• ARTICULATION CONTROL - MALLET, STICK, ROLL, BOW
• KSP TREMOLO  CONTROL

The main control panel.  

• ENVELOPE, FILTERS
• MICROTUNING PANEL
• TREMOLO SETUP

Grand Marimba can be taken further than a conventional sound if you desire. Use envelopes, and filters, allowing you to create varying sound textures and shapes.

• SETUP OPTIONS MENU
• VELOCITY CURVE TUNING
• RANDOMISE TIMING + VELOCITY

Fine tune the response and performance of Grand Marimba.

• RHYTHMIC TRAIL GENERATOR
• UP TO 8 LANES
• CREATE YOUR OWN PRESETS

Create unique rhythmic patterns for each note you play. A bit like a delay effect but evolves differently according to what you play - strands of sound weave in and out of each other.

• 3 USER CONFIGURABLE INSERT FX
• 4 BAND EQUALISER
• SPACE MODULE WITH CUSTOM REVERBS

Grand Marimba features a comprehensive effects page, with a configurable insert chain featuring Replika, Phasis and other cutting-edge NI effects. The Space Reverb module features Soniccouture's custom impulse library built up over many years and recording sessions.

The marimba is massive, almost 3 meters across, which makes recording it a challenge;
it isn't possible to get too close to an instrument that large and maintain any sort of sensible stereo image.
And since we were aiming for an intimate, non-ambient, recording, we needed a very large but relatively dry studio to work in.

3 Mic pairs were used : AKG414s (with CK12 capsules), Shoeps cardioids, and AEA ribbons further back in the room.
These mics were mixed down to a stereo signal in post production.

This picture shows the mic positions required to capture the full spread of the marimba.

An overhead shot gives some idea of the scale of a 5 octave concert marimba.

Honduran Rosewood bars