Kromium Soundbox instrument by Audiomodern string library interface

Kromium: Soundbox Instrument for Bowed and Plucked Strings

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (77 ratings)

Kromium is a virtual instrument from Audiomodern that uses stretched, plucked and scraped string sounds, built on the Soundbox engine, for film scores, experimental music and atmospheric sound design.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Opens the store in a new tab

01Overview

Kromium focuses on stringed instruments pushed past their usual limits. Cellos and violins are the core sources, and the sounds are bowed, plucked and manipulated into eerie, elongated and percussive textures. Scrapes, squeaks and bow whispers add dissonant detail. The library is built on Audiomodern's Soundbox engine, so it runs as a Soundbox instrument rather than a standalone plugin.

Best for

Film score textures
Experimental music
Dark ambient soundscapes
Unsettling sound design
Cello and violin layers

Developer: Audiomodern
Category: Virtual Instruments
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

27 unlocked presets of stretched and plucked string sounds
Unlimited mix-and-match combinations of sounds
Built on the Soundbox engine, which is fully reconfigurable
MPE ready for expressive performance control
Modular effects and a Vector engine in Soundbox
Bowed, plucked, scraped and whispered string textures
Library size of 1.75 GB
One-click export and import of custom instruments

03In depth

Sound Character of the String Library

Kromium's strings are treated as raw material rather than played conventionally. Bowed strings are stretched until they swell with tension, producing long, unsettling tones. Plucked strings have a hollow, almost percussive quality.

The developer describes the overall result as a mix of dissonance and harmonic complexity, with bow noise and whispers built into the palette. That makes the library well suited to sections that need discomfort or an unsettling atmosphere.

Soundbox Engine and Workflow

Kromium runs in the free Soundbox engine. The engine is an MPE-ready sampler with modular effects, a Vector engine and modulation tools. Presets can be reconfigured, and the library includes 27 unlocked presets with unlimited mix-and-match combinations.

Soundbox also supports customizing instruments with your own effects chains and artwork, and sharing them through one-click export and import.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Audiomodern
Type	Plugin
Category	Virtual Instruments
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Kromium?

Kromium is a virtual instrument from Audiomodern built around manipulated cellos and violins. It offers bowed, plucked and scraped string textures for film, experimental music and sound design.

What formats and operating systems does Kromium support?

Kromium is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats. It runs on Windows and macOS.

What do I need to use Kromium?

Kromium runs in the free Audiomodern Soundbox engine. The Soundbox engine supports VST, VST3, AU, AUv3 and AAX on macOS, and VST, VST3 and AAX on Windows.