TERASTRATE BY AUDIVOR
<!– /wp:headingKK-ACCESS REVIEW
For a new developer, Audivor have certainly hit the ground running, and entered the crowded sample library market with their debut release Terrastrate, and what a debut it has turned out to be!
Terrastrate is quite literally brimming over with features and controls for it’s dual layer kontakt based granular sample engine, however as a reviewer, perhaps what struck me most is the fact that audivor are a developer that cares passionately about accessibility right from the get go, which is something that I all too seldom get to say!
If the idea of a dual layer granular based instrument, with the option to choose from 500 selectable sound samples for each channel, and extensive sound design manipulation is appealing to you, then grab yourself a coffee, or beverage of choice, and read on, it’s a big review!
TECH SPECS
Terrastrate requires Kontakt version 6.7.1 or higher, either the full or equivalent free Kontakt player, and is compatible with all versions of Komplete Kontrol.
The library requires 6GB of disk space for installation, using the NCW lossless compression format for the sample pool.
There is one master Terrastrate Kontakt NKI preset file, with a further whopping 432 Kontakt NKSN snapshot files to get you started.
DOWNLOAD & INSTALLATION
The download & installation process is handled through Native Access 2 after pasting in your post purchase license number.
Once installed loading up Komplete Kontrol will auto scan Terrastrate into the factory browser ready for immediate use.
ACCESSIBILITY
I was originally invited to take a look at a prototype of the Terrastrate library back in February, at this early stage it’s NKS implementation was fairly rudimentary, consisting of just a few pages, whilst I could see that it still possessed the potential for some good sound design possibilities.
As has often been the case, the central thing missing was the ability to select and load the source samples into each layer of the user interface directly via the NKS controls.
For a library that predominantly revolves around user interaction and sound design, this is obviously a limitation, and would have meant that for visually impaired users our sonic explorations only extended as far as the factory presets.
Audivor happily acknowledged this, willingly took it onboard, and went away and duly came back with this fully implemented, along with other suggested useful controls and improvements all of which had been fully incorporated for use via NKS.
This significant update ramped up the NKS page count to 21, and having cross referenced the controls mentioned in the manual, with the automatable parameters in Kontakt, I can confidently report that audivor have certainly stepped up to the mark in doing all they could to make Terrastrade accessible out of the box.
Further to this, audivor tell me that other suggestions submitted by myself and other testers have been readily taken onboard, and will hopefully be implemented in a future update that will be of benefit for all users across the spectrum, regardless of any visual impairment.
TERRASTRATE – DELVING UNDER THE HOOD
So you may be asking what exactly is Terrastrate?, as mentioned the simplest definition would be a two layer granular based sample engine, however this does not do it’s capabilities true justice, and it is the sound manipulation controls that make the library standout from the majority of other granular sample library products on the market, particularly when it comes to the question of detailed NKS parameter mapping.
The two sample layers, labelled as A and B, provide the following options, ability to turn them on or off, independent volume control, attack & release, the all important possibility to choose the sample source from an extensive sample pool of over 500 sources per layer, control the position and motion, and also turn on or off the loop mode.
When looking specifically at the granular controls for each layer, we have access to Density, Grain Size, Jitter, Detune, the option to use monophonic or polyphonic grain, or sample only, crossfade, forward or reverse, plus or minus 2 Octaves of tuning, bounce on/off, and setting of the loop in and out point positions.
All this and that’s before even getting started on the Filters, Saturation, Compressor, Amp Type, EQ, Reverb, Delay, Dual LFO, Modulation Sequencer, BPM Sync, & routing for Assignable Modulation Controllers.
For those interested, I will document the full NKS mapping template at the end of the review following the obligatory media links
SOUND SELECTION
With 500 sample sources to choose from, it can be just a little overwhelming when beginning to sculpt your sound, of course this is by no means a criticism, however those initial building blocks can shape the direction in which your sound editing takes.
Arguably there are a couple of simple approaches you can adopt, either starting your journey with a particular type of sound in mind, or alternatively the experimental approach where you never quite know where you will land.
I found the latter to be preferable and more fun, and given the categories of samples included within the Terrastrate sample pool, you will in many respects influence what you create by the sample choices you make.
With so many samples to browse through, the assigned NKS control knob will be hyper sensitive to even the most minimal of rotation, so be sure to hold down the shift button on your Komplete Kontrol keyboard in order to slow the content browsing to a useful pace so as not to skip or miss anything.
Another tip, depending on your approach, is to turn off one of the layers in order to hear the individual sample layer in isolation when creating something from scratch.
The opposite can be true if you have an existing preset where you perhaps wish to retain the core elemental atmosphere, and just change the opposing sample layer.
It can be a good idea to use your sustain pedal to hold a note, this way you are hands free to depress the shift button and rotate the sample source knob, whereby the sounds will be auditioned for you as you gradually advance through the content.
TERRASTRATE – COPIOUS CONTENT
On the topic of sample content, Terrastrate is packed to the rafters with a large selection of diverse sounds.
The Design Sounds cover a raft of tonal & atonal material, there are also some fine examples of analog synths, as well as plenty of Organic and Textural real world recordings to explore.
Synth Bass, Synth Lead, Train Sounds, Tornadoes, Tibetan Bowls, Metal Music stands, guitar Sounds, Pads, Strings, celli, Flutes, Vocals, & note bends are among the 500 individual samples you will come across, and this is all offered for each of the layers!
The downside of my somewhat unscientific and haphazard approach to sound design is that time had an unfortunate habit of very rapidly disappearing as I auditioned and blended various samples together.
Starting with a humble wine glass, I reversed the sample, and then added a Forest Stream sound in the second layer, not content with this, I then tried rain on Window Glass, Metal Bicycle Wheels and numerous other sounds before plumping for Rustling chimes.
From here on, after making numerous tweaks, adjusting the grain size, changing in and out loop points, and adding some shimmer reverb, I was left with a quite passable pad, which had somehow strayed far from the raw sample start points, which was a satisfying process.
When finished, I saved my preset within the Komplete Kontrol plug-in, which placed my shiny new preset into the user content folder in a dedicated Terrastrate folder, filed under Organic Pads, which was the base category for the original preset I started from.
FACTORY CONTENT
Although I have rightfully focused so far on the sample pool, I should not overlook the fact that Terrastrate ships with over 400 presets that have been created by audivor.
Clearly they know far more about this sound design malarkey than I do, which is reflected in the many categories included in the collection.
Synth Pads, Organic Pads, Complex Textures, Soundscapes, Leads & Keys, Organic Scrubs, Signature Gestures, Basses, Rhythmic Motion, Bends, Percussive, & Drag & Drop Templates are what you will find.
On the subject of Drag & Drop, Terrastrate does also feature the capability of accepting your own wav samples, the snag here of course is being able to achieve this in an accessible way, and if anyone reliably manages to crack this task, I’m all ears!
TERASTRATE TEMPLATES
Although loading our own wav files into Terrastrate is a challenge, Audivor have thoughtfully created a collection of 10 included presets which can greatly assist us with overcoming some of the initial sound design challenges.
These presets are prefixed with the word ’empty’, and are unpopulated with any source samples upon first loading, hence their intention as drag & drop templates.
They do however provide us with a really convenient blank canvas for going on to further create our own specific types of preset, as they already have many of the essential component settings dialled into place which is a big time saver, so all you really need to do is select your A & B samples to start creating your own pulse preset as an example.
THE TERRASTRATE SOUND
The source samples used within Terrastrate are of a high quality, however when considering the topic of granular synthesis, where samples can ultimately end up stretched, crushed, randomised and generally sonically abused, it can often be misleading to say what is good or bad in terms of sound quality.
After editing, the results are, or at least can be, described as other worldly, which mostly dwells in the domain of personal imagination, and as I often say, beauty is in the ear of the beholder!
The samples are spread across the entire range of your keyboard, so pressing the octave up and down on smaller controllers will reveal the full extent of your loaded sound.
To my way of thinking, this actually increases the potential usefulness for the sounds, for example something playing back inordinately low or indeed high, emanates an entirely different vibe to what may have been first loaded into it’s original play range, think low, deep drones, or unusual shrill SFX at the opposing ends of your keyboard.
I discovered this to my own delight after I came up with a cool sounding preset using one of the pads in parallel with a reversed piano, after initially loading up the empty pulse template.
At the lower octave it was a wonderfully dark and tense deep tempo synced piano, while at the high registers it was an ideal sci-fi radio transmission sound.
Finally, the middle range gave me a warm, organic, and animated pad which would be useful to provide audible motion for some background underscore, for me, that’s definitely evidence of versatility at it’s best!
PROCESS POWER
As Terrastrate is based upon granular synthesis, the demands upon the system both in terms of processor and memory will be higher than some libraries, it’s worth checking the detailed specs to ensure that your set-up can handle the demands, and to this end I will link the Audivor FAQ page later in the links section of this review.
Audivor have created some helpful Youtube shorts which demonstrate various facets of the library, which are well worth taking a peak at, also the user manual is a useful additional resource, again all linked below.
CONCLUSION
Terrastrate is an immensely rewarding library to work with, the sound design potentials will gradually unfold and reveal themselves to you the more and more you play with it.
Although described as a Cinematic Hybrid Instrument, It can be extremely versatile and non genre specific, and without doubt any soundtrack, film, game and media composers will be almost certain to fall in love with it’s immersive flex ability as a creative composition tool.
When it comes to accessibility, I can find nothing to criticise, pretty much everything bar the kitchen sink appears to have been thrown at it, and that’s really only because there isn’t a sample of a kitchen sink to be found 🙂
Terrastrate can be purchased directly from the Audivor website at the introductory price of $99.00, regular price is $149.00 (Offer ends 20th June)
Terrastrate Product Page:
https://audivor.com/products/terrastrate#buy-now
Terrastrate Product Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/@Audivor
Terrastrate User Manual:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0828/6987/9074/files/Terrastrate_Manual.pdf?v=1713645713
Granular Synthesis Explained – Native Instruments Blog:
https://blog.native-instruments.com/granular-synthesis/
KOMPLETE KONTROL PLUG-IN EDIT NKS PARAMETER MAPPINGS
Page One – Main
Knob 1 – Filter
Knob 2 – EQ
Knob 3 – FX
Knob 4 – Delay
Knob 5 – Reverb
Knob 6 – Macro 1
Knob 7 – Macro 2
Knob 8 – Master
Page Two – A Sample
Knob 1 – Sample On/Off
Knob 2 – Volume
Knob 3 – Attack
Knob 4 – Release
Knob 5 – Sample Source Selection
Knob 6 – Position
Knob 7 – Motion
Knob 8 – Loop On/Off
Page Three – B Sample
Knob 1 to 8 – As per A Sample above
Page Four – A Grain & B Grain
Knob 1 – A Grain Density
Knob 2 – A Grain Size
Knob 3 – Jitter
Knob 4 – Detune
Knob 5 – B Grain Density
Knob 6 – B Grain Size
Knob 7 – Jitter
Knob 8 – Detune
Page Five – Compressor & Saturation
Knob 1 – Compressor Bypass: On/Off
Knob 2 – Type
Knob 3 – Threshold
Knob 4 – Dry/Wet
Knob 5 – Saturation Bypass: On/Off
Knob 6 – Type
Knob 7 – Drive
Knob 8 – EQ
Page Six – Amp, Mod Slot 1
Knob 1 – Amp Bypass: On/Off
Knob 2 – Type
Knob 3 – Drive
Knob 4 – EQ
Knob 5 – Mod Slot 1 Bypass: On/Off
Knob 6 – Type
Knob 7 – Dry/Wet
Knob 8 – Advanced
Page Seven – Mod Slot 2, Reverb
Knob 1 – Mod Slot 2 bypass: On/Off
Knob 2 – Type
Knob 3 – Dry/Wet
Knob 4 – Advanced
Knob 5 – Reverb Type Selection
Knob 6 – Size
Knob 7 – Pre-Delay
Knob 8 – Filter
Page Eight – Delay
Knob 1 – Delay type
Knob 2 – Time
Knob 3 – BPM Sync: On/Off
Knob 4 – Feedback
Knob 5 – Filter
Knob 6 – Ping Pong: On/Off
Knob 7 – ADV 1
Knob 8 – ADV 2
Page Nine – A Sample Advanced
Knob 1 – Mode: Grain Mono, Grain Poly, Sample
Knob 2 – Crossfade
Knob 3 – Sample Forward/Reverse
Knob 4 – Bounce: On/Off
Knob 5 – Semitone adjust: plus or minus 24
Knob 6 – Loop in Point
Knob 7 – Loop Out Point
Knob 8 – Unallocated
Page ten – B Sample Advanced
Knob 1 to 8 – As per A Sample (above)
Page Eleven – A Grain Advanced
Knob 1 – Fade In
Knob 2 – Fade Out
Knob 3 – Jitter Position
Knob 4 – Jitter Pan
Knob 5 – Jitter Density
Knob 6 – Jitter Size
Knob 7 – Jitter Volume
Knob 8 – Not Allocated
Page Twelve – B Grain Advanced
Knob 1 to 8 – As per A Sample (Above)
Page Thirteen – LFO 1 & LFO 2
Knob 1 – LFO 1 Preset Selection
Knob 2 – Rate
Knob 3 – Offset
Knob 4 – Mode: Note, Song, One Shot
Knob 5 – LFO 2 Preset Selection
Knob 6 – Rate
Knob 7 – Offset
Knob 8 – Mode: Note, Song, One shot
Page fourteen – Modulation Sequencer
Knob 1 -Preset Selection
Knob 2 – Steps
Knob 3 – Time
Knob 4 – Length
Knob 5 – Smooth
Knob 6 to 8 – Unallocated
Page Fifteen – Random
Knob 1 – Rate 1
Knob 2 – Smooth 1
Knob 3 – Rate 2
Knob 4 – smooth 2
Knob 5 to 8 – Unallocated
Page Sixteen – BPM Sync 1
Knob 1 – A Motion: On/Off
Knob 2 B Motion: On/Off
Knob 3 – A Density
Knob 4 – B Density
Knob 5 – A Size
Knob 6 – B Size
Knob 7 & 8 – Unallocated
Page Seventeen – BPM Sync 2
Knob 1 – A Fade In
Knob 2 – AFade Out
Knob 3 – B Fade In
Knob 4 – b Fade Out
Knob 5 – LFO 1: On/Off
Knob 6 – LFO 2: On/Off
Knob 7 – RND 1: On/Off
Knob 8 – RND 2: On/Off
Page Eighteen – Mod Assign 1
Knob 1 – FX: Step, LFO 1, LFO 2, Random 1, Random 2, Modwheel, Aftertouch, Macro 1, Macro 2
Knob 2 – Depth
Knob 3 – Filter: As per Knob 1 options
Knob 4 – Depth
Knob 5 – EQ: As per knob 1 options
Knob 6 – Depth
Knob 7 – Delay: As per knob 1 options
Knob 8 – Depth
Page Nineteen – Mod Assign 2
Knob 1 – Reverb: Step, LFO 1, LFO 2, Random 1, Random 2, Modwheel, Aftertouch, Macro 1, Macro 2
Knob 2 – depth
Knob 3 & 4 – Unallocated
Knob 5 – A Volume: As per knob 1 options
Knob 6 – Depth
Knob 7 – B Volume: As per knob 1 options
Knob 8 – Depth
Page Twenty – Mod Assign 3
Knob 1 – A Position: Step, LFO 1, LFO 2, Random 1, Random 2, Modwheel, Aftertouch, Macro 1, Macro 2
Knob 2 – Depth
Knob 3 – B Position: As per knob 1 options
Knob 4 – Depth
Knob 5 – A Density – As per knob 1 options
Knob 6 – Depth
Knob 7 – B Density: As per knob 1 options
Knob 8 – depth
Page Twenty One – Mod Assign 4
Knob 1 – A Size: Step, LFO 1, LFO 2, Random 1, Random 2, Modwheel, Aftertouch, Macro 1, Macro 2
Knob 2 – Depth
Knob 3 – BSize – As per knob 1 options
Knob 4 – Depth
Knob 5 – A Jitter: As per knob 1 options
Knob 6 – Depth
Knob 7 – B Jitter
Knob 8 – Depth
(c) Chris Ankin
KK-Access.com
5TH June 2024
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About the Author
Based in Buckinghamshire, England, Chris Ankin has worked as a freelance review writer and contributor with articles published in Sound On Sound, Home & Studio Recording and ST Format Magazines.
He has also successfully worked extensively in and around the music, recording, film Soundtrack scoring, Game & media composition, the creative arts, Charitable trusts,publishing, music streaming and property investments since 1982 whilst continuously and deliberately managing to evade any mainstream recognition under his own name by the use of various pseudonyms.
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