MOTU Ethno Instrument

MOTU recently debuted its Ethno Instrument, a cross-platform virtual instrument that gives users quick and easy access to an 8GB library of world/ethnic instruments, loops and phrases. Ethno's multi-column preset browser clearly organizes both instruments and loops by regions of the world that include Africa, Asia, Australia, Celtic, Eastern Europe, India, Middle East, Mediterranean, West Indies, Occidental, and others. Ethno Instrument's 4GB of authentic loops and phrases include percussive rhythms; vocal utterances; solo/ensemble voices; single-instrument chord progressions; multi-instrument rhythm sections; ornamental flourishes (such as harp glissandos); and more. The MOTU Ethno Instrument is priced at $300, and is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2006.

Loops and phrases
Highly rhythmic and percussive loops are stored as sliced loops, similar to REX2 files. With a single click on the "Map" button, loop slices can be automatically mapped to MIDI notes as single hits or beats. Users can trigger (and record) the individual beats from a MIDI keyboard, drum pad or other MIDI controller to completely re-arrange the beats freely.

Drag-and-drop
Users can drag-and-drop a loop from the Ethno Instrument window into a host audio track to import that loop into the host for further editing, processing and manipulation directly in the host. "Sliced" loops can be dragged into a MIDI track as MIDI data, where all of the MIDI sequencing capabilities of the host application, such as randomization and groove quantize, can be utilized with the MIDI notes that trigger each slice.

Sound sculpting and convolution reverb
The sound of all loops and phrases can be independently adjusted with a variety of sound-shaping tools including an amplitude envelope, multimode filter, LFO, two-shelf EQ, pitch controls, and MIDI velocity response curves. Built-in convolution reverb allows users to place sounds in authentic acoustic spaces, from natural settings like caves and forests to spacious concert halls or cathedrals.

Plug-in and stand-alone operation
Ethno Instrument can be used on the Mac or PC as a plug-in with any compatible host application (VST, DXi, MAS, Audio Units and RTAS) or as a stand-alone application, allowing users to load up to 64 different instruments per instance--triggered independently via 64 MIDI channels--to create ensembles of any size and scope, sub-mixed to as many as 17 independent stereo outputs.

by MacNN Staff