Lute v2

Warm Medieval Nylon Strings

This is a renaissance lute with 8-course strings - tuned in unison. The Lutes is equipped with nylon strings - it is astonishing how different a lute is used in music. In Medieval times, it was the most important instrument for secular music. But it is also used in score music such as in the recent Jim Jarmusch movie "Only Lovers Left Alone".

The Lute

Generally speaking, Lute is a term for almost any string instrument having the strings running over a soundbox. But if you are actually talking about a Lute one generally means the European lute (or modern Near-Eastern Oud) with characteristics such as a soundboard with a single decorated sound hole called the rose, a shell of thin wooden strips, and most known: a headstock which is angled back from the neck at almost 90°.

The first Lutes were brought to Spain by the Moors and were plucked with a pick, later they were played with fingers alone. The Lute's strings are arranged in courses, in two strings each, except for the highest pitch course which only consists of a single string, called the chanterelle.

Cinematique Instruments' Lute is a renaissance Lute with 8 courses: (highest to lowest) a' e' b g d A G E - The courses are tuned in unison. Nowadays Lutes are equipped with nylon strings, the same as classical guitars today, but historically they were made of animal guts.

The lute is used in a great variety of instrumental music from the Medieval to the late Baroque eras and was the most important instrument for secular music in the Renaissance. But it is also used in score music such as in the recent Jim Jarmusch movie "Only Lovers left alone".

The Content

The Lute was carefully sampled in minor thirds on all the 13 strings in 3 dynamic layers and 4 round robin variations. Cinematique Instruments spent a lot of time capturing the seamless transitions between these layers and variations so that the instrument feels as natural and smooth as possible. But this lute is not just sampled notes spread on a keyboard! It is so much more than this.

Like on real string instruments it is now possible to play the same note in different hand positions, each with a different timbre. By changing this position you can make a melody sound different and achieve a more natural feel when played - this all happens live via modwheel, pedal, or key switch.

As if this wasn't enough, Cinematique Instruments also concentrate on the behaviour of the course strings. Besides a separate volume knob, they furthermore defined the parameters flam and detune, which lets you vary the time and the tune in relation to the original string. This can be adjusted by separate knobs and then again can be controlled randomly or via velocity.

Finally, Cinematique Instruments recorded sounds of finger scratching the strings, which will be automatically added by a realistic noise trigger script - of course you can control the volume.

Once again, with the Lute, Cinematique Instruments expanded their string family with a unique and warm instrument.

Update Note

With the new update 2.0, Cinematique Instruments have given the lute a new contemporary design. They have simplified the operation of the lute and added more useful tools and engines (e.g., Arp/ Recorder). A Great Update!

Features

• Approximately 1200 samples
• 600 MB of compressed data
• Realistic handling with course strings
• Warm nylon-string instrument

System Requirements

• The FULL Version of Kontakt 5.8.1 or higher is required.

Important Notes:

• The FULL Version of Kontakt 5.8.1+ is required in order to use this instrument.
• You will be stuck in DEMO MODE if trying to use this instrument in the FREE Kontakt Player.