Introducing the most detailed sample library we have ever created – the first in a brand new flagship series. Crafted for professional composers, producers, sound designers and music editors alike, Abbey Road Orchestra brings you every section of the orchestra in breathtaking detail. It’s the culmination of over 20 years of sampling experience and innovation.

Low Percussion, the debut release, offers you incredible precision across an encyclopedic selection of orchestral and cinematic percussion captured in Abbey Road Studio One. Performed by world-class percussionist Joby Burgess (Black Panther, Mission: Impossible), and engineered by Grammy-winning engineer Simon Rhodes (Skyfall, Avatar), Low Percussion enables a whole new level of expression. Your very own world-class percussionist is at your fingertips.

“On hearing this library over the speakers in Studio One’s control room, it sounded – and felt like – Joby was out in the room playing. It’s extraordinary.” 

— Mirek Stiles Head of Audio Products, Abbey Road Studios

THE LOWEST DRUMS, THE HIGHEST QUALITY 

Lay the groundwork for your compositions with unrivaled realism with this collection of truly thunderous orchestral and esoteric drums that are beautifully captured in the legendary acoustic of Abbey Road Studio One. Distinguished by its extremely responsive and highly tactile nature, Low Percussion explores the timbral and textural range of 20 drums from across the orchestral repertoire and further, with up to seven beater options per drum, performing hits, rolls, swirls, and sweeps captured in incredible detail. All performed by virtuoso percussionist Joby Burgess.

THE ULTIMATE IN EXPRESSION AND REALISM

• Priceless Instruments – Unique drums spanning different tones and ranges
  • 20 drums:
    • From orchestral staples to traditional folk instruments (including a 60” Giant Taiko)
    • Up to 7 beaters per drum
    • Multiple techniques and striking positions per drum
• Next-level Control – Shape percussion for your composition
  • 16 signal options
  • Up to 12 round robins
  • New Discrete Right/Left-hand mapping feature
  • New ‘Soft Takeover’ option for dynamics
  • Ultra expressive feel
• Ultimate Precision – Broadcast-ready quality, out the box
• 65 hours of recording time 
• Over 166,000 samples
• Captured with over 25 mics per drum

STUDIO ONE: ICON OF THE PAST, INNOVATOR FOR THE FUTURE

A host to celebrated classical recordings from Elgar and Prokofiev, as well as iconic film scores from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, and the more recent releases of Avengers: End Game and Black Panther, Studio One needs no introduction. Home to one of the greatest in-house collections of vintage and modern microphones and a control room fitted with a 72-channel Neve 88 RS console with a unique and comprehensive surround monitor section, Studio one is the perfect setting for our meticulously planned recording sessions. Our aim is to work with the best, to deliver you the world’s most detailed sampling orchestra, and in Abbey Road – one of the most in-demand recording studios in the film scoring landscape – we can achieve this. 

“Spitfire Audio are undoubtedly the best team in the world to deliver something truly groundbreaking. The bar has been raised exceedingly high and this is only the beginning for the Abbey Road Orchestra series. It feels like we are all in for a remarkable journey.” 

— Mirek Stiles Head of Audio Products, Abbey Road Studios

DECADES OF EXPERTISE 

This library has been formed by some of the world’s best producers in music recording, created for professional composers of film, television, game, and performance.

Joby Burgess – Joby’s playing can be heard on major film and TV scores, notably leading the percussion sections on Black Panther, Rocketman, Ad Astra, Mission: Impossible, The Darkest Hour, Dr Who, and The Green Planet.

Simon Rhodes – Simon joined the EMI Abbey Road Studios in 1987. He is now Senior Engineer and has a long-standing association with various composers including the late James Horner with whom he worked for 18 years on over 40 projects including Avatar, one of the highest-grossing films of all time.

KEY FEATURES

• 13 Presets:
  • Bass Drum (Gran Cassa) – An orchestral staple, this 36” gran cassa is a two-headed concert bass drum with a deep, resonant sustain and huge dynamic range
    • Eight Techniques:
      • Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack and a balanced tone
      • Medium Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a medium felt mallet with a less immediate attack revealing clear undertones
      • Poly Beater – Hits and rolls performed with a plastic/poly beater to create a narrower sound with less low-frequency information
      • Super Soft – Hits and rolls performed with a super soft beater creating an extremely mellow attack and a boomy resonance
      • Brushes – Hits, sweeps, and swirls performed with fine metal brushes for a more delicate timbre
      • Rute on Rim – Hits, and rolls performed on the rim of the drum with wooden rute, creating an intricate and earthy high-pitched ‘tap’
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the gran cassa presented across the keyboard
  • Bass Drum – A vintage bass drum with a 32” head on a shallow open shell. This drum combines a defined attack, woody overtones, and balanced resonance
    • Seven Techniques:
      • Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack and a balanced tone
      • Hard Felt (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head producing a muted sound
      • Medium Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a medium felt mallet with a less immediate attack revealing clear undertones
      • Brushes – Hits, rolls, sweeps, and swirls performed with fine metal brushes for a more delicate timbre
      • Rods – Hits and rolls performed with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the Bass Drum presented across the keyboard
  • Gong Bass Drum – This gong drum is constructed with a single oversized head, producing a very fat and ‘modern’ sound with a fast attack and punchy low end
    • Four Techniques:
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack
      • Soft Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a soft felt mallet producing a rounded attack
      • Puili – Hits and rolls performed with bamboo puili sticks creating a detailed, high-pitched attack with a tight resonance
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the Gong Bass Drum presented across the keyboard
  • Taikos – A pair of Japanese solid Siam Oak taiko drums producing a very focused sound with which to create impactful, driving rhythms
    • Seven Techniques:
      • Taiko Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with wooden taiko sticks to produce the traditional taiko sound
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with hard felt mallets for a variation on the classic taiko sound
      • Medium Felt – Hits and rolls performed with medium felt mallets producing a mellower attack
      • Brushes – Hits, rolls, sweeps, and swirls performed with brushes for a more delicate timbre
      • Hands – Hits and rolls performed with the hands on the head of the drum
      • Low All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the low taiko drum presented across the keyboard
      • High All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the high taiko drum presented across the keyboard
  • Giant Taiko – With its 60” diameter shell this giant taiko (or O-Daiko) produces thunderous lows and complex sustain whilst remaining surprisingly agile
    • Six Techniques:
      • Taiko Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with taiko sticks producing a hard attack
      • Taiko Sticks (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with taiko sticks and a blanket covering the rear head of the drum to reduce resonance
      • Medium Felt – Hits and rolls performed with felt mallets for a variation on the classic taiko sound
      • Medium Felt (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with felt mallets and a blanket covering the rear head of the drum to reduce resonance
      • Hands – Single strikes performed with fists on the head of the drum producing a softer attack with a darker tone
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the giant taiko presented across the keyboard
  • Toms –  A spread set of vintage silver single-headed toms, adept at both slow and rapid accented passages owing to their clear and resonant tone
    • Eight Techniques:
      • Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone
      • Sticks On Rim – Hits and rolls performed with wooden drum sticks on the rim of the drum to produce a ‘tapping’ sound
      • Sticks (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with wooden drum sticks and a tea towel placed over the head of the drum for a muted sound
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack with a balanced tone
      • Rods – Hits and rolls performed with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance
      • Brushes – Hits and rolls performed with dense nylon brushes producing a softer attack but with plenty of body
      • Low All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the lower pitched toms presented across the keyboard
      • High All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the higher pitched toms presented across the keyboard
  • Epic Toms –  A pair of floor toms positioned on opposing sides. These drums provide a tight, powerful attack and an explosive, hard-hitting tone
    • Four Techniques:
      • Taiko Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with taiko sticks producing a hard attack and accentuated top end
      • Taiko Sticks (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with taiko sticks and a hide skin placed over the head of the drum for a muted sound
      • Rods – Hits and rolls performed with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the epic toms presented across the keyboard
  • Bombo – An Argentinian bass drum with a 20″ hide head tuned with rope. It produces a low, organic sound with a very short sustain
    • Six Techniques:
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack
      • Hard Felt (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head to produce a muted sound
      • Soft Mallet – Hits and rolls performed with a soft felt mallet producing a rounded attack
      • Soft Mallet (Damped) – Hits and rolls performed with a soft felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head to produce a muted sound
      • Sticks (Sides) – Hits and rolls performed with wooden sticks on the sides of the drum
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the bombo presented across the keyboard
  • Dragon Drums (Dagus) – Originating from China, thIs large pair of dagu drums (or ‘Dragon Drums’) produce strong and characterful tones with lengthy sustain
    • Three Techniques:
      • Sticks – Hits and rolls performed with wooden sticks to produce the traditional dagu sound
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet for a less pronounced attack
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the dagu drums presented across the keyboard
  • Dhol – A two-headed drum from the Indian subcontinent. Each head is struck with a different beater to produce the dhol’s signature tones
    • One Technique:
      • Dhol Sticks – Single hits performed with traditional wooden dagga and tihli sticks
  • Djuns – A pair of djuns (or dundun) hailing from West Africa, these instruments are adept at carrying strong rhythms with a balanced, ‘forward’ tone
    • One Technique:
      • Hard Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack with a balanced tone
  • Buffalo Drum (N. American Frame Drum) – Constructed from a shallow wooden frame clad with a 22” buffalo skin head, this drum produces strong overtones with a rich, blooming sustain
    • Three Techniques:
      • Hard Beater – Hits and rolls performed with a hard beater producing an articulate attack
      • Soft Beater – Hits and rolls performed with a soft beater producing a rounded attack
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the frame drum presented across the keyboard
  • Surdo –  A Brazilian instrument that traditionally provides the lower rhythms in samba music. This 22″ aluminum shell variant produces a dense sound with a distinctive attack
    • Three Techniques:
      • Medium Felt – Hits and rolls performed with a felt beater to produce the signature surdo sound
      • Hands – Hits and rolls performed with the hands on the head of the drum
      • All In One – All available beaters and techniques for the surdo presented across the keyboard
• 16 Mics:
  • Mix 1 – A full-sounding room mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 1, Overheads, Outriggers 1, and a curated blend of spots
  • Mix 2 – A tighter mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 2, Mids, and Outriggers 2 with a curated blend of spots
  • Section Overhead – A set of large diaphragm condenser microphones above the orchestral section capturing a clear representation of the instruments in the space
  • Close 1 – A blend of spot mics close to the source. Used in conjunction with the other close mics and section overhead to achieve the desired close sound
  • Close 2 – An alternative blend of spot mics that add body to the source
  • Close Ribbons – A pair of close ribbon mics capturing a rounded and detailed image
  • Tree 1 – A Decca tree formed of Abbey Road’s finest trio of classic valve omnidirectional microphones creating a lush and full sound
  • Tree 2 – A tighter, closer Decca tree formed from mics with a more directional pattern, suited to faster, more detailed material
  • Outriggers 1 – Used in conjunction with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair utilizes omnidirectional mics to reproduce the full width of Studio One
  • Outriggers 2 – Used together with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair uses mics with a more directional pattern, pulling the edges of the room inwards
  • Mids – A pair of valve REDD mics placed between the conductor and the source which adds extra focus to the sound when combined with the Tree and Outriggers
  • Ambients – A pristine pair of small diaphragm omnidirectional microphones to the rear of the room for a natural ambiance
  • Vintage 1 – A pair of original RM1B microphones placed in front of the conductor, combined with some classic ribbons to form a vintage scoring stage sound
  • Vintage 2 – A pair of classic 44BX microphones placed by the conductor for an alternative vintage scoring stage sound
  • Pop Close – A mix of close mics panned centrally to give a flexible image not restricted to the orchestral layout
  • Spill – A summation of spot mics placed around the other sections. These capture the natural ‘spill’ from the source across the orchestra for added realism
• Effects:
  • Reverb – A bespoke IR developed at Abbey Road Studios
• 100.5GB download size
• ~ 166,528 samples

Available – November 10th, 2022 at 5 pm GMT

Link – https://www.spitfireaudio.com/abbey-road-orchestra-low-percussion

RRP Price: £399 / $449 / 449€

Promo Period: £299 / $349 / 349€

Promo Crossgrade: £275 / $309 / 309€ *

* A discount for anyone who owns Abbey Road One: Orchestral Foundations or any SSO library

About Abbey Road Studios (www.abbeyroad.com)

A global music icon and the world’s first purpose-built recording studio, Abbey Road Studios has been home to countless landmark recordings and pioneering advances in music technology for over 90 years. The studios’ phenomenal history encompasses celebrated work by artists from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Fela Kuti, Kate Bush, Oasis and Radiohead to Sam Smith, Florence + The Machine, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Frank Ocean, Amy Winehouse, Little Simz and Adele, as well as scores to films from Raiders of The Lost Ark, The Lord of The Rings Trilogy and many of the Harry Potter and Star Wars movies, to Gravity, The Shape of Water, 1917, Black Panther, Black Widow and Avengers: Endgame. Since stereo was patented at Abbey Road in 1933, the studios have been home to numerous innovations in recording technology and continue to innovate today with Europe’s first music tech incubator, Abbey Road Red. Abbey Road Studios is part of Universal Music. 

About Joby Burgess (https://www.jobyburgess.com/)

One of Britain’s most diverse percussionists, Joby is equally at home performing with Peter Gabriel at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and The Who at Wembley Stadium as reimagining Blade Runner at Sydney Opera House and Ibiza Classics at the Royal Albert Hall.

Known for his virtuosic performances, Joby’s solo projects Powerplant and Pioneers of Percussion have taken him from Berghain, Berlin to SESC Pompéia, São Paulo. Recent releases for Signum include Gabriel Prokofiev’s ‘Concerto for Bass Drum’ and Eric Whitacre’s ‘Marimba Quartets’.

Often found at Abbey Road and Air Studios, Joby’s playing can be heard on major film and TV scores, notably leading the percussion sections on Black Panther, Rocketman, Ad Astra, Mission: Impossible, The Darkest Hour, Dr Who and The Green Planet.

In demand as an educationalist, Joby created the Virtual Marimba Choir, which brought together 227 percussionists from around the world during Spring 2020.

About Simon Rhodes (https://www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/simon-rhodes)

Following a strong musical upbringing and after graduating with an honors Degree in Physics and Music, Simon joined the EMI Abbey Road Studios in 1987. He is now Senior Engineer and is well-known throughout the record and film industries.

Simon has a long-standing association with various composers including the late James Horner whom he worked with for 18 years on over 40 projects including Avatar, the second highest grossing film of all time.

Simon has also had the pleasure of working with many of the world’s top film composers including John Williams, Thomas Newman, John Debney, James Newton Howard, Howard Shore, Alexandre Desplat, Alan Sylvestri, Trevor Jones, George Fenton, Roque Banos, Brian Tyler, AR Rahman & Elmer Bernstein.

In 2008, Simon was invited to record the famous Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in China. Simon has 4 Grammy Awards and is a Cinema Audio Society winner.

About Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com)

Spitfire Audio is a British music technology company that specialises in sounds — sample libraries, virtual instruments, and other useful software devices. It collaborates with the best composers, artists, and engineers in the world to build musical tools that sound great and are exciting to use.

Spitfire Audio was founded by two award-winning composers: Christian Henson and Paul Thomson. Born out of their shared dissatisfaction for string sample libraries, they pooled their resources and decided to record their own string samples at the legendary Air Studios in London. Initially, they invited a limited number of friends and associates to own copies of their samples, but whispers of this private sample club soon started to echo across the Atlantic Ocean throughout the composer community. Within a year, some of the most renowned composers in film and television signed up, so Paul and Christian decided to take their samples public. 

To date, Spitfire Audio has recorded and released over 100 sample libraries, collaborating with some of the biggest names in media composition, including Hans Zimmer, Eric Whitacre, Ólafur Arnalds & the London Contemporary Orchestra. Spitfire Audio’s sounds are heard in everything, from major Hollywood film scores to recordings by Radiohead and U2. Paul and Christian’s initial side project is now a thriving international music technology enterprise, with a uniquely experienced and diverse workforce, all focused on a shared mission: to inspire a generation of composers. The composer team remains at the centre of the business, drawing on their own experience as obsessive music makers to explore the needs and wants of their fellow composers.