Frames is another stunning Kontakt-based sample library from Void & Vista, worthy of extended exploration and experimentation. Described by the developer as an “eclectic collection of prepared instruments, resonated objects and crafted sound design”, the instrument comes packed with 293 presets to play with and tweak. Read on to have a look at the interface and hear some examples.
THE FRAMES GUI
The primarily B&W aesthetic is clean and elegant with controls and graphic design that invite playful experimentation via animated icons and intuitive labeling. Numerical indicators only appear as needed in this deceptively simple design.
The main screen includes master controls for several sections:
Each of these has advanced parameters accessible by clicking the icon below each control.
The Dynamics section controls pre filter volume/intensity of the sound.
The Filter section contains multimode filters for each sound source.
The Motion section contain controls for two LFO’s with tempo-synced and free rate settings.
The Ensemble section includes detuning and width controls.
The LoFi section has settings for noise, warble, tone and saturation. This is where you can generate all sorts of glitchy goodness.
The Character section include several FX controls under the hood for things like reverb, chorus, compression, degrade, and more. There is a unique preset matrix interface that will filter tagged presets for enhanced workflow.
The Space section has controls for delay and reverb.
The Morph control at the center bottom determines the mix between the two sound sources.
Clicking on the ADSR icon exposes various envelope choices for amplitude, pitch, filter and glide parameters.
There are also easily accessible settings for octave and velocity.
On the bottom left and right are the sample select icons that will reveal Sample Source categories including:
- Instruments
- Objects
- Effected
- Textures
- Waves
Each category includes 8 different varieties with onscreen verbal descriptions that are extremely helpful—a feature I’d like to see in other Kontakt instruments.
EXAMPLES
Below are some great sounds I came across as I explored some of the instrument presets. No external processing was used other than some normalization.
Sidewinder
Space Scapes
Stasis Leak
Staunch Sub
Stuck in the Ice Floes
Stutter Island
That’s Quite Enough
They’re in the Walls
Torch Rust
Tundra Bloom
Vocal Throne
Warm Waves Crashing
Watch Out for those Penguins
VIDEO
Watch the product walk-through below:
CONCLUSIONS
Every preset in this beast reveals a new juicy texture, making this a very addictive device. You can tweak things to your heart’s content or enjoy the sounds right out of the box. It’s a perfect tool for sound design-inspired underscore, dark ambient drones, and rich sonic textures. B&W aesthetic is clean and elegant, and consistent with other offerings from Void & Vista, like their vocal-inspired, Folds.
Frames can groan and breathe like an injured animal, generate dark ambient backdrops or ethereal nuanced soundscapes. Another winner from Void & Vista!
