Chocolate Audio Glissando Harps

Two Complete and Flexible Classical Harps

Glissando Harps features Camac and Salvi 47-string concert harps sampled in full detail. Each Harp was sampled in a different venue and with different setups in order to augment flexibility and usage scenarios.

Infinite Glissandos - a First for Sampled Harps

The very reason we decided to embark on sampling a concert harp in 2012 was to achieve a flexibility unknown in sampled harps. The sound of harps is unmistakably linked to the Glissando technique, where the harpist runs their fingers across the strings creating a dreamy and catchy sound unique to the instrument.

Our Glissando engine lets you play Glissandos at any speed, in any tonal center, and setting playable on a real harp.

Any Tuning, Any Scale, Any Chord

When using the Glissando Mode you're left with only the white keys (as the harp features 7 strings per octave) and change the tuning of each string by switching the positions of the Pedals via MIDI or GUI. We created a selection of the most used tunings in the section on the right to give you a quick way to get the Glissando you want.

Speed and Intensity

Turn on Glissando Mode, play a starting note, then play an ending note. The Glissando starts right away. Press D#0 to stop or C#0 to quit Glissando mode.

The time difference between the two notes will tell the engine the speed of the Glissando. The relative velocities will be used to create eventual crescendos and decrescendos.

Use the Mod Wheel to change the velocity/intensity of the Glissando in real time.

Use the Pitch Bend to slow down or speed up the Glissando in real time.

Glissando Modes

Select one of 7 Glissando Modes via the menu.

• Glissando
• Single Glissando
• Gliss Accent Start
• Single Gliss Accent Start
• Gliss Accent End
• Single Gliss Accent End
• Double Glissando

Details

Fine tune the Glissando:

• Soften - raises the attack time to emulate a Glissando played with lightly on the tips of the fingers
• Accell - accelerates or decelerates the glissando along its duration
• Accent - tells the engine how much accent to give to the Start/End notes when one of the Accent modes is selected
• Randomize Time and Velo - introduce a randomization in the timing and velocity between notes giving the Glissando a more human-like response

Playing Modes

This harp instrument can be played in two fashions:

• PIANO MODE: play the instrument just like you would play a piano
• HARP MODE: play using only the white keys and modify their tuning using the Pedal keys (C0 to B0)

In both modes, use the Sustain pedal to sustain notes indefinitely like the harp is supposed to do, or release the pedal and play every note in a Staccato fashion with life-like release sample trails.

The user interface is thought out to be easy and quick to learn and use while featuring the power-user tools some of us love to tweak when working with deeply sampled instruments.

Articulated Customs

• Customize your playing using the Articulations Panel:
• Assign or disable any of the 10 available Key Switches for Articulations management
• Available Key Switches are: D0 to B0 in Piano Mode, black keys from F#0 to D#2 in Harp Mode
• Make any of the Key Switches a Two-Way Switch or a Temporary Switch
• Optionally load a Second Articulation to be activated in place of the first when playing harder than a freely settable velocity level
• Use the Note Repeat mode to play fast repetitions (on Note Off you will have another Note On event playing automatically)
• Set the relative level of each single Articulation
• Select the type and level of the Release Samples
• Activate and set the level of the natural string Resonances
• Set the level and status of Pedal noises

Articulations

• Pizzicato: this is the most common playing technique. Range is C1 to G7 on both Harps
• Sons Harmonique: harmonics. Range is A2 to C6 on both Harps
• Sons Sifflés: sound produced by rubbing the fingers along the length of the strings. Mostly on bass strings. Here they are mapped on C1-D1. Not a tuned sound
• Sons De TamTam - Rubber: sound produced by hitting the strings with a rubber stick. Range is C1 to C7 - Glissando Concert Harp GCH ONLY
• Sons De TamTam - Wood: sound produced by hitting the strings with a light wooden stick. Range is C1 to C7 - Glissando Concert Harp GCH ONLY
• Sons Guitariques: also called Prés De La Table - is the sound produced by playing the string right next to the lower part of the body. Sound is guitar-like and more brilliant. Range is GCH: A2 to F5, GOH: A2 to C6
• Mechanics Efx: sound produced by playing the strings between their mechanics. Range is C1 to E6. A randomly tuned sound
• Pizzicato Nails: sound produced by playing the strings with the nails rather than with the finger tips. Range is GCH: A2 to G7, GOH: C1 to G7
• Sons Xylharmonique: sound produced by playing the harmonics muffled right after the attack. Range is A2 to C5 on both Harps
• Sons Xylophonique: sound produced by muting the string at its end and plucking it with the other hand. Sound is of course muffled and warmer. Range is A2 to G7 on both Harps
• Hits On Strings: sound produced by hitting and releasing the strings immediately with both hands. Range is A1 to G2. Not a tuned sound
• Sons Ésoteriques: a special technique involving the use of pedals as an effect. Range is A1 to G2. Not a tuned sound
• Paper Sordino: sound produced by interweaving the strings with paper ribbons. Range is C1 to C5 on both Harps
• Velvet Sordino: sound produce by interweaving the strings with velvet ribbons. Range is GCH: C1 to C4, GOH: C1 to C7
• Tinfoil Sordino: sound produced by interweaving the strings with tinfoil ribbons: Range is GCH: C1 to E5, GOH: C1 to C5
• Sons Alcoholique: sound produced by rubbing the strings with a piece of cotton imbued with alcohol. Range is C1 to G6. A randomly tuned sound - Glissando Concert Harp GCH ONLY
• Hits On Body: sound produced by hitting the body of the Harp in different positions with fingers, open and closed hand. The other arm stops all strings from resonating. Range is GCH: C1 to B2, GOH: C1 to D3
• Hits On Body - Reso: sound produced by hitting the body of the Harp in different positions with fingers, open and closed hand. The strings are left free to resonate. Range is GCH: C1 to B2, GOH: C1 to D3
• Rattling: sound produced by playing pizzicato with the harpist wearing a noisy jewel at her wrists. Range is C1 to G7 - Glissando Concert Harp GCH ONLY
• Appoggiato: sound produced by playing pizzicato and resting the finger on the next string rather than floating it. Range is C1 to G7
• Bartok: sound produced by playing pizzicato near the lower part of the body and letting the finger hit the body itself, producing a very percussion-like and aggressive sound. Range is A2 to C7 - Glissando Orchestral Harp GOH ONLY
• Sons Guitariques Nails: also called Prés De La Table Nails - is the sound produced by playing the string right next to the lower part of the body with the nails rather than the finger tips. Sound is guitar-like and more brilliant. Range is A2 to C6 - Glissando Orchestral Harp GOH ONLY
• Sons Xylophonique Open: sound produced by muting the string at its end and plucking it with the other hand, then releasing the muting finger right after the note has been plucked. Sound is slightly muffled and warm. Range is A2 to G7 - Glissando Orchestral Harp GOH ONLY

To these 23 Articulations, add the string Resonances, the 2/3 types of release trails (finger nails, tips and Etoufee) and the sound of stopping the strings with the hand which is produced automatically when releasing the Sustain Pedal.

Mix, Effect, and Reverb, with Class

The mixer module allows you to balance the mics and apply effects like Delay, EQ, Compression, Distortion, and Amp/Cab.

The IR Reverb module in our engine currently features 39 unique proprietary impulse responses. These are originated from vintage plates, hardware, and coveted real rooms, which, when used with the harp, push the limits of what can be done with this instrument.

Sound Design with Fun

The Mixer page features a section dedicated to envelopes and filters.

Control the Amplitude Envelope with precision using an AHDSR envelope with the addition of the Attack Curve parameter.

Choose among 4 filter types - low pass 2 and 4 poles, bandpass, and high pass 4 poles - with MIDI CC# assignable Cutoff, Resonance, and Envelope Modulation.

Use an intuitive AHD Envelope to influence the filter cutoff via Env Mod.

System Requirements

• Native Instruments Kontakt Full 5.5.2 and above
• MacOS 10.9 Mavericks and above
• Windows 7 and above
• Intel Core 2 Duo CPU or better
• 4GB RAM or more
• 54GB free storage space