Paper Stone Instruments Marimba — Free Download

Authentic Source Instrument

Paper Stone Instruments captured a Robert Van Sice Artist Series 4 1/3-octave rosewood marimba in a cinematic live room, using multiple microphone setups to preserve its full tonal character. The extensive sampling process included up to 23 velocity levels per note, ensuring subtle dynamic expression.

Phase alignment was performed for each note to maintain a focused tone, resulting in a sound that balances forensic detail with musical warmth. The instrument recreates the acoustic behavior of a world-class marimba, suitable for genres from orchestral scoring to solo contemporary pieces.

Microphone Blending and GUI

The interface provides faders for five microphone positions: Center, Stereo, Wide, Ribbon, and Room. Close mics include a TLM 103, a KM184 pair, and a C414 pair, while ambient options use Coles 4038 and u87 pairs. Users blend these to shape the sound from intimate to expansive.

This flexibility allows tailoring the tone for different mixes, whether you need a dry, focused sound for tighter arrangements or a lush, roomy feel for ambient passages. The GUI is straightforward, letting you adjust levels and create a custom mix without complex routing.

Instrument Variations and Beaters

Two main instruments are included: ‘Main’ with felt beaters and ‘Soft’ with softer beaters, each containing straight hits and rolls. There are also dedicated roll-only patches, useful for sustained passages. A ‘Less Stereo Width’ version narrows the stereo field when needed.

Additionally, five bonus patches feature hard rubber beaters, drag strokes with felt, and 5th, Minor 3rd, and Major 3rd intervals. The different beater types produce distinct tonal colors, from mellow and round to brighter and more percussive, expanding the instrument’s expressive range.

Workflow and Applications

In a Kontakt environment, you can load any patch and start performing immediately. The velocity layers respond to your playing dynamics, and the microphone blend can be automated within your DAW to create evolving textures. For cinematic scores, use the Room mic to place the marimba in a large space.

For tighter pop or jazz mixes, choose the Close mics and the ‘Less Stereo Width’ patch. The roll patches are ideal for sustained beds, while rubber beater patches add a sharper articulation for rhythmic lines. This makes the instrument versatile for a range of production styles.

Key features

• Five microphone positions blendable via GUI faders
• Up to 23 velocity layers per note for nuanced dynamics
• Includes felt, soft felt, and rubber beater options
• Straight hits, rolls, and drags across multiple patches
• Bonus patches with intervals and alternate beaters
• Phase-aligned samples for focused tone quality
• Dedicated roll-only and less stereo width variants

Best for

This instrument excels in cinematic and contemporary music production where an authentic, detailed marimba sound is needed. Its multi-mic blending and beater variety suit film scoring, ambient textures, and solo concert works, offering both realism and creative flexibility within Kontakt.