BPB Exclusive: FREE Lachrimae Renaissance Lute for Decent Sampler (OFFER EXPIRED)

Gray Cat Music has released Lachrimae Renaissance Lute ($5), and BPB readers can download it for free!

Decent Sampler is a treasure trove of musical riches provided by some awesome developers.

One such developer is Gray Cat Music, the name that gave us the utterly charming Uncle John’s Banjo.

Kyle Gray, the man behind Gray Cat Music, is back with another Decent Sampler release, and we’re delighted to say we have a BPB exclusive offer.

Gray Cat Music has released Lachrimae Renaissance Lute, and BPB readers can download it for free using the promo code BPBRULES.

The code should be pre-applied to the Lachrimae link, in which case, you can enter a value of $0+ and download the instrument.

Gray Cat Music sampled a Roosebeck Deluxe seven-course Renaissance lute with nylgut strings to create Lachrimae.

The first course is a single string, referred to as the Chanterelle, representing the highest pitch. The remaining six courses are pairs of two strings that get progressively lower in pitch.

Lutes have an interesting way of creating harmonically pleasing tones. In this instance, the first three courses after the Chanterelle are paired in unison, adding body and presence.

The last three courses (bass strings) are paired in octaves to add clarity and prevent muddiness in the low range.

Lachrimae offers an authentic Renaissance lute sound straight out of the gate. But like Uncle John’s Banjo, a few built-in effects allow you to transform something traditional into something more experimental.

The lute features Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Tremolo, Attack, Release controls, and a low pass filter. You can turn the plucky sound into a bowed string effect or even an otherworldly pad with some tweaking.

A lute might not be at the top of your virtual instrument wishlist if you create modern music.

However, there are many reasons to check it out, not least that the developer’s last offering was lovely!

Using traditional instruments in modern music, seemingly out of context, is often a winner. The only rule that matters in music is if it sounds good, it’s right.

Alternatively, if you’re composing anything in the classical or fantasy realm, you must have a good lute, and shame on you if you don’t! (download it now).

Even if you aren’t in that realm, composing for an existing scene in a fantasy film is an excellent exercise if you have time. It’s a way to consider harmonic choices you might not typically make in modern genres.

Given the name, I assume Lachrimae is a tribute to John Dowland, the 16th and early 17th-century virtuoso and master of melancholy (worth checking out for some inspiration).

If there is one, the downside of downloading Lachrimae is that once you have a lute of any kind, virtual or real, Sting will undoubtedly turn up at your home wanting to play it. I’ll leave it at that.

UPDATE: This offer has expired.

Download: Lachrimae Renaissance Lute (FREE for BPB readers – use code BPBRULES)

More:

• VoxPlay by Rast Sound is FREE for a limited time
• Variety of Sound releases FREE TesslaSE MKIII for Windows