Orchestral Tools: Monolith (first recording at Air Studios)

[Guy Rowland]

It was teased on April 1st, but it wasn’t an April Fool:

Monolith puts an otherwise unattainable collection of rare and antique drums at your fingertips—a choir of 53 big drums, carefully tuned and voiced, playable as ensembles and as single instruments. From thundering bass blasts to intricate polyrhythms, Monolith offers a vast range of sonic options. Captured in great detail at AIR Studios' Lyndhurst Hall, this is a new take on cinematic percussion—a powerful contemporary sound with a detailed and organic edge.

53 rare and unique drums, 68 patches
Ensembles and selected single instruments
All drums carefully tuned and voiced
Hits, flams, and upbeats
Multiple beater options
Dynamic keyboard mapping
Alternative mapping options and processed patches
20 dynamic layers
10 mic positions
Recorded at Lyndhurst Hall, AIR Studios

https://www.orchestraltools.com/store/c ... s/monolith

Intro price €199, RRP €299.

There’s been a lot of percussion offers and new releases recently in a crowded marketplace. I wonder if the lure of Air will be enough to push more people over the edge here.

[GR Baumann]

On a side note: Someone telling me about "culturally important instruments", and "rare antics", naturally I would like to get more in depth Information. Well, perhaps this is delivered at some stage?

https://changpuakmagazine.com/en-articl ... ION/83075/

P.S.
Scratch the above, see here:

[Lawrence]

Has OT recorded at AIR before? Are we about to see a merger of monoliths?

[Guy Rowland]

Has OT recorded at AIR before? Are we about to see a merger of monoliths?

I believe this is a first. Don’t quote me, but I think Spitfire had exclusive use of Air for sample libraries, but this has expired.

[My name is Nobody]

So we can expect a Spitfire library recorded at teldex soon ? ;-)

[doctoremmet]

Richard Harvey’s percussion apparently is “permanently stored” at Air and is too fragile / valuable to move, according to OT. That’s why they recorded there. I do not think this is anything more than that.

[wst3]

Considering the fantastic sound of their libraries as a whole I don't know why they would mess with success.

Monolith looks (and sounds) cool, but I have a handful of percussion libraries that I am still learning. That, and $200 is just a wee bit steep.

[GR Baumann]

But Bill, the animal skin heads, and hold on to your butts folks, some of which where even blessed , exude this majestic aura, now, this alone is worth a...

*whispers... A bloody flying bullshit!*

All but one of the drums have animal skin heads, and some are over 100 years old—these antiques not only sound amazing, they also emanate a majestic aura of musical history.

How I despise this marketing crap!

[lofi]

All but one of the drums have animal skin heads, and some are over 100 years old—these antiques not only sound amazing, they also emanate a majestic aura of musical history.
How I despise this marketing crap!

Animal skin does sound different from synthetic, as does coated or clear heads etc…
My guess is that older skin sounds different from “newer”. I’ve played a few “historical” timpani’s that did sound completely different from new ones. But to be honest they were made of wood not metal, so there was a lot of different factors chiming in.
So all good information in the text above if you ask me.

Do I understand correctly that your despise is in the “majestic aura” wording or is there more that I’ve missed.
I’m asking because I’m curious and also because I’m trying to learn so that I don’t make the same mistakes when I write (or edit the AI-text :-) ) information about my instruments.

Not trying to pick a fight,
/Anders

[GR Baumann]

Jap, "majestic aura of musical history" precisely Anders.

Sure thing, you are right, I played on a >100 year old Boesendorfer 290 Imperial in Vienna once, I played Imperials before, and sure there was something special about it, but honestly, this is true for every instrument, even analog synths.

Just that imho over the top marketing always triggers me.

[lofi]

Jap, "majestic aura of musical history" precisely Anders.

Sure thing, you are right, I played on a >100 year old Boesendorfer 290 Imperial in Vienna once, I played Imperials before, and sure there was something special about it, but honestly, this is true for every instrument, even analog synths.

Just that imho over the top marketing always triggers me.

Right.
Thanks for the explanation.
I’m afraid you’ll probably get some from my upcoming releases.
“This marimba was found roaming the wilderness searching for a soulmate etc…”
So sorry in advance.
Best,
/Anders

[Lawrence]

Jap, "majestic aura of musical history" precisely Anders.

Sure thing, you are right, I played on a >100 year old Boesendorfer 290 Imperial in Vienna once, I played Imperials before, and sure there was something special about it, but honestly, this is true for every instrument, even analog synths.

Just that imho over the top marketing always triggers me.

Right.
Thanks for the explanation.
I’m afraid you’ll probably get some from my upcoming releases.
“This marimba was found roaming the wilderness searching for a soulmate etc…”
So sorry in advance.
Best,
/Anders

Ha!!

[GR Baumann]

[GR Baumann]

“This marimba was found roaming the wilderness searching for a soulmate etc…”

This unique instrument will trigger your utmost primal instincts. Demons of ancient times were called by the sacred sound of the plates, for each of which a month of gruesome blood sacrifice rituals had to be performed. *All original blood stains preserved!*

Recorded in St. Peter's Basilica.
666 microphones.
Total download size 71Terabyte

Stone-Age 'Marimba' Is Discovered in Vietnam; Rock Plates Pitched in Java Scale May Be 5,000 Years Old

THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 18, 1954

[GR Baumann]

That being said, Orchestral Tools omission of the historically most important skin head is inexplicable.

https://vi-control.net/community/thread ... st-5524155