Sonora Cinematic has partnered with Ocean Swift Synthesis to create Porphyra Hybrid, a new wavetable/sample Synthesizer for Kontakt 8 Player.
At the beginning of the week, Native Instruments released the Kontakt 8 sampler. Among other things, it brings more features to the built-in wavetable synthesis engine.
Sonora Cinematic is the first third-party developer to use this engine in a new instrument. For Porphyra, they have teamed up with Ocean Swift Synthesis, which is now making a comeback.
Sonora Cinematic Porphyra Hybrid
Porphyra Hybrid is a new virtual instrument for the Kontakt 8 Player. It is powered by sampling and the new extended wavetable engine of Kontakt 8. The instrument consists of two layers.
Layer 1 features a wavetable oscillator with 200 wavetables to choose from with different modes. It offers an inharmonic section that adds an additional, detunable wavetable to the original signal. Plus, the oscillator engine can be shaped with the width control alongside a second shaper with 22 included algorithms.
The interesting part of this wavetable engine is the new mod oscillator, a feature of the Kontakt 8 engine. The feature gives you options like FM, phase modulation in both directions, feedback, and ring modulation using an additional oscillator.
Then, Layer 2 is the sampler part that comes with over 500 sampled sources. According to the developer, it includes analog and digital synth sounds, noise, acoustic instruments, and voice. Audition the sounds right in the instrument and use the mod wheel to crossfade between layers.
It also gives you various ways to tweak the sample part: tune, fine, pan, etc. A lovely feature is the randomizers that randomize the sample start for each note, adding an organic feel to your patches. The same is also available for the wavetable engine.
In addition, Sonora Cinematic Porphyra Hybrid allows you to import your own samples and wavetables into the engine, making it very flexible. The developers promise that it automatically analyses the pitch of your sample and maps it accordingly.
Modulators are also onboard, and they are pretty unique. For example, the LFO X generates with each click on the control a new random waveform by internally mixing different shapes. It also has a fading function for up to 10 seconds, which is great for creating evolving sounds.
Porphyra Hybrid also takes advantage of Kontakt 8’s new FX section. It hosts four different FX slots: reverb, delay, overdrives, distortions, ring modulator, programmable gate, chorus, flanger, and more.
All this sonic adventure supports polyphonic aftertouch and comes with deep NKS 2 integration, enabling instant control over every single parameter with Native Instruments’s Kontrol hardware.
First Impression
At first glance, it is an impressive new library for the Kontakt 8 engine. It is nice to see the new features in action. The demos of Porphyra Hybrid sound promising.
Sonora Cinematic Porphyra is available now for an introductory price of 71,95€ instead of 100,95€. It runs in the free Kontakt 8 Player and Kontakt 8 full version. The library is also available on the Ocean Swift Synthesis website.
More information here: Sonora Cinematic
To clarify, this is the other way around and not as posted. This is an Ocean Swift product, that Sonora took a part in.