Publisher: Spitfire Audio
Website: spitfireaudio
Format: KONTAKT
Quality: 24bit 48kHz stereo
Description: Intimate piano for writing melodies
Designed for composers, songwriters and producers, this intimate and deep instrument created by BAFTA-winning composer Ólafur Arnalds is recorded in his studio in Reykjavik, Iceland. It is centered around a distinctive “felt” grand piano, as well as a comprehensive array of inspiring sound manipulations and progressive synth sounds designed from the artist’s intent.
Our second Spitfire collaboration with BAFTA-winning multi-instrumentalist producer and composer Ólafur Arnalds mixes organic instruments with loops and harsh beats to create textured tracks and scores ranging from ambient to electronic.
So many virtual tool libraries focus on the art of production, while the nuanced and beautiful Ólafur Arnalds Composer Toolkit was designed with the author in mind. Ólafur envisioned what his core set of sounds would be that would allow him to continue producing original, inspiring and moving music wherever he went in the world. Spitfire’s expert team of technicians, musicians and engineers descended on Ólafur’s workshop in Reykjavík, working closely with the composer to capture the essence of his approach and capture the spirit of his surroundings.
The Ólafur Composer Toolkit is centered around a 1904 Beckstein antique, which was selected by Ólafur after several trials using various strips of felt. It has been carefully prepared over several days to capture the subtle nuances of the softest layers. Run through vintage equipment, it was recorded very quietly – the recording levels were so inflated that everyone in the room had to hold their breath throughout each sound.
The felt piano is represented by 4 unique signals; KM84, Coles, Machined and Spaced. The KM84 signal is the pure sound of small capacitors, giving you a tight crisp sound. Coles is a mono signal under the deck, processed through the Roland Space Echo as a LoFi simulator for sandy bottoms. The processed signal is a KM84 mixed with a pair of C12s, mixed by Ólafur with a pair of Pultec EQs, then passed through a 1178 stereo compressor to give you the distinctive Arnalds sound. This processed sound was combined with the “Spaced” sound in the “Mixed” patch, which Ólafur further processed to create a unique version of his signature piano.
To accompany and complement the felt piano, Ólafur has programmed and created various sound manipulations with the original piano and other instruments for instant inspiration. This library of nearly 100 presets, presented by type in Spitfire’s complex Mercury synthesizer, will allow your musical creativity to flourish.
Ólafur Arnalds is a BAFTA-winning Icelandic composer and producer (Broadchurch, Kiasmos, Erased Tapes) known for his unique electronic sound. He takes the strings and piano to a new place, processing them with effects and mixing them with loops and drums. His latest albums For Now I Am Winter and The Chopin Project are collaborations with classical pianist Alice Sara Ott. Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, Olafur’s approach to sound and composition has inspired a new generation to enjoy and create contemporary orchestral music. He got huge fame with a new audience for his BAFTA win
