Vihuela Kontakt instrument by Sounds of the Earth, five-string guitar library artwork

Vihuela: Five-String Guitar Kontakt Instrument by Sounds of the Earth

Vihuela is a Kontakt instrument by Sounds of the Earth that recreates the small, round-backed five-string guitar. It includes 5230 Kontakt sample files and runs on Windows and macOS.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately

KontaktWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Vihuela is a sample-based instrument built around the vihuela, a small five-string guitar with a rounded back. The developer's recordings use a Mexican-style instrument made by the Escazú luthier David Mora in Costa Rica, a version that differs from the original Spanish design. The vihuela is traditionally used for mariachi and Latin rhythms such as son jarocho and huapango. The library offers 412 audio files, 5230 Kontakt sample files and eight microphone options, so you can choose the recording perspective that suits your mix.

Best for

Mariachi arrangements
Son jarocho rhythms
Huapango grooves
Latin guitar textures
World music production

Developer: Sounds of the Earth
Category: Kontakt Instruments
Requires: Kontakt
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

412 audio files for the instrument library
5230 Kontakt sample files
Eight Kontakt microphone options
Mexican-style vihuela recorded by Sounds of the Earth
Runs in full Kontakt 7 or later
Available for Windows and macOS
Library size of 1GB

03In depth

Sound and Recording Options

Vihuela is built from recordings of a Mexican-style vihuela, a five-string guitar that Sounds of the Earth captured in Costa Rica. The library includes 5230 Kontakt sample files, giving you a detailed set of articulations and notes to play across the instrument's range.

Eight Kontakt microphone options let you shape the tonal character of the recording. Switching between mic positions is a practical way to match the vihuela to a dry, close-up sound or a more spacious one within the same mix.

Who Vihuela Is For

Vihuela is suited to producers and composers who want an authentic plucked string voice for mariachi, son jarocho, huapango and other Latin rhythms. Because the instrument is rooted in traditional Mexican regional music, it also fits projects that call for folk or world-music textures.

The library requires the full version of Kontakt 7 or later. The free Kontakt Player runs the instrument in demo mode only, so plan on a full license before you start a session.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Sounds of the Earth
Type	Plugin
Category	Kontakt Instrument
Requires	Kontakt
Formats	Kontakt
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use Vihuela?

Vihuela requires the full version of Kontakt 7 or later. The free Kontakt Player will not work and runs the instrument in demo mode.

Which operating systems does Vihuela support?

Vihuela is available for Windows and macOS. On macOS it requires OS X 10.10 or later, and on Windows it requires Windows 7, 8 or 10 with an Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 processor.

What is the vihuela?

The vihuela is a small five-string guitar with a rounded back. This version follows the Mexican style, which differs from the original Spanish instrument, and is traditionally used for mariachi and Latin rhythms.