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Kantele v2.5 by Cinematique Instruments Kontakt instrument artwork
Cinematique Instruments·Kontakt Instruments

Kantele v2.5: Kontakt Instrument for Plucked Metallic Strings by Cinematique Instruments

Kantele v2.5 is a Kontakt instrument from Cinematique Instruments that recreates the Kantele, a traditional plucked string instrument from Finland and Estonia with a bell-like sound.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately
Kontakt
AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique
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01Overview

The Kantele is a traditional plucked string instrument associated with Finland and Estonia, and it belongs to the Baltic Psaltery group, related to the zither. Cinematique Instruments built Kantele v2.5 as a Kontakt instrument around that sound. The developer describes the strings as fine and shiny, with a distinctive bell-like character. The instrument is diatonically tuned in its original form, and the developer also provides a Kontakt patch that plays the Kantele in chromatic tuning.

Best for

  • Folk-inspired melodies
  • Bell-like plucked textures
  • Cinematic string motifs
  • Arpeggiated patterns
  • World music production
Requires
Kontakt
Store
Plugin Boutique
02Key features

What you get

  • Kantele recreated from a traditional Finnish and Estonian plucked instrument
  • Approximately 1200 samples across the instrument
  • 600 MB of compressed sample data
  • Dynamic Sennheiser MD 421 and condenser Neumann U-87 recordings
  • Round robin variations and velocity layers
  • Reverse sample set for an artificial character
  • Vintage articulation with the earlier sample set
  • Chromatic tuning patch available
  • Arp and Recorder features added in version 2.5
  • New presets, effects and interface
03In depth

Sound and Recording Approach

Cinematique re-recorded the Kantele from scratch for version 2, using two microphones: a dynamic Sennheiser MD 421 and a condenser Neumann U-87. The recordings include more detailed round robin variations and velocity layers than earlier samples.

Version 2 also adds a reverse sample set for a more artificial character. The older samples remain available through the "Vintage" articulation, which the developer says has a brighter timbre.

Features and Version 2.5 Updates

The library contains approximately 1200 samples and 600 MB of compressed data. Version 2.5, released in 2022, adds new presets and effects, an arpeggiator, a recorder and a redesigned interface.

The chromatic Kontakt patch lets you play the Kantele outside its diatonic tuning, which is useful when a part leaves the scale of the five strings.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

DeveloperCinematique Instruments
TypePlugin
CategoryKontakt Instrument
RequiresKontakt
FormatsKontakt
05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use Kantele v2.5?

Kantele v2.5 requires the full version of Kontakt 5.6.8 or higher. It will not run in the free Kontakt Player, where it switches to demo mode.

What formats does Kantele v2.5 support?

Kantele v2.5 is available in the Kontakt format.

What is the difference between the Vintage articulation and the main sounds?

The Vintage articulation plays the older sample set, which the developer describes as brighter in timbre than the version 2 recordings.

Can I play the Kantele chromatically?

Yes. The original Kantele is diatonically tuned, but the developer provides a Kontakt patch that plays it in chromatic tuning.

07Developer

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