DRIFT 005 | sound-dust

DRIFT005 clavotron

£35/$45/€43

A hybrid hammered & plucked string instrument like no other

10 deeply sampled articulations

Hohner Clavinet D6 in 5 flavours, Dolmetsh Harpsichord, Siel Orchestra2 - and more

3GB of 24bit multi samples

Wow, flutter & multi throb in abundance

for FULL version of Kontakt 6.7.1and above

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A brief history of clav

Long before Stevie Wonder was around, the clavichord, dating back to the 14th century, was one of the most expressive (and only) keyboard instruments available. Unlike the harpsichord, which plucked, the clavichord hammered its strings with small metal blades called tangents. This gave the player exceptional control over dynamics and expression, making it pretty special - but not very loud.
In the 1960s Ernst Zacharias borrowed the clavichord's basic string-striking mechanics, added built-in pickups similar to an electric guitar, and invented the Clavinet - the electric clavichord.
Hohner, at the time famous for harmonicas and accordions, introduced The Clavinet D6 in 1971 - and then all hell broke loose.

drift005 - clavotron

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Let's be straight, you could play Superstition with DRIFT005, but you can do better. It is much more interesting to think of the clavinet as a 60-string electric guitar !

DRIFT005 is packed with deep sampled articulations of real D6, and intriguing variations on the clav sound. It can do an authentic recreation of cool 70s clav, but you'll also find amped and feedbacked D6 alongside the bright, soft and muted variations. There's a real harpsichord (plucked, not hammered strings), analogue clavichord via the gorgeous Siel Orchestra2, and deeply faked, modeled, FM'd and bad clavichords made with hybrid software/hardware combinations.

The unique stacking system of the DRIFT universe means obtuse impossible instruments are no longer impossible, just stack them together and sculpt the sound in your head...or use one of the many pre rolled variations.

The classic Stevie setting - brash and bright.

Just the soft button - gentle bumptiousness.

There is a mechanical slider that engages a fake palm mute - deep and clacky.

Played through the Digitech Freqout pedal - endless and slightly unfeasible harmonic sustain.

Played through a small valve combo - fruity and massive.

A Frankensteined version of the original Tiny Binaural Harpsichord - dusty and plucky.

A cunning Karplus Strong hammered string - light but with hints of mild clangorous ness.

Analogue blap with envelope following filter sweep - dare I say 'funky'

FM , analogue and a hint of acoustic - surprisingly organic

Gorgeous Italian string synth with a clavichord preset - which I didn't use.

THE SOUNDS

This is the fifth instalment of the DRIFT series of instruments.

Simple at the front, complex behind the curtain. The business end is just 4 large knobs: Grist, ADSR, Morph and Space combine multiple functions for uncomplicated and intuitive sound design. A minimal interface beneath which lurks a maximalists desire to warp, bend and squash millions of new sounds into the aether.

Stack together instruments from across the DRIFT range for monstrous modular hybrid sounds.

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