NOTE: These downloads are in a proprietary format that is exclusive to Fusion and will not work in any other sampler

POLY VOX This is an update to the PolyMoog Vox Humana Freepack which comes 9.3MB HUMANA courtesy of self confessed Numanoid, Joeri Peeters (Picaja).

The original vox Humana on offer below (from Suit And Tie Guy - and by his own admission) was sampled via one the PolyMoog Keyboard's output that had a filter applied. Whilst a nice sound in itself, Joeri has managed to get access to a re-conditioned PolyMoog Keyboard owned by Leo Gelderland from Holland. Joeri is pictured above with Leo's PolyMoog Keyboard.

Joeri has taken long samples of the Vox Humana sound at every minor third via the PMK's AUX output that bypasses the filter thereby giving THE Gary Numan 'Cars' sound.

And it's fabulous! Brighter and somewhat 'fizzier' and totally authentic - as soon as you play a few notes, you just hear that record. And because the PMK has had a total overhaul, no nasty mains hum issues or duff notes.

Joeri has looped them seamlessly and has also programmed the assignable knobbage sympathetically.

I am indebted to Joeri for driving up to Rotterdam to sample the thing and the work he has put into this and for making it available. A big hats off and thanks to Leo too for allowing Joeri to sample it and making it available to us.

This has to be the most authentic representation of the PolyMoog Keyboard's 'Vox Humana' sound available anywhere with the option of the original filtered version if you prefer. All bases covered!

CHINESE To coincide with the spectacular opening 1.1MB PERCUSSION ceremony of the forty billion dollar circus that is the Beijing Olympics, it seems somehow appropriate to make these samples of Chinese percussion available to the Fusion community today.

There are 15 samples of traditional Chinese drums, cymbals, gongs, bells, blocks and other instruments mapped out across the keyboard from C1 - C3. There are no performance controls or anything - they are presented as is. Whilst simple (and modest in size), they are full of oriental character and

flavour.

It would be nice to say that these are the actual samples that were selected for use in the opening ceremony but they are not.

I created them originally for Akai's S5000 and S6000 and then converted them for use on their MPC1000 where they were part of the 'Kit Of The Week' season they ran as a promotional support tool for the product. They have subsequently made their way into the MPC500 as well.

Enjoy the collection. NOTE: This download should in no way suggest or imply any affiliation with the Beijing Olympics or any organisation associated with the event or any trademarks or copyrights. Neither does it suggest or imply support of any particular team or, indeed, any tacit approval of any political issues that may exist.

The use of the event's logo is purely for 'illustrative' purposes only and is not to suggest or imply that this download is (or represents) in any way 'official merchandise'.

This download is made available solely for users of the Alesis Fusion in the spirit of the event and, in particular, as an 'homage' to the opening ceremony.

VOX THE classic 'Vox Humana' sound from an original Polymoog keyboard. 5.7MB HUMANA

Image from vintagesynth.com

Derived from the hugely expensive, thin sounding and thoroughly unreliable Polymoog, the less expensive Polymoog Keyboard offered 14 presets and limited editability (but still cost £2,000!). Both Polymoogs weren't true synths in the strict sense of the word. Instead, they used 'divide down' electronic organ technology to provide total polyphony. This was an attractive feature but it meant compromises, the most significant being one filter to service all voices which was hugely limiting, especially when compared with the Yamaha CS80 which appeared on the market shortly afterwards and which had eight 'true' voices (and sounded a lot better).

But the 'Vox Humana' sound became a 'classic' the day Gary Numan used it on his monster hit record, 'Cars' and other songs of his. Somewhere between a vocal sound, a vocoder and a mellow string patch, it soared in the instrumental sections in 'Cars'. The record was a big hit in its time but also enjoyed more success some years later when it was re-released following the record's use in a UK car advert.

This is the real deal from an original Polymoog Keyboard.

I can't claim credit for sampling it but a certain 'Suit & Tie Guy' has made samples from his Polymoog Keyboard available for plundering in the public domain and I for one appreciate it very much. I drooled over the Polymoog when I was a lad and the Vox Humana sound was definitely one of my favourites. I have searched high and low for years, seeking out synth geek friends and acquaintances and friends of friends who may have one to sample but with no success. And then, quite by chance, I discovered these this evening.

There is a long and detailed (and seamlessly looped) sample (between six and ten seconds each) on every minor third which have been optimised down from the original 104MB to a more manageable 5.7MB!!! It still sounds totally authentic however. There's a small hint of corrective EQ on an insert to remove the 'singing' from the original's divide-down organ oscillators especially in the higher frequencies

Although there is just one program, the assignable controls allow you to adjust attack, release and FX balance so there is a lot of variation to be had.

Hats off to Suit & Tie Guy for these!!

GIOVANI In a unique collaboration with leading 10.5MB BOYCHOIR - soundware innovator, Bela D Media, Hollow FUSION Sun is pleased to offer the 'Giovani Boychoir EDITION - Fusion Edition' for free download.

One of the highspots of my career was to be asked by Francis Belardino, CEO of Bela D Media, to work on their stunning children's choir collection, 'Giovani - Voices Of The Young', in particular, looping the sustained portions of the samples. It was a tall order - these were samples that would be heard in isolation in demanding environments by demanding professionals and had to be better than perfect!

However, these were just part of a far greater project. As well as the sustained loops, 'Giovani' also offers stunning vocal articulations that allows these and other samples to actually 'speak' using ingenious and proprietary software developed by Bela D's own talented programmers.

The result is probably the finest sampled childrens' choir on the market today and which is regularly used by leading international composers and also major Hollywood film scorers. The full 'Giovani' collection from Bela D Media features a boys and a girls choir recorded independently in a beautiful church acoustic captured with the finest in analogue and digital recording technology and edited by those at the top of their game - no expense was spared in the recording and editing and programming of these childrens' angelic voices to create what is arguably THE most ethereal vocal sound available today. Various vowel sounds were recorded (ohs and ahs) as well as other vocal articulations.

What Bela D is kindly offering to the Fusion community is the boys choir articulating simple 'ohs' and 'ahs' in four simple programs created by Hollow Sun - 'oh', 'ah', and an 'oh/ah' articulation controlled by the modwheel and a velocity switched 'oh/ah'. A far cry from the full 'Giovani' or even the 'LE' versions, of course, but totally sublime and beautiful sounds in their own rght.

You can find out more about 'The Giovani Edition - Voices Of The Young' HERE and you can discover more about Bela D Media's many other innovative products HERE.

I am extremely grateful to Bela D Media for granting me permission to share these gorgeous sounds with the wider Fusion community. This truly makes Fusion unique in the market as the only hardware product to feature these sounds. If these 'tasters' whet your apetite, be sure to check out the full version. SHORT AUDIO DEMO OF 'GIOVANI BOYCHOIR - FUSION EDITION'

Bela D Media.com holds all rights to the sounds/samples on offer in this download and they are generously made available here in Fusion's proprietary sample format by Bela D Media, Inc., solely for the use by Fusion owners under an exclusive licence agreement with Hollow Sun. They may be used without restriction in your own musical endeavours but they must not under any circumstances be sampled and/or converted to any other format and/or sold or made available or re-dstributed without express and written permission from Bela D Media. Inc. and Hollow Sun. Any known contravention of this agreement will be pursued to the full extent of international law. Please respect the spirit in which these sounds are offered.

RICKY 4001 This download comes from markone, a 2.6MB Fusion user who has kindly contributed this sample set of a 4001 bass that features not only the raw sound of the Ricky but also slides and other performance nuances.

The Rickenbacker 4001 was a popular bass in early prog rock and used by the likes of Mike Rutherford (Genesis) before he progressed to his Shergold 12-string guitar/bass double neck by way of a custom Rickenbacker double neck of a similar spec.. Its bright, metallic tone was also favoured by of Yes. Other notable users were Roger Waters (), (Rush), Jon Camp (Renaissance), (), , Paul McCartney and . The samples are laid out from C1-C4 with normal samples in the MIDI velocity range of 0-110 and slurs, sweeps and other performance nuances in the MIDI velocity range of 111-128. Three programs are provided: a 'straight' bass, a distorted bass and a flanged bass.

Many thanks to Mark for making this excellent and very playable bass available to the Fusion community.

FREEPACK As a change to the usual offerings, what we 6MB #20 have here is a rather nice double-manual harpsichord, maybe similar to the one shown here (photo from www.music.ed.ac.uk).

I am not entirely sure where I got this from originally but some investigation appears to show it to be the public domain 'Camblell's Harpsichord' which I have tweaked, edited, teased and otherwise messed with extensively to overcome problems in the source samples and programming.

Two programs are available - one comprising just the upper manual and another combining both (some harpsichords feature a 'coupling device' that allows the lower keyboard to also play the upper keyboard for a bigger sound).

Some liberties have been taken for the modern world. Knob 1 introduces an octave lower for a fuller sound (a characterisitic of some original harpsichords) and Knob 2 allows you to control decay time. Knob 3 allows you to add a hint of chorus and Knob 4 allows you to control the amount of reverb. In keeping with original harpsichords, the programs are not particularly velocity sensitive (though this can be adjusted if you prefer).

Be sure to find out more about the wonderful workings of harpsichords HERE. In the meantime, have your womenfolk wear their wimples back to front and baroque and roll!

FREEPACK To welcome in 2008, another chunk of vintage warmth for these chilly winter 15MB #19 nights from that nice Mr McCullough! Featuring sounds from his Akai AX80 and AX60, they are very representative of two very underrated analogue synths.

The 8-voice AX80 had two oscillators (one with a sub-osc so effectively three) with the usual waves, PWM, sync and x-mod which were fed into a lowpass filter, an amp and out. Everything was digitally controlled but the signal path was pure analogue.

It also had probably the best data-entry method for programming ever devised. Above the main panel are a series of flourescent displays which show you graphically the value of the parameter you are entering and when switching patches, you could see at a glance how the sound is made up - almost like having a panel of moving faders... almost! It also sounded great, came with the new-fangled MIDI thing, had a nice keyboard, good performance wheels and a goodly array of footswitch inputs for sustain and program advance.

Its lack of commercial success wasn't its sound or its styling or its price, however - it was the fact that it was debuted (by a brand new start-up company in the synth business) at the same time as the DX7 which was to displace analogue and reign supreme throughout the 80s. Even the venerable Jupiter 6 and other notable analogues of the time had problems competing with that!! Had the timing been different, the AX80 may well now be regarded as a classic and changing hands for silly money!

I had one for quite a long time (before my involvement with Akai) and it became a favourite of mine. Unfortunately, I sold it to fund the purchase an Ensoniq ESQ1 and whilst the Ensoniq was far more capable (and had a pretty good multi-timbral sequencer), I missed my AX's lush, analogue sound.

Akai's AX60 came later. They were determined to continue with a pure analogue synth to compete with the 'sterile' FM sound of the time. Derived from their six-voice VX60 module, it was a single oscillator jobbie designed to outspec the Junos and Korg PolySix. It featured an arpeggiator and chorus but uniquely, also had quite extensive keysplit and layering facilities (although limited by the six voice polyphony of course) as well as a far more functional multi-waveform LFO than offered by its competitors.

The US market was not enamoured by the VX60 and so the slider-strewn AX60 was built at the then-US distributor's request. However, in a world dominated by FM, it failed to make an impact and very few were sold making this quite a rare keyboard, especially today.

Both these synths sounded quite fine though and deserved to be more successful than they were as, I think, Dan's excellent contributions prove. They also take these sounds to a new level with judicious use of Fusion's on-board synth and effects processing and, of course, the added polyphony.

FREEPACK A veritable 'smörgåsbord' of analogue and digital sounds of varying 37MB #18 provenance created by Hollow Sun's own sample-meister Dan McCullough... chunky analogue basses, biting leads, wholesome analogue pads, brittle digital textures ... and 'Happy Strings' is the perfect basis for THE 'Ibiza' techno sound

As always, check out the assignable knobs and also S1 (and sometimes S2) as they are all programmed to do something useful to transform the sound in real-time.

FREEPACK This large Freepack is totally sample based and contains a wide range of 20MB #17 atmospheric, floating pads plus tingling chimes and combinations. There's also a brand new (and rare) tape playback keyboard sound set plus a juicy FM clav from the Hollow Sun FS1R Collection.

Be sure to try out the assignable knobs and also S1 (and sometimes S2) as they are all programmed to do something useful to transform the sound in real-time.

My thanks to fellow Hollow Sun cohort, Dan McCullough, for assembling this collection. Enjoy!

FREEPACK This Freepack is a little Christmas gift for Fusioneers - it's a 458kb #16 very nice and authentic set of samples taken from a certain 'classic electric piano'! It is multi-sampled and also velocity layered with three levels (pp, mf and ff). It has the 'tinkly' upper range and a mellow and 'plummy' mid to low range.

It has a room reverb and chorus added by default but these can be reduced/removed using assignable knobs 3&4. Assignable knobs 1&2 transforms the sound into a mellow pad. S1 introduces tremolo and S2 adds the characteristic autopan. I am grateful to Tracy Collins of Indiginus for donating the samples from his own 'classic electric piano'. He made them available to the Akai S5/6000 community but was happy to let the Fusion community have them as well.

Merry Christmas to all!

FREEPACK Something of a departure this time round - a collection of 4.2MB #15 assorted guitars that include overdriven and crunch distortion, acoustic, 12-string, nylon, jazz and guitar harmonics.

These are very economical and were taken from my old S1000 library, re-worked in my S5000 then converted to Fusion where they took on a life of their own!

The assignable knobs have been carefully set to get the best from the sounds and S1 in the distortion guitars introduces a 5th interval AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #15

FREEPACK This Freepack contains the preset sounds from Casio's old SK1 sampling 616kb #14 keyboard:

Cheesy and decidely lo-fi but also surprisingly good particularly the eerie 'Voice' pad and the haunting 'Flute' sound. The sounds are best played within their original range of F2 - C5.

Eight sounds are included which are:

• SK1 Voice • SK1 Trumpet • SK1 Piano • SK1 Organ • SK1 Jazz Organ • SK1 Flute • SK1 Drums • SK1 Syndrum

Thanks to my old friend, Louis van Dompselaar, who kindly donated these to the Akai S5/6000 community some years ago.

FREEPACK This Freepack comes courtesy of Fusion user, Luc Henrion, who has kindly 8kb #13 donated a bank of eight excellent VA synth sounds that bring to mind some classic synths of yesteryear. Of note are two filthy emulations of the Yamaha CS80's ring mod - handle with care!

Thanks to Luc for the contribution.

FREEPACK This is a whacky one - the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell. 8.1MB #12 Back in 1978, Texas Instruments, innovators in integrated circuit design and manufacture, released

the now legendary Speak & Spell, a teaching aid for children to assist them with spelling and reading. This might seem a very unlikely 'instrument' to feature here but because artists such as Kraftwerk and others used the Speak & Spell's crude speech synthesis in their music, it (sort of) qualifies ... if only

tenuously.

The idea with the Speak & Spell was that it would 'speak' words at random and the child would then be required to spell it using the 'keyboard'. If the child got it right, he/she would be told - otherwise they'd be informed "INCORRECT". For the time, it was actually quite a sophisticated little mini-computer with a large vocabulary of stored words, letters and numbers that were replayed in truly glorious, grungy lo-fi 8-bit through a rather crappy on-board speaker. In other words, sound quality was pretty awfu!! Fortunately, the young, evolving human brain is sophisticated enough to extrapolate and not to imitate blindly otherwise there would be a whole generation of people talking like Professor Steven Hawkins!

I admit - it's probably not for everyone but it's a lot of fun!

You can see and play an on-line Flash version of the Speak & Spell here

FREEPACK This freepack is quite different from previous ones in that it contains 50's sci- 1.2MB #11 fi 'alien landscapes'. The 50s sci-fi film 'Forbidden Planet' is a seminal

piece of cinematic history not just because it's a great movie (based on Shakespeare's 'The Tempest') but also because of the revolutionary electronic music soundtrack created by avant-garde pioneers Louis and Bebe Barron.

In a time long before commercially available synthesisers and/or multi-track tape machines, the Barrons made their own circuits and assembled the sounds they made into collages using music concrete techniques (intricate tape splicing, etc.).

Built in to these various circuits, however, was a certain degree of unpredictability and serendipity - that is, their circuits had flaws and imperfections and didn't always behave as expected - and the results created a certain 'organic' quality that belie their electronic origins. However, if anything, this was a strength that the Barrons exploited to highlight the human flaws in the characters in the film or, indeed, the unpredictability of the alien landscape depicted.

It was also the first movie to have a totally electronic soundtrack AND it was credited as such ... as 'Electronic Tonalities' ... and it was a major influence on the use of electronic music in the movie industry even to this day! I used to use Native Instruments' REAKTOR to design and build my own 'circuits' in software in a similar vein to the Barrons' ethos - to create 'organic' instruments that can generate eerie soundscapes almost at random and which have an unpredictable life of their own. On offer here is a collection of samples from these instruments.

I make no claim that any of these sci-fi samples are authentic recreations of the Barrons' work but during the time these samples were available for Akai samplers, a close friend of Bebe Barron emailed me to tell me that they are "Very much in the spirit of Forbidden Planet, and in most cases dead ringers for the original" and it seems had Bebe's approval! Although her husband died some years ago, last thing I heard was that Bebe was still active in the avant-garde electronic music field.

All the sounds are single samples recorded at C3 but mapped out across the keyboard range. As a result, they will speed up and slow down if transposed but this is perfectly in keeping with the Barrons' original work who used different tape speeds to affect the playback of their recordings.

These are not sounds for your next MTV hit that's for sure (although you never know!) but if you want to push the envelope with ambient soundscapes, these might be just the ticket. AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #11

FREEPACK This freepack contains some samples from my old Ensoniq SQ80 2MB

#10

The Ensoniq ESQ1 and SQ80 offered an astounding spec for not a lot of money when released in the late '80s.

Each of its eight voices featured three digital wavetable oscillators each with their own DCA (digitally controlled amplifiers) for independent level control of each oscillator, three comprehensive multi-waveform LFOs (low frequency oscillators), four multi-stage envelope generators, oscillator sync and cross modulation, a ring modulator and a comprehensive modulation matrix that allowed almost any controller to be routed to anything.

However, in these pre-modelling days, at the heart of the SQ80 (and the ESQ1) were truly analogue filters (the same Curtis chips used in the Sequential Circuits' Prophet 5) which gave the SQ80 a warm, genuinely analogue character despite its digital sound generation circuitry.

This modest Freepack contains a convincing 'analogue' string sound and a highly characteristic digivox pad. It also contains a collection of solid synth basses that show off those analogue filters nicely.

FREEPACK This Freepack features some sounds from a Kawai K5000 from a donation 6.5MB #09 made to Hollow Sun a few years ago by Brian Thomson of stereoroid.com and which were available at Hollow Sun for free download for some time and which I've decided to resurrect for Fusion.

The K5000 was an additive synthesiser that offered control of up to 128 harmonics and multi-stage envelopes could be used to control the level of these. The harmonics could also be detuned to animate the sound. The resulting waveform then passed through a filter and there were the usual complement of LFOs, etc., to further augment the sound. Unlike their previous additive synths, Kawai added PCM samples to the equation. It sounds very comprehensive and it had some fabulous sounds but to construct your own was a nightmare - you could sit there for hours messing with the individual hamonics' levels and it almost inevitably sounded like a bloody organ!

The five sounds in this Freepack certainly don't, however, with sonorous and delicate bells, evolving digital synth sounds and one that has a pretty good go at sounding warm and analogue. The Assignable Knobs are programmed to make quite dramatic and useful changes quickly and easily.

AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #09

FREEPACK This Freepack contains 24 sounds from the Hollow Sun M01 Collection CD 12.9MB

#08 and features a wide range of sounds (although in fairness, many are atmospheric pads and otherwise 'dreamy' sounds!!).

Many sounds are new, created using Fusion's powerful onboard synth processing and multi-FX and the assignable controls are sympathetically programmed to transform the sounds with minimum tweakage.

AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #08

FREEPACK 8.0MB

#07

When the Prophecy was released in 1996, it caused quite a stir being the only monophonic synth to have hit the market for some time and also the first synth to use new 'modelling' techniques. Looking at its control panel, it is clear that this was designed as a performance instrument with all sorts of performance controls and performance controllers such as wheels, ribbon controllers, a unique 'log' controller, aftertouch, etc.. It found immediate favour with many musicians and although discontinued a long time ago, is still a staple in many people's rigs.

What we have here are eight sounds created by HS cohort, Roberto Puricelli. Being samples, it is not possible to interact with the sounds in the same way as the original but Rob has used Fusion's on-board processing with the assignable controls and other performance parameters to go some way to re- creating the experience of the original.

All sounds are monophonic to re-create the original. This is easily changed if you prefer.

INDIGINUS This download comes courtesy of Indiginus who have very kindly created a 3.8MB

SSS 'lite' version of their Solid State Symphony 'Orchestra' patch for Fusion. Despite being 'lite', it's still a very impressive sound with a wide range of applications!

It's essentially a velocity-switched orchestral sound but the twist is that it is made entirely using carefully layered analogue synths. The result is surprisingly authentic providing a rich orchestral texture of strings and brass in unison.

Although comprising one basic sound, several program variations have been created. The first program is the original velocity switched orchestra whilst the 'P' and 'F' variations feature just the soft and loud multisamples. Further programs are created using Fusion's own ROM presets to provide SSS and strings, SSS and choir plus other variations.

I am extremely grateful to Tracy Collins of Indiginus for making this available to the growing Fusion community.

AUDIO DEMO OF INDIGINUS SSS ORCHESTRA

FREEPACK In contrast to the previous freepack, here's an altogether simpler download - 3MB

#06 a selection of classic sounds from almost the dawn of sampling.

In the beginning was the Fairlight, a powerful digital synthesiser but best known for its sampling facilities. Emu Systems (who previously made large modular analogue synths) figured out that sampling would be fairly easy to achieve and so the original (and imaginatively named) 'Emulator' was born, a simple and limited sampling keyboard with few sound shaping facilities. This was followed up by the Emulator II (or EII) that offered typical synth processing facilities as well but with a price tag of around £10,000!!!

Big and chunky with sounds loaded from 5.25" floppy disks, many aspiring musos dreamed of owning one. One such musician was Jem Godfrey who very kindly donated a selection of sounds from his own EII which have been converted to Fusion format. These include the legendary 'Shakuhachi' that graced many a record at the time (most notably Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer') plus some strings, choirs and an eerie 'Waterphone'. Despite their age (they'll be 22 this year!), they still sound remarkably good today especially when enhanced with Fusion's own facilities.

Because of the limited range of samples in some sounds (in some cases, just one!), not all of them cover the entire keyboard range and also work within limited transposition but this is true to the originals.

Find out more about the EII here.

AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #06

FREEPACK A somewhat different download for Fusion this time! Instead of yet more 6MB

#05 synth sounds, a meticulously finger picked acoustic guitar and chordal strums that allow an astonishingly realistic performance as evidenced in the audio demos below.

The samples come courtesy of new sound developer Indiginus who have kindly agreed to make these fabulous sounds available to Fusion users in a co-promotional effort. Indiginus's full CD-ROM contains much more variation with nylon-strung and 12-string guitars. All are meticulously multi-sampled with clever use of velocity switching to introduce mutes, harmonics, open strings and performance slides. Frankly, one of the best acoustic guitar sample collections I have heard and which I have no hesitation in recommending!!

More material is on the way from this innovative developer and I recommend you check out their website for more details by clicking on the logo below.

Blueridge audio demo

Blueridge Blues audio demo

Strums audio demo

FREEPACK Eight intricate, evolving pads from the Hollow Sun FS1R Collection converted 32MB

#04 to Fusion and carefully hand crafted to take advantage of Fusion's extensive on-board synth and FX processing capabilities. The download is quite a bit larger than others because all the multi-samples are stereo and quite long in order to capture the expansive sound of the original.

My thanks (as always) to Martijn Buiter for the original samples he supplied in this unique collaboration. AUDIO DEMO OF FREEPACK #04

FREEPACK A collection of fullsome synth basses, pads and some 'sound / synth effects' 8kb

#03 using the various synth engines in Fusion.

AMBIENT AUDIO DEMO OF THE SOUND / SYNTH FX

FREEPACK An unusual assortment of sounds here that you definitely won't find on your 1.8MB

#02 typical workstation.... samples of a quite 'ethnic' Buddhist origin.

Wind Chimes Windchimes have been an important part of many cultures for centuries, especially in Japan where they are an intrinsic component of Buddhist temples and Zen gardens. As a breeze blows so they chime in a random fashion to create an ethereal sonic backdrop to the envronment creating an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

They have become popular in western cultures in recent decades with the advent of more 'new age' spirituality and many modern gardeners like them as they enhance the tranquility of their landscape.

On offer here is a set of 'alto' windchimes - that is, lower in pitch and tone than the usual 'tinkly' windchimes we might be used to.

The sound available here was made from a high quality wind chime with six tubular bells using it's own striker and several program variations are available that incude mono and stereo versions. AUDIO DEMO OF WIND CHIMES

Manjira Manjira are otherwise known as 'finger cymbals' and produce a pure, ringing sound.

Their sound is is intended to focus meditation - a sharp enharmonic transient that settles into an almost sinusoidal

decay/release that is peaceful and meditative.

The sample on offer here is from a highly tuned bronze pair that have great purity of sound. A chorus effect has been added to create a 'carrilon' sound but this can be removed using Knob 4 of the Assignable controls. AUDIO DEMO OF MANJIRA

Rkang Gling The Rkang Gling is a blown horn instrument made from a human thigh bone that was traditonally used as a 'call to prayer' by Buddhist monks and to ward off demons.

It has just one pitch but the wonders of sampling allows this unique sound to be played chromatically in a modern music making environment.

Several program variations are presented - a 'natural' version and also a 'processed' pad variation. AUDIO DEMO OF RKANG GLING

Singing Bowl The humble bowl is an important part of Buddhist culture.

At its most practical level, it offers the opportunity to present food and drink especially to guests.

However, Buddhist monks of old would fashion their bowls to also be used in their meditative practices such that running a pestle around the rim of the bowl would produce an ethereal, pure and almost sinusoidal 'singing' tone (not unlike the party trick of 'singing' wine glasses). AUDIO DEMO OF SINGING BOWL

All samples were provided by Hollow Sun cohort Dan McCullough from his collection of original instruments.

Whilst these samples cover the entire keyboard range, some don't transpose that well above C6 by their very nature. This is not a limitation of Fusion - the same artefacts would manifest themselves on any sampler.

DX E. Two delightful FM patches sent in by Fusion user, Luc Henrion, that replicate 3kb

PIANOS original DX electric piano presets.

SCRATCHES A keyboard full of record scratches that can be used to create powerhouse 1.7MB scratch-fests especially using Fusion's phrase arpeggiator.

AUDIO DEMO OF SCRATCH SOUNDS

FREEPACK An assortment of thick analogue vintage synth samples that take advantage 8.4MB #01 of Fusion's own synth engine and modelled filters to provide many varied, powerfu l sounds that are useful in almost any modern musical genre. If you like chunky analogue synths and swirling pads, you're gonna love these!!

AUDIO DEMO OF HS FREEPACK #01

NOTE: These downloads are in a proprietary format that is exclusive to Fusion and will not work in any other sampler

Loops created at Hollow Sun are seamlessly powered by Antares Infinity