Spirits From Ainu

from the indigenous people in Japan

CD-ROM For ACID, WAV, REX2 AND KONTAKT

Okinawan Tradition

The Sounds Of Ryukyu Islands

CD-ROM For ACID, WAV, REX2 AND BATTERY

Spirits From Ainu

It is no secret that I enjoy music of other cultures. Up at discoverysound.com there are some pleasant samples from each CD and songs based on the content found on each disc. From our discussion, "Spirits From Ainu" is based on the founding form of Japanese folk music. Listen to the demo song up at discoverysound.com because it will give you a great idea of how flexible this library is.

The CD features Mukkuri, an instrument that sounds like a combination of U.S. Jaw Harp and lower register plucked and even blown instrument in the middle range. It can be used for rhythmic and percussion sounds but also has a quality to it, and in fact, is used as a contrapuntal instrument. The Mukkuri is a simple instrument with a rectangular body and what looks like a rope that is strung while either hit or blown. From the pictures I've seen it is hard to tell, but it makes sense from how it sounds.

There are four libraries of Tonkori, a instrument that has similarity to acoustic guitar yet resonates more and with less tonal change than a Dobro although the sound is somewhat familiar, although warmer and better articulated. There are several plucked melodies, Major and Minor chords as well. The Tonkori is a six string instrument in a board-like body with two pieces of wood held to the body, the bottom one looking somewhat like a guitar bridge and the top like a nut you'd find on a guitar; however, on the Tonkori the strings are tuned by six large tuners of a similar wood to the bridges. There are two strings strung at the top and four on the bottom. What appear to be sound holes are directly in the center of the bridge and at the bottom of the lower bridge where the strings terminate through the body. There appears to be sound holes in this area as well.

Last but far from least are the lovely vocals of Umeko Ando, who also performed the instrument samples and loops.

The Kontakt material allows you to play the Tonkori through a sampler providing you can read Kontakt format sample data. The samples loaded fine in Kontakt but were missing the flexibility and capability of Ms. Ando's playing technique.

In terms of sound and quality discoveryfirm do a stellar job of recording and performing. There is honesty to the performance, something I've grown to miss from the majority of synth or soundscape/effects type libraries. Not that they aren't good; many are stellar, but it's nice to hear someone performing with some soul.

Spirits From Ainu is a fresh break from the everyday sample library. It's reasonably priced and packed with features. Visit the web see and check out the extensive libraries these folks have assembled. I look forward to more of their work as there is an honesty in their work that is missing from music in general.

A must buy for the adventurous.

Okinawan Tradition

In or discussion I was told the Okinawan Tradition was a bit more "pop", which was somewhat difficult to fathom as my knowledge of Japanese pop music came from the film "Lost In Translation".

Just a look at the ACID folder. We used Sonar 4 and Live 4 for the review, so don't worry when you see the word ACID, these loops work fine in everything that uses them. The directory structure should lead you to a feel for this kit.

Construction Kits - 4 complete files to put together folk songs using Taiko drum, Sanshin, a stringed instrument close to the western instruments, mandolin and guitar, Sanba, which sound like hardwood sticks being struck together.

And then there are voices, lots of voices in both male and female lead vocals and backing vocals. Remember, these are Japanese voices singing in a folk idiom we are unfamiliar with and to some might sound a bit too "ethnic" or any code word you wish for, too foreign than you may feel comfortable with. Will you love or hate it? It's difficult to know beyond asking if you like different languages and the folk music of a substantial area of the world. For me, I can see use for this material. You may find some you can use while others you can't.

If you are still reading this review you probably have an interest in music beyond your culture. It's not criminal if you don't and honestly, while I wish more people would lean about others I dislike those who see people that don't love every type of music as criminals. I don't like thought police either, but ask yourself if you have ever bothered to listen to another cultures music, let alone work with it.

Beyond the Construction Kits are libraries of Percussion instruments including Sanba and Taiko. Taiko is a very effective drum for it's sound quality, somewhere between a African Djembe or wooden drum struck by hand. It has a large dynamic range.

The Sanba looks like two wooden blocks that are hit against one another. The instrument has a similar sound to traditional kit drum sticks hitting each other although the Sanba has a larger timbral range.

Both drum libraries have phrases and individual hits. They work well together and are easy to manipulate to get a good percussive groove without having tons of sound, and while I like tons of sound, it's nice to hear the simplicity found on several loops in this library.

Sound Effects feature the sound of the seashore called "Waves". It sounds good but doesn't really merit a entire category.

Of particular interest are the loops in the Stringed Instrument section. The consist of One Shot and looped material played on a Sanshin. The Sanshin is similar to a warmer, wooden tone banjo. The one shot Phrases section features ensemble work of multiple stringed instruments. It's a small section but features some of the more powerful melodic and structural elements. Voice is found on the disk in the form of female and male voice sections. I'm not quite sure what their meaning is but they are labled

Hayashi - female and male vocalizations within this style's idiom

Singing - or free form female singing and vocalizations

Tsurane - female vocalizations within this style's idiom

Wind Instruments

Fue - this is most likely the instrument people will think of as Japanese. It is a flute that is a bit more breathy than western flutes and has been in almost any Japanese film score composed in Hollywood or Tokyo.

The Yube Fue will wake up anyone listening. Pitched in the piccolo range with a harsh, thin and startling sound the Yube Fue loops are more effects like with a bit of sharp aggression added.

The Rex 2 files are excellent. If you don't have something to play them, this would be a good reason to buy a Rex 2 capable VSTi/DXi/AU etc. program.

If you have Native Instrument's Battery, Battery 2 or a sampler that can read the format, you'll get a nice extra, featuring Okinawan Percussion.

In all, another excellent CD filled with a good variety of loops, one shots and Rex 2 files that are well recorded and engaging.

To Conclude

I don't know this to be true as I am going by the feel of the music. I'm from the United States, to my ears, "Spirits of Ainu" seems more delicate and haunting, yet beautiful and almost sculpted. "Okinawan Tradition" feels more upbeat. It may have the same themes as the Ainu form of music, but it is almost slick, like comparing U.S. folk singers Woodie Guthrie to Peter, Paul and Mary.

Yet there is a significant cultural difference that I would hate to misinterpret. Both sets are well worth your consideration. If you are looking for different, another word used too frequently and not giving both collections their due, consider using both collections for texture and your interpretation of what they mean to you. Of the two, I prefer "Spirits of Ainu" but either library is a small treasure to people who are willing to broaden their horizons. I find both CDs interesting, inspiring and ripe for experimentation.

Strongly suggested.

Reviewer:

Bruce Satinover