The Foundry by Big Fish Audio Kontakt sound design instrument interface

The Foundry: Kontakt Sound Design Instrument by Big Fish Audio

The Foundry is a Kontakt-based sound design instrument from Big Fish Audio that builds new patches from simple descriptive adjectives, drawing on a large library of samples. It runs as a Kontakt instrument or standalone on Windows and macOS.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately
StandaloneKontaktWindowsmacOS
AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique
Opens the store in a new tab
01Overview

The Foundry approaches sound design by generating new patches rather than relying on a fixed preset list. Big Fish Audio built it on the Kontakt engine, so it loads inside Kontakt or in a digital audio workstation that hosts Kontakt. Its library covers beds and pads, textures, one-shot FX and rhythmic kits, which can be shaped with a morphing engine, a step sequencer, body types and modulators. The result is a tool aimed at producers who want to build custom sounds and rhythms from source material.

Best for

  • Cinematic sound design
  • Rhythmic FX textures
  • Ambient pads and beds
  • Custom lead lines
  • Granular experimental sound
  • Surround sound design
Requires
Kontakt
Store
Plugin Boutique
02Key features

What you get

  • AARE randomizer generates patches from descriptive adjectives
  • Four morphing core sounds with X-Y Pad Designer
  • Three-mode step sequencer for rhythms and lead lines
  • Six modulators assignable to filters, pitch and panning
  • Body Designer with over sixty body types
  • Graining synthesis for granular manipulation
  • Surround mode with four independently routed sounds
  • Built-in filters, distortion, compressors and delays
03In depth

Generating Patches With the AARE Randomizer

The core idea of The Foundry is its Adjective Assignable Randomizer Engine, called AARE. Instead of scrolling through thousands of presets, you select descriptive adjectives such as dark, pulsing or mysterious, then press a randomize button. The instrument generates new patches based on the parameters you choose.

The library is organized into four groups: Beds and Pads for tonal sustained layers, Textures for atonal moving material, FX for single hits and short articulated sounds, and Rhythmics for sonic kits. The groups range from non-pitched to pitched and from simple to complex, so you can start from the material that fits your track.

Morphing, Sequencing and Modulation Tools

You can load up to four core sounds and morph between them using the X-Y Pad Designer, key range, velocity or CC messages. The X-Y Pad Designer lets you create, save and sync your own modulation paths. Six modulators can be assigned to filters, pitch, amplitude and surround panning.

A three-mode step sequencer is built for rhythmic and FX sound sets, and it can also drive tonal layers to create lead lines and chord patterns. Graining synthesis adds granular processing to many patches, and Body Designer offers more than sixty body types to pass sounds through.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

DeveloperBig Fish Audio
TypePlugin
CategoryKontakt Instrument
RequiresKontakt
FormatsStandalone, Kontakt
Operating systemsWindows, macOS
05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use The Foundry?

The Foundry requires Kontakt. It can run inside a digital audio workstation that hosts Kontakt, or in standalone mode with an external audio interface.

Which operating systems and formats does The Foundry support?

The Foundry is available in Standalone and Kontakt formats for Windows and macOS. Big Fish Audio notes that the Mac version supports Intel only and does not support M1 Macs.

How much disk space does The Foundry need?

The developer lists 13.2 GB of free hard drive space and 1.5 GB of free RAM, with average patch sizes between 50 and 500 MB. Big Fish Audio recommends running it from SSD drives for best performance.

What is the AARE engine?

AARE, the Adjective Assignable Randomizer Engine, generates new patches from adjectives you select, such as dark or pulsing, so you can design sounds without browsing presets.

07Developer

More from Big Fish Audio

All Big Fish Audio products →