The story
This is my first contribution to the Pianobook sampling community, and my first time sharing an instrument. I’ve been sampling since the Akai S900 days (also sampled for years on a K2000S), but only recently with Kontakt and Logic Sampler.
This drum thundered into my world at a time when I needed more to ‘strike’ than just a piano and a bass; and it has lived within arms reach in my studio ever since. I’m sure I don’t play a Djembe ‘properly’, if there is a proper way; nonetheless, the dynamic range and tonal possibilities are pretty great for a drum that usually sounds like itself.
A ‘playable’ instrument; good for finger-drummers. Samples are stereo but recording was a single StudioProjectsC3, about 18 inches from the drum. Mild harmonic and dynamics processing in Izotope Ozone. I left things relatively flat. Some may find the midrange to be thick but I went with it. One sample per key. All samples are lined up left-to-right as I played them in, so all ghost notes and flams work naturally in rolls from left to right, but also can work well in any combination.
Reviews for Djembe Hard Hits
- Sound
- Character
- Playability
- Inspiration
- GUI
Leave a review to let others know what you thought of the instrument!
Confusing layout, good hits
I don't know but I have a Kontakt version instead of an EXS one, therefore I'll be reviewing that instead. I found two different patches that have tons of different hits spread across the keyboard. Some are different, some act as round robins. This is better for programming accurately, but it's a little frustrating when it comes to performing.
With that aside, the sounds are good, with a touch of noise tailing after the hit. I also found some sounds getting cut in an unnatural way, but that may be a Kontakt issue on my end.
In case you fight frustrating to build complex and dynamic rhythms, Paul has you covered. He has another upload that features 18 different and nicely performed loops that you can use however you want!
