Zero-G and Schtum Ltd have released Beats Working in Cuba, the first complete and authentic library of Latin percussion performances, recorded in Havana and featuring the country’s finest players.

Presented in multitrack format for complete flexibility in tempo and instrument selection, a version of Native Instrument’s INTAKT sampler, for both Mac and PC completes the product, providing an easy to use, on-screen interface for additional sound shaping abilities without disrupting the creative flow. (The sound Library can also be loaded into other Native Instruments samplers including Kontakt for even greater flexibility).

The styles covered on Beats Working in Cuba include the 12 prime Afro/Hispanic rhythms of the Cuban music culture, including Cha Cha Cha, Danzon, Son Montuno, Bolero, Pilon, Son Traditional, Guajira Son, Guaracha, Mambo, Songo, Timba, Conga Habanera (Carnival), and Conga Moderna. Some performances enable the user to select Modern or Traditional arrangements.

Recorded exclusively at Estudios Abdala, Havana, the producers, Barry Sage and Gonzalo Lasheras Garcia, are both well known in the Latin field of music, with credits including Jorge Drexler, Luis Edurdo Aute, Silvio Rodreguez, Duncan Dhu, Esclarecidos, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Melon Deisel, Mariela and Solar. Barry Sage has produced various projects in Cuba for Virgin Records. They were assisted in Havana by Raphael Santos and Marisol Alfonso Perez. An insight into the recording process is presented as an informative video on DVD, which is included inside the product box.

Each instrument (microphone) track is provided separately, so providing an added degree of flexibility. Each hit (loop slice) of each track can also be allocated individual settings for pitch, playback direction, pitch envelope, amp envelope, distortion, delay, and more.

A MIDI file of each loop can be easily exported so that groove, accent, and feel can be manipulated in any host sequencer. Alternatively, the Time Machine time-stretches or compresses loops in real time. Not only can you sync, stretch, and pitch the loops, but also filter, effect and modulate them as well. A powerful sound-shaping filter, flexible envelopes, syncable LFOs, and distortion, syncable delay, and lo-fi effects can inject even more energy and individuality into the loops.

Features:

• Huge library of world-class Latin percussion performances, recorded in Havana, featuring Cuba’s finest percussionists
• Impeccable sound quality in 24-bit
• Over 8 Gb of data
• Select your own combination of instruments for each groove (multitrack samples)
• Access to individual instruments and individual hits within loops
• A version of Native Instrument’s superb INTAKT sampler which is easy and intuitive to use
• An engine which is based on Native Instrument’s KONTAKT audio engine, the world’s finest software sampling engine
• Loops which use one or more of the three sampler-modes: Beat Machine with ISE (Individual Slice Edit), Time Machine and standard Sampler mode,
• Easy synchronization of loops to MIDI tempo,
• MIDI file export permitting groove, accent, and feel manipulation in any host sequencer,
• Integrated effects: Group filter including low-pass, high-pass, band-reject or band-pass modes, global filter, lo-fi, distortion, syncable delay,
• Modulation section providing AHDSR envelope, two individual syncable LFOs, envelope follower and a DBD pitch envelope
• Total Recall

Supported Interfaces & Standards

• VST 2.0, DXi, ASIO, Audio Units, Core Audio, RTAS, Mac & PC.

Minimum Requirements

• Windows XP, Pentium III/ Athlon 400 MHz, 256 MB RAM
• Mac OS 10.2.6 or higher, G3 500 MHz, 256 MB RAM

Zero-G’s Beats Working in Cuba is shipping at a recommended retail price of $399.95 US Dollars, 329 Euros or £249.95 pounds sterling.

More information is available at the Zero-G site.