MNTRA Instruments releases Mirage, the FREE cinematic instrument for macOS and Windows.
It’s difficult to summarize Mirage in a headline; a cinematic instrument is the most encapsulating description I could think of because it’s ideal for scoring videos or games.
The reason it’s ideal for scoring video or games is that it allows you to create textures and soundscapes that are haunting, chilling, ethereal, and any other sensation you might want to capture in sound.
Of course, those same textures and emotions can be equally valuable for various styles of composition without any visual companion.
The cool thing about textures that create a specific atmosphere is that the smallest detail can make the biggest difference. So, it’s always worth checking out new instruments, even if you have a few already, especially when they are free.
Mirage is a fusion of history, culture, and modern musical ideas, and I mean that literally; it’s not the contrived bohemian tagline it looks like!
MNTRA Instruments built Mirage around the ancient art of Dhrupad vocals, added the character of a rare 1830 church bass, and packaged it in a modern interface with a range of built-in effects.
Dhrupad is the oldest form of Indian Classical music that we can hear today, and it comes from chanting hymns and mantras (although far more nuanced than a simple chant). Dhrupad master Chintan Upadhyay adds authenticity as well as beautiful vocals to Mirage.
MNTRA Instruments founder Brian D’Oliveira plays the rare church bass, which provides a rich, deep bed for the Dhrupad vocals.
Mirage has four sound sources: Dhrupad Om and Aa, cello bass straight, and tremolo. The instrument features 182 samples, and seventeen presets across one octave.
Mirage also features an Anamistic Performance Interface, which means you control parameters, like Spread, Intensity, and Modulation, via real-time rendered animations. It’s a more visually creative approach that will be more intuitive for some users. The interface also features more conventional elements through multiple pages, including Sequencer and Glabl FX.
Like previous MNTRA Instruments releases (Klavir, Ultrasonic Death Whistle), Mirage requires the free MNDALA 2 engine.
Not all developers go down the path of creating proprietary technology rather than creating libraries for Kontakt and other existing platforms. But MNTRA Instruments has been pretty busy since arriving on the scene, and I hope we continue to see more innovative and interesting releases.
The free MNDALA 2 engine is available in AU and VST3 formats for macOS (10.11 upwards) and Windows.
Download: Mirage (FREE)
More:
- 99Sounds Release FREE Cinematic Electronica By HydraTek
- FREE Cinematic SFX Collection Released By Flame Sound
Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by Tomislav Zlatic.
