Sub51 & soundtrax release Drop Pad for Kontakt & Komplete Kontrol

Sub51 & soundtrax have announced the release of Drop Pad, a new Drag 'n' Drop sample-based NI Kontakt instrument which allows dynamic blending of four imported sound sources to create multilayered complex sounds that morph and evolve in an organic way.

Berlin-based Soundtrax and UK sound designers Sub51 have teamed up to create, what they say is, "a new, intuitive and inspiring instrument with a difference".

Drop Pad's XY-Morph movements can be recorded in the instrument itself, all four samples can be edited and modulated by the onboard Filters and its custom designed LFOs. Seven Kontakt effects and an optional Arp will give the sound the final touch. All samples and almost every movement or modulation can be instantly tempo-synced.

Drop Pad uses Kontakt's new MIR technology to automatically detect tonal material during import and adjusts the pitch of the audio file. Sample editing options include individual controls related to the pitch, envelope, pan position, loop and sample start. The playback engine can be set to the classic 'Sampler' or 'TM Pro' Mode (incl. tempo/speed settings) to provide convenient tempo adjustment.

The Modulation section contains a low-pass filter, a peak filter and a high-pass filter, each to be assigned to one or more of the four sample pads where it is possible to modulate the filter setting via a choice of LFO shapes allowing both the X and Y parameters of each pad's cursor to be changed during playback — independently for all three filters. Other modulation features include independent Pan and Pitch, both with a choice of waveforms.

The FX section contains seven global effects: Reverb, Choral (Chorus), Flair (Flanger), Phasis (Phaser), Overdrive (Van51), Compression (Supercharger GT) and Replika Delay. A special FX Warp pad allows the X and Y axes each to be assigned to an FX parameter where the rate, modulation shape and tempo-related speed of the FX modulation can be adjusted.

In addition Drop Pad comes with a 900MB library of on-board Snapshots and Samples featuring Cinematic Soundscapes, Bass and Drum Loops, Pads, Raw Textures, Sound Effects and Arps. Users can easily choose different sample combinations of the Factory content to create their own Snapshots as well as bringing in their own samples.

Komplete Kontrol is supported via selected pre-defined parameters.

Also included with Drop Pad is an additional 123MB of waveform samples such as noise, timecode, turntable belt & electrical noise, vinyl crackles and sine waves.

Drop Pad suits genres such as Ambient, Electro, Ethera, Experimental, EDM, Contemporary Pop and the Wider Field.

Intro Price: £27.97 until 14 March, 2022 (Reg. £39.97).

The full version of NI's Kontakt 6.6.1+ is required.