Today we are proud to finally reveal the next chapter of our acclaimed X3M Series: TAIKOS X3M. For years the Japanese Taiko has been a constant colour in soundtracks and music productions all over the world. Applying our sampling philosophy to the various instruments of the Taiko family yielded some very organic and fresh sounding results, which combined with our X3M percussion engine are simply a joy to play.

One of our main goals was to have consistent Round Robins captured for as many playing techniques as possible to allow writing fast, but at the same time smooth and realistic sounding percussion arrangements. To achieve that we carefully edited every single sample of our 10 Round Robins manually and did as many iterations as needed after extensively testing the articulations in a real life composing environment.

In addition to to that yet another important goal for us was to expand the sonic palette of the Taiko sound by adding other instruments, which enhance, but don't alter the aesthetics of the basic sound too much. Therefore TAIKOS X3M doesn't just consist of the same stuff we have all heard countless times before, but features new and yet unheard instrument combinations breathing live into your percussion arrangements.

The recordings took place in the Sofia Session Studio where we also recorded the previous X3M libraries to allow smooth and easy layering.

Here's a first sonic impression:

Instrument and Articulation List:

ENSEMBLE 4

Low - 4 dyn x10 RR

Low Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Low Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Mid - 4 dyn x10 RR Mid Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Mid Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Side Hits - 3 dyn x10 RR

Brushes High - 4 dyn x10 RR

Brushes High Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Brushes High Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Brushes Low - 4 dyn x10RR

Brushes Low Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Brushes Low Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

ENSEMBLE 3

Shime-Daiko Ensemble - 4 dyn x10 RR

Shime-Daiko Ensemble Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Shime-Daiko Ensemble Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Taiko High - 4 dyn x10 RR

Taiko High Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Taiko Mid - 4 dyn x10 RR

Taiko Mid Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Taiko Mid Brushes - 4 dyn x10 RR

Taiko On-The-Rim - 4 dyn x10 RR

Taiko On-The-Rim Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

COMBINATIONS

Last Stand - 5 dyn x10 RR

Shogun - 4 dyn x10 RR

Way Of The Fist - 4 dyn x10 RR

Stone Fire - 4 dyn x10 RR

Wargs - 4 dyn x10 RR

Wooden Fist - 4 dyn x10 RR

Amazons - 4 dyn x10 RR

Sand People - 4 dyn x10 RR

Tribes - 4 dyn x10 RR

Marauders - 4 dyn x10 RR

Riders - 4 dyn x10 RR

Drums Noir - 4 dyn x10 RR

Clackers X3M - 3 dyn x10 RR

Game Of Chairs - 4 dyn x10 RR

TAIKO SOLO

Low - 4 dyn x10 RR

Low Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Low Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

Low Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Rim - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Side - 4 dyn x10 RR

Side Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Side Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

HIRA-DAIKO

(A) Normal - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

(A) Rim - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Rim Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Rim Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Rim Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

(B) Normal - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

(B) Rim - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Rim Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Rim Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Rim Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

MIYA-DAIKO

Normal - 4 dyn x10 RR

Normal Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Normal Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

Normal Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

Rim - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

Rim Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

SHIME-DAIKO

(A) Normal - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(A) Normal Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

(B) Normal - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Flam - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Triplet - 4 dyn x10 RR

(B) Normal Roll - 4 dyn (#ModWheel)

OTHER

Iron Geisha - 4 dyn x10 RR

Man Flesh - 10 RR

Blacksmith - 4 dyn x10 RR

Japanese Kuker - 2 dyn x10 RR

Kuker Whoosh - 2 dyn x10 RR

Anvil Of Crom 1 - 10 RR

Anvil Of Crom 2 - 10 RR

Anvil Of Crom 3 - 10 RR

Tangra - 10 RR