Even light bulbs can be played as instruments — Microhammer has released Luminabells, a new sample instrument for Kontakt that features all the whimsical crackles, clicks, pops, and pings that an incandescent bulb is capable of producing.
Luminabells takes an ordinary object, the light bulb, and turns it into a playable instrument. To make this Kontakt instrument, Microhammer recorded all manner of sizes and shapes of the old filament-style incandescent bulbs and sculpted their sounds into a collection of tuned and un-tuned percussion, sustaining melodic tones, and effects.
With Luminabells, you will get 71 Kontakt instruments, 1,511 samples, 45 custom impulses, and much more in 24-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo PCM. More than 40 light bulbs were used to create Luminabells — all their vibrations, pings, buzzes, sustains, and impacts were incorporated into the new release, with up to 6 Velocity layers on every note and 10 round robins on every layer.
Luminabells’ full features are listed below:
- Over 40 lightbulbs of all shapes and sizes
- Up to 6 Velocity layers on every note
- 10 Round robins for every Velocity layer
- Taps, clicks, clinks, dings, pings, knocks, pops, clacks, and other transient impacts
- Tuned and untuned tonal resonant dings, rings, and pings
- Swooshes, shakes, rattles, rolls, and other vibrations
- Tuned humming, buzzing, and droning sustains
- Special effects, ambiences, and unusual creations
- 45 bonus custom convolution reverb impulses
- 71 Kontakt Instruments
- 1,511 Samples
- 45 Custom impulses
- 663 MB installed
- Sample resolution: 24-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo PCM
- Formats: Kontakt 3.5 (and higher) and WAV
This new release requires Native Instruments Kontakt 3.5 and later. It does not, however, support the free Kontakt Player.
Luminabells is now available for $35. It, along with the company’s other new release called The Ranch, are included in the Microhammer September Bundle for $59. For more information, please visit Microhammer’s Web site at microhammer.com.