Moonkits: How Soniccouture Created the Ultimate Brushed Drum Library for KONTAKT

Soniccouture Moonkits (KONTAKT): A Review

If you are looking for a unique and versatile drum library that can add some warmth, texture, and groove to your music, you might want to check out Soniccouture Moonkits (KONTAKT). This product is a collection of modern brushed drum kits that were recorded with pro session musicians at Konk Studios, London. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of Moonkits, and help you decide if it is worth buying.

LINK Soniccouture – Moonkits (KONTAKT)

Introduction

Drums are one of the most important elements of any music production, as they provide the rhythm, energy, and mood of a track. However, not all drums are created equal, and sometimes you need something more than the usual rock or pop drum sounds. That's where Moonkits come in.

Moonkits are a set of five drum kits that were played with brushes, rods, mallets, and sticks, to create a softer and more nuanced sound. They are perfect for jazz, hip hop, breakbeat, or any genre that requires a more organic and subtle drum feel. Moonkits were intentionally recorded with extra detail at low velocities, so you don't need to smash the kit hard to get a great tone.

Soniccouture is a well-known and respected developer of virtual instruments and sample libraries for composers and producers. They have been working in close partnership with Native Instruments and the KONTAKT platform since 2005, and have created some of the most original and innovative instruments on the market. Some of their products include Pan Drums, Balinese Gamelan, Geosonics, Electro-Acoustic, Haunted Spaces, The Attic 2, The Canterbury Suitcase, Box Of Tricks, All Saints Choir, The Hammersmith, Vibraphone, Ondioline, The Conservatoire Collection, Abstrakt Vol.1 & Vol.2.

Some of the main features and benefits of Moonkits are:

• 16GB library with 24/48khz stereo sampling

• Up to 116 velocity layers per drum

• Anti-repeat 'round-robin' algorithm

• Brushes, rods, mallets, stick articulations

• Brush sweep loops synced to host tempo

• 3 Beat Tools drum sequencers with MIDI Drag and Drop: Euclidean Beats, Poly Beats, Beat Shifter

• KONTAKT Player + NKS compatible

Moonkits Overview

Moonkits include five different drum kits that were recorded with pro drummers Adam Falkner and Evan Jenkins at Konk Studios in North London. Each kit has its own character and sound, ranging from vintage to modern. Here are the details of each kit:

Kit NameKickSnareTomsCymbals

Moonkit #120" Ludwig 1960s14" Ludwig 1960s12", 14", 16" Ludwig 1960s14" Zildjian K Hi-Hat, 18" Zildjian K Dark Thin Crash, 20" Zildjian K Ride, 22" Zildjian K Constantinople Medium Thin Low Ride

Moonkit #222" Gretsch USA Custom14" Ludwig Black Beauty10", 12", 14", 16" Gretsch USA Custom15" Zildjian K Light Hi-Hat, 18" Zildjian K Dark Thin Crash, 20" Zildjian K Custom Dark Ride, 22" Zildjian K Constantinople Medium Thin Low Ride

Moonkit #322" Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute14" Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute10", 12", 14", 16" Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute15" Zildjian K Light Hi-Hat, 18" Zildjian K Dark Thin Crash, 20" Zildjian K Custom Dark Ride, 22" Zildjian K Constantinople Medium Thin Low Ride

Moonkit #422" Sonor SQ2 Vintage Maple14" Sonor SQ2 Vintage Maple10", 12", 14", 16" Sonor SQ2 Vintage Maple15" Meinl Byzance Jazz Thin Hi-Hat, 18" Meinl Byzance Jazz Thin Crash, 20" Meinl Byzance Jazz Medium Ride, 22" Meinl Byzance Jazz Medium Thin Ride

Moonkit #520" Premier Genista Birch14" Premier Genista Birch10", 12", 14", 16" Premier Genista Birch15" Meinl Byzance Jazz Thin Hi-Hat, 18" Meinl Byzance Jazz Thin Crash, 20" Meinl Byzance Jazz Medium Ride, 22" Meinl Byzance Jazz Medium Thin Ride

The drum kits were recorded with a variety of microphones and preamps, capturing the natural sound of the drums and the room. You can choose from different mic channels for each drum, such as close, overhead, room, and ribbon. You can also adjust the level, pan, mute, solo, and phase of each channel. Additionally, you can apply effects such as EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and tape saturation to each channel or to the master output.

Moonkits also allow you to customize the drum sounds by changing the tuning, damping, velocity curve, and envelope of each drum. You can also swap drums between kits or load your own samples. Furthermore, you can use the brush sweep loops to add realistic brush movements to your drum tracks. The loops are synced to your host tempo and can be triggered by MIDI notes or by the mod wheel.

Beat Tools

Moonkits come with three beat tools that let you create and edit drum patterns within the KONTAKT interface. These are Euclidean Beats, Poly Beats, and Beat Shifter. Each tool has its own unique way of generating and manipulating rhythms.

Euclidean Beats is a tool that uses a mathematical algorithm to distribute beats evenly across a given number of steps. You can set the number of steps and beats for each drum, as well as the rotation and offset of the pattern. You can also randomize the parameters or lock them to a global value. Euclidean Beats can create complex polyrhythms and grooves with minimal effort.

Poly Beats is a tool that uses a polyrhythmic sequencer to create drum patterns. You can set the number of steps and the subdivision for each drum, as well as the accent and swing of the pattern. You can also randomize the steps or lock them to a global value. Poly Beats can create syncopated and funky rhythms with ease.

Beat Shifter is a tool that uses a probabilistic sequencer to create drum patterns. You can set the probability of each step being played for each drum, as well as the shift and swing of the pattern. You can also randomize the probabilities or lock them to a global value. Beat Shifter can create dynamic and evolving rhythms with variation.

All three beat tools have a MIDI Drag and Drop feature that lets you export the generated patterns as MIDI files to your D with a softer and more nuanced sound. They are suitable for a wide range of genres and styles, and they can add some texture and groove to your music. They are also easy to use and customize, thanks to the intuitive interface and the powerful beat tools. You can get Moonkits from the Soniccouture website for $149 USD, or you can try the free demo version first. If you are interested, you can click on this link to learn more: [Soniccouture Moonkits (KONTAKT)].

FAQs

Here are some common questions and answers about Moonkits:

Q: Do I need the full version of KONTAKT to use Moonkits?

• A: No, you can use Moonkits with the free KONTAKT Player, which is included in the download.

Q: How much disk space do I need to install Moonkits?

• A: You need about 16GB of free disk space to install Moonkits, and about 8GB of RAM to run them smoothly.

Q: Can I use Moonkits with other drum libraries or samples?

• A: Yes, you can mix and match Moonkits with other drum sounds, either by using the MIDI Drag and Drop feature, or by loading your own samples into the interface.

Q: Can I use Moonkits with hardware controllers or keyboards?

• A: Yes, you can use Moonkits with any MIDI controller or keyboard that supports NKS (Native Kontrol Standard), such as Maschine, Komplete Kontrol, or M-Audio keyboards. You can also map the controls to any MIDI CC of your choice.

Q: Can I use Moonkits for commercial purposes?

• A: Yes, you can use Moonkits for any personal or commercial project, as long as you do not resell or redistribute the samples or the instrument itself.

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