Waverunner Audio
Waverunner Audio’s 2 French Horns: Creating Perfect Horns for Orchestral and Cinematic Music
2025
2 French Horns was born from experiments with players I’d worked with for a number of years on my YouTube covers channel. A chance opportunity came along to spend a solid day working in this room that compliments the horns in an incredible way. I asked my friends, Tony Hawkins and Julia MacDonell if they were up for what was meant to be a test day of sampling, and as we all enjoyed working together they were keen.
How it begun
The day started as usual with our sound engineer Adaq Khan being early and asking what hot drink I’d like from the local café. Over a croissant, we discussed the concept, setup and how to get the most of the room and players with orchestral positioning baked in. I grew up with Edirol Orchestra and from a young age had always wanted to make something like my own version of ‘Orchestra 2’. Since of course there have been many such libraries, but it’s still in the back of my mind and makes me very excited to have started this humble orchestral sample journey and super happy people are enjoying and creating music with these horns.
This particular room we found by accident, it’s not designed for orchestral recording, but as shown it just doesn’t matter, if it works it works and if anything allows a unique offering up to the table. The sound kind of blooms, with the acoustics hugging the horns allowing the lower dynamics to be elevated while enhancing the bite of their fortissimo. This dryer sound has allowed for controlled editing and programming which has contributed to the smoothness and consistency people have been praising and in turn allows for control over the sound you want from them. The room ‘bloom’ translates really well with added reverb, meaning the horns sit well in larger spaces alongside other libraries, so there’s a lot of flexibility there.
Tone – from the lowest dynamic to the highest
The tone has been praised from the lowest dynamic to the highest, where users have pointed out the fortissimo as something they’ve found lacking in other libraries, and the lower dynamics have an excellent, rounded sound to them. So much of this is down to the incredible performance of the players, combined with that unique space and of course captured so well by our sound engineer Adaq Khan. Adaq is mentored under award-winning engineer Tony Faulkner and has honed his technique to an excellent art recording both live and orchestral records. He’s worked on dozen’s of classical number one releases, and there’s his natural sound left in the samples, pretty much untouched from the session.
That Adaq, Tony, Julia and I are all so familiar meant the work gone into the day was all in a good mood and good spirits, so there was unique energy that we all got a lot from and I think that element really helps. Tony and Julia’s efforts were awe-inspiring, and they looked to push themselves in the session, this being a new way of recording for them. Particularly of note is the consistency across dynamics and some incredible legato performances. Tony is an ex-trumpet player and brings his trumpet skills to the horn, resulting in the mighty loud dynamics found in the library. We recorded two dynamics of legato; I always felt a bit cheated to find libraries from big developers offering just one high dynamic of legato and using eq cuts to merge with the lower dynamics. You lose so much nuance of the instrument both tone wise and performance wise. So with these, when you’re playing at lower dynamics, you’re getting a much more authentic sound.
A new Adventure – Waverunner Audio
In the Summer of 2017, I left London and moved to a tiny village near my hometown of Nottingham. Surrounded by fields, rivers, and forests, I’d take frequent walks during which I’d come up with ideas including a few yet to be released libraries and the name Waverunner Audio. Watching the combine harvesters from my studio room. I took that time to learn enough Kontakt coding to put together a legato script based on advice from a few other developers and of particular help was David Healey of Xtant Audio. That there is someone of his caliber so willing to give advice and help was great to see, and I think a huge asset to the VI community.
My approach to editing is pretty lengthy compared to anyone else I’m aware of, who seem to have lots of automated systems. I feel in order to really get the most of an instrument build, each sample should be listened to and edited individually, and that’s how I edit my samples. Reaper is a great DAW for editing samples due to how easy it is to customize and create macros. I edit each sample start and the fade, so there’s no generic start and exact fade on each sample. Every sample (which can run into the hundreds if not thousands) is listened to, considered, given an individual fade if needed, not massively noticeable necessarily but I believe adds up and contributes to the ‘feel’, avoids clipping and ensures each and every sample is present in its best way. Then every legato transition is tweaked and tested then tweaked some more. Though a lengthy process, the result is lasting and the work worth it. I think there’s something to be said for creating a library from start to finish; from curating the content, conducting the session, editing the samples and building the instrument, every note and nuance is in your head every step of the way.
I posted initial tests on VI-CONTROL and The SoundBoard as well as shared among some composer friends. The feedback was such I went on to release a commercial version with the legato. The interface is simple, though maybe expanded on, that’s one of the great things, you simply load it up and get great, playable 2 French Horns. I’ve found they can really shine in exposed roles (the ‘Study for 2 French Horns on the SoundCloud really shows off their flexibility and dynamic range) and also sit well to either layer or embellish other libraries. So there are a humble number of very happy users that have inspired expanding the library and indeed the brass range.
In the sampling world where branding is a huge part of things, perhaps some shy away from lesser-known spaces and new developers, but given the vast market, we’ve found an audience really receptive purely based on sound, which is really where it’s at. There are new features I would like to implement, such as being able to automatically layer the shorts, choose round robins and perhaps ship with some complimentary convolution reverbs, so those things may come in an update at some point. A couple of follow-ups are coming in the form of trumpets and tuba, so keep an eye out for them!
Waverunner Audio’s 2 French Horns Specifications
- 2 French Horns in Unison
- True legato
- x2 rr sustain
- x5 rr stacc
- x4 rr marcato
- 24b/48k
- 700mb installed (1.2gb required for install)
- Requires full version of Kontakt 5.6+
You can purchase 2 French Horns here.
‘Three Hundred’ by Waverunner Audio
‘Three Hundred’ is a limited edition run of all current products, multiple pre-orders, vouchers and a raffle for the most powerful MacBook Pro ever.
Existing Products
After your purchase, your email will be added to the 300 mailing list and you will receive licenses for all existing products within 24hours of purchase. Once you receive your licenses they can be downloaded immediately or at any point in the future. Any updates made for these libraries are available to you at no extra cost (which is standard practice with Waverunner Audio products). The 300 mailing list will only be used to notify you of essential information regarding pre-orders, vouchers, and the raffle.
Pre-Orders
Your pre-order libraries will be sent to you upon their release. Boba, NAH Piano, WA Brass: Solo Tuba and WA Brass 2 Trumpets are scheduled for release this year (2020). Unnamed Guitar, your limited edition Sound Design library and Kitchen: Back To Where The Start Is, are all scheduled for a 2021 release.
Vouchers
Celestial Frontiers is scheduled to roll out between 2022 – 2025 in a modular fashion. You will receive your 25% voucher per release i.e. individual vouchers per product, so by the time the full range is released you will have received five 25% vouchers.
Raffle
There are 300 spaces available to new customers plus up to 1000 spaces available to existing customers. You will be allocated a unique number between 1-300 and this list will be combined with existing customers who have purchased the promo. A random number will be selected using quantum computing to select the winner of the MacBook Pro who will then receive their new laptop directly from Apple once delivery information is confirmed.
Current you get access to all 10 existing products: Alder Violin, Alder Cello, Celestial Guitar, WA Brass: 2 French Horns, Chaneterelle Trumpet, Rhodes ’73 Electric Piano, Solo Voice: Kat, Rosehip Vibraphone, John’s Guitar and Church Bells + all future updates (Worth £376/$376/€376)
Sound-design Library
A limited-edition sound-design library based on years of producing in the industry. Creative sound-design has been at the heart of a large amount of work I’ve done for film and TV over the years, and presented here will be an eclectic collection of sounds found, created, mangled and loved along that road. From home-sampling, picking up toys in the various studios I’ve worked in, testing out new equipment, taking the familiar and seeing how un-recognizable it can be made, and applying my love of acoustic space and its impact on how sound resonates on a physical and emotional level – Ross S
Chance to win a Apple 16-inch Macbook Pro
Purchase a 300 place and enter a raffle to win a brand new, fully spec’d up Apple 16-inch Macbook Pro worth £3899 / $3899:
- 2.4GHz 8-core 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz
- 64GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory
- AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory
- 1TB SSD storage
- 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
- Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
Pricing and Availability
Available to new customers at 300 £€$, existing customers get 33% off +pre-orders on two extra libraries. Existing customers please get in touch before purchase to get an extra discount.
Alder Violin – The Transatlantic Violin 1.1
A chance meeting at New York’s Museum of Natural History, a last-minute studio hookup from a vi-c member, drinks and music at the home of an SNL photographer, tree planting and, incredible burritos. New friends, new sounds, adventure, chance, hard work and a bit of luck. Recorded in Brooklyn, NY. Developed in the heart of England: The Alder Violin.
A solo violin library concentrating on highly expressive, evocative playing techniques. Performed by American violinist Jenavieve Vaga and recorded in Brooklyn, NY. Described as a ‘gem’ by those who have used it so far, The Alder Violin presence organic expressive, moving and inspiring violin textures to your compositions. v1.1 update is now live and introduces 5 new articulations: pizzicato, sustains, trill sul pont and an incredible Harmonic Legato patch, allowing you to perform the whisper-like, crystal sounds of this beautiful technique.
Performed by American Violinist Jenavieve Vaga
Jenavieve Varga is an American violinist and composer. Her work is collaborative, multi-genre, complex and cutting-edge. Taking up the violin at age 3, Jenavieve and her instrument have toured, scored, and recorded across 4 different continents.
Notable performances include appearances at the Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, and All Tomorrow’s Parties. She has been covered by Vogue, Billboard, and NPR, and is currently the Music Director for The Big Quiet.
Alder Violin v1.1 introduces 5 new articulations
- Harmonic Legato
- Expressive Con Sordino
- Sustains
- Pizzicato
- Sul Ponticello Trills
Availibility
The update is available free to existing users. Simply re-download the library via Pulse and replace it. Pricing is £49\€49\$49 | £29\€29\$29 until 31st January 2020 and up to 35% off with the Seven Days Grow Your Bundle.
Alder Cello
Performed by cellist Lidia Alonso and recorded by Adaq Khan in Soho, London. Focusing on the delicate, the soft and the evocative.
Alder Cello is inspired in part by the ocean and its many moods, the surfer community that supports the Hometree project, and their nomadic and humble lifestyle. The Alder Cello contains some unique and inspiring articulations which coupled with the stacked reverb and delay options in the ‘Seven Says GUI’ allows for further exploration of light and experimental cello textures.
Alder Cello Articulations:
Seven Days Project
Waverunner Audio is releasing seven sample libraries each one per day for seven days. Each Library is just £10 each for the fundraising period. For every sale, Hometree plant a tree.
Each library part of the Seven Days will be £10 until the 18th of November, after which they’ll go up to £25.
If you want to support this initiative and plant a tree purchase Alder Cello and help to grow some new trees.
All libraries currently require the full version of Kontakt (5.6+).
All libraries are using the new Pulse downloader app to download the Seven Days libraries. Download Pulse here.
Hometree is a pretty essential idea, plant more trees. Hometree is on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, it’s wet, windy and cold and it’s where they first started a community garden, in an unused plot of ground about 100m elevation and about 600m from the coast. When Hometree planted the first apple trees the NGO were told they were mad, that trees found it difficult to grow here, but they didn’t, they grew tall and strong and produce delicious fruits.
This was Hometree’s reconnection to trees, they saw the birds come back and the soil in the garden improves, biodiversity, more life on the hill and the seeds of change blew in all directions. One direction was here to Hometree, a group of people inspired by the lack of trees in County Clare in West Ireland and hope that they could do our part in regenerating and reforesting this beautiful mythical part of Mother Earth.
15 Best Portable Heaters to Keep You Cozy Anywhere You Go
15 Best RTX 3080 Ti Graphics Cards for Ultimate Gaming Performance
15 Best Fire Logs to Keep You Cozy All Winter Long
12 Best Tweets That Broke the Internet in 2025
15 Best Leg Massagers to Soothe Your Muscles and Improve Circulation
15 Best Wheel Cleaners for Brake Dust That Will Make Your Wheels Shine Like New
-
Vetted7 days ago15 Best Concrete Crack Fillers for a Smooth and Durable Finish
-
Vetted2 weeks ago15 Best Party Games for Adults to Take Your Gatherings to the Next Level
-
Vetted6 days ago15 Best Insecticides to Keep Your Home Bug-Free and Safe
-
Vetted7 days ago15 Best Car Air Fresheners to Keep Your Ride Smelling Fresh and Clean
-
Vetted2 weeks ago15 Best Drywall Anchors for Secure and Hassle-Free Wall Mounting
-
Vetted2 weeks ago15 Best Concrete Cleaners for Sparkling Driveways and Patios – Tried and Tested
-
Vetted5 days ago15 Best Driveway Sealers to Protect Your Asphalt or Concrete Surface
-
Vetted1 week ago15 Best Cordless Pool Vacuums for Effortless Pool Maintenance