Sonora Cinematic Poiesis Cello is a unique solo cello virtual instrument that blends traditional acoustic sampling with ambient textures and sound design elements. Recorded in a dry studio environment, this Kontakt Player library captures the intimate details of a 1995 Moes & Moes cello, originally built for Yo-Yo Ma, played by Charlotte Symphony’s principal cellist Alan Black. The library focuses on sustained notes sampled across a wide variety of articulations, with short articulations also included. Its core feature is a two-layer engine that allows users to crossfade between any two articulations or textures, maintaining the authentic cello sound while enabling creative sonic exploration. The instrument was recorded using three high-end microphones – a Neumann U87 large-diaphragm condenser, an AEA R84A ribbon, and a Schoeps CMC mk4 small-diaphragm condenser – providing users with multiple signal options. Poiesis Cello runs in the free Kontakt Player and supports the NKS protocol, making it accessible to a wide range of users. With its extensive articulation list, including various bowing techniques, harmonics, and textural elements, this library aims to bridge the gap between traditional cello sampling and more experimental sound design tools.
Pros:
• Intimate, detailed sound with a dry acoustic for versatile use
• Extensive articulation list covering traditional and experimental techniques
• Innovative two-layer crossfade engine for creative sound design
• High-quality recordings with multiple microphone options
• Runs in the free Kontakt Player and supports NKS
Cons:
• Limited to only two main patches (Textures and Shorts)
• Lack of prepared patches may require more user effort in sound creation
Poiesis Cello’s feature set revolves around its extensive articulation list and the unique two-layer crossfade engine. The library is divided into two main patches: Textures and Shorts. The Textures patch is the heart of the instrument, offering 44 different articulation elements and timbral colors. These range from traditional techniques like normale, con sordino, and sul tasto, to more experimental sounds like circular bowing, bow on tailpiece, and various textural elements.
The Shorts patch provides essential articulations like spiccato, staccato, and pizzicato, with the latter featuring a Bartok pizzicato triggered at the highest velocity. These short articulations are recorded with multiple round-robins to ensure realistic performance and avoid repetition. The library’s standout feature is its two-layer engine, which allows users to select any two articulations and freely crossfade between them using the X-Fade control, mapped to the modulation wheel. This feature enables the creation of evolving, complex textures and smooth transitions between different playing techniques.
Microphone control is another key feature, with individual faders for each of the three recorded signals (LDC, RBN, SDC) and a pre-rendered stereo mix option. Users can adjust the balance and panning of these signals to further shape the instrument’s sound. The Advanced menu in the Textures patch offers additional control over the crossfade behavior, with three different styles available. This menu also includes a built-in reverb with Hall and Room settings, offering up to 20 seconds of reverb tail and a generous pre-delay for further sound shaping. The library’s focus on sustained notes and textures makes it particularly suitable for creating atmospheric, cinematic soundscapes. However, the inclusion of short articulations also allows for more traditional cello writing when needed.
Compared to mainstream solo cello libraries like Spitfire Audio’s Solo Cello, Poiesis Cello stands out for its focus on textural and experimental sounds. While Spitfire’s offering provides a more comprehensive set of traditional articulations in a concert hall environment, Poiesis Cello’s dry recording and unique articulations make it more suitable for intimate, avant-garde, or sound design-oriented compositions. Sonixinema’s Contemporary Soloist: Cello offers a middle ground between traditional and contemporary techniques, similar to Poiesis Cello. However, Poiesis Cello’s two-layer crossfade engine and extensive textural options give it an edge in terms of sound design potential. Poiesis Cello’s dry recording also sets it apart from many other cello libraries, which often feature more ambient recordings. This characteristic makes Poiesis Cello more versatile in terms of mixing and placement within a composition, as users have more control over the final sound.
This plugin is best for:
• Composers seeking unique, intimate cello textures for film and game scores
• Sound designers looking for organic source material for ambient and experimental music
• Producers wanting to add subtle, evolving cello elements to electronic music
• Composers working on avant-garde or contemporary classical pieces
Poiesis Cello is a specialized solo cello library that excels in creating intimate, textural, and experimental sounds. Its strength lies in its ability to produce evolving, complex timbres through its innovative two-layer crossfade engine and extensive list of articulations. The dry, detailed recordings provide a blank canvas for further processing, making it a versatile tool for various musical contexts. Its unique approach to cello sampling fills a niche between conventional solo string libraries and pure sound design tools, offering composers and producers a fresh palette of cello-based sounds to explore. The library’s main drawback is its limited number of patches and lack of prepared combinations, which may require more effort from users to create their desired sounds. However, this limitation also encourages experimentation and personal sound crafting, which aligns with the library’s creative ethos. For those seeking to push the boundaries of cello sound in their compositions or looking for organic, cello-based textures for ambient and experimental music, Poiesis Cello offers a wealth of possibilities. Its intimate character, extensive articulation list, and innovative crossfade engine make it a valuable addition to any composer’s or sound designer’s toolkit, particularly for those working in film, game, or contemporary classical music.