Raindrop & Blade
by Three-Body Technology · Instrument · Sampled Chinese yangqin
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Raindrop & Blade is a sampled yangqin, the Chinese hammered dulcimer played with bamboo beaters, running as its own plugin.
Left- and right-hand strikes were recorded separately with three hand-exchange modes, alongside 11 techniques such as tremolo and vibrato and a MIDI pattern library.
Best for: Acoustic Instruments, Sound Design. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Jazz, Acoustic & Classical.
Keywords: sample-based, cinematic, experimental, textures, arpeggiator, gentle, sound design.
What it does
Raindrop & Blade is Three-Body Technology's Chinese yangqin virtual instrument. The yangqin is a hammered dulcimer traditionally strung with bronze and played with bamboo beaters, giving it a soft tone.
- Samples: 6,208 samples at 44.1 kHz/24-bit, recorded with three microphones for an adjustable sound field.
- Hand exchange: left-hand and right-hand strikes recorded separately, with three Hand Exchange modes for natural alternation.
- Techniques: 11 recorded performances including tremolo, vibrato and run-ups/downs; vibrato is recorded at two velocities and controlled by MIDI CC, with octave and third vibrato.
- Pattern library: preset patterns you can drag in as MIDI, plus the ability to add your own.
- Extras: convolution reverbs recorded at Chinese heritage sites such as the Great Wall, an effect rack with compressor, EQ, chorus and ping-pong delay, and presets from traditional to experimental.
It runs in the developer's own sampling engine.
Source: Three-Body Technology product page
When to use it
Raindrop & Blade gives you a dedicated yangqin with its tremolo, vibrato and runs, where general orchestral libraries on the site, such as EastWest Hollywood Orchestra Opus Edition and Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra Core, focus on Western orchestral instruments. Pick it for Chinese traditional or ancient-style music, or as a hammered, plucked-percussion texture in scores and experimental tracks.
- Best for: yangqin melodies and tremolo passages, arpeggiated patterns and cinematic textures.
- Genres: cinematic, game music, world and Chinese traditional or ancient-style pop.
- Look elsewhere if: you need a Western hammered dulcimer or cimbalom sound or a broad world-instrument collection.
- Standout: separately recorded left- and right-hand strikes with hand-exchange modes.
Where to buy
- Three-Body Technology: $119
- PluginFox: $119
- AudioDeluxe: $119
Tutorials and reviews
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