Iain Morland | Music + Sound

Russian Balalaikas released

Fri, 21 May 2010 13:14:42 +0000

The new Russian Balalaikas sample set is now available from Precisionsound.

I programmed the interface and user controls for the Kontakt 3 and 4 versions of the sample set. The balalaika was played by Igor Iachimciuc, and the sample set was edited by Lars Westin, who also designed the background artwork.

Two Kontakt instruments are included: a solo balalaika, and balalaika group which creates the sound of three performers playing in unison. Both include a special tremolo feature that allows the initial tremolo speed to be set on the interface, then varied during performance using the mod wheel.

Interface for Kontakt 4 Balalaika Solo instrument

Click here to read more about my collaboration with Precisionsound.

More Kontakt instruments released

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 13:54:23 +0000

Sample library developers Precisionsound have recently released several updated instruments for which I've provided custom Kontakt scripting.

The Nordic Upright Piano, Dusty Electric Piano (rhodes), and Funky Electric Piano (wurlitzer) all have new interfaces with customised controls to easily shape the sound. An exciting update to the Persian Santur will be released shortly.

Here's Daniel Näsström from Precisionsound demonstrating the Nordic Upright Piano:

Click here to read more about my collaboration with Precisionsound.

Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Neil Diamond's Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon is an ideal companion to our earlier cover of Cliff Richard's Lucky Lips: they're both sentimental songs which, with the tiniest shift in tone, sound strangely menacing.

Click here to download the song as an mp3 file (6.8mb).

Credits: Laura Gregory - vocals; Sim Eckstein - guitars; Me - synths and production, with input from Laura and Sim on the arrangement.

Collaboration with Precisionsound

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 20:37:06 +0000

I'm working in collaboration with sample library developers Precisionsound to create customised instruments for Native Instruments' software sampler Kontakt.

We've begun with a custom interface and performance controls for Precisionsound's Weltmeister accordion, and updates to other instruments from the Precisionsound catalogue will follow.

Weltmeister accordion interface with controls for release samples, keyswitch volume, reverb, saturation effect, and stereo image.

The instruments work with Kontakt 3.5 or higher, and can be purchased online from the Precisionsound store.

Lambing

Fri, 5 Feb 2010 20:29:32 +0000

Even more bizarre than Panther Track, I couldn't resist setting to music a reading by Acclivity of William Blake's The Lamb. I also added a recording of NoiseCollector at age two and a half, to play the lamb.

Click here to download Lambing as an mp3 file (4.7mb zipped).

Thanks to Laura Gregory for assistance with the track's arrangement.

New music store now online!

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:15:17 +0000

In partnership with Salyris Studios, I've launched version 2 of my online music store.

Check it out at music.salyris.com!

At music.salyris.com you can preview and download all my free Creative Commons-licensed mp3s.

You can also buy my album Heliography at a special discount, and with new improved sound quality.

And if you're a creative professional, you can easily purchase royalty-free audio and voice-over services.

Follow the Cowherd Boy book trailer

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:54:10 +0000

In 2005 I was fortunate to read a draft of a brilliant novel, Follow the Cowherd Boy by J.A. Joshi. A highly accomplished historical fiction, it inspired me to compose the track Citadel Ascent.

I've now worked with Jai to create a trailer for the novel that uses Citadel Ascent as its soundtrack.

Jai wrote the text and selected the images, and I put it all together, adding transitions and visual effects, and remastering the music for best quality on YouTube.

The overall creative direction was collaborative, and we're both very pleased with how the visual and musical elements work together to showcase the novel.

Freed from Desire

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 08:27:55 +0000

"My love has got no money, he's got his strong beliefs..."

In an effort to answer the question raised by Gala in 1997 - is the relationship between having no money and having strong beliefs correlative or causative? - I have covered Freed from Desire with friends.

Click here to download the song as an mp3 file (6.2mb).

Credits: Laura Gregory - vocals; Sim Eckstein - acoustic guitar; Me - synths and production, with input from Laura and Sim on the arrangement.

"Na na na na na, na na, na na na, na na."

Imaginary Places

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:11:17 +0000

Inspired by composers such as Peter Gabriel, Jan Garbarek, Mike Oldfield, Nils Petter Molvaer, and by the Myst series soundtracks of Robyn Miller, Jack Wall and Tim Larkin, I've been writing ambient pieces about imaginary places.

Several are available in the mp3 downloads area; here are the direct links:

(Clicking a link will ask you to confirm that you agree with the license under which the music is released, then offer you the mp3 file for download in a zip file.)

Multiverse

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:04:15 +0000

Multiverse is my latest ambient composition, which develops the themes explored in Lunar Birds and Ocean of the Sun.

Click here to download the track as an mp3 file (7mb zipped).

I'm grateful to Kong Audio for generously providing ChineeNanxiao, one of the lead instruments in the track.