Performance Samples

Marshland Lite

MARSHLAND LITE

Recorded in the same room as Vista II, a larger-than-life 13-dynamic filmic syllable choir with same-note syllable repetitions and melisma control meets experimental, quasi-aleatoric FX ensemble

Description

OVERVIEW

Marshland Lite is an upcoming filmic choir library recorded in the same room as Vista II.

The main feature of the library is a 13-dynamic syllable patch with natural same-note syllable repetitions and multiple release options. This patch is accompanied by a wide variety of dynamic vowel sustain patches with different colors and attributes, including an early exploration of the “phrased sustains” approach which helps keep lyrical phrasing continuity for chordal playing. There are a multitude of decidedly experimental tonal FX patches including repeated syllables, vowels with drifting pitch, and other miscellaneous FX.

Marshland Lite was recorded in the Vista II space and could be easily titled “Vista II – Choir” but I decided to stick with the original name.

Estimated release is May 2026. Currently in late-stage beta testing.

PRICING

  • $249 – Extra Special Loyalty Intro Pricing for owners of Vista II – Small String Ensembles
  • $299 – Special Loyalty Intro Pricing for owners of Pacific – Ensemble Strings, Pacific – Brass, Pacific – Percussion, Pacific – Solo Strings, Pacific – Woodwinds, Vista II – Solo Cello Legato, and any other Vista II module released during this product’s intro period
  • $379 – Normal Loyalty Intro Pricing for owners of Oceania I/II, Vista (original), or Caspian
  • $449 – Regular Intro Pricing for those who don’t fall into the loyalty categories
  • $599 – Full Price once intro period ends

The intro price period will last approximately five months from release date. The first two loyalty tiers (special and extra special) will have the usual code + suffix protocol during check-out that I used on recent loyalty offerings with other libraries.

ENSEMBLE & TONE

The library primarily consists of three women and three men in 8va. However, the sound (particularly on the syllable patch) is reminiscent of a larger group but with some of the detail and articulation of a chamber size.

ARTICULATIONS

Syllables

The focus of the library, featuring 13 dynamics from extremely soft to very loud. Fourteen syllables in this patch. There’s a bias towards straight-tone, but it develops more vibrato with the mid to higher dynamics.

Holding down the sustain pedal while repeating notes triggers natural syllable repetitions.

There’s also a melisma control (added towards the end of the production process) that – if you’re holding down other notes like in a chord – carries over the vowel without re-triggering the beginning of the syllable (i.e. keeh-eeh-eeh).

You also can trigger alternative -s releases via velocity.

I recorded these 14 syllables in a pattern so that they work cohesively (especially with the same-note syllable repetitions). However, just like with the Oceania libraries, you can override the syllable pattern with key-switches (I consider this integral for phrase-shaping). So you can move around in the relatively large number of syllables options.

There is some movement in the sustains reminiscent of the old “active-bow” approach I used on sustains. It’s subtle though and the large number of dynamics helps obfuscate anomalies.

The vowel attacks of these were variations on early “phrased sustain” ideas I was trying on choir, so they have some spirit to them as well, even though it’s a gentle sound.

The downside is that this patch is very intensive resource-wise. A single mic position is (as of now) around 3.3 GB. Personally I don’t find myself needing to run all the mics and you can also adjust pre-load. That said, I also made a patch with cut-down dynamics for less powerful machines.

Phrased Sustains

A collection of vowel sustains (ah, eeh, eh, mm, oh, and ooh) utilizing an early take on the “phrased sustain” approach. The attacks sound somewhat like they’re coming from another pitch which helps keep the phrasing more natural. Up to 11 dynamics.

Traditional Sustains

Vowel sustains (ah, eeh, eh, mm, oh, and ooh) with some variations (different levels of vibrato). Most of these are eight dynamics.

Tonal Repetition Sustains

Loose, unmeasured repeating of syllables (chi, lah, loh, soh, tee, teh) with four dynamics. These are experimental FX patches.

Noise Sustains

These are tonal but I had them do some more unusual sounds (zz, grr). Up to 8 dynamics.

Ghostly Sustains

Multiple vowels (ah, eeh, eh, mm, oh, ooh). These waver on the pitch and respond to dynamics. Eight dynamics.

Gothic Sustains

Over-the-top, caricaturesque vibrato vowel patch (ah). Five dynamics.

FX

  • Atonal repetition sustains – loose, repeated consonants in quasi-clusters with rather indistinct pitch, as well as the same but whispering
  • Choir percussion
  • Syllable (shouty) whispers, both fast and slow
  • Riser clusters, downer clusters, and crossing clusters – different speeds

Misc / Bonus

Various solo soprano and bass FX, staccatos, and tonal repetition sustains – very limited.

SUMMARY

“Lite” is in the name (essentially because of the fact that it’s a mixed 8va choir), but this choir was basically intended as a playable and natural film choir option that wasn’t dynamic-limited to just soft stuff, but can do that very effectively anyway. It slots in well with Vista II.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Articulations
    • Tutti (3 women + 3 men in octaves)
      • Syllables (13-dynamic, 14-syllable patch with same-note repetitions and velocity-controlled alternate -s releases and reps)
      • Phrased Sustains (sustains that sound a bit like they’re coming from another pitch)
      • Traditional Sustains (more traditionally-recorded sustains)
      • Ghostly Sustains (sustains that waver in pitch)
      • Gothic Sustains (sustains with caricature-esque molto vibrato)
      • Noise Sustains (unusual sounds: grr and zzz)
      • Tonal Repetition Sustains (sustains that have repeated syllables)
      • FX
    • Soloists (soprano and bass) bonus material
  • Recorded in a hall with close, decca, outrigger, and ambient mics
  • 48kHz / 24bit
  • NCW-compressed, ~96.13 GB total
  • Built for Kontakt 6.8.0 and above – full, retail version of Kontakt required
  • At least 64GB RAM highly suggested (the main syllable patch is ~14 GB fully loaded with all mics and doesn’t effectively load on 16 GB or similar lower-RAM systems, but you can also use the lightweight Syllables patch as an alternative, which has less dynamics)
  • High-speed SSD highly suggested
  • Download via Continuata’s new Continuata.io system which allows in-browser downloads for Chrome and Edge users (more info on their site) – please note that manual links are not available with this new system

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All details and/or pricing subject to change, at any time, for any reason, in Performance Samples LLC’s sole discretion, in each instance. Qualification for loyalty pricing subject to verification by Performance Samples LLC, in each instance.

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FAQs

FAQs

How does this library fit with Vista II?

It’s recorded in the same room as Vista II with the same general mic setup and positioning. It could essentially be considered “Vista II – Choir.” A colleague actually suggested I call it that, but at that point I had already been calling it Marshland Lite for quite some time so I stuck with that.

Why the “Lite” in the name?

I originally started it as a proof-of-concept project. I wanted to do a filmic, more neutral (rather straight tone) choir that was different than the Oceania libraries. I decided to do it as an 8va library (men and women in octaves), with the idea that if it was well-received I would consider a larger, dedicated choir with separate women and men sections, etc. Will that happen? I don’t know. Perhaps it will if Marshland Lite does very well. I’m certainly interested in doing more choral sampling and I learned a lot doing this library.

How does this library fit with the Oceania libraries.

The Oceania libraries were also recorded in this same room. So Marshland Lite, Vista II, and the Oceania libraries were all recorded in the same space.

Marshland Lite should blend particularly well with Oceania III though, because the 14 syllables should match between the libraries.

* * *

All details and/or pricing subject to change, at any time, for any reason, in Performance Samples LLC’s sole discretion, in each instance. Qualification for loyalty pricing subject to verification by Performance Samples LLC, in each instance.

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Library Limitations

Library Limitations

Here are some aspects of the library that might affect your purchasing decision. Putting together this list is always very subjective when I’m in the final stages of production, and just because something appears here doesn’t mean it isn’t an “issue” in other PS libraries where I didn’t mention it. Here are a few things, in no particular order.

System Performance: General

This is the elephant in the room with Marshland Lite. Primarily the main Tutti Syllables patch.

This particular patch is especially heavy because of the number of dynamic layers and elements in the patch (14 syllables, sus reps with -s and without, releases with -s and without, etc). Another aspect is that I did pitch-shifting externally for the most part, so that I could do formant-follow (critical for choir, in my opinion). So the zone count is pushing Kontakt’s limits. It’s the nature of the beast with this patch.

In terms of numbers, if I open the main ML – Tutti – Syllables patch and play a single note with all mic positions on, there are 104 voices playing, which changes to 52 voices after a couple seconds. If I just have the decca mic loaded, it is 26 voices which changes to 13 voices after a couple seconds.

A couple general suggestions:

  • Ensure that the Kontakt max voice count is set to at least 2000 (the library defaults to this).
  • Running this library with a high-speed SSD is extremely important.
  • Another idea (which I use in some cases) is not having all mic positions active at once. I start with the decca and maybe add the OR or CL.
  • Adjust the preload buffer size to taste.

There is a “lighter on CPU” alternative patch for the syllables that has five dynamics. It’s not as good, in my opinion, because of the more limited dynamics. But multiple testers were fine with it.

System Performance: Kontakt 6

In beta testing, I noticed an issue that appears to be specific to Kontakt 6. Exporting from DAW with all mics loaded bugs out the sound. Some devs may feel that this would be a reason to release for Kontakt 7, but I use v6 primarily so I still wanted to release for v6.

Noise Floor

The level of noise in this library may be more noticeable at lower dynamics than what some people prefer. The AM (ambient) mics are noisier than the other mic positions. Just keep them lower.

The library (especially the main syllables patch) gets extremely soft, so that is very much worth keeping in mind as well as it will obviously sound noisier at those super low dynamics.

The soloists have a fairly evident noise floor too.

Extended Register

The range is artificially stretched at the top and bottom of the keyboard for those who want some register extension without needing to go into the wrench settings of the instruments. But because it is artificial, it can sound slightly unusual in isolation. However, it’s available for those who want it.

Mic Consistency

On the close mic, the stereo image can shift a little bit across the range. Each dynamic of the main 13-dynamic syllables patch had its own recording session, so there’s some natural variation from 13 different session in the close mic.

Performance-Related / Misc

Soloists – I consider this bonus material, it is very limited (no dyn) and meant more for FX/experimental work. Whatever expectations you have for these patches, lower them.

Tonal Rep Sus – some of these have very loose attacks and performances, particularly the bonus patches.

Some noise and artifacts from the sampling approach are present in the attacks, particularly on the syllable patches (it was an early take on “phrased sustains”) and the phrased sustain patches. There is also some pre-note ambience, but it’s not that audible in context. As an alternative for the phrased sustain patches, you can use the traditional sustain patches.

The syllables patch pre-roll is 180 ms and not adjustable.

LIBRARY NOT YET AVAILABLE