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Simulating dampening on Timpani samples

Emmanuel Rousseau

Senior Member
Hi everyone,

I'm looking for the most natural way to simulate dampening on Timpani samples. I'm mostly using the Timpani set from Metropolis Ark 3 and while I'm loving the tone, I'm often annoyed by the very long resonances of each notes creating harmonic conflict.

Interested in your suggestions :)
 
Either having the note end on release (which will mean holding down a note for the length you need - usually not how drum samples work), or a mute group where another note mutes any currently ringing tympani. The latter would be implemented basically like cymbal chokes when there's no "real" choke sample.
 
maybe a combination of having the mute group and a 2nd instance of it at a low volume that rings out slightly sharp very quietly?

to simulate the ring out you'd probably need a reverb send or something.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions. I ended up using the release / MIDI note duration trick, as it's the only easy solution that allows damping on separate notes, depending on each musical case.

Timpanis are such a difficult instrument to make right in mockups !

(At least that will do the trick before getting my hands on the Berlin Timp ;) )
 
Actually, true dampening will in most cases be a lost cause, as you will not hear much of it with other instruments playing at the same time. It is great to have for the few cases, where it is really exposed. But that is mostly for ff timpani hits that are dampened right after the hit. I am not sure about metropolis 3 - does it have staccato timpani samples? These are the most important IMO and it is not really possible to fake that.
 
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