# RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION - Essentials version for <$99 & New demo by Ian Dorsch



## Andrew Aversa (Jul 14, 2014)

*Visit the Official Library Page*

Introduction

Welcome to *Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion*. This exquisite symphonic collection for KONTAKT features a comprehensive collection of 50 traditional & extended percussive instruments recorded through three mic positions. With a clean, focused character that is not clinically dry OR overly ‘epic’, R:OP is highly flexible for everything from small ensemble scoring and intimate cues to dramatic & bombastic. No other percussion library is as *extensive AND affordable*; we couldn’t be more proud to share it with you! This collection goes beyond the standard suite of drums (i.e. bass drum, snare, toms, cymbals) to include a wide variety of *aux percussion* (i.e. shaker, sleigh bells, castanets, chimes, metals, wood & temple blocks), symphonic *hand drums* (i.e. djembe, bongos, cajon, darbuka), and *chromatic instruments* (i.e. glockenspiel, xylophone, marimba, crotales, tubular bells).







Essentials Version

We are also pleased to announce *Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion ESSENTIALS*, which offers the same depth of sampling as the full version, two mic positions (close & hall), 16-bit samples, and all essential percussive instruments – all at the no-brainer price of *$89* with a smooth upgrade path to the full version. Please see the instruments list below to see which instruments are included in ESSENTIALS.

The Sound

*R:OP* is exceptionally versatile with three user-blendable mic positions: close, stage (decca) and hall. The close mics offer a dry, present, and neutral sound with a hint of air – ideal for small ensembles and intimate scoring. Stage and hall mics provide natural, but not overwhelming, reverb and space from the lovely hall.

Each microphone position can be thoroughly customized through volume, panning, stereo width, and offset controls – or disabled entirely to preserve memory. Whether your goal is a tight and focused percussion section, or something booming and epic, this virtual instrument offers a natural and focused sound that works in any production with minimal mixing or processing required.

[flash width=500 height=300 loop=false]https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/47433987&amp;color=ff6600&amp;auto_play=false&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;show_playcount=true&amp;show_comments=true[/flash]

Key Features

* Comprehensive suite of 50+ instruments & articulations
* Entire library loads in 8 patches - a full percussive template in only 8 channels
* Elegant and intuitive user interface all on one page
* Easy mic mixing (volume, pan, stereo) + instrument tweaks from UI
* Deep sampled: up to 10x velocity / 5x RR
* Modwheel-controlled dynamic rolls for dozens of instruments
* Focused & uncolored hall sound with short-medium reverb tail (~1.6 seconds)
* 16bit and 24bit samples

Instruments

* Asterisk denotes ROLL articulation is included
*Bold* instruments are included in the Essentials library
*Bass Drum**
Gran Cassa*
*Snare 1**
Snare 2*
*Snare 3**
Snare 4*
Snare Ensemble*
*Timpani*
*Toms 1-3*
Tom Ensemble*
*Cymbal Scraped*
Gong 1*
Gong 2
*Piatti + Mute*
*Ride Cymbal + Stick**
*Tam Tam**
Viennese Cymbal*
Crotales
*Glockenspiel*
Marimba
*Tubular Bells*
Xylophone
Castanets*
*Claves*
*Chimes*
Cowbell
Finger Cymbals
Guiro
Metals
*Shaker**
Sleigh Bells*
*Tambourine**
Temple Blocks
*Triangle**
Vibraslap
*Woodblock*
*Bongo High + Low**
Cajon 1 & 2*
*Conga High, Low & Muted**
Darbuka 1 & 2*
Djembe 1 & 2*

Video
Full walkthrough & screencast (ALL patches, ALL instruments, ALL articulations



Manual

*Download the PDF manual here!*

Pricing

*Full Version*: $199 intro price through Sept 30th, MSRP $249
*Essentials*: $89 with $109 upgrade to the full version (includes close & hall mics, 16bit samples, bolded instruments above)
Purchase: *http://impactsoundworks.com/rhapsody-orchestral-percussion* (16 and 24bit versions included)

We hope you will enjoy the fruits of our labors and use RHAPSODY in many compositions!


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## R.Cato (Jul 14, 2014)

Sounds good Andrew. Wish you good luck with Rhapsody. You can never have enough options.

Robin.


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## SeanM1960 (Jul 14, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION", coming soon.*

OOoh - looks good! I agree, you can never have enough options. Maybe a little teaser of just a few drum hits to whet our appetite? 8)


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 15, 2014)

Here is a FIRST LOOK at Rhapsody: a video walkthrough showing each instrument and running through the important UI features.



Please draw your attention to the sound of the library, which I think is a refreshing break from the various epic + huge percussion libraries out there. While you can of course crank the stage/hall mics, Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion really shines in its versatility - it's quite nice for traditional orchestral compositions as well as small ensemble pieces, intimate & subtle cues, etc.


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## Walid F. (Aug 15, 2014)

Very nice sounding library guys! Congratulations.

I would like to hear the timpanis a bit more though, those sounded quite cool, and are a very important part for orchestral percussion libraries in my opinion.

What would the price be for this you reckon?

W.


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 15, 2014)

I absolutely want to demonstrate the instruments in more depth, both in video and audio. We should have our first audio demos in the coming week! 

Price is still TBA - will be announced next week. But it will be affordable, especially for a comprehensive percussion collection.


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 18, 2014)

First audio demo posted! "Armor for Elephants" by Dickie Chapin incorporates a spectrum of sounds from the library, including drums, timpani, aux perc, cymbals, gongs, and chromatic percussion. 

[flash width=450 height=200 loop=false]https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/47433987&amp;color=ff6600&amp;auto_play=false&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;show_playcount=true&amp;show_comments=true[/flash]

Let us know your thoughts!


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## benmrx (Aug 18, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION". Video overview + first audio demo posted!*

I hope this is OK to say, but IMO this library would be FANTASTIC for comedy and animations. I'm sure it could do huge and epic as well, but my first thought here was that this would be perfect for that 'Saturday Morning' lineup. It's just got such an honest, upfront sound it. 

Well done!!


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## dariusofwest (Aug 18, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION". Video overview + first audio demo posted!*

That perc sounds really cool.


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## Sid Francis (Aug 18, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION". Video overview + first audio demo posted!*

"honest" is a good word for it and I like it, I am definitly in. Finally something "normal" after epic epic epic.


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## StrezovSampling (Aug 19, 2014)

Great demo Dickie. Loving the snares, toms, bass drums and cymbals. Good luck guys!


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 22, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION". Video overview + first audio demo posted!*

Hi all, thank you for the positive feedback on the sound of Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion! 

I've added a new pair of demos to the players above - "Gelatin Adventures", a cue I wrote for a Disney game a few years ago. Of course, all percussion has been switched out for Rhapsody instruments instead. The library works very well in this context, from cymbals, gongs, and aux perc to chromatic (marimba, xylo, crotales, tubular bells), drums (bd, snare, tom ensemble), timpani etc.

Again, let us know your thoughts - we are planning on announcing release + price info this Monday!


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## wst3 (Aug 22, 2014)

Andrew and company - based on the demos and the walk-through it sounds (pun unavoidable) like you have a real winner here.

I love percussion, it can add so much to almost any project, especially hand percussion toys. And even on laptop speakers this stuff sounds great! On monitors, well, it's outstanding!

One question, in the naked demo is the percussion processed at all outside Kontakt?

And one whine - hey, you gotta have one whine for any library that isn't yet available<G> - is it too late to add a vibratone to the list?

I have tons of percussion libraries, and use them all from time to time. I don't know that Rhapsody will push any of them off the list, but I do think it will get lots of use!


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## Maestro77 (Aug 22, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces "RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION". New audio demo by Andrew Aversa!*

Loving those dry, uncolored samples. Will be so easy to put them into any virtual room to blend with other libraries.


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 22, 2014)

wst3 @ Fri Aug 22 said:


> Andrew and company - based on the demos and the walk-through it sounds (pun unavoidable) like you have a real winner here.
> 
> I love percussion, it can add so much to almost any project, especially hand percussion toys. And even on laptop speakers this stuff sounds great! On monitors, well, it's outstanding!
> 
> ...



Thanks for the kind words  No, there is no additional processing or ext reverb on the percussion. The master track I believe does have some very gentle EQ, rolling off <30hz and dipping ~200hz by a few dB, applied to the whole track, but it's quite mild.


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 25, 2014)

Announcing the RELEASE DATE and PRICE of Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion, along with the official product site!

http://impactsoundworks.com/rhapsody-or ... ercussion/

The library will be available on *September 15th* for the introductory price of *$199* (MSRP: $249) through *September 30th*. 

We think this is a fantastic value, whether you're looking for an all-in-one comprehensive collection, OR a percussive suite to add new color to your existing arsenal of libraries!


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## Andrew Aversa (Aug 27, 2014)

Two new demos posted today - we have my own "Artificer's Fancy" (a rework of a track I wrote for Soulcalibur V) featuring the library in a more epic and high-energy context. This is contrasted with Jason Cullimore's beautiful "Islands of Memory" composition which is quiet, atmospheric and evocative. Please enjoy the dressed & naked versions of each. More demos to come soon!

[flash width=500 height=200 loop=false]https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/47433987&amp;color=ff6600&amp;auto_play=false&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;show_playcount=true&amp;show_comments=true[/flash]


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 6, 2014)

Hello all, we're on track for a September 15th release - currently doing additional sample polishing and script tweaking to make the library as clean and playable out of the box as possible!

I'm also proud to present two brilliant new demos: Will Bedford's "Noble Journey" shows the library in an epic, adventurous context, while Blake Ewing's "Puddle Jumping" is more intimate, using lots of chromatic percussion and light, airy elements.

Let us know what you think!


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 12, 2014)

*Rhapsody: Orchestral Percussion* arrives in less than 72 hours! We've finished the manual if you'd like to look at the full interface and instrument list, with all articulations / mapping shown.

*Download manual (PDF)*


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## Maestro77 (Sep 12, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks announces RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION. $199 intro. New demos + PDF manual!*

Really looking forward to this! The demos sound amazing so far and can't beat the price.


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 15, 2014)

Thank you sir! And today, after many months of endless testing, iterating, slicing, and programming, Rhapsody is finally released. We're incredibly proud of this release - I've been using it in track after track as my go-to percussion library for months now, so I can't wait to hear how everyone else will use it!

http://impactsoundworks.com/rhapsody-or ... ercussion/

We also have new demos posted in the SoundCloud player, including the folk-influenced orchestral hybrid "Levelling the Walls" by Henning Nugel.


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 16, 2014)

We've had great feedback on the library so far via Facebook, with composers already using ROP in their productions. Some prospective users were interested in hearing individual instruments, so I've recorded a screencast video showing ALL patches, instruments and individual articulations from the library. Nothing is left out! Toward the beginning of the video, you can even select which category of instruments you want to listen to and skip ahead.



I've also heard a question from some composers who are up to their necks in percussion samples already - *"What does Rhapsody bring to my collection?"* And that's a fair question.

* ROP is *very comprehensive*. Sure, it has the standard instruments - bass drum, snares, cymbals, triangle, timpani, etc. But it also covers a large swath of *aux percussion* like finger cymbals, sleigh bells (+ rolls), multiple woodblocks, temple blocks, claves, castanets (+ 2x rolls), etc. It adds five types of *hand drums*, each of which has two individual drums and multiple articulations, for example two djembes, two darbukas, two cajons, hi + lo bongas, hi + lo congas, and so forth. It also features a nice selection of *chromatic percussion* (xylo, glock, marimba, crotales, tubular bells).

* It's clean, and fits into a mix very easily. The samples are not over-produced with lots of FX or EQ, nor are they RAW. You don't need to be a mixing master to find the right mic settings. It's meant to help you *write music faster* by just dropping the samples in with minimal tweaking. There is such thing as having too many mic positions and too many options when all you want to do is drop in some percussion and PLAY. You can easily tweak and adjust ROP to your heart's content, but you don't *need* to do that for it to sound great.

* Speaking of sound, the character of the library is *neutral and focused*. Even with the stage + hall mics on, the reverb is not excessive. *It's not an "epic" library* - there are enough of those. In fact, I really like using the library with JUST the close mics. In this context, it SOUNDS like it's recorded in a very clean, treated studio room - not a clinical sound stage or enormous hall, and with just the right amount of air. This makes it EXCELLENT for small ensemble work, animation, under-stated cues, traditional classical / romantic pieces, etc.

That being said, you certainly *can* make it sound epic by adjusting the mics, eq, and using a touch of built-in convolution. Some of our demos show that pretty well 

* We have rolls. *Lots of rolls*! Bass drum rolls, snare rolls, ensemble rolls, shaker rolls, hand drum rolls, triangle rolls, kaiser rolls, Amoroso rolls, hoagie rolls... well, you get the idea. If an instrument COULD be rolled, we rolled it. Playing + dynamic crossfading these via modwheel is immensely satisfying. Why record this many rolls? Because that's how we roll.


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## Nuno (Sep 21, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks release RHAPSODY: ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION! New screencast video +"What does ROP add to my libra*

Hi

I noticed there's a cut-down version called ESSENTIALS at $89. Can you please tell me how much will the upgrade to the full version cost?

Thank you
Nuno


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 21, 2014)

Yes, I was going to post about that tomorrow  

The "Essentials" version includes two mic positions (close + hall), has 16-bit samples, and about half the total instruments - all the core drums, cymbals + aux perc. We're offering it for $89 as you said, and an upgrade is available to the full version for $109. Thus, there is no penalty for getting the Essentials version - you can upgrade for the same total price as simply buying the Full version.


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## Chriss Ons (Sep 21, 2014)

zircon_st @ Sun 21 Sep said:


> (...) Thus, there is no penalty for getting the Essentials version - you can upgrade for the same total price as simply buying the Full version.


I like this policy a lot. Kudos.


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## Nuno (Sep 21, 2014)

zircon_st @ Sun Sep 21 said:


> Yes, I was going to post about that tomorrow
> 
> The "Essentials" version includes two mic positions (close + hall), has 16-bit samples, and about half the total instruments - all the core drums, cymbals + aux perc. We're offering it for $89 as you said, and an upgrade is available to the full version for $109. Thus, there is no penalty for getting the Essentials version - you can upgrade for the same total price as simply buying the Full version.



That's great news! o-[][]-o


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## wst3 (Sep 21, 2014)

Andrew and company...

kudos on the essentials version and the upgrade policy!

Quick question... your collection is amazingly complete, and deep, but unless there are other names for them I can't find the Flex-a-tone or the Vibra-Tone. Are they there under aliases?

Well done, and as soon as I recover from re-loading all the stuff I already have I will be adding this to my toolbox!


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 21, 2014)

Hey Bill, a developer's work is never done  We did not get to sample the vibratone in our first sessions. There were a couple other ones that didn't quite make it like brake drum and roto toms, but depending on how things go with sales of the library in the coming months I would love to do a free update including such material.


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## wst3 (Sep 21, 2014)

Yeah, cause after you sample the brake drum, the roto-toms, the vibra-tone (and don't forget the flex-a-tone), I'll ask for slates<G>!

It really is a very nice library, I'm thinking it likely that I'll end up starting with essentials just to get some time with it.

But I still have a couple of evenings left with the rebuild... UGH!

I have decided that the net time I need a new studio computer I am retiring!!!!!


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 23, 2014)

Ah yes, I can certainly empathize... that's the #1 reason why I don't want to upgrade this machine. Reinstalling stuff is such a pain!

Anyway, today we have a new demo from the extremely talented Ian Dorsch, showing R:OP in a darker and more sinister light! Check it out in the SoundCloud player or right here:

*Ian Dorsch - Chenja (Dressed)*

[mp3]http://impactsoundworks.com/audio/demos/rhapsody/Chenja.mp3[/mp3]

*Ian Dorsch - Chenja (Naked)*

[mp3]http://impactsoundworks.com/audio/demos/rhapsody/Chenja-Naked.mp3[/mp3]

Also, a bit of reformatting + tidying of my original post, including a complete list of instruments and a comparison between the full and Essentials version of the library


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## playz123 (Sep 30, 2014)

"Full Version: $199 intro price through Sept 30th, MSRP $249"

Looks like this is the last day for the special pricing, so I need to decide. Any additional comments from those of you who purchased already?


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## Maestro77 (Sep 30, 2014)

playz123: It's my new go-to orchestral percussion library, and I already owned CinePerc, Spitfire, True Strike and EWQLSO. Love the flexibility of the dryer samples (although you can get them wet if you wish) and can't beat the number of instruments you get for the price. Also love the way it's laid out into instrument groups to minimize tracks in my template (although it also has all the individual instrument patches too). Can access all 50+ instruments in only 8 tracks! Even at $249 it's still a great deal.


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## playz123 (Sep 30, 2014)

Maestro77 @ Tue Sep 30 said:


> playz123: It's my new go-to orchestral percussion library, and I already owned CinePerc, Spitfire, True Strike and EWQLSO. Love the flexibility of the dryer samples (although you can get them wet if you wish) and can't beat the number of instruments you get for the price. Also love the way it's laid out into instrument groups to minimize tracks in my template (although it also has all the individual instrument patches too). Can access all 50+ instruments in only 8 tracks! Even at $249 it's still a great deal.



Thanks so much for your input; exactly what I hoping to read. One thought is to go for the Essential version first, and then update to the full version later, which Andrew mentioned would cost $109 to do. Cheers.


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## wcreed51 (Sep 30, 2014)

Was just going to buy, but PayPal Credit doesn't show up as a payment option. Oh well, will have to pay full price in a week or two...


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## Andrew Aversa (Sep 30, 2014)

PayPal Credit is not showing up as an option? That's odd. I just tried (on a different computer / not logged in to PayPal) adding the item to my cart, going to checkout, and selecting PayPal and my options are:

* Pay with my PayPal account
* Debit or Prepaid Gift Card
* Credit Card
* PayPal Credit (Special Offer)

Maybe a temporary glitch..? Try it one more time perhaps.

BTW, we WILL be extending the intro pricing for those that haven't had the chance to get it!


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## wcreed51 (Oct 1, 2014)

Something's strange about the website...

If I fill out the order form forgetting one field, then fill the missing and go to PayPal, it takes me to a different Paypal form then if I fill out the form correctly the first time.

If I fill the form correctly the first time, it takes me to a Paypal page that requires *no login*! PP Credit IS available in this form, but acts as if I'm signing up, and requests last 4 SS digits. Didn't continue ...


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## Andrew Aversa (Oct 1, 2014)

That is definitely weird. To be clear, none of the payment processing goes through us. We simply have PayPal and Stripe hooked up to our cart provider (foxycart), and everything is processed securely by PayPal and Stripe, respectively. We don't have any requirements for SS# or anything like that, so I honestly cannot explain why you would be seeing what you're seeing.

Is it possible you need to log into your account as opposed to clicking the PayPal credit tab...?


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## wcreed51 (Oct 2, 2014)

The PP page must have been a work in process, as today everything worked as expected.

Can't wait for this evening to dive in!


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## wcreed51 (Oct 2, 2014)

There doesn't seem to be any samples for the Timpani rolls.

Otherwise, sounds great!


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