Musikmesse 2015Spitfire Audio adds Artisan Cello and Artisan Violin for Kontakt to its Producer Portfolio

Spitfire Audio has announced availability of PP015 Artisan Cello and PP016 Artisan Violin — the latest additions to its Producer Portfolio range of sample-based virtual instruments for Native Instruments' Kontakt 5 platform. Artisan Cello and Artisan Violin can be purchased and downloaded directly from Spitfire Audio for £99.00 each (subject to VAT within the EU). Both libraries require the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 5 to run.

PP015 Artisan Cello represents the next instalment in Spitfire Audio's performance-orientated range of sample-based virtual instruments. This time, the London-based compositional tools creator has turned to fellow London-based cellist Chris Worsey. As such, it is centred around a sophisticated sample-based virtual instrument with a host of 'artisan' phrases, together with standard and additional techniques, including 'Performance Vibrato' to provide a realistic-sounding out-of-the-box instrument.

PP016 Artisan Violin supplements Spitfire Audio's Producer Portfolio further still, showcasing the talents of Warren Zielinksi to create the perfect parter to PP015 Artisan Cello. Like Chris Worsey, Warren is one of London's most active session players, performing on over 1,500 popular songs and 200 film scores. Film highlights include Shakespeare In Love, Gladiator, the latest James Bond franchise, and many more besides. Pop and rock recording highlights include albums for Sting, Madonna, David Gilmour, and Joni Mitchell's epic Both Sides Now, arranged by Vince Mendoza. Warren is also a regular featured soloist on the BBC's popular Strictly Come Dancing TV show.

Spitfire Audio co-founder and Director Paul Thomson has this to say about PP016 Artisan Violin, though these comments are also applicable to PP015 Artisan Cello: "The idea is that you have three patches — a Performance Patch, which enables you to just play and get great results without key-switching, and all that kind of stuff; the various articulations, with each articulation split out and separated; and then the Time Machine articulations, which are incredibly useful for getting different lengths out of the short notes. If you automate this with a MIDI CC, then you can get really nice, interesting parts — nice and simple to use. It takes a little bit more memory, because you're loading the entire sample so that you can stretch and compress it."

Watch Paul Thomson's video walkthroughs:

PP015 Artisan Cello: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYGEdswYxVk

PP016 Artisan Violin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4m4vl57jhA