Available for download, Steel Drums from Spitfire Audio is a virtual instrument comprised of steel-pan drums samples. These idiophones were recorded for two primarily different usages: for orchestral material geared towards film, television, and video games on the one hand, and for modern RnB and EDM genres of music on the other. Scores of presets have been made available via Spitfire Audio's eDNA engine, and furthermore, these samples were performed by well-regarded percussionist Frank Ricotti (credits include Inception, Skyfall, Madagascar, and more) and recorded by Jake Jackson in AIR Studio's Lyndhurst hall—a sound stage of repute. This virtual instrument requires a full version of Native Instrument's Kontakt, and will work on all computers, platforms, and DAWs on which Kontakt is supported.
Notable Features
Microphone Approach
To facilitate a multitude of uses, different microphone positions were employed for capturing different perspectives. A standard orchestral "tree" array was employed for those who wish to use these idiophones in orchestral film, games, TV, and concert works. Closer and more focused positions for producers and composers who intend to use these steel-pan samples in modernistic genres of music, such as reggae, RnB, and EDM.
Sampling Approach
These steel-drums are extensively sampled to give represent the full range of the instrument, from soft to brash.
Interface Approach
This virtual instrument utilizes two interfaces—the standard "multi mic" designed for those familiar with our orchestral range, with front-end instant tweaking of articulations and the microphones being used. The samples have also been loaded into Spitfire Audio's eDNA engine for more esoteric uses.
The GUI Explained
Overview Panel
This panel gives you quick access, allowing you to view and load the different articulations, mic mixes, and essential controller functions. From there, you can re-assign various parameters to better suit your workflow.
General Controls Panel
This UI panel allows you to tweak more comprehensive settings, such as how many round robins you would like, and how you would like your round robins to behave. Additional controls are provided over how memory is organized alongside pitch options, and how note-velocity operates within the engine.
Ostinatum
Not quite an arpeggiator, not quite a sequencer, this panel allows you to build up complex patterns that react to your playing to achieve complex musical systems, giving you the ability to program tension beds, multi-tonguing effects, and more.
eDNA Engine
This engine is comprised of easy-to-use, intuitive scripts, through which two sets of sounds can be manipulated at once to create quirky, esoteric tones.
Presets and Articulations
Instruments Patches, Main Mic
- Cello Pan - Hits
- Cello Pan - Large Beater
- Cello Pan - Rolls
- Cello Pan - Small Beater
- Ensemble - Hits
- Lead Pan - Hits
- Lead Pan - Rolls
Instruments Patches, Alternative Mics
- Cello Pan - Hits
- Cello Pan - Large Beater
- Cello Pan - Rolls
- Cello Pan - Small Beater
- Ensemble - Hits
- Lead Pan - Hits
- Lead Pan - Rolls
Instruments Patches, Stereo Mixes
- Cello Pan - Hits
- Cello Pan - Large Beater
- Cello Pan - Rolls
- Cello Pan - Small Beater
- Ensemble - Hits
- Lead Pan - Hits
- Lead Pan - Rolls
eDNA Patches
- Amazing Hit Super Bright - Use Ds
- Amazing Hit
- Angry SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Awesome Filthy SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Awesome Saturated SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Bright Dirty Pans SEQ - RT Fast
- Bright Dirty Pans SEQ 2 - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Bright Dirty Pans SEQ 2 dry - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Descending Robot Insects - MW is Gate
- Distorted Super Duper Tight Hits
- Distorted Super Tight Hits
- Extra Jamaican Hits Flashy
- Extra Jamaican Hits Gated
- Extra Jamaican Hits
- Good Bass Provided You Like That Note MW is Pitch
- il-Defined Pad In Church With Robots - MW is filter
- Lo Fi Organ Pad - MW is Filter
- Low End Long Hits Dry And Farty
- Low End Long Hits
- Massive Distant Hit Low End
- Massive Hit Low End
- Mellow Gritty SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Mellow Pans - RT - Wet
- Mellow Pans - RT Fast - Wet
- Phased Power Chords Gated - MW is Filter
- Poorly Refined Pad - MW is filter
- Power Chords - MW is Filter
- Power Chords Gated - MW is Filter
- Prehistoric Pad - MW is Filter
- Rusty Gate Pad - MW is filter
- Scaffolding Hits Dry
- Scaffolding Hits
- Simple Lovely SEQ Fatter - RT Slow - MW Stutter Gate
- Simple Lovely SEQ Trips - RT Slow - MW Stutter Gate
- Simple Lovely SEQ Trips n Filter - RT Slow - MW Stutter Gate
- Siren Gate - MW is Filter
- Slow Stutter SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Slow Stutter SEQ 3 - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Slow Stutter SEQ lpf - RT Fast - MW Fun
- Soft Attack and Wet Hits
- Steal Side RT - Wet
- Steel Drone - MW is filter
- Steel Drone 2 - MW is filter
- Steel Drone 3 - MW is filter
- Super Massive Distant Hit Low End
- Super Tight Great Played Quietly
- Super Tight Xtra Jamaican Hits
- Surprisingly Useful Punchy Fart Bass
- Tight and Dry Hits - MW is Formant
- Underwater Organ Pad - MW is Filter
- Very Angry SEQ - RT Fast - MW Fun
Microphones and Mixes
Microphones
- Close
- Tree
- Ambient
- Outrigger
- Close Ribbon
- Stage
- Gallery
Mixes
- Fine
- Medium
- Broad