Impact Soundworks KORON – review

The Music Software producer Impact Soundworks has brought another highlight in the direction of world music with the creation of a new Library. This library is called KORON and is focused on Iranian traditional instruments and sounds.

KORON is especially interesting for music styles such as cinematic scores, ethno, ambient and world music. The library comes with 10 typical authentic traditional instruments and includes more than 17,000 samples more than 1200 performances including Impact Soundworks’s latest tool TACT.

The software comes with 5 *.rar files which hold all Kontakt library contents and a folder with additional *.wav files.
The unpacking of the total 12 GB runs fast and easy.
After moving the files to the location of your choice, you have to open Native Instruments Kontakt and load the patches of the instruments from the section “File Browsers”.

The Browser shows the following instruments:
1. Kamanche
2. Santoor
3. Setar
4. Tanbour
5. Tar
6. Percussion
And one folder called Performances Patches.

Once you load an instrument it will appear in the main tab. All instruments which will be loaded have four tabs: First tab is “Info” which describes the background and the history of the instrument. Second tab “Main” is where main parameters like scaling, microphone position, and envelope parameters can be adjusted. The third tab is called “Articulations” where keyswitching, legato etc. can be changed. The last tab is called “Effects”, where you can add up to four effects in serial. KORON has four standard effects: EQ, COMPRESSOR, DELAY and REVERB.

The NI Kontak player is self-descriptive and clearly structured. All instruments are quick and easy to load. The first impression of the library is amazing. All ten Instruments show a realistic playback and are therefore well recorded. The sounds are expressive and very nice playable. Articulations and bends sound realistic especially using the pitch bend. It does not sound digital at all. Plucking instruments like Tar are really hard to play and to record. But the result and the performance of this plug is quite good and sounds not artificial especially with the “Engine” of this Plug in called “TACT”. Generally all instruments and performances are really beautifully well done.

On top of that each instrument has 5 microtunings presets. Of course the microtuning can be changed and saved for each note Individually up to 100 cents. For each Instruments two Microphone Positions (Close and Room) can be adjusted. There are more features like adjusting the length, fade in and out the transition. It also has three envelopment articulations: Normal, Dorab and Tremolo. In the Articulation section functions like Triggering and Latching are included.

All percussion instruments are combined into one large playable sound menu type patch. The variation makes the patches interesting especially the combination. Every Key has his own articulation. Each drum has his zone panning and tuning. Each individually note has his own envelope.

With KORON, Impact Soundworks has set up an elaborate production in the field of iranian traditional instruments. Quality instead of quantity would be a part of the conclusion.
10 traditional instruments from Iran expand the music production in world music, ambient and film score production. The simple but clear interface allows the user fast access and parameter setting.
For music lovers who want to use traditional Iranian instruments, KORON is highly recommended as the recordings and instruments are elaborately and quality-produced.

KORON can be purchased and digitally downloaded from Impact Soundworks for $199USD (Currently $179USD ) from here:
Impact Soundworks | KORON