Free Music Software: AfroDJMac has been keeping busy in the new year – and has a little something for Synthtopia’ Ableton Live users this week, Snake Drum Synth.

Here’s what he has to say about the free Live synth:

It was created with an instrument I believe to be called a snake drum (at least that’s what it says on the bottom of it!) Basically it’s a hollow wooden box with slots cut into it, which are hit with a mallet to create a musical tone. The sound is similar to a marimba. I’ve sampled it and stretched out across the keyboard, expanding its playability from its original six notes.

Being that the samples are stretched to the extreme at the higher and lower octaves, some interestingly unexpected things happen to the sound. Expect some surprisingly deep and heavy sub bass sounds and odd glitchy chirps at the higher octaves. As usual, I have added some audio effects to further alter the capabilities of this sound.

But that’s not all!

While experimenting with the instrument, I recorded some especially bizarre and far out sounds and resampled them into a drum rack for a little special bonus 🙂

I hope you’ll enjoy it and thanks for your support!

See AfroDJMac’s site for details and the download!