# Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference. Day 3 - Announcing VOCALISA: Slavic Women's Choir



## Andrew Aversa (Jan 23, 2014)

Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference

Though Will and I are unable to physically attend NAMM this year - partially because we're feverishly at work on awesome new virtual instruments, and partially because of brutal post-convention flu - we wanted to nonetheless participate in the festivities! Over the next few days, we'll have what I call a "virtual press conference", where you'll learn about some very exciting upcoming projects coming out Q1/Q2 of this year.

Day 3: Announcing VOCALISA: Women's Slavic Choir
*January 25th, 2014*







VOCALISA is our *upcoming* choir library, capturing in detail the electric and powerful sound of a Slavic (Bulgarian) women's choir. We've been working on this collection for quite some time, and now are finally coming down the home stretch with editing & programming! *Vocalisa* features a full choir, as well as sections - altos, mezzos, sopranos, and soprano soloist - with multiple vowels/consonants, pitch bends, and word building.

This type of singing is very unlike traditional Western choirs. It frequently relies on harsh vowels and syllables, tight harmonies, and extensive use of pitch bends to create a truly powerful and ethereal sound. Slavic & Bulgarian singing has been used on classic soundtracks & scores like Xena: Warrior Princess and Ghost in the Shell. Here's an example of a classic piece performed in this style:



By using Vocalisa's different sections as well as the full choir and soloist patches, it is possible to create a choral sound that is as subtle or dramatic as you need. An inspiring UI includes such features as a phrase builder, allowing you to construct your own musical parts from syllables like "eh", "mah", "oh", "shteh", "svah", and consonants. Here's a preview of the phrase interface!






More info about Vocalisa will be released in the coming months, including audio demos, pricing & availability. As a ballpark, we expect to begin beta testing in February, and release in March. *Vocalisa has been in progress since 2011*: we have been meticulous about details of the recordings, editing, and scripting, making sure the final playable patches are as musical & intuitive as possible. Now, we're almost there, and we think you'll agree the wait was worth it!

Day 2: Announcing CELESTIA: Heavenly Sound Design
*January 24rd, 2014*

We are thrilled to announce our next KONTAKT instrument, titled *CELESTIA: Heavenly Sound Design*! This library has been in the works for some time, and we're really excited to be finally wrapping it up. *Celestia* is a collection of incredible custom-produced sound sources, ranging from acoustic to vocal to synthesized, wrapped in a gorgeous and inspiring UI with a powerful synth engine. As the name suggests, the library focuses on beautiful sounds: atmospheric textures, heavenly strings, galactic pads, angelic plucks, ephemeral ambiances, etc. The engine is our most advanced yet, providing incredible customization. Create totally new sounds in just a couple clicks with multiple internal preset menus and a randomizer function, or sculpt tones from scratch using a vast selection of controls and FX.

*Check out the UI below!*





*WHO IS IT FOR?*
As with our entire catalog, we think film, game, and TV composers will find CELESTIA exceptionally useful and inspiring. Whether you are working on subtle underscore, sweeping themes, sci-fi, uplifting commercials, electronica, or anything in between, this is an incredibly versatile library with immense tweakability. That being said, we also think it will be very useful for producers and musicians in many genres: chillout / downtempo, EDM, ambient/New Age, space music, jazz fusion, etc. Though price is not announced yet, what we can say is that it will be highly accessible!

*SOUND LIBRARY FEATURES*
* 8 categories of sounds: Warm, Motion, Acoustic, Vocal, Plucks, Bells, Noise, Texture
* Found & crafted acoustic/organic instruments
* 'Best of' soundsources from other ISW libraries (koto, harps, mallets)
* Gorgeous piano, acoustic guitar, plucked piano, string section
* Pure ambiences (including field recordings)
* Complex noises and layering elements
* Analog & digital synths - pads, sweeps, stabs
* Mangled & designed sounds and elements
* *5.7gb* of sound content (NCW compressed!)

*ENGINE FEATURES*
* Stunning and inspiring user interface
* Dual layer architecture: load two soundsources and tweak independently
* Per-layer multimode filter, amp/pitch envelopes, filter LFO, sample start, tuning
* Intelligent RAM management: dynamically loads only sounds in use
* Comprehensive FX suite with full controls and 1-click access
* Custom impulse IRs that can completely change a sound
* Rhythmic sequencer / arpeggiator /gate
* Three-part preset system: LAYER presets, FX presets, RHYTHM presets
* Preset randomizer to create endless variations!

*AUDIO*
We'll have many audio demos for Celestia coming up, but for now, enjoy this *simple preview demo* of some of our favorite sound sources including the warm acoustic piano, Martin acoustic guitar, viola, various bells / mallet instruments, synth FX, pads, textures, etc!

[flash width=200 height=100 loop=false]https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/131202306&amp;color=ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;show_artwork=true&amp;show_playcount=true&amp;show_comments=true[/FLASH][/flash]

*RELEASE DETAILS*
We are currently working on presets for the library, after which we'll enter into final testing. CELESTIA will be released in February/March 2014 for Kontakt at a very accessible price! :mrgreen: 

Day 1: Juggernaut Expansion & Shreddage 2 Updates
*January 23rd, 2014*

In 2013, we released *Juggernaut: Cinematic Electronic Scoring Tools*, a powerful Kontakt Player instrument that offers a wide range of cutting-edge electronic drums, basses, FX, and other scoring elements. We've received lots of great feedback on this release, and we're putting that feedback together into a *Version 1.5 Expansion*. 

This *FREE* downloadable update will add a ton of new content: multiple brand-new, custom drum kits, new presets, loads of additional cinematic effects (including new *glitch* type FX, textures, whooshes, impacts, etc), oneshots, etc. Additionally, we'll be updating the patches themselves with new features based on your suggestions and comments. *Again, this expansion will be FREE to all Juggernaut owners!*

More recently, we launched our new *http://impactsoundworks.com/products/guitar-and-bass/archtop-hollowbody-electric-guitar/ (Archtop: Hollowbody Electric Guitar)* instrument for Kontakt Player, bringing the gorgeous sound of a clean/DI hollowbody guitar to your DAW. Archtop's UI - which includes customizable articulation mapping, engine options, an on-screen help system, easy-access FX rack, etc - has received tons of praise, and honestly it has made our *Shreddage 2: Absolute Electric Guitar* UI look a wee bit dated in comparison.

So, to bring Shreddage 2 in line with the beautiful visual design of Archtop, we're working on a redesign of the S2 interface that will make it much more similar to Archtop's scripting. The core functionality and killer rock/metal sound of the library will remain the same: it will just be organized in a more accessible fashion, along with various other usability improvements and script enhancements.

For those who currently own Shreddage 2, note that we've already updated the library multiple times with new content and script features - you can pick those up right here on our support forum!

*Questions? Comments? Hard-hitting investigative journalism?! Ask us anything, and stay tuned for tomorrow's announcements!*


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## feck (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference. Day 1: Juggernaut 1.5 Expansion & Shreddage 2 Updates*

Great! Looking forward to Juggernaut 1.5....version 1 gets used here in compositions all the time. Awesome stuff!


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## Casiquire (Jan 24, 2014)

Awesome, looking forward to the Shreddage 2 update! That's the best guitar library I can even imagine. Thanks for the info.


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## Andrew Aversa (Jan 24, 2014)

Cheers! Now, on to Day 2... announcing our CELESTIA library. This one like Juggernaut is a sound design tool with lots of great tweaking features, presets, and a powerful engine w/ an inspiring UI. However, rather than modern gritty percussion and electronic FX, it focuses on the beautiful & atmospheric side of the spectrum. Acoustic instruments, found sounds, warm textures, emotional sounds, synths, and much more. Check the first post for more info!


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## Guido Negraszus (Jan 24, 2014)

Celestia is on my list already. The GUI looks indeed fantastic. Inviting! Can't wait!


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## paulmatthew (Jan 24, 2014)

Guido Negraszus @ Fri Jan 24 said:


> Celestia is on my list already. The GUI looks indeed fantastic. Inviting! Can't wait!



It's on my list now too. Sounds gorgeous.


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## Astronaut FX (Jan 24, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference. Day 2 - Announcing CELESTIA: Heavenly Sound Design*

Can't wait for the Juggernaut update…

…and count me in for Celestia!!!


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## kawaivpc1 (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference. Day 2 - Announcing CELESTIA: Heavenly Sound Design*

celesta looks great!!!


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## paulmatthew (Jan 25, 2014)

*Re: Impact Soundworks Virtual NAMM Press Conference. Day 2 - Announcing CELESTIA: Heavenly Sound Design*

I'm also looking forward to the Juggernaut update too. :D


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## quantum7 (Jan 25, 2014)

Guido Negraszus @ Fri Jan 24 said:


> Celestia is on my list already. The GUI looks indeed fantastic. Inviting! Can't wait!



+1


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## Andrew Aversa (Jan 25, 2014)

Day 3 - VOCALISA: Slavic Women's Choir announced! A true labor of love in progress since 2011, and now, almost complete. 

Still one day to go!


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## quantum7 (Jan 25, 2014)

Vocalisa- awesome! Boy, that Johnny Carson video takes back to my youth. As kids, my brothers and I always felt so lucky when our parents let us stay up late enough to watch Johnny with them.


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## Chriss Ons (Jan 25, 2014)

Anxious to hear _Vocalisa_ as well - great concept.
I was lucky enough to attend a performance of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares a few years ago... truly mesmerizing - and at times haunting - music. 
Curious to hear how well you have been able to capture what such a choir is capable of...


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## midi_controller (Jan 25, 2014)

Hell yeah! I've been waiting for someone to do a Bulgarian choir like this! Totally excited guys! =o


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## tmm (Jan 25, 2014)

Sign me up for both so far... Both sound really interesting!


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## SymphonicSamples (Jan 25, 2014)

You guys have been seriously busy !! Very much looking forward to the updates , new libraries , and hearing some demo's for VOCALISA .


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## Jonathan Howe (Jan 26, 2014)

I really like the video you've posted. I have never heard this style of choral singing before but it's lovely and really interesting. Best of luck with the library!


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## Ganvai (Jan 27, 2014)

Great news. There are some "must buys" in your program!


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## Ben H (Jan 29, 2014)

Looking forward to Celestia too =o


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## Robym (Feb 4, 2014)

When is the juggernaut update scheduled for? Thanks.


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## Andrew Aversa (Feb 4, 2014)

Hey Robym, I'm looking to wrap it up + release by the end of the month. The sound design is just about done, it's now a matter of updating the patches (UI + script).


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## Robym (Feb 4, 2014)

Fantastic Looking forward to it thanks


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## ZombyWoof (Feb 4, 2014)

I am really excited about Vocalisa. This is a sound palette that I could get lost in.
Can't wait to hear it.


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## tmm (Feb 4, 2014)

Same here, really looking forward to that


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## Astronaut FX (Feb 21, 2014)

Any update as to a release date for Celestia?


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## Andrew Aversa (Feb 21, 2014)

Yes! I would like to have it out by March 17th (the start of the Game Developers Conference). At the moment, the instrument is totally done and it's just a matter of making presets. The target is about 500 presets in the factory library


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## Rach (Mar 1, 2014)

Hey Andrew, how's the Juggernaut update coming?


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## Rach (Mar 1, 2014)

Hey Andrew, how's the Juggernaut update coming?


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## Andrew Aversa (Mar 2, 2014)

Sound design and artwork updates are both done. Now it is a matter of updating the script, and it should be good to go.

Celestia is also almost done - I would like to launch it within the next week and will be posting a separate thread. Thus, the Juggernaut update should come this month as well!


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## Rach (Mar 2, 2014)

Thank you for the update Andrew. I gotta say man, you really make it easy to love impactSoundWorks.


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## Rach (Mar 2, 2014)

Thank you for the update Andrew. I gotta say man, you really make it easy to love impactSoundWorks.


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