Thrumming Textures: Amped Ukulele
Thrumming textures recorded on an amplified ukulele using a single AKG C451 B.
ByDan Keen
The story
This is the third in a series of new submissions called Thrumming Textures, featuring my Mahalo ukulele. Typically, I don’t tend to like the sound of ukuleles – I think it has something to do with the range – but I appreciate their usefulness as textural, rhythmical layers. I therefore decided it could be fun to experiment with tuning down.
This library is a diatonically sampled, single-dynamic-layer instrument, close-miked using a single AKG C451 B. I recorded each note dry and then morphed it using Soundtoys’ Little Alterboy set to -12 pitch and -12 formant, put it through a GuitarRig amp and then added some EchoBoy delay to add stereo width. This can sound quite thumpy on it’s own so I also created a layer using reverb, which you can blend in using the Mod Wheel (CC1).
I hope you find this library to be useful!
For more information on how the library was constructed, check out the video below!
Reviews
Another Beautiful Edition to Thrumming
Since Ukes are higher pitched than acoustic guitars i thought this one might be brighter than the acoustic thrumming. Its actually more chill and mellow. I like this a-lot. Again the rhythm is pretty random which can be hard to work into an existing track but it can be great inspiration to stark a track with. I also find with some of these rhythmically random instruments it could be cool throwing it into an lfo tool or tremelator plugin to sync it to as beat, this will give in an in-time rhythmic pulse while still being random within than pulse. The thrumming series is awesome. Thrumming Frozen Glock? ; thanks again Dan
Repeating soft texture of ukulele
Nicely repeating tone of ukulele. As always sound quality is excellent. Sound is nicely captured and it is easy to play. I like this kind of simple tone of instruments!
Inspirational accents!
I too am not usually a fan of ukulele sounds, but I haven't ever played on a "high end" one so that may be why. This instrument, isn't really a ukulele though, or not in the way I use it anyway. Play with the mod wheel, when that gets all the way up and you add a bit of reverb, magic happens. I feel like the song I'm working on deserves some mountain range drone footage. This can easily be used in combination with some other ambient synths just to give some nice accents. Again no surprise, but the low end is rich, and enormous for a ukulele!