Princess Koto – KAGUYA

PREMIER SOUND FACTORY
SAMURAI Classics – Japanese Koto instrument library

Coming Soon $129

Vibrant Super High-Res Raw file


We at last present our most beautiful and vibrant Japanese Koto sound library. The pure raw files provided were captured using the same super high-res recording techniques utilised in Drum Tree and Shakuhachi Premier in 96kHz/24 bit.

Not merely High resolution sound, but an amazing beautiful tone has been created that washes over your heart, and great efforts have been made during recording to make sure not a single drop of this natural essence has been lost.

A Duo of Classical and Contemporary Koto Included

  • Japanese Koto: a 13 string instrument
  • 17 string bass Koto, similar to a Cello.

The 13 string Koto covers B1-A4, simulating a typical Koto (Normal mode). Expand mode increases the range to A#4 – G5, with the use modern high pitched Koto. Kaguya covers the whole wide range of Koto instruments.

13 strings B1 – G5
17 strings C1 – E3

Complete playing style capability

All conventional Koto playing methods typically used in traditional Japanese music are covered. It is easy to switch between all 16 available styles with the simple and intuitive articulation panel and key switch.

For example, when using the “Real” style, note on begins the picking sound, and note off provides the sound of the string as you release the key. For “Normal” “Staccato”etc, note on creates a slight delay for the string sound after picking, to replicate a real koto. The delay time can be controlled using the pick knob, zero to 100ms.

The pitch bending (Up and down) aspect of Koto playing is achieved through the timing of releasing your keyboard, therefore you can control the timing of your bends to match the tempo of your song.

214 audio phrase patterns are also included, such as glissando etc.

  • Real/Release Trigger (Picking sound as note is pressed, string sound as note is released.  Similar to real Koto style)
  • Normal (Picking and string as note is pressed)
  • Upward Picking
  • Pizzicato
  • Staccato
  • Harmonics
  • Pitch/Bend up
  • Pitch/Bend up semitone
  • Pitch/Bend down
  • Pitch/Bend down semitone
  • Bend 1 (The combination of up & down)
  • Bend 2 (Slightly pulling the string into a downward bend)
  • Alternate (Alternating down and upstroke playback)
  • Tremolo
  • FX

36 traditional Japanese scales

As well as the standard chromatic scale, traditional Japanese scales can be assigned to the white keys of your keyboard. It is also possible to save up to 20 of your own original scales. You can perform glissando with white keys just like a real koto.

When using a preset, the top note of the 13 strings, A4, will automatically have tremolo assigned to the next black key, A#4. From this it is possible to reproduce SARARIN typical of traditional koto playing style, the combination of tremolo and glissando, without using any key switch. (F#4, G#4 also have the same automatic tremolo.)

The classic scales are usually played with the 13 string koto. However when using Expand Mode, the assigned scales intelligently and automatically extend to meet the higher/extra notes covered in Expand Mode.

All factory presets and user presets can be transposed to fit your song.

One of the reasons for the beautiful cosmic sound created by a Koto is that, similar to the way the pedals on a piano work, you are not only hearing the string that is being plucked, but also the vibrations and resonance that pass through all of the other strings and fill the surrounding air in all directions.

When recording the 13 string Koto, we captured all keys with authentic Koto scales. That’s why KAGUYA is imbued with super natural and beautiful vibration, typical of Kotos.

* The 17 String bass Koto is a contemporary instrument which was not used in the past. Therefore the 17 string koto only has the chromatic scale.

KAGUYA scale preset list

Traditional Japanese Scales

preset

Name

調律名

1

01 Chromatic

01 クロマチック

2

02 Hira (minor Basic)

02 平調子

minor

3

03 Kumoi

03 雲井調子

minor

4

04 Hon-Kumoi

04 本雲井調子

minor

5

05 Han-Kumoi

05 半雲井調子

minor

6

06 Kata-Kumoi

06 片雲井調子(四九上がり調子)

minor

7

07 4 Agarihan-Kumoi

07 四上がり半雲井

minor

8

08 Hen-Kumoi

08 変雲井調子

minor

9

09 Nakazora

09 中空調子(六上がり調子)

minor

10

10 Akebono

10 曙調子

minor

11

11 Han-Nakazora

11 半中空調子

minor

12

12 Gaku (Major Basic)

12 楽調子

Major

13

13 Han-Gaku (Major)

13 半楽調子

Major

14

14 Dai-Gaku (Major)

14 大楽調子(花雲調子)

Major

15

15 Nogi (Major)

15 乃木調子(第二楽調子)

Major

16

16 Iwato

16 岩戸調子

minor

17

17 Han-Iwato

17 半岩戸調子

minor

18

18 Natsuyama (Major)

18 夏山調子

Major

19

19 Kokin

19 古今調子

minor

20

20 Shin-Kokin

20 新古今調子

minor

21

21 Hira-Kinju

21 平巾十調子

minor

22

22 Niju-Kumoni

22 二重雲井調子

minor

23

23 Kumoi-Kinju

23 雲井巾十調子

minor

24

24 Akino (Major)

24 秋野調子

Major

25

25 Akikaze

25 秋風調子

minor

26

26 Meibai

26 明梅調子

minor

27

27 Ozora

27 大空調子

minor

28

28 Sofuren1 (Major)

28 想夫恋の調子(嵯峨の秋)

Major

29

29 Sofuren2

29 想夫恋調子(古今新組)

minor

30

30 Orgel

30 オルゴール調子(オランダ調子)

minor

31

31 Kankan (Major)

31 カンカン調子

Major

32

32 Ryukyu (Major)

32 琉球本調子

Major

33

33 Minyo (Major)

33 民謡調子

Major

34

34 Haruno Umi

34 春の海

minor

35

35 Sanka

35 賛歌

minor

36

36 Tone Kaze

36 遠音

minor

Other features

Stereo and center microphones are editable independently. Lo-cut is effective when you want to distance the stereo image arrangement. It can be hard bypassed when Lo-cut knob is zero.

Five varieties of convolution reverb are included. IR recorded in authentic, time honored Japanese Noh theatre.

And the image of Princess Kaguya’s moon also relates to the long, ethereal and mysterious reverb of the Koto, uniting both themes of Princess Koto – Kaguya.

 

 

 

From the moment you load this Koto sound library and let it ring out on your keyboard, the deeply stirring sound and emotion you will experience is something that the PREMIER Team has been striving to capture for the last 20 years. As the near mythical and magical Koto chords start ringing out, endless musical inspiration will take hold of you!

KAGUYA – Specification

Instrument type: KONTAKT Instrument
For use with: FREE KONTAKT 5 PLAYER (included in free KOMPLETE PLAYERS), or KONTAKT 5(version 5.7 or higher)
Sound category: Japanese Instruments
Number of sounds: 2 Kotos, 16 Articulations, 36 Japanese scales, 214 Phrases.
Download size (Mac/PC): 5 GB
System requirements: Mac OSX 10.9 or higher (64bit only)Windows7 or higher (64bit only)4GB RAM, 17GB free disk spacePlease also see the KONTAKT 5 PLAYER system requirements and the KONTAKT 5 PLAYER FAQ
Supported Interfaces: Stand-aloneAudio UnitsVSTASIOCore AudioWASAPIAAX Native (Win: Pro Tools 10 or higher, Mac: Pro Tools11 or higher)
DAW: Cubase, Logic, Sonar, Studio One, Pro Tools, Ableton-Live, Digital Performer, Reaper, Sonar etc…
Sample Rate: 96kHz / 24bit
Number of Samples: 2,534 Samples
Number of Instruments:
  • 13 Strings (+18 Strings with Expand mode)
  • 17 Strings
Number of Sample Layers: Max 16 layers (4 Velocities)
Cycle round-robin Max 2
Channels: Stereo