looking for instrument "Duduk"

[synaesthesia]

The duduk in Silk is fantastic. The one in Ethno World is not bad, but not quite in the same league.

Although I don't have it (yet!), the duduks in Eduardo Tarilonte's Desert Winds sounds far and away the best though. Absolutely sublime sound and realism.

[opus_diaboli]

The duduk in Silk is fantastic. The one in Ethno World is not bad, but not quite in the same league.

Although I don't have it (yet!), the duduks in Eduardo Tarilonte's Desert Winds sounds far and away the best though. Absolutely sublime sound and realism.

There's one thing I don't like on Tarilonte's duduk in Desert Winds: it seems that it doesn't have those sharp sounding overtones which occur when you overblow a tone on a duduk. All the samples seems to be quite smooth and that doesn't reflect the sound character of a real duduk. But I may be wrong because I don't own this lib, I can only judge listening to those demos.

[Xenobt]

The duduks I mentioned earlier from the Sampletank World Instruments Xpansion Tank have the over-blown body resonance you're talking about.

There's one that's all softer soprano sax-like tone, another thats hard, with lots of overtone, and one that velocity switches between the two. It's not a smooth crossfade, since ST doesn't do that, but still a nicely expressive instrument.

It also features duduk "breath" and "abend" patches, plus hundreds of other ethnic wind, stringed and percussion instruments. VERY nice set!

KVR/eSoundz: Xenobt

[GalleryHakon]

There's one thing I don't like on Tarilonte's duduk in Desert Winds: it seems that it doesn't have those sharp sounding overtones which occur when you overblow a tone on a duduk. All the samples seems to be quite smooth and that doesn't reflect the sound character of a real duduk. But I may be wrong because I don't own this lib, I can only judge listening to those demos.

I thought about that too, and I think you're right. Eduardo certainly seems to have nailed the kind of smooth duduk sound that is so ubiquitous in most epic film soundtracks these days, though, and - like all of his excellent sample work - the legato playing is absolutely brilliant. My guess is it is cheaper than hiring Djivan Gasparyan, and yet it covers much of the same sound as you'd get if you did hire the master himself.

Speaking of Djivan Gasparyan, it's a shame he doesn't sing more often. His voice is absolutely beautiful and even sounds a bit duduk-like in timbre, merging perfectly with the sound of his instrument of choice. If I were working on a major sword-and-sandal movie soundtrack that required a duduk and we had the budget to hire him, I'd get him to do voice work too.

[brick]

Worth checking out :

http://www.ilyaefimov.com/products/duduk.html

[GalleryHakon]

I hadn't heard of Ilya Efimov's one, but I'd say that it sounds absolutely brilliant. I was actually listening to Djivan Gasparyan's music when I went and listened to the samples there, and there was a moment when I forgot I was listening to the sample library demos and though I was listening to Gasparyan again, so I was surprised to find that my music player was still on pause, wondering why the music was still playing.

I'd say it's yet another good reason to get the full version of Kontakt...

[GalleryHakon]

I am still listening to the quite long samples of the Ilya Efimov Duduk while doing other stuff, and I keep forgetting I am listening to demos of a virtual instrument and not the real thing!

If (or when?) I need duduks for my own music some day, I'll definitely get Kontakt and Ilya Efimov's sublime virtual instrument.

[BBFG#]

The problems with RA & Silk are the numerous complaints I constantly see of late about the PLAY system. For me, as much as I love the EstWest demos, especially RA & SILK, the PACE/iLok makes it something I won't consider.

Eduardo's libraries are very nice, but yet another example of having to buy a whole library to get the 4 or 5 sounds I actually want. Sampletank's Duduk is not close enough to make me stop looking for something much better. Garritan World has a good one too, especially in context with other instruments, but not one I turn to for the solo melody really. I currently use my V-SynthGT with *.wav samples loaded into it and three timbres with two loaded into a separate patches. They're nothing close to perfect, (Although much better than those BigFish middle eastern clarinets someone linked to here) but the machine allows better triggering through its AP Synthesis, and makes it my current favorite of the Duduks I have.

Still on the hunt for single wav samples that I can use, just for that reason.

And my weaknesses in checking out everyone's sampled version in hunts of better instruments seems to always be pulled to duduks and the hurdy gurdy.

[GalleryHakon]

And my weaknesses in checking out everyone's sampled version in hunts of better instruments seems to always be pulled to duduks and the hurdy gurdy.

I'm always on the lookout for good hurdy-gurdy sounds too. At the moment I am using Eduardo Tarilonte's Era library for that which is quite alright, but not perfect. Do you have any other recommendations there?

[Vovique]

There is a beautiful Duduk in Bela D Media's Spiritual Wind collection - not sold by Bela D Media anymore, but still available at Big Fish Audio
http://www.bigfishaudio.com/Anthology-Spiritual-Wind

[Lode_Runner]

And my weaknesses in checking out everyone's sampled version in hunts of better instruments seems to always be pulled to duduks and the hurdy gurdy.

I'm always on the lookout for good hurdy-gurdy sounds too. At the moment I am using Eduardo Tarilonte's Era library for that which is quite alright, but not perfect. Do you have any other recommendations there?

The Hurdy Gurdy from Sonokinetic is the only one I've seen sampled
http://www.sonokinetic.net/products/cla ... urdygurdy/

[Lode_Runner]

Although much better than those BigFish middle eastern clarinets someone linked to here

I'm surprised that you don't think they sound good - that library features a lot of sampled performances, so it's demos sound very realistic.

I'm not a fan of using phrases, so I decided not to buy as I couldn't know if the legato instrument was likely to sound as good.

[Lode_Runner]

I am still listening to the quite long samples of the Ilya Efimov Duduk while doing other stuff, and I keep forgetting I am listening to demos of a virtual instrument and not the real thing!

If (or when?) I need duduks for my own music some day, I'll definitely get Kontakt and Ilya Efimov's sublime virtual instrument.

It's only been released in the last few months. I had the same reaction when I first heard the demos. I listened to it, and thought this sounds very realistic. Then I watched some live performances of duduk players, and thought that it sounded exactly like a real duduk.

ps Efimov also does great accordions (in their accordion and bayan libraries).

[GalleryHakon]

I actually looked at the accordions too when I checked out the Efimov duduk. Best accordion VI I have heard, though I must admit I've not been looking for one.

I had the opportunity to try out Sonokinetic's hurdy-gurdy a while back, but didn't like how it worked, much preferring Era for that. I seem to recall the drone had to be engaged for notes to be played, which
I didn't fancy so much.

[BBFG#]

Although much better than those BigFish middle eastern clarinets someone linked to here

I'm surprised that you don't think they sound good - that library features a lot of sampled performances, so it's demos sound very realistic.

I'm not a fan of using phrases, so I decided not to buy as I couldn't know if the legato instrument was likely to sound as good.

I think they sound great for clarinets, and in an orchestra mimicking duduks they would work nicely. I can even see using those samples for the Jewish motif's and jazz scales based of those motifs. There's a big difference in single reed and double reed instruments though.