. The instrument was captured with 32 velocity layers of each note plus additional pizzicato samples (32 velocity layers here as well). The pizzicato samples are also available in a stereo version with additional room ambiance.

Resamples deliver the follow-up to their exceptional English Spinet library, featuring 8 different samples per note (4 releases per note) of an exquisite rare Spinet recorded using only the highest-grade channel strip to ensure superlative quality.

Invented over 125 years ago, the celesta remains a nicely obscure yet fascinating instrument: It sports a vibrant, mellow and charming sound remeniscent of a vibra- phone, glockenspiel, marimba and a piano - yet a sound of its own. The celesta offers rich harmonics and bell-like tone that chimes with force.

The German Harpsichord 1741 library features another rare German harpsichord built by Christian Zell in 1741. The instrument provides an elusive majestic texture and beautiful upper mid harmonics unlike any other harpsichord. Residing at the Organeum in the Northern Germany, the harpsichord is in excellent playable condition.

The German Harpsichord 1738 library features one of the very few preserved historical German harpsichords, a very beautiful sounding instrument built by Christian Vater. The instrument - built in Hannover in 1738 - features very mellow low end and rich low mids, combined with majestic upper harmonics and a delicate treble range, which shows the German harpsichord tradition very well. Residing at the Germanische Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, the harpsichord remains in great playable condition.

This one is also about the responsive tone and feel of a Gretsch™ guitar, but this time we went with bridge pickup for an even clearer "twangy" sound. Otherwise we have the usual suspects here: It was played through a Fender™ tube reverb unit for that authentic vibe and went through a Carr™ Rambler® tube amplifier. Again, tube mic'ed and recorded through a Chandler™ Germanium® preamp.