AMA I Strings Bundle: Amazonian Plucked String Library for Kontakt

The library centers on two instruments. The charango is made of Jacarandá wood with a Pine top and an Ebony scale, and the developer describes it as a variation of the Spanish viola, used in the rhythm of the Brazilian toada. The cuatro venezuelano is a variant of the ukulele, with a gourd body, a Marupá top and a Louro wood neck, and it is commonly associated with toada and beiradão songs.

Each instrument was recorded with 3 to 5 microphones. Sounds of the Earth says the more distant mics give an ambient, soothing sound, while closer mics add detail and definition. You can use one position or blend them to taste.

The library requires the full version of Kontakt 6 or later. The free Kontakt Player will not run it and will fall back to demo mode. The interface is presented as clean, giving quick access to the controls needed during composition.

Because the samples are plucked string recordings with multiple mic positions, the library suits adding folk-flavored strings and textures to epic or dramatic cues, as well as Amazonian-style music.