Isolation Collaboration

A Pianobook collaboration with hundreds of household object sampled by the community and combined to create a virtual instrument.

ByDan Keen

The story

On 31st March 2020, I challenged the Pianobook community to submit a note or sample, be it a household object, voice or instrument, to the hashtag #dkisolationcollaboration. I hoped for a couple of entries. Within a few days, there were 200 submissions! This library is the result of that effort.

This is the total combined instrument. There are two dynamic layers and two round robins per sample – each lasting 28 seconds! This library is intended to inspire and, due to its super long samples, chords have many minutes of unravelling notes and noises before repeating in the same way – something I find to be quite inspiring!

The sounds culminate in four sound worlds: Soft Burbles, Short Pulses, Weightless Atmospheres and Rough Edges. These sound worlds can be blended using the Exp knob (MIDI learned to CC1) and volume can be adjusted simultaneously using the Vol knob (MIDI learned to CC11).

For those of you creating your own versions, the samples have been designed to fade easily so no specific loop settings will be necessary to get your instruments up and running. In my version, I have stretched each sample down by 1 octave from the root note. If you do decide to make alternative versions, please do share them with me or via the Pianobook site for others to enjoy too!

I hope you love this library as much as I have enjoyed creating it! For more information, check out my walkthrough in the YouTube video below.

 

Reviews

  • A PB Classic!

    We all know we love this sound, not just because it's well recorded, well edited, totally playable, and greatly inspiring, but because of the amazing collaboration it represents in our community. Of course, we all love Dan too. :-D The way this sound evolves when you bump up the mod wheel is magical, and while simple, this is pretty much PB perfection!

    Sam EcoffCreator on 04 November 2021
  • Truly moving and beautiful sound

    The sound instantly made me teary. So beautiful, very delicate texture which is my favorite kind of sound. Dan is full of inspiration, genius of sound creation!

    Asuka Amane on 16 October 2021
  • Commander Keen

    This put a smile on my dial instantly , stunning work , concept and execution! Where words fail me , this pack surely will not !!!

    samm on 23 August 2025
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