Viola Da Gamba by Ben Osterhouse Kontakt baroque string instrument

Viola Da Gamba: Baroque String Kontakt Instrument by Ben Osterhouse

Rated 4.9/5 on Plugin Boutique (17 ratings)

Viola Da Gamba is a Kontakt instrument by Ben Osterhouse that recreates the six-stringed baroque viola da gamba. It offers a set of bowed and plucked articulations and a library of rhythmic figures for building ostinato patterns.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately

Kontakt

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01Overview

The viola da gamba is a six-stringed baroque instrument, similar in size to the cello but with frets and tuning in fourths. This Kontakt instrument by Ben Osterhouse brings that character into a sample-based workflow. It is built for producers who want a rustic, earthy alternative to the usual classical string sound and a practical way to write repeating string parts.

Best for

Baroque-inspired string parts
Ostinato basslines
Rustic string textures
Pizzicato and tremolo figures
Alternative classical strings

Developer: Ben Osterhouse
Category: Kontakt Instruments
Requires: Kontakt
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Six-stringed baroque viola da gamba recreation
12 articulations including pizzicato, trills, tremolo and ponticello
Articulations layer together within a single interface
Rhythmic figures recorded as four-bar loops
Key switch or visual sequencing of rhythmic figures
Three-octave range from C36 to C72
Synthetic gut strings for a husky, strident tone

03In depth

Sound and Articulations

The instrument is split into two Kontakt NKI files. The first holds a collection of 12 articulations, including strokes of several lengths, pizzicato, trills, ponticello and tremolo. The articulations can be layered together within a single interface, so you can combine techniques in one part without switching instruments.

The library uses synthetic gut strings, which give the tone a strident, husky quality. According to the developer, this sets it apart from the classical string sound and makes it one of the few baroque virtual instruments recorded.

Rhythmic Figures and Ostinato Patterns

The second NKI contains small rhythmic figures designed to fit together into natural-sounding ostinato patterns. Each figure is recorded as a four-bar loop, with emphasis on downbeats and upbeats, which gives patterns a natural ebb and flow.

You can trigger the figures with key switches or arrange them visually in a sequence using a dedicated interface. The instrument covers three octaves, from C36 (two octaves below middle C) up to C72 (an octave above middle C).

04Specs