For this instrument we recorded a variety of rumbles, peals of thunder, strikes, and special effects using contact mics. As the samples were intended to be manipulated, pitch shifted and mangled, the recordings were made at 96 kHz. The sounds can be pitched very low and still have some interesting high frequency content when working at full resolution.

Focus Sample Mapping
In the past, large sample sets of unpitched 'special effect' type sound were not easy to work with. Either you were given one huge folder of samples to sort through and try to make some sense of, or you might have a single sample mapped in each preset - meaning you'd have to slowly auditon each preset to find something you want.

Soniccouture's Focus KSP Script makes it a pleasure to work with large groups of samples. With Thunder Drum, you start with 127 different samples all mapped in one instrument. So, you can play each key and hear a different sound. Great for audtioning, but not so handy for working creatively with a sample. This is where it gets clever - if you play a key and like the sound you hear, simply hit the 'Focus' button. Now that sound is automatically mapped across the whole keybaord, so you can play it at different ptiches, make a patch, etc etc.

How Focus Mapping Works :
1. Audition all 127 sounds mapped in one keyboard instrument
2. Find a sound you like
3. Hit 'Focus' button

Kontakt Library Specs
686 MB core library
24 bit 96khz Sampling
KSP Focus Mapping Interface ( see overview page)
Effects section with custom convolution reverb IRs
40 Sound Design Presets

Requires Kontakt 4 or 5 - NOT compatible with free Kontakt Player
4. The single sound is now mapped across the entire keyboard, centered on C3.