Soundiron releases Acoustic & Electric Saz libraries for Kontakt

Soundiron has released a pair of new libraries for Kontakt. The Electric Saz and The Acoustic Saz libraries are fully playable virtual Turkish Guitar library based on carefully sampled electric 5-stringed fretless hollow-body saz baglâma instruments.

The Saz sounds like a guitar in certain ways, but has a unique flavor and tone. The Electric was recorded in multiple pick-up and coil polarity configurations with custom low-noise wiring to provide clarity and users can select the pick-up position and phase in real-time through the custom UI. The Acoustic was recorded with a stereo pair of large diaphragm mics in a dry, studio space. Both libraries were recorded in 24-bit 48kHz stereo.

This instruments both include a complete range of sustained plucks, palm mutes and chokes, true-legato slide and release behavior, hand-slaps, bends and more, with extensive round-robin sampling per articulation on each string.

Strum, arpeggiation, gliss, legato and transient shaping controls allow realistic fingering and expressive real-time lead and rhythm performance within a single unified UI. The UI for both libraries are designed to allow full control over each string, including key range, string selection, hammer-ons, pull-offs, legato and pluck type, all with key-switch support. They also feature live strumming and chord generation tools can handle any style of lead or rhythm, while playing in any key or mode. Each control can be automated by MIDI and all primary features can also be controlled via dedicated key-switches.

Every preset also includes a full Effects Rack control panel, with multi-effects (chorus, flanger, phaser), compression, drive and distortion, amp simulation, a variety of different speaker cabs, parametric EQ, tempo-synching delay and reverb, including 45 real-world spaces and 25 original FX impulses.

These libraries were designed and optimized for Kontakt 5, but include special legacy presets for Kontakt 4 users that preserve most core features. They require the full retail version of Kontakt and are not supported by the Kontakt Player. These libraries are securely watermarked for each user.

Electric Saz Details:

• 13,745 Samples (24-bit/48kHz stereo WAV).
• 12.7 GB Installed.
• 32 .nki files (standard Kontakt open format).

Acoustic Saz Details:

• 6,971 Samples (24-bit/48kHz stereo WAV).
• 6.8 GB Installed.
• 24 .nki files (standard Kontakt open format).

They cost $149 each but are available for a special intro price of $129 each and as a discounted bundle for $199 through April 4th, 2013.

Click Here to check out mp3 demos (full and naked)

Click Here for a full video walk-through with Ryan Scully

Click Here for a full video walk-through with Brad Halverson