Today I’m very pleased to release a new, ‘refreshed’ product in the FrozenPlain shop, Terracotta: Mirage. As the name suggests, it’s a pairing of the samples from our pre-existing Kontakt library, Terracotta, and our sample-based-synth, Mirage.
Its main sound is a sampled-instrument made from 25 different terracotta flowerpots hit with a soft wooden mallet, which surprisingly gives a charming bell-like tone. This unique instrument is excellent at creating lively rhythmic patterns and arpeggios, though there few more far-reaching presets in the included collection too. It’s great to be able to go back re-explore these samples that I initially recorded back in 2013 – the first library that I made for FrozenPlain.
I think it’s worthwhile remaking these Kontakt libraries for Mirage for a few reasons. Firstly, it makes the sounds more accessible to people – there is no longer a requirement for Kontakt. Secondly, it increases the usefulness of Mirage. This is a tool that I feel has a strong future for FrozenPlain. It will continue to be updated and improved, and now Terracotta is along for that ride too, rather than being left behind. And finally, it gives me the opportunity to make improvements. The Kontakt version of Terracotta only had 9 presets. The breadth of sonic-potential was not explored. This has been fixed with Terracotta: Mirage, which has 40 presets.
If you bought the Kontakt version of Terracotta you can get this new version for $5. It’s worth noting though that this isn’t a direct ‘upgrade’ of the product, there are pros and cons. I believe the pros outweigh the cons. However, if you’re happy using the Kontakt version then feel no pressure to change. The old version will continue to be sold on this site, but just as a legacy product.