Wait, Samples From Mars Makes Serum Presets?! – Sounds and Presets
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This week we’ve got a pack of Serum presets from Samples From Mars, plus ethereal ambience for Omnisphere and sounds for Chromaphone-3, TAL-J8X and Soundbox.
Sounds and Presets
Serum Presets Vol 1 for Xfer Records Serum 2 by Samples From Mars
When it comes to samples, it doesn’t get much better than Samples From Mars. The outfit is known for its high-quality samples. I mean, it’s literally part of their name. But apparently, they also make Serum presets now. Who knew? (You probably, but since I recently got Serum, I’ve been on the hunt for sounds, and saw this pack. The more you know.)
The fact that Samples From Mars does presets now makes more sense when you realize that these presets actually contain samples. “We’ve used Serum for years, but it wasn’t until we started loading it with our own samples that our jaws dropped at the change in sound quality,” they say. “What had previously felt very digital had now completely transformed Serum into something with a richer tone – capable of more warmth, grit, depth, and vintage-sourced magic. It’s immediately inspiring and fun to use.”
Serum Presets Vol 1 represents the best of the company’s five previous Serum preset packs, and includes 235 Serum presets built from vintage synths, Wurlitzer, Roland TR-808, modular synths, and vocal samples.
The regular price is $95 but it’s on sale now for $49.
- Samples From Mars Serum Presets Vol 1 product page
Mist for Spectrasonics Omnisphere 3 by Tom Wolfe
Omnisphere 3 from Spectrasonics is an endlessly capable soft synth. There’s a reason that it’s favored by film composers and sound designers, and that’s because it excels at moody and ethereal sounds.
Taking full advantage of the instrument’s power is sound designer Tom Wolfe, who has delivered a pack of darkly atmospheric presets for Omnisphere 3. As the name Mist suggests, these are light and airy, perfect for a ‘90s or 2000s-style ambient track, or indeed your next video game score.
Mist is available in two formats: a standard edition with 50 stereo presets for £23.99, and a binaural version with 50 binaural presets along with the stereo ones for £31.99. Either will net you a bonus five presets.
- Tom Wolfe Mist product page
Orchestral Granularity for Audiomodern Soundbox by Cinematic Alpha
Audiomodern developed Soundbox as a Kontakt alternative. While the full version costs €99, if you only want to play instruments and not make your own, it’s completely free. That’s great news when there are high-quality cinematic instruments available like Orchestral Granularity from Cinematic Alpha.
With a name like Orchestral Granularity, you know what you’re in for: hybrid orchestral sounds. The three-volume collection includes 66 presets and 33 sound sources, with granular strings, mallets, and winds swirling around inside. Cinematic Alpha recommends it for film scoring, ambient, emotional, dramatic, and modern hybrid cinematic music, but I could see it working in many, many different situations.
The library is 4.2GB in FLAC format and 7.2GB uncompressed, and costs $49 on sale, down from $79 as of the time of publication.
- Cinematic Alpha Orchestral Granularity product page
Acacia Fantasy for AAS Chromaphone 3 and AAS Player by ReSet Ryan Tram
Chromaphone 3 by Applied Acoustic Systems, aka AAS, is a fantastic physical modeling synthesizer, but did you know it could RPG? That’s what’s happening in Acacia Fantasy, a new preset pack for Chromaphone 3 and the free AAS Player.
Created by glitch artist ReSet Ryan Tram, Acacia Fantasy is “designed to bring the spirit of classic fantasy RPG games into your productions.” It’s nostalgic but not slavishly so, with a nice mix of retro game and modern sounds. “Whether you’re scoring epic adventures, designing cinematic environments, or composing otherworldly soundscapes, Acacia Fantasy Pack provides a cohesive and inspiring toolkit,” says AAS.
Acacia Fantasy includes 100 presets and costs $19, marked down from $39. If you don’t own Chromaphone 3, don’t worry, as the sounds also work in the AAS Player, which comes free with your purchase.
- ReSet Ryan Tram Acacia Fantasy product page
Best Analog & Ambient Sounds for TAL Software TAL-J8X by LFO Store
The JX-8P doesn’t get nearly as much love as Roland’s other ‘80s analog polys like the Juno-106. It’s a great synth, though, with a unique and very clean sound that works incredibly well in synth pop. Recently, TAL Software released TAL-J8X, a plugin emulation of the synth, and now LFO Store has dropped a pack of presets for it.
TAL-J8X Best Analog & Ambient Sounds does what it says on the tin, with 64 patches that run the gamut from basses, solo leads and plucks to big and wide strings, pads and drones. It also includes recreations of famous CS and Oberheim sounds. “We took a challenge and made analog sounds which can compete with 3P!” they say. “And our sound set turns the grey beast into the lushest ambient machine of your dreams.”
The pack is €15 and available from LFO Store.
- LFO Store TAL-J8X Best Analog & Ambient Sounds product page
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