Chinese Yangqin Virtual Instrument
Yangqin is a Chinese hammered dulcimer. It was traditionally fitted with bronze strings, which gave the instrument a soft timbre. A professional musician often carries several sets of beaters, each of which draws a slightly different tone from the instrument, much like the drum sticks of Western percussionists. Uniquely, only the Chinese hammer is made of bamboo.
Raindrop & Blade is a deeply expressive virtual instrument that captures the delicate beauty and versatility of the Chinese Yangqin, a hammered dulcimer known for its soft, shimmering tone. Featuring meticulously sampled performances with multiple microphone positions and beaters, it brings out the nuanced character of the instrument. From left and right hand dynamics to adjustable hand-exchange modes, every detail has been carefully captured for maximum realism and natural playability.
Beyond its expressive core, Raindrop & Blade is built on a custom sampling engine with high-performance streaming and sound fusion technology. It offers a powerful effects rack, convolution reverbs recorded in iconic Chinese locations, and a rich pattern library for composition and performance. Whether you're scoring traditional Chinese music or exploring experimental textures, Raindrop & Blade provides a wide sonic palette that’s both authentic and inspiring.
Adjustable Sound Field
When samples were recorded, 3 different microphones were used with different positions to capture the spatial and reverb characteristics of Yangqin. Left-hand and right-hand playing were recorded separately to obtain tone difference, and three modes of Hand Exchange are provided to make the instrument played in a natural way.
Performances
A number of 11 performances were recorded, such as tremolo, vibrato and run-up/down. Vibrato were recorded in two velocities and can be controlled by MIDI CC. In addition, octave- and third-vibrato were recorded for more realistic performance.
Realistic Expressions
Raindrop & Blade has real-recorded expressions that are freely controllable. With the control of MIDI CC, it can express tone changes like a real Yangqin performance.
Sampling Engine
Self-developed sampling engine with better sound quality, more powerful disk buffer streaming/sampling compression, and brand-new sound fusion technology.
Convolution reverb
At the beginning of Chinese Traditional series development, we started to record the convolution reverb samples from spectacular places, famous natural and historical heritages in China. Thus you can simulate Raindrop & Blade being played at the Great Wall or Terracotta Army site.
Effect Rack
From the Heavier7Strings' effect rack: Compressor, EQ, Chorus and Ping-Pong delay are included, allowing to create more flexible sounds.
Pattern Library
Complete pattern library allowing to manage your works and ideas easily, with rich preset of patterns that can be updated in the future. And you could create your own pattern by dragging MIDI clips inside.
Presets
Various presets from Chinese traditional to experimental to the edge.
Features
- Authentic Yangqin Sampling – Captures the nuanced tones of the traditional Chinese hammered dulcimer
- 11 Realistic Articulations – Includes tremolo, vibrato (with velocity layers), run-ups/downs, and more
- Three Mic Positions – Adjustable stereo field with spatial and reverb character captured in detail
- Left/Right Hand Separation – Natural tone variation with Hand Exchange modes for realism
- MIDI-Controlled Expressions – Dynamic tone shaping with real recorded expression control via CC
- Custom Sampling Engine – High-fidelity playback with efficient disk streaming and sound fusion
- Convolution Reverbs – Play the Yangqin in iconic Chinese landmarks like the Great Wall or Terracotta Army site
- Integrated FX Rack – Production-ready effects including Compressor, EQ, Chorus, and Ping-Pong Delay
- Pattern Library & Presets – Includes traditional and experimental MIDI patterns with editable user presets
System Requirements
- macOS 10.9+ / Windows 7+
Plugin Formats
- 64-bit VST2, VST3, AAX and Audio Unit.
Important note: Logic 9 is not supported
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