Koto Nation: Classical Instruments of Japan
An Impact Soundworks Sample Library
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Overview
We created Koto Nation out of a desire to see traditional Japanese instruments receive a deep,
thorough sampling treatment, much like our acclaimed North Indian sample library Sitar Nation. While
there are a handful of libraries which include samples of the koto and shamisen, they feature only the
most basic articulations and few (if any) velocities or round robins. The bass koto has never been
sampled at all!
Given the popularity of the shakuhachi and taiko in many Western film soundtracks, we wanted to allow
film composers, hobbyist producers, ethnomusicologists, anime fans and everyone in between access
to these classic instruments and complete the repertoire of traditional Japanese sounds available.
This library includes thousands of samples spanning a wide variety of both traditional and extended
playing techniques. We’re confident that this is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive koto, bass
koto and shamisen library ever to be released. We encourage you to take the time to read this manual
in its entirety and learn more about the making of the library as well as how to use it to its fullest
potential.
Thank you, and please enjoy Koto Nation!
Sound Content
The library has patches split into two categories: "Natural" and "FX". The Natural patches are authentic
recordings with no processing, while the FX patches use offline and live processing to mangle and
morph the sounds into a less traditional, but very interesting new form.
There are 14 Koto Combinator patches, 7 Bass Koto patches, and 2 Shamisen patches, along with 9
FX patches.The NN-XT patches are used within the Combinator patches and contain the same audio,
without the bonus effects and tweaks in the Combinator.
Please note that this library focuses on depth of sampling as opposed to hundreds of patches with
relatively few samples. We meticulously recorded thousands of samples for these instruments with
multiple velocity (dynamic) layers, round robin (RR) variations, articulations, and other techniques.
User Interface (UI)
All patches share some common features in the Combinator UI.
* Mid-Sweep / EQ: When EQ is enabled, the Mid-Sweep knob controls the frequency boost range.
* Squash / Saturator: When Saturator is enabled, the Squash knob controls the depth of the saturation.
* Reverb: Adds reverb ambience to the instrument.
* Imager: Enables stereo widening.
* Release: Controls the release time of the sounds.
* Limiter: Adds a hard limiter to prevent clipping.
The Thor instance labeled Thor FX adds a couple of additional controls:
* DDL / DDL Feedback: Digital delay and feedback amount.
* Chorus / Chorus Mod/Rate: Digital chorus and modulation amount/rate.
The Modwheel adds vibrato.
Patch List
Bass Koto Glissando
Contains a wide variety of glissandos played on the bass koto, and triggered from C0 to G6.
Bass Koto Mutes
A muted articulation played from A#-1 to G2. Playing higher velocities triggers a double-stroke.
Bass Koto Pizzicato
A pizzicato (plucked) articulation played from A#-1 to G2.
Bass Koto Slides
A selection of slides played along the body of the bass koto. These are mapped on C1 through A1, and
again on C2 through A2, on the white notes only.
Bass Koto Sustains
The primary bass koto patch, mapped from A#-1 to G2 and featuring deep-sampled picked sustains of
the instrument.
Bass Koto Tonal Hits
A selection of string 'hits' played across multiple strings of the bass koto. These are mapped from C1 to
G#1 and repeated on upper octaves.
Bass Koto Wood Hits
Percussive hits played on the body of the bass koto, mapped from C0 to C4.
Koto Articulations KSW
The "master" koto patch which contains a variety of different articulations with a default playable range
spans from C1 to C4. The default articulation is a picked sustain sound, which can be changed by
pressing and holding C0 through D#0 (also known as "keyswitching"). The other articulations include:
C0: Picked sustained octaves.
C#0: Hard string pluck.
D0: Pizzicato.
D#0: Tremolo.
Koto Atonal Glissando
Various glissandos played on the reverse side of the koto's bridge, creating a highly atonal and
dissonant sound. A unique glissando is mapped on each key from C2 to B4.
Koto Hard Pluck
A single pluck on the koto strings mapped across the full keyboard (C0 to G5). This non-standard
articulation involves very harshly plucking a single string.
Koto Harmonics
Natural picked harmonics played from C1 to D3.
Koto Hits
An articulation played by striking an individual string on the koto to produce a very percussive but tonal
hit, mapped from C1 to C4.
Koto Mordents KSW
Similar to the Articulations KSW patch, this patch is based on the default sustain sound, but uses C0
and C#1 to trigger whole tone 'mordents' (pitch bends up and then down). C0 is a slower mordent while
C#1 is faster.
Koto Octaves
Picked octaves (two strings played simultaneously) mapped from C1 to C3.
Koto Phrases KSW
A musical phrase mapped to notes along the hirajoshi tuning scale (D, G, A, A#, D, etc.) The phrase
can be changed by pressing and holding C0.
Koto Pizzicato
A pizzicato (plucked) articulation played from C1 to C4.
Koto Scrapes
Non-tonal scrapes created by dragging a pick along the koto strings in various fashions. Mapped from
C2 to A2.
Koto Sustains
The bread-and-butter, deep-sampled sound of the koto picked in a traditional style with finger picks.
Mapped from C1 to C4.
Koto Tonal Glissando
A huge array of glissandos mapped from C0 to C6. These include down glissandos, up and then down,
up-only, various speeds, and dynamics mapped to velocity.
Koto Tremolo
A tremolo (repeated picking) articulation played at a free tempo, mapped from C1 to C4.
Koto Vibrato KSW
The standard koto sustain articulation with two keyswitches available on C0 and C#1. These
keyswitches trigger a true recorded vibrato articulation: C0 is slow vibrato, C#0 is fast.
Shamisen Bends KSW
A phrase-based pitch bend articulation mapped from C1 to C4. The default articulation is a double
stroke and whole tone bend up. Pressing and holding C0 triggers an alternate pitch bend utilizing a
neck slide, and C#1 triggers a slower half-tone bend down.
Shamisen Sustains
A shamisen played in the jiuta style; picked sustains mapped from C1 to C4. Very bright and
percussive!
** Note: All FX patches below are similar in that they provide synth-like sounds mapped over a large
part of the keyboard. Since they are more creative in purpose and scope, they do not require a special
explanation or usage guide, thus we have simply listed them! **
With all patches below, the modwheel affects the tone or timbre in some way.
Basskoto Ambiance
BK Neon Drops
BK Warm Pad
Broken Android Tremolo
Deep Drone
Electric FM BK
Koto Eternal Gliss
Koto Taikos
Pentatonic Organ Pad
Credits
Sitar Nation was designed, edited, and produced by Andrew Aversa. It was recorded by Alec Henninger
in Philadelphia, PA and performed by Masayo Ishigure.
Reason conversion by Anthony Mena.
Troubleshooting and Feedback
Have you used this library in a project recently or have a demo or song that you’d like to share? You
can email us (admin@impactsoundworks.com) or tell the world at our Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/ImpactSoundworks
You can also catch us on Twitter at @ISoundworks!
We encourage all our users to share and promote their work. Word of mouth is the #1 way people find
our samples, so it also helps us to produce more great libraries for you! For any technical support
issues regarding the library, don’t hesitate to email support@impactsoundworks.com.
Copyright and 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 © 2013 Impact Soundworks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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