The Yangqin VST plugin is a powerful and versatile tool for creating authentic-sounding Chinese music. With its realistic sampled sounds and intuitive controls, this plugin allows users to easily create a wide range of musical styles, from traditional Chinese music to modern fusion. It is a great choice for anyone looking to add a unique flavour to their compositions.
In this review, I will discuss the features, sound quality, and ease of use of the Yangqin VST plugin.
What is the Yanquin VST?
The yangqin is an instrument that embodies the essence of traditional Chinese music. It combines authentic sounds recorded in Shenzhen, China with a range of intuitive parameter controls, so you can create dynamic melodies that are emotive and rich in character.
This double-row hammered dulcimer has been recorded in Shenzhen, China, and features a variety of adjustable parameters for creating dynamic melodies with distinct characters. For music producers new to Asian music or experienced players seeking to broaden their soundscape, the yangqin offers something for everyone.
KONTAKT has an impressive selection of instrument presets that can be put to use in a variety of ways, so with Yangqin’s intuitive KONTAKT-based interface, you can experience the beautiful sounds of a traditional Chinese hammered dulcimer, recreated with stunning accuracy through the combination of bamboo and steel.
The Yangqin VST is an incredibly versatile instrument, boasting a user-friendly interface and a vast selection of sound effects. By incorporating its vibrant rhythms and ethereal harmonies into your music, you can add an unmistakable Chinese influence to your compositions.
Instrument Controls
The Instrument Controls are used for adjusting the sound and dynamics of the instrument. The controls can be used to make the instrument more dynamic and responsive, perfect for expressive keyboard performances, or less dynamic and responsive, which is useful for special effects and sound design purposes.
The Instrument Controls
There are three controls in this section:
- Dynamic: Adjusts the overall dynamic range of the performance. Turn the control left to compress the dynamic range. Turn the control to the right to compress the dynamic range.
- Body: Controls the amount of resonance in the body of the sound. Turn the control to the left to remove the resonance. Turn the control to the right to increase the resonance.
- Decay: Adjusts the decay of the notes. Turn the control to the left to shorten notes. Turn the control to the right to play the notes as they were recorded.
Yangquin Phrases
The YANGQIN is a beloved instrument due to its unique design, incredible sound, and versatility. Its beautiful mellow tone is complemented by its wide range of musical phrases which can be easily loaded into the phrase engine, allowing you to explore all of the instrument’s rhythmic and melodic possibilities.
The phrase library offers an invaluable resource for both experienced musicians looking for inspiration and those eager to discover what this remarkable instrument can do. The interface makes it easy to select phrases from its central window which displays all available options.
History of the Yangquin
The Yangqin is a type of hammered dulcimer, played with rubber-tipped sticks. It is shaped like a trapezium and consists of four to five individual strings that are all tuned to the same pitch. These strings are held in place by long bridges with plastic, ivory or metallic tips.
The Yangqin was first brought to China from Central Asia by sea-faring European traders at the end of the Ming Dynasty (around AD 1600), and it quickly became popular in coastal trading regions such as Guangdong before spreading throughout China, even reaching areas as far away as Tibet and Xinjiang.
Download your Yangqin VST from Native Instruments here.
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