Cello Untamed – An Improvised Cello To Put Life In Your Music

CELLO UNTAMED is a solo cello library with the idea that samples should sound like a performance. At the heart of the instrument is our unique Improvised articulation; a series of emotional, evolving and improvised notes. This sounds like a musician taking your composition and adding an individual direction and human performance.

Westwood recorded every single note over three octaves at 3 different intensities with two variations for each layer, giving you 222 totally unique performances. The quietest layer is subtle and delicate, the medium layer brings more emotion and character, whilst the loudest layer sounds wild, intense and often chaotic. They sound beautiful alone as individual notes or even more compelling when played as chord progressions.

With 9 other standard and extended articulations included, all performed with the same philosophy, CELLO UNTAMED is a Kontakt library for the composer that wants to add a raw, human and soulful element to their scores.

Recorded at The Nave, one of the North of England’s finest recording studios; a converted church with the most beautiful sounding live room. Engineer Alex Greaves used an impeccable set of classic microphones and vintage outboard to tailor the perfect sound for the cello. 

A single Neumann FET47 is at the heart of the mix, providing a really rich, full and very detailed sound. A stereo pair of Neumann KM184s captured a close stereo overhead perspective. A pair of Royer 121 ribbon mics adds more depth to the room, whilst some Audio Technica 4081’s do a perfect job of capturing the natural reverb tail of the studio. We collected this really wide range of perspectives for you to mix exactly the sound you need.

Everything was recorded through Neve and API preamps, an AMEK Rembrandt desk and captured at 96kHz using world-class Apogee AD16X analog to digital convertors. An original Empirical Labs Distressor helped to really focus and draw out the detail of the spot mic.

Microphones & Mixes

Spot | Neumann U47 FET | Mono
The classic smooth and rich microphone from the 70s. Use this mic for a dry, upfront and super detailed sound. Driven through a characterful Neve 1073 pre-amp and Distressor to really bring every subtle nuance from the performance.

Close | Neumann K184 | Stereo 
Adding more perspective and positioning over the spot mic, this overhead stereo pair brings the sound of the cello alive.

Room | Royer 121 | Stereo
Bring a much more lively and in-person sound with this position. Royer 121 ribbon mics are a classic for a reason.

Gallery | Audio Technica 4081 | Stereo
Placed high up in the gallery of the studio, use these mics to add air and the beautiful, natural reverb tail of the room,

Articulations

Longs

• Improvised A&B
• Normale
• Flautando
• Sul Pont – Soft
• Sul Pont – Grit
• Tremolo
• Circular Bowing
• False Harmonics

Short

• Spiccato
• Pizzicato inc. Bartok

Cello Untamed is available now at a special launch price for a short period of time.