Freebie Frenzy- Sonuscore Epic Dhol Ensemble

This is a cool new freebie from veteran sample developers, Sonuscore. I’m always a fan of interesting percussion, so this freebie is a welcome announcement. With 5 velocity layers and 8 round robins on offer, along with built-in effects, I’d say not too bad for free.

Below is the info from the Sonuscore website:

Pound through the mid-range with this potent display of percussion power from the South Caucasus. This hand drum is the main rhythmic percussion backing for folk music in the region, and is now available to you (for FREE) to add an authentic touch full of energy and movement to your compositions.

Tired of using taikos to build up the energy in your pieces? Try the dhol. The dhol fills nearly the same mid-range and can both stir up the emotions and tension in a cinematic piece, as well as offer a strong rhythmic grounding for folk music styles.

The DHOL ENSEMBLE was recorded on a beautifully crafted scoring stage at Georgian Film in Tbilisi, Georgia. Recorded in pairs with a center percussionist, it gives the true feel of a 5-person ensemble. With the 5 velocity layers and 8 round robins included in this meticulously sampled instrument, the possibilities for customizing authentic-sounding percussion phrases are practically endless.

The Caucasian dhol is a double-sided barrel drum that was traditionally used throughout the Caucasus to stir up the spirits of warriors before a battle. It has a distinct sound that sets it apart from its mallet-struck Iranian and Indian counterparts. The dhol from Georgia and Armenia, which we present to you here, is played with the hands, giving it a different sound due to the nature of the attack. This is what makes the DHOL ENSEMBLE so special – the intimacy and energy of a hand struck percussion paired with the mass and immediacy of a full ensemble.