Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars
While there are some brilliant mega‑libraries available from high‑profile developers, it’s always nice to discover a hidden gem from a smaller development team. Extended Electric Guitar by Edu Prado Sounds (EPS) is exactly that. Edu is originally from Brazil, but now based in Ireland where he works as a composer, musician, producer and sample library developer. In the latter role, the focus is on more unusual, specialised sounds. Extended Electric Guitar is just that, with the compact 1.5GB Kontakt‑based library offering some 20 experimental and unconventional guitar‑based instruments. And, while the library itself has been around for a little while (available via the EPS website), it is now also available as an NKS partner product via NI’s own website, alongside a selection of other EPS Kontakt libraries.
There are two key elements that provide the ‘unusual’ here. First, rather than conventional strumming or picking, the instruments here have been built from performance articulations such as muted plucking, various harmonics and the use of a bow, providing both short and sustained instrument options. Second, many of the presets then take these articulations and subject them to some very tasteful processing. Some elements of this are baked into a selection of the presets but the compact, single‑screen UI also offers some very neat options for adding your own take to the creative processing. This includes attack/release and high‑pass/low‑pass options, and also cabinet emulation with a cool ‘spin’ control, Smudge (an amp‑style emulation), Pump (compression), Scream (for some added grit), and Space (reverb) and Smear (a creative delay‑style effect). The control set is straightforward but the degree of sound‑shaping available is actually very impressive.
Character & Class
However, the really impressive thing is the sounds themselves. Extended Electric Guitar’s core presets just ooze character and class. You could find a home for these sounds in all sorts of song‑based contexts in a range of musical genres from pop to rock to EDM to ambient. However, I think soundtrack composers could have a field day with this library, and I could easily imagine building a full score with Extended Electric Guitars forming the sonic centrepiece. Whether you need a beautiful melodic topline, a deep low end, or some magical and/or mysterious sustained textures, there is something to suit, and it all has a wonderful organic nature. Pair this with a suitable arpeggiator (or Kontakt 8’s Phrase or Pattern tools) and it’s a truly inspiring combo.
Extended Electric Guitars is my first encounter with the Edu Prado Sounds catalogue and, having browsed the EPS website, I’m now very intrigued by a number of the other titles. Yes, Extended Electric Guitars is a compact library with a niche sound set, but it is exceptionally good at what it does. It’s also modestly priced. Well worth checking out.