Ambient Guitars by Spitfire Audio Review
We are reviewing Spitfire Audio Ambient Guitars. The library is a relaunch based on Enigma 1 & 2 to which Spitfire Audio added new content (600 sounds, including over 10GB of brand original recordings and additional curated preset.) Owners of Enigma 1 & 2 got the Ambient Guitars free of charge where if you did own one Enigma library you received a discount for Ambient Guitars. You do own Enigma One or Enigma Two? Then you need to login in into your Spitfire Account and add Ambient Guitars to your cart and see in the cart the discounted price for the library.
Leo Abrahams
This library is a collaboration between Leo Abrahams and Spitfire Audio. Leo performed the guitars and did run the tones and clean sounds through his large collection of rare effects pedals and amps. Leo is a world-renowned musician, composer, and producer who has recorded and toured with successful artists such as Imogen Heap, Roxy Music, Grace Jones, and Pulp.
Leo has written and produced for artists including Wild Beasts, Florence & the Machine, Ghostpoet and most recently, Editors. His own records include The Unrest Cure, featuring Brian Eno, KT Tunstall, and Ed Harcourt. He has composed scores for movies such as The Lovely Bones (with Eno) and Hunger (with David Holmes). He is also credited as the guitarist on film scores such as ‘71, Ocean’s 12 and Ocean’s 8, Twilight, Green Zone, Molly’s Game & The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
“When I’m writing, I often build a sound first and let the composition evolve,” explains the innovative virtuosic guitarist “I hope that some of the guitars sound on offer here will inspire other people to do the same and that some of the ambient sounds are helpful when what’s needed is neither a synth pad nor an actual ‘part’, but just a bit of atmosphere. I hoped we could capture a sense of danger and abandon.”
Installation
You install the library with the Spitfire Audio App, after download register the library in Native Access (Native Instruments) to use it in Kontakt.
Sound
Ambient Guitars is a collection of inspiring and modern cinematic guitar sounds, textures and loops. The recorded content was created and performed exclusively by Leo Abrahams. If you do not know the older EDNA collection by the same developer this library Ambient Guitars is a repackaged EDNA 1 & 2 with some added new content. Spitfire is aiming with this library composer who needs this vibe and sound in their work for film, TV and game music. This Kontakt library Ambient Guitars is especially suited to dark, urbane, indie style scores. Spitfire Audio Ambient Guitars includes a mixture of timbres produced with guitars. In the forefront are especially “distorted” sounds, where sometimes it is not obvious that they were produced with guitars.
WHAT IS NEW SINCE ENIGMA 1 & 2?
- Everything minus the Evolutions and Distortions (Enigma 2) has been housed inside our EDNA Engine UI
- Works in Kontakt Player
- NKS compatibility
- Programming tweak to Distorted Content (Enigma 2)
- Clearer folder structure
- Newly recorded content: Amped Guitar Pads
- Artist presets from Christian Henson (60) and Paul Thomson (100)
The collection of distinct boutique amps have been captured by several different microphones and more important mixes, all available to you in the library. Many patches support one of the six mixes (see below)
Mixes and Microphones
- DI – Direct straight from the pedals
- Cl – Clean Showman with ribbon
- A1 – Echolette / Selmer with ribbon
- A2 – Bassman amplifier with dynamic
- A3 – Swart with dynamic
- R – Stereo room microphones
eDNA Engine
You use Ambient Guitars in the eDNA engine, almost every patch you load (and there are many) loads with the eDNA interface. In this interface you can mangle the two sounds selected, there is also a sequencer, gate and some selected FX supported. For additional effects, you want anyhow to use the wide range of in the box effects or if you have some pedals in your studio route the sound through those external hardware devices.
EVO Engine and Grid
First off I love Spitfire’s EVO products. In Ambient Guitars you also can perform using the Evo Grid to create unheard sounds and tones. Unique to the EVOs is for example that you can create something new randomly. The EVOs or evolutions are all about gently developing sounds that develop over time. It is an excellent tool to create ambiances, pads, textures, background bed and drones.
With this sound of Guitars, pedals and AMP collection you have access to cinematic unique ambiances, natural pads, hard-hitting basses, and guitar loops. All ready to use in Ad, Games, TV or Film. This gives you obscure underscores and more. The product is not unique in the market as there is Scoring Guitars 2 by Heavyocity, Cinematic Guitars Organic Atmospheres, New Rhythmic Aura 1 and 2, Randomisers Series 1.2, Rhythmology.
User interface & Usability
Spitfire leverage the older eDNA interface. I found it a bit packed compared to the more cleaner UIs you do see with other Spitfire libraries. You can select the AMPs in the Spitfire like tiny interface. If you own other Spitfire libraries using eDNA or EVOs you are common with the Spitfire interfaces. The eDNA is overwhelming and complex, you will need your time if you are new to the eDNA UI.
Rating: Four out of five stars
Ambient Guitars is an excellent extensive compilation of contemporary guitar noises, textures, and loops. This library is flawlessly used in your next cinematic score, independent if you score for ad, games, film, or TV. Ambient Guitars covers a large range of distorted and if you required clean amp signals. With this guitar sounds, you can compose a lush, ambient type track or go very aggressively by using distorted sounds. The ambiance and textures reminded me a lot of Chords Of Orion which I love to watch on YouTube. For me, the Evo grid is meriting the investment alone.
