What is it ?
Interstellar Waterphone 1.2 is a virtual instrument based on sampling real waterphone instruments. The sound has an exceptionally original and haunting character. If you are looking for a great tool to film score, music production or sound design this might be something for you.
This instrument provides very interesting melodic possibilities as well as crazy percussive sounds and special sound fx in the full version.
Three different Interstellar Waterphones were recorded to make an audio source for this plugin. Sounds last long until they vanish into the silence. The average sample length is 30 seconds.
It is a perfect tool for music producers, film and game audio composers
The package contains : VST3 plugin (Mac/Windows), AU plugin (Mac) and a Standalone application for both platforms. Only 64-bit CPU
The Interstellar Waterphone is a fantastic instrument! Its possibilities are limited only by the user's creativity. With a gigantic keyboard range and a virtual bow controller, new sound worlds constantly emerge for you to explore.
- Vinny Golia
FINALLY! A WATERPHONE sample library where you have some control over the organics and motion of this wonderful instrument! Kudos to you SOUNDYAN! And Sławek will not hesitate to direct you to a site where you may inquire about getting the actual instruments if you're daring enough.
- Terry Huud
What is a real waterphone instrument ?
The waterphone is an idiophone family instrument played mostly by a bow. The brass rods are tuned precisely to microtonal harmonics and resonate with steel chamber filled with water. The water inside affects the sound by bending the pitch and filtering frequencies.
The sound of the waterphone is very complex and unique.
The waterphone was invented, developed and manufactured by Richard Waters (1935-2013). This instrument is extremely popular among film music composers and you must have heard it in some movies.
You may just not be aware of this fact that this instrument is already known to you. Most famous example is the Matrix movie and the moment when the matrix was about to change. Also Star Trek used those amazing sounds as well as whole bunch of other sci-fi movies. Of course many horror movies include these sounds too.
The waterphone instrument is carefully hand made and tuned by skilled artist-craftsman The really good instruments are rather expensive and not widely available as the process consumes a lot of time and requires artistic attitude as well as specialistic technical knowledge and experience.
It is not easy to play the intended sounds on real waterphone. The bowing technique is quite different from this applied on the violin or cello. The tuning is also microtonal and each metal rod have several playable sounds. Due to the frequency redundance it is not easy to play arranged, non-improvised music.
So it is not so easy with the real-thing, but...
Now you can have the easily playable waterphone for the affordable price and incorporate it into your projects. The Interstelar Waterphone is easily playable and programmable. It extends the real waterphone in multiple ways, providing many essential sound-controlling parameters. Ready for automation and programming in your DAW.
Not only for horror movies - you can use it to make meditative drone sounds as well. All depends on the selected sound set.
If you wish to create dark and misty soundscapes and sonic textures then it is the instrument for you. It is also well suited to create drones and meditative music soundscapes with the use of certain sounds and settings. The instrument can do very well in combination with gong, pan drum and tibetan bowls.
The free trial
In the free trial mode the Interstellar Waterphone is time limited and has one-third of the sounds available. You would have to get a license to use this software for commercial purposes.