The newly founded company Vital Arts has just released its first product, Plectrum. This virtual instrument library features 185 original acoustic instruments, powered by Tascam's GVI streaming sample playback engine. Designed by Geoffrey Gee (pianist, composer, and former Senior Soundware Engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems), Plectrum's ultra-friendly interface presents these instruments in nine categories based on these sound sources: Strummed Strings, Struck Strings, Plucked Strings, and String Harmonics; Glass, Ceramics, Metals, and Found Objects, and Habitats. Each instrument features a round robin playback that enhances the organic feel and texture of an acoustic instrument. The instruments in Habitats use this feature to offer ever-evolving sound environments with names such as August Morning, Afternoon Rain, Forest Stream, and Crickets.
Plectrum is available at a retail price of $299 for PC in VST, RTAS and stand-alone versions, with Mac support expected in September '07.
