Plectrum

Minimum system requirements: Windows XP - SP2, Pentium IV 1.7GHz or AMD 1500 XP, 512MB RAM, 8 Gigs of free disc space.

Supported Formats: Standalone, VST, RTAS
PC only. MAC support coming soon.

PC $299 - Now Shipping!

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REVIEW: Electronic Musician talks about Plectrum

VIDEO: View a recent interview with Vital Arts at AES

Imagine 185 instruments you have never played before.

Imagine sounds made by plucking, strumming, tapping, scraping, and flicking a range of prepared instruments and found objects.

Imagine stretched strings, glass vessels, water filled cups, breaking twigs, and much more, sounded out and recorded in thousands of full length, high resolution samples.

Imagine these sounds tuned and voiced, under your fingertips, transformed into inspiring keyboard instruments.

Imagine what you could do with such instruments.

Imagine Plectrum.

Geoffrey Gee, pianist, composer, and former Senior Soundware Engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems, announces the release of Plectrum--a virtual instrument library featuring 185 original acoustic instruments, powered by Tascam's GVI streaming sample playback engine.  Much more than a tool or content library, Plectrum is a creative work of instrument design. Gee created his instruments from sounds made by plucking, strumming, tapping, scraping, and flicking a range of stringed instruments and found objects. Collecting thousands of full length high resolution samples, he voiced and tuned the sounds into full-range, expressive keyboard instruments. Plectrum's ultra-friendly interface presents these instruments in nine categories based on the sound source: Strummed Strings, Struck Strings, Plucked Strings, and String Harmonics; Glass, Ceramics, Metals, and Found Objects, and Habitats. Each instrument features a round robin playback that creates the organic feel and texture of an acoustic instrument.  The instruments in Habitats use this feature to offer ever-evolving sound environments such as August Morning, Afternoon Rain, Forest Stream, and Crickets.

• 185 original instruments
• Round robin playback, with multiple articulations under every key
• Nine easy-access categories
• Ultra friendly interface–select an instrument and play
• Fast instrument loading and selection
• High polyphony streaming audio engine, powered by Tascam GVI
• VST, RTAS, and Standalone
• Thousands of full length high resolution samples, voiced for making music

Plectrum will be released initially as a PC version (VSTi, RTAS, Standalone), with Mac support coming soon.  The package is 7.5GB, with its up to 96kHz, 24-bit content optimized using Tascam's wave acceleration feature.  

Here are some words from people who have used Plectrum:

Lyle Mays, legendary keyboardist and founding member of the Pat Metheny Group, writes in:

"This is about the most exciting thing I have heard in quite a long time... A perfect combination of acoustic nuance and modern technology. My imagination has been stirred - thank you."

Larry Ortega of Chicago writes in:

"I just purchased Plectrum and I have to say it one of the most inspiring instruments I've bought in a very long time. I've only made it through about 4 instruments and I've already started on 3 new songs. Absolutely Outstanding!"

Introduction (1.85 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee
Tap Jam (1.65 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee
Musicbox (1.19 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee
Magic Touch Dulcimer (1.87 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee
Ye Merry Gentlemen (1.78 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee
CeramaGroove (1.14 Mb) by Geoffrey Gee

Geoffrey Gee Original Acoustic Instruments is the sound design arm of Vital Arts Media, a company dedicated to the creation of art that is "faithful to the earth and our ongoing health."  Geoffrey Gee was a senior soundware engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems and produced much of the voicing for some of their most acclaimed products, including the K2500, PC88, and MicroPiano.  His virtual instruments are designed to be inspiring, organic, playable, and user friendly.