Espressivo is the latest library released by Sonokinetic. Filling the void of aleotoric phrases matching the quality and control of their orchestral series, Espressivo offers a wide range of phrases that evoke the styling of Goldsmith, Herrmann, and Stockhausen. Espressivo is easy to use and provides a workflow that will allow you to create aleotoric passages much more efficiently. Espressivo can be purchased for € 249.90 and you can learn more by checking out Sonokinetic.
“Espressivo is Awesome!! Finally, an aleotoric library that features more than just one-shots and clusters. This library fills a lot of holes in the orchestral FX market and will become a work horse for me in projects to come. Well done Sonokinetic!!”
Pros and Cons
Aleotoric libraries tend to grow on tress in the sampling industry. However, Espressivo sticks out from the crowd. Sonokinetic was meticulous in capturing phrases that are not only difficult to do with multi-sampled libraries but also add a level of sonic capabilities that most other libraries lack. For me, the percussion stood out as a palette of sounds that I could only get from sitting a few percussionists in a room with some instruments and saying, “Here, play this. Now try this!!” It’s great having very specific performances like these available at my fingertips.
Sonokinetic’s approach to phrase based sampling has become the staple of their company. Including libraries like Maximo, Grosso, and Sotto, Espressivo fits in perfectly. It offers a range of atonal textures as well as deeply developed melodic phrases that aim to evoke a sort of nostalgia to some of our favorite composers. The drawback is that you can find yourself creating a more dated orchestral score that sounds like Bernard Herrmann or Jerry Goldsmith. This, however, is a sound that has slowly been returning to the film industry.
I spent a day working with Espressivo’s woodwinds in combination with Sonokinetic’s Woodwinds Ensembles library to see how they compare and work together. I was not surprised to hear a clear balance between the two. It was great to pair them together as some of Espressivo’s phrases feature the secondary woodwinds like the Bass Clarinet which are not available in their Woodwinds Ensembles. So, for those who own the Woodwinds Ensembles library and are wanting access to more woodwind colors and FX, this would be a great companion. In the end, this library has filled a lot of holes in my template but in some places, its only scratched the surface. Be sure to check out all of the videos and tutorials on all of the features available in Espressivo by going to Sonokinetic’s website.
Review Disclaimer: This review is not sponsored. All thoughts and views expressed in this review are honest and 100% based on my own experience with this product. This library was kindly sent to me by the developers for review.