Publisher : Rhythmic Robot Audio
Website : rhythmicrobot
Format : KONTAKT 4.2.3+
Quality : 24 bit 44.1 kHz stereo
Description : An alternative incarnation of an antique Victorian music box!
• Hundreds of samples for natural variation and character
• Sound design provided by synthesized FM tones, reversed samples and altered pitches
• Sampled sounds of the box clicks, buzzes and hisses
• 38 factory patches inspired by real and alternate worlds.
Long before the Rhodes piano was used to play rock and roll, small resonating metal plates existed and could be found beneath the ornate carvings of Victorian music boxes. Some of these machines were incredibly intricate, featuring moving figures that twirled, danced, gestured, or seemed to speak before retreating into hiding. Larger machines could have removable and interchangeable drums, allowing different tunes to be played. All were more or less crude attempts to bring the music of a symphony or chamber orchestra into the home, so that it could be listened to whenever desired. The
Music Box contains all of this groovy heritage, but of course combines some more modern flair. At its core, the Music Box was sampled from a 3-octave professional music machine that plays its tunes using perforated paper rolls, and which could play a piano instead of a drum. This allows the user to create any tune they wish. To record this, we attached it to the deck of our Takamine acoustic guitar, tuned the open strings in unison, and capoed the neck to match the note we were sampling – so the guitar’s body adds a healthy dose of musically meaningful resonance to the initial plate selection.
These basic notes are accompanied in the interface by several additional sound sets: a set of release samples that add little clicks, buzzes, and sound effects to the recording (great for introducing an authentic Victorian atmosphere); a looped mechanism sound, giving you a wind-up sound for those moments when you want to emulate the right tone of a music box; and four synthesized tones that expand the sonic palette considerably. One is a simple sub-oscillator that boosts the sound, while the next three are more harmonious FM tones generated by our wonderful Yamaha DX5. They allow you to extend the basic music box sound into much more creative territories and have their own ADSR curve.
Another cool feature comes from toggling the sample reverser – great for creepy, creepy tones, plus a pitch shifter that forcibly drops the pitch a couple of octaves, giving you access to grumbling, mysterious sounds and groans. Combined with the synthesized tones and effects panel, you can immediately immerse the Music Box in the heart of sound design.
Whether you’re going for an authentic vintage music box sound or some sort of alternate steampunk Frankenstein vibe, the Music Box is here to add atmosphere and weirdness to your compositions.
