# Medieval instruments



## Kejero (Mar 18, 2017)

Looking for some suggestions for medieval virtual instruments for an animated show. The nature of the show is fast and crazy, think Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and the likes.
- Mostly interested in solo instruments for use in sparse orchestration at one hand, and to add some colors to small orchestra.
- No epic or symphonic context here. 
- I generally prefer some character, attitude and bite in my instruments. No wimpy stuff.

*ERA II Medieval Legends* is the obvious suggestion I guess. I believe this is generally considered to be a great library but the demos don't really blow me away. The list of instruments looks like it has everything I'd ever need and then some, but maybe I'd rather spend some money on just two or three separate instruments that _do_ impress me...

I have no idea what the episode will be about, only that it's medieval-themed, so no concrete instruments or actual uses in mind yet. Any suggestions are welcome!


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## R.Cato (Mar 18, 2017)

Yes ERA II is the obvious suggestion. Sampling medieval instruments is a nightmare and what Tari has achieved in ERA can sound really good in the hands of people who know how to write for those instruments. The Renaissance Lute is as good as it gets for sampled lutes imo. The whole plucked departement and Sound Design is worth the price alone. The Nickelharpa and Hurdy Gurdy are also useful and very playable.

The Embertone Recorders are also worth a look as an addon to ERA. If you're unhappy with the sound of those products better hire live musicians right away. Haven't found anything better for medieval stuff yet. If someone knows of any better libraries pls post it here.


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## dgburns (Mar 18, 2017)

I have Era I, but seems to me Era II is the same with a few more things added. I'm generally a fan of the winds, very useful and playable, all of them. The hurdy gurdy great! the Bagpipes also great, just the drone notes are a bit wimpy imho.
I have no love of the strings, the legato is clunky, not many artics and seems to me the sound falls apart when you take away the built in reverb. Look elsewhere.

I think my favourite lutte at the moment is from Bolder sounds, also reasonable in price.

Also check out Sonicouture's the Conservatoire collection. Not as many instruments, but well sampled.


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## JonSolo (Mar 18, 2017)

ERA II falls REALLY high on my suggestion list. Alternatively, you could look into EWQL RA or Gypsy. While they are not dedicated Medieval libraries, there are some intriguing elements to them. I have all three and bounce between them for various settings. RA and Gypsy are on 50% sale I believe at many places currently.


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## Lode_Runner (Mar 18, 2017)

Some of the following suggestions are not Medieval but Baroque and Renaissance or Irish, Middle Eastern or Native American, but you could use them in a medieval theme if authenticity isn't a high priority:

SonicCouture Conservatoire Collection
VSL Historic Winds I and II
Embertone Recorders
Sonokinetic Hurdy Gurdy
Rhythmic Robot Audio Hurdy Gurdy
Cinematique Instruments Lute
Impact Soundworks Forest Frame Drum (okay that's actually an Ojibwe First Nation frame drum), Celtic Harps, Turkish Oud (if used to play in medieval modality), and the Ventus Tin Whistle
Cinesamples Viola De Gamba and Dulcimer and Zither


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## JohnG (Mar 18, 2017)

Kejero said:


> *ERA II Medieval Legends* is the obvious suggestion I guess. I believe this is generally considered to be a great library but the demos don't really blow me away



NOTE: I have the first version, not the update. Although it has lots of good attributes, its playability disappointed me. Notes that should be able to be sustained, such as strings, fade out really very quickly. It doesn't offer much variety of mics -- it feels that you are somehow too close to the instruments.

Overall, I felt that it is very good in that there are many instruments and the samples are well done (don't suffer from clicks or other bad stuff like that) but that, as presented, one is straightjacketed as to what one can really write with them that sounds natural and musical.


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## JBacal (Mar 20, 2017)

Also have a listen to VSL recorders.

Best,
Jay


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## Kejero (Mar 24, 2017)

JohnG said:


> NOTE: I have the first version, not the update. Although it has lots of good attributes, its playability disappointed me. Notes that should be able to be sustained, such as strings, fade out really very quickly. It doesn't offer much variety of mics -- it feels that you are somehow too close to the instruments.
> 
> Overall, I felt that it is very good in that there are many instruments and the samples are well done (don't suffer from clicks or other bad stuff like that) but that, as presented, one is straightjacketed as to what one can really write with them that sounds natural and musical.



Strangely that's exactly the impression I got from the demos.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, everybody!
I'm still gonna wait a little though... and pray to the flying spaghetti monster that a new library is released some time in April that has exactly the sound and instruments I'm looking for.


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## galactic orange (Mar 30, 2017)

I just got an e-mail from Fluffy Audio who are releasing a 25GB Medieval library on April 3rd. I remember reading this thread so I wanted to give you guys a heads up.

"We've worked in collaboration with the ensemble _La Rossignol_, a renowned ensemble of talented performers and dancers of traditional Renaissance music. We were amazed to discover instruments which were completely new for us and to look for the best strategies to capture their unique and rare sound on samples.
*
Rinascimento* features 3 bowed string instruments, 2 brass instruments, 8 reed instruments, 5 recorders of different sizes, 2 other kind of flutes, 7 kind of lute instruments (with a auto-strumming engine), 5 percussion, harpsichord, virginal, a positive organ and a complete organ with 10 registers.

All the non-polyphonic instruments feature *full sustained legato *transitions and staccato and there is a special and unique scripting engine for some complex instruments like the hurdy gurdy, the percussion, the organ or the lutes."

http://fluffyaudio.us6.list-manage....0b32028978a5a8e80e&id=b72ad9a798&e=0faed6b310


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## Rohann (Mar 30, 2017)

As an aside, correct me if I'm wrong but there weren't really a great deal of medieval instruments we associate with the medieval era now. Most people (myself included) actually mean Renaissance instruments when they say medieval; this is certainly true for many films and games.


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## colony nofi (Mar 30, 2017)

Rohann said:


> As an aside, correct me if I'm wrong but there weren't really a great deal of medieval instruments we associate with the medieval era now. Most people (myself included) actually mean Renaissance instruments when they say medieval, this is certainly true for many films and games.


Which is why the fluffy audio release has my attention too! 
Very astute thoughts!


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## Kejero (Mar 30, 2017)

Kejero said:


> I'm still gonna wait a little though... and pray to the flying spaghetti monster that a new library is released some time in April that has exactly the sound and instruments I'm looking for.



Thanks, flying spaghetti monster, that was fast. You never fail to deliver!


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## Lode_Runner (Mar 31, 2017)

galactic orange said:


> I just got an e-mail from Fluffy Audio who are releasing a 25GB Medieval library on April 3rd. I remember reading this thread so I wanted to give you guys a heads up.
> 
> "We've worked in collaboration with the ensemble _La Rossignol_, a renowned ensemble of talented performers and dancers of traditional Renaissance music. We were amazed to discover instruments which were completely new for us and to look for the best strategies to capture their unique and rare sound on samples.
> *
> ...


So excited for this. Looking forward to more details, and hoping that I can afford it.


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## Jaap (Mar 31, 2017)

I love Era II but always good to check out what the competition will bring in of course. Also maybe worth to look into Etno World 6 (I have 5 and not upgraded yet), but this contains a fair amount of medieval instruments as well, but to be honest I hardly pick them and always go for Era II.


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## paoling (Mar 31, 2017)

Rohann said:


> As an aside, correct me if I'm wrong but there weren't really a great deal of medieval instruments we associate with the medieval era now. Most people (myself included) actually mean Renaissance instruments when they say medieval; this is certainly true for many films and games.



This is a really interesting thought! I admit that when working on the demos for this library we were puzzled about how to promote it.
Do we have to stay "historic" with actual music from those times? Do we have to make cinematic music with it?
So we've done both. Some demos are completely fantasy (like the one in the trailer by Ignacio Nunez, which is the most "dressed" demo we have), others are Renaissance pieces with a modern flavour (like Scarborough Fair below), others are quite a faithful reproduction of the music of the Renaissance era.

While we usually give a precise time-span of musical periods in terms of music genre (Renaissance and Baroque music, for instance are quite different), the instruments lifespans were quite blurred. The origins were never very clear and then instrument usually lasted until a better version was developed.

Truly medieval instruments in Rinascimento are surely:
the Viella (bowed instrument XI century)
the Positive Organ (XIII century)
the Lute (which had it's origins in the ancient egipt and was brought in Europe in the middle ages)
the Hurdy Gurdy (XI century)
the Recorders (XIV century)
the Soprano Cornett (XI century)
the Bombarde and Ciaramello (which derive from antique Persian instruments)

But surely, also the instruments which have the "Baroque" name in it, like the Baroque Violin and the Baroque Guitar were employed in the late Renaissance period.

By the way here's the list of the available instruments in the library:








And here's below one of the first demos. Everything except the voice is made with Rinascimento:

Edit: this song is actually from XVIII century


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## Rohann (Mar 31, 2017)

paoling said:


> This is a really interesting thought! I admit that when working on the demos for this library we were puzzled about how to promote it.
> Do we have to stay "historic" with actual music from those times? Do we have to make cinematic music with it?
> So we've done both. Some demos are completely fantasy (like the one in the trailer by Ignacio Nunez, which is the most "dressed" demo we have), others are Renaissance pieces with a modern flavour (like Scarborough Fair below), others are quite a faithful reproduction of the music of the Renaissance era.
> 
> ...



I think that's a wise decision; the problem with marketing is that if most users think they're searching for medieval instruments (when they're really searching for Renaissance instruments), they might ignore a library advertised as specifically Renaissance. A combination is a smart call, really. Releasing a span of "historical European instruments" (however it ends up being advertised/what it's called) is a fantastic idea, as often the _specific_ genres, timbres and songs are blurred in that span of centuries for all but those who have been curious enough to research it. Lovely demo and really interesting/unique sounding library, I'll certainly have a look! Still want to get my hands on a real lute at some point.


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## Lode_Runner (Apr 3, 2017)

It's now the 3rd of April, about midday in Italy ... This must be about to be released any moment now. 

My F5 refresh key is starting to get a workout. 

Not that I'm impatient or anything


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## paoling (Apr 3, 2017)

We need some more hours (18 Rome/Berlin time) to setup the website page and make sure that everything's perfect.

In the meantime you can check our walkthrough here:



I'm quite proud of the little intro, the fly in the medieval town with Ian Dorsch awesome piece 

Thank you for your interest, we are getting an incredible feedback.


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## Lode_Runner (Apr 3, 2017)

Yay for the walk-through, that's more than enough for me for now. I can't actually buy until Thursday anyway, I was just craving more demos, walkthroughs, details.


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## soundbylaura (Apr 3, 2017)

Looks & sounds fantastic!


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## Sid Francis (Apr 3, 2017)

Ian Dorsch: I think this really ravishing intro piece is my reason to open the wallet if ever possible  Thank you.


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## Consona (Apr 3, 2017)

Lovely sound and interface!


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## paoling (Apr 3, 2017)

Rinascimento released! But above all, no more sleepless nights!

I hope you'll enjoy the library!

https://fluffyaudio.com/shop/rinascimento


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## Ashermusic (Apr 3, 2017)

Congrats Paolo.


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## paoling (Apr 3, 2017)

Thank you Jay!


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## Ian Dorsch (Apr 3, 2017)

Sid Francis said:


> Ian Dorsch: I think this really ravishing intro piece is my reason to open the wallet if ever possible  Thank you.



Thank you for the kind words, Sid. Made me smile.


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## R. Soul (Apr 3, 2017)

That's quite the coincidence...



Eduardo Tarilonte - on Facebook today said:


> Tomorrow will be announced one of my favorite libraries ever!
> If you liked ERA...
> just wait!


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## paoling (Apr 3, 2017)

I'll meet Eduardo at MusikMesse this Thursday. I prefer to think that Era and Rinascimento are perfect companions than rival libraries and any composer interested in antique instruments should have both


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## Dr.Quest (Apr 3, 2017)

Paolo, This looks fantastic! A must buy and I think you are right about Era as a compliment to yours. What a wonderful sound on both and I played in a medieval band at one time so I know those sounds. Congratulations!


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## Carles (Apr 3, 2017)

Grande Paolo! amazing arsenal, an so nicely done! Congrats


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## Lode_Runner (Apr 3, 2017)

Sounds amazing and I'm very happy with the price. Thanks Fluffy Audio.


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## R. Soul (Apr 3, 2017)

paoling said:


> I'll meet Eduardo at MusikMesse this Thursday. I prefer to think that Era and Rinascimento are perfect companions than rival libraries and any composer interested in antique instruments should have both


Ah... I forgot Musikmesse starts tomorrow. It makes perfect sense to announce it then


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## JonSolo (Apr 3, 2017)

Yea, I will hold my breath a moment and see what is in store, but this looks fantastic. Time to start a gofundsoloforhisneverendingsamplelibrarycompulsions.


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## Rohann (Apr 3, 2017)

Definitely on my list! Sounds great!


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## Lode_Runner (Apr 8, 2017)

How could I have forgotten to mention?:

Sonokinetic Toll
Best Service Tarilonte Mystica and Cantus


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## ptram (Apr 11, 2017)

Rinascimento sounds very good, and I must admit it looks classier than Era II. Then it doesn't uses Engine, and this alone is a deciding factor.

I own Era II, but can't stand the dated sci-fi/fantasy interface, a huge contrast with the fine literature I'm expected to read with these sounds.

One of the disadvantages of Era II is that you can't (as it comes out of the box) sequence keyswitches with a script, since most of the keyswitches are conceived for live use, and have to be kept pressed, asking you to end up with long notes in the sequence.

Maybe this can be edited, but I can't find a user manual for Engine, and I can't look at the tiny fosforescent characters for the long time needed to explore it myself.

It's a shame, since it sounds really great. I really wish they could move the library to Kontakt. In the meantime, Rinascimento will be a very welcome addition to my library.

Paolo

EDIT: I could find the Engine's manual (it is under a small question mark in the toolbar). So, I could discover how to switch from "hold mode" keyswitches, to "default mode" ones. These can be selected without having to keep the key down, and can be used for sequencing.


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## ZenFaced (Apr 11, 2017)

Rina looks real nice. I think I might get it!


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## Consona (Apr 12, 2017)

I own ERA but I think I'll save some money and buy Renascimento because of the sound. Instruments in ERA are sampled too dry and close they sound rather brittle. I really like the sound of Renascimento instruments. Thay have that Renaissance/Medieval sound, obviously, and they sound rich and full and lively, while ERA instruments sound too one-dimensional. I think the recording environment and use of multiple microphones make a huge difference.


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## SoundChris (Apr 16, 2017)

I highly recommend Bestservice / Tarilonte ERA II (Instruments), ERA II Vocal Codex (Solo Voices) and Mystica (Medieval women choir). I already have written some stuff with it and also made some (official and unofficial) demos:

ERA II (Voices are from Shevannai, ERA II Vocal Codex and Forest Kingdom II):




Mystica:


Overall ERA II just is an awesome collection. I think it contains about 50 playable high quality instruments and also medieval inspired ambiences. For great FX for medieval game / film post production i would recommend Boom Library Horses, Medieval Weapons and Creatures.


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## VgsA (Apr 16, 2017)

My 2 cents 
(Haven't tried Rinascimento yet)


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## Consona (Apr 17, 2017)

So are there any other sample libraries with medieval bowed instruments than Era and Renascimento?


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## SoundChris (Apr 17, 2017)

Consona said:


> So are there any other sample libraries with medieval bowed instruments than Era and Renascimento?



Well there is the Viola da Gamba by Cinesamples:


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## Kejero (Apr 18, 2017)

A lot of cool stuff in this thread!

In the mean time, I bought Rinascimento, and I can highly recommend it. It's a steal for the price. The articulations that come with it are not very extended, but the sound is excellent, and the strummer on the plucked instruments is a very cool bonus. And I can easily see this library perform way beyond Renaissance pieces too.


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## paoling (Apr 19, 2017)

Thank you Kejero! 
By the way, the intro pricing on Rinascimento ends tomorrow!


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