The provided source material details several free digital sampling resources for the bodhrán, a traditional Irish frame drum, available to musicians in the UK. These resources range from standalone Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins to sample libraries compatible with free players. The offers are provided by companies such as The Crow Hill Company, Libre Wave, and Xtant Audio. The following article summarises the features, eligibility, and technical specifications of these free offers based on the available documentation.
The Crow Hill Company: Vaults Solo Bodhrán
The Crow Hill Company offers a free instrument called "Solo Bodhrán" as part of its continuing "Vaults" series. This VST plugin is described as a native Irish bodhrán drum featuring evolving rhythmic patterns and multi-samples.
Features and Functionality
The plugin is designed to provide an authentic sound and includes specific controls for customisation:
- Key Mapping: The instrument uses a specific MIDI key layout.
- White Keys: Trigger 15 monophonic dynamic phrases. Each white key note features a unique rhythmical pattern, which is a pre-recorded performance loop of the Celtic bodhran percussion.
- Black Keys: Trigger 10 polyphonic individual drum one-shots. These contain at least two round robins (sample variations) per hit.
- Sync Capabilities: Every phrase loop can be synced to the user's Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) tempo (host BPM).
- Expressive Control: Users can change the rhythm expressively using their MIDI controller mod-wheel and the CC#1 mappable Rhythm parameter.
- Dynamic Control: A "Distance" parameter is included, likely functioning as a Decca Tree microphone signal or a farther-away-placed stereo microphone simulation.
- Effects Section: The plugin includes several built-in effects:
- Crush: A bitcrusher and distortion module.
- Squeeze: A compressor.
- Echo: A ping-pong delay.
- Splosh: A lush reverb. Users can reverse the position of Echo and Splosh in the effects chain.
- Interface: The plugin utilizes the familiar Vaults interface, which is described as tailor-made for use with a small fader controller.
Availability and Technical Specifications
- Duration: As with all Vault instruments, Solo Bodhrán will remain available for 6 months before being archived.
- Formats: It comes as a VST3 plugin for Windows PC and Mac (64-bit). It is also supported in the Audio Units (AU) format and AAX (Avid Audio Extension).
Libre Wave: Modern Bodhrán
A new VST plugin and sample library titled "Modern Bodhrán" has been released by Libre Wave. This product is designed to offer musicians a realistic and authentic way to add the sound of this iconic instrument to their music.
Features and Specifications
- Sample Depth: The library features over 13,000 carefully performed samples.
- Instrument Scope: The samples were captured from 4 different bodhrán drums.
- Compatibility: The library is designed for use with the "Free Rhapsody Player" provided by Libre Wave.
- Sound Design: The library includes a variety of sound design tools to further customise the drum sounds. These tools allow users to shape the Bodhrán into a more modern sound, potentially using effects similar to those mentioned in other libraries (such as crush or compression).
Xtant Audio: Paddy’s Percussion
Xtant Audio provides "Paddy’s Percussion," a sample library featuring over 1,300 bodhrán and cajón samples.
Sample Content and Recording Techniques
- Content: The library includes both individual hits and looped rhythms.
- Dynamic Layers: Both instruments were recorded with up to six dynamic layers.
- Round Robin Repetitions: The Bodhrán samples include 10x round robin repetitions to reduce machine-gun effects, while the Cajón includes 6x.
- Variations: Multiple hand positions were recorded to provide a variety of tones and timbres.
Technical Details and Controls
- Microphone Mixer: The library includes a mixer for four different microphone channels, all in close positions:
- Channel 1: Bass drum microphone (placed behind the sound hole on the Cajón).
- Channel 2: Cardioid AKG c214.
- Channel 3: Shure SM57 dynamic microphone.
- Channel 4: Omnidirectional AKG c214.
- Users can adjust the volume (V) and pan (P) of each channel individually. There are also "purge" buttons to unload samples for channels not in use to save memory.
- Rhythm Controls:
- A rhythm slider sets the playback speed of pre-recorded rhythms from 50% to 200%.
- Kontakt’s Time Machine 2 mode is used to provide accurate time stretching.
- At the default position (100%), rhythms play back at the speed they were recorded.
Conclusion
The available free resources for bodhrán samples in the digital music space focus primarily on the "Vaults Solo Bodhrán" by The Crow Hill Company, the "Modern Bodhrán" by Libre Wave, and "Paddy’s Percussion" by Xtant Audio. These offers provide varying degrees of functionality, from simple key-mapped loops and one-shots to complex microphone mixers and rhythm time-stretching. While the Crow Hill Company offer is a temporary free plugin with a 6-month availability window, the others appear to be sample libraries requiring a player (such as the free Rhapsody player or potentially a full version of Kontakt, though the latter is not explicitly stated for Paddy's Percussion). Users seeking these resources should note the specific technical requirements and availability windows mentioned in the source data.