ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments now consists of 264 instruments, being summarized in approximately 620 patches, 10 construction sets and 5 shaker sets. For the most authentic sound, the instruments have been recorded with different play techniques that can be easily and precisely accessed from the patches by key-switches. The library consists of 24.7 gigabytes (uncompressed) of sample data and 23,559 samples. All instruments are delivered in a resolution of 24 bit and 44.1 kHz.

For the recordings that have been carried out under the direction of producer Andreas Hofner, over 70 musicians from all over the world were involved. Recordings took place in different local studios with the use of first-class gear such as microphones by Neumann and Brauner, SPL preamplifiers and converters by RME.

ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments comprises an incredible spectrum of instruments from the most diverse regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, North- and South-America. Here, you will find the fitting instruments for folkloric, ethnic as well as for modern music.

Instruments

The library contains an extensive selection of stringed instruments, plucked and bowed for the recordings, as well as the most different woodwinds including numerous flutes and, of course, a large selection of drums and percussion.

Beside the film-score-proven taikos and big ethnic tom drums, there are hundreds of inspiring  loops and even a complete category which is dedicated to “Gongs, Bells & Metal Type Instruments”, ranging from the large big feng gong to delicately sparkling wind chimes. New in ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments are some unique sounds such as the two meter spanning gong by Paiste, several new percussion-instruments and a waterphone.

Almost all sections of the predecessor have been expanded once again. In addition, a couple of instruments of ETHNO WORLD 5 have been re-recorded, among then a new mandolin and a great sounding banjo programmed with countless articulations and licks, being played by one of Germanys best banjo-players, Rüdiger Helbig.

Furthermore, you will now find a concertina, an autoharp, a Japanese koto, the aforementioned new mandolin with multiple play styles, a South-American charango, a bansuri, bass quena and an Indian flute plus additional play styles for the instruments launeddas, mancosedda, dvojacka and the Irish traverse flute.

Content

ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments contains all sounds of the previous versions, being sorted in the categories “Bowed Instruments”, “Stringed Instruments”, “Woodwind & Brass”, “Key Instruments”, “World Drums”, “World Percussion” and “Gongs, Bells & Metals”.

In addition, a good number of special instruments have been newly recorded for version 6. Among these is the new “Gamelan” category containing two different gamelan orchestras from Bali and Java, available in slendro, pelog and international tunings, being recorded in Munich's Stadtmuseum. Here, you will find more than 25 instruments such as kempli, kendhang drums, cheng cheng, bells, kecer cymbals, kethuk and kempiang.

ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments also unlocks an entire new region by offering a complete ensemble of alpine folk music including plucking instruments, brass as well as male and female yodelers. Find instruments like the Styrian harmonica, a nylon stringed concert guitar, zither, raffele, dulcimer, alpenhorn, flugelhorn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, folk-violin and two clarinets. And of course, an acoustic bass is not missing.

For historical contexts, such as historic drams and fantasy movies, ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments offers a large selection of medieval instruments, among them a hurdy gurdy, renaissance lute, fife, doucaine, shawm, pasalterium, pump organ and a shruti box. In short: all instruments needed for songs about fire and ice.

The Interface

ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments uses the free Kontakt 5 Player by Native Instruments as its sample-engine and can of course be used with the full version of Kontakt 5, too. For the new version, the user-interface has been completely redesigned graphically and optimized for ultra fast access. There are numerous editing possibilities as well as innovative functions. ETHNO WORLD 6 Instruments supports the Native Kontrol Standard (NKS), which allows tagging and interaction with the NI Komplete Kontrol keyboards and NI Maschine.