Sonokinetic Sultan Strings library is a highly specialized string ensemble focused on authentic Middle Eastern (Arabic/Turkish) performances
. Originally released in 2011, it remains a go-to for composers needing realistic, tempo-synced ethnic string phrases that are difficult to program with standard western orchestral libraries. Key Features & Contents Ensemble Composition : Features a dedicated 5-piece section consisting of 3 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello Massive Phrase Library : Includes 50 tempo-synced 2-bar phrases
with octave overdubs, designed to be used in various musical keys. Playable Articulations : Includes dynamic crossfading to vibrato. Specialty Techniques
: Tremolos, trills, glissandi, and tempo-synced runs (up, down, and up-down). Authenticity
: Focuses on live performances by professional Middle Eastern string ensembles rather than just multisampled individual notes. Technical Specifications : Runs on Native Instruments Kontakt 4.2.4 or higher
(full version or free player depending on specific license version). Sample Count 5,500 core samples
totaling approximately 5.33 GB (uncompressed total including Apple Loops reaches up to 10.25 GB). Audio Quality : Recorded at 44.1 kHz / 24-bit resolution. Engine Features Customizable keyswitching for rapid articulation changes. Intelligent Tempo Mapping (ITM) for seamless synchronization with your DAW's tempo.
Integrated convolution reverb and 3-band EQ for sound shaping. Usage Notes
The "extra quality" or "patched" terms often refer to the library's ability to maintain high fidelity during time-stretching, a common feature in Sonokinetic's
advanced Kontakt scripting that allows phrases to remain musical even when the project tempo deviates significantly from the original recording. layering capabilities with other libraries or details on specific keyswitching Sultan Strings by Sonokinetic BV - Ethnic Strings
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a premium Middle Eastern string ensemble library designed for composers and producers who need an authentic, high-quality ethnic sound for cinematic, world, and hybrid music. Released by Sonokinetic BV, it captures the unique performance style of one of the world's leading Middle Eastern string sections, offering both multi-sampled instruments and tempo-synced performances. Key Features and Capabilities
Sultan Strings is built for Native Instruments Kontakt and is focused on providing a "human" touch that is difficult to recreate with standard orchestral libraries.
Diverse Performance Styles: The library features 16 instrument patches, including 50 tempo-synced 2-bar phrases, runs (up, down, and up-down), sustains with dynamic crossfading, tremolos, trills, and glissandi.
Ensemble Composition: The ensemble is composed of 3 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello, specifically recorded to deliver a strong and convincing Middle Eastern character.
Layering and Depth: To "fatten" the sound, Sonokinetic included an octaved overdub for each phrase. This was recorded separately and is mapped an octave higher on the keyboard, making it easy to layer for added tension and scale.
Technical Specifications: The library contains over 5,500 samples (roughly 5.33 GB of content) and supports advanced Kontakt scripting for dynamic sample loading and purging, which keeps memory usage efficient. Interface and Customisation
The Kontakt interface for Sultan Strings is divided into four main panels: Main, IR (Impulse Response), EQ, and Credits.
Convolution Reverb: The library uses a convolution reverb with custom IRs to place the strings in an authentic acoustic space. Users can adjust the "IR space design" via a dedicated knob on the interface.
Keyswitching: A customisable keyswitching system allows users to switch between articulations (like sustains to trills) on the fly during a performance.
Visual Feedback: The interface provides a visual representation of the current key being played, ensuring composers stay within the correct harmonic framework. Why Choose Sultan Strings?
While Sonokinetic has newer, massive libraries like Orchestral Strings, Sultan Strings remains a staple for its specific "Sultan" flavor that standard Western orchestral libraries cannot replicate. It is frequently used for trailers, film scores, and ethnic-infused pop tracks where authenticity is more important than sheer section size.
Sultan Strings by Sonokinetic BV - Ethnic Strings - KVR Audio
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a specialized Kontakt library designed to deliver authentic Middle Eastern string ensemble performances. It focuses on live-recorded Arabian-style phrases and multi-sampled articulations that are difficult to replicate with standard orchestral libraries. Key Features and Content
The library provides a comprehensive set of "extra quality" performance tools, including:
Core Samples: Over 5,500 samples totaling roughly 5.33 GB (10.25 GB total including Apple Loops).
Articulations: 16 instrument patches featuring tempo-synced runs (up and down), sustains with dynamic crossfading to vibrato, tremolos, trills, and glissandi.
Performance Phrases: 50 tempo-synced 2-bar phrases with octaved overdubs, allowing for realistic ensemble textures.
Technical Engines: Includes an Intelligent Time Machine (ITM) to automatically sync loops to your DAW's tempo and a customizable keyswitching system for real-time articulation control. Kontakt Patch Details
The library is optimized for Native Instruments Kontakt (version 4.2 or higher) and includes:
Unified Interface: A single instrument patch for Kontakt with four main panels: Main, IR (Impulse Response), EQ, and Credits.
Sound Design: A dedicated IR space design knob allows you to adjust the convolution reverb, which represents the original acoustic recording space. extra quality sonokinetic sultan strings kontakt patched
Efficiency: Features dynamic sample loading and purging to manage RAM usage effectively. Available Formats
Beyond the primary Kontakt patches, the library is provided in several other formats for cross-platform compatibility:
EXS24 & HALion: 4 patches each for phrases and multi-sampled collections, including "Lite" versions for faster loading.
Apple Loops: All phrases are provided in Apple Loop format for direct use in Logic Pro or other compatible DAWs.
Sultan Drums - Sonokinetic - Sample libraries and Virtual Instruments
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a specialized Middle Eastern performance string ensemble library for Native Instruments Kontakt, designed for high-quality, authentic cinematic scoring. Product Overview Ensemble Composition : Features a dedicated 5-piece ensemble consisting of 3 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello Library Size of unique Middle Eastern string performance samples. Primary Content : Focuses on live performances
and royalty-free, custom-composed Arabian-styled phrases that are difficult to recreate with standard orchestral libraries. Key Features & Technical Specs Authentic Phrases
: Includes a diverse collection of phrases recorded in a traditional Middle Eastern style. Performance Modes
: Offers both loop-based performance sampling and multi-articulated instrument sampling. Compatibility : Designed for Native Instruments Kontakt Tempo Syncing
: Features built-in tempo synchronization to ensure phrases match the host project's BPM. Audio Quality
: Recorded with "digital" composers' needs in mind, prioritizing flexibility across all musical keys. Sonokinetic Usage & Blending Cinematic Versatility
: Highly effective for adding ethnic flavor to film scores, soundtracks, and modern audio productions. : Frequently paired with other ethnic libraries, such as Sonokinetic Sultan Drums Eduardo Tarilonte's Desert Winds , to create comprehensive Middle Eastern soundscapes. Sound Signature
: Known for its "neutral" yet evocative hall sound, making it easy to blend with other sample libraries. Sonokinetic Purchasing & Support : Available directly from the Sonokinetic Store NKS Integration
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a highly specialized Kontakt library designed to bring the authentic sound of a 10-piece Middle Eastern string ensemble into modern digital music production. Known for its "extra quality" cinematic textures and distinct Eastern scales, this library bridges the gap between traditional Western orchestral writing and the evocative, microtonal nuances of the Orient [2]. Core Features and Sound Profile
The library features a boutique string section consisting of violins, violas, and cellos, recorded in a dry acoustic environment to allow for maximum flexibility in mixing. Unlike standard symphonic libraries that focus on "Hollywood" lushness, Sultan Strings prioritizes:
Authentic Phrasings: It includes a massive collection of pre-recorded phrases and movements typical of Middle Eastern musical traditions [2].
Microtonal Accuracy: The library supports "maqams" (musical modes), allowing composers to access the "quarter-tone" scales essential for ethnic authenticity.
Performance Articulations: From sharp staccatos to emotive legatos and traditional trills, the library covers a wide emotional spectrum. The "Kontakt Patched" Advantage
When users refer to the "patched" version for Native Instruments' Kontakt, they are typically looking for seamless integration with the Kontakt Player or full version. A properly optimized patch ensures:
CPU Efficiency: Despite the high-quality 24-bit samples, the patches are scripted to handle voice management effectively, preventing audio dropouts during complex compositions [3].
Custom Mapping: The "extra quality" patches often feature refined keyswitching, allowing you to toggle between staccato, sustain, and phrases without opening multiple instances of the plugin.
UI Enhancements: Sonokinetic’s signature interface provides "Randomize" functions for phrases and easy-to-use EQ settings to fit the strings into a dense mix [2]. Why Professionals Choose Sultan Strings
For composers working on film scores, documentaries, or world-fusion tracks, Sultan Strings offers a "vibe" that synthetic plugins cannot replicate. The "extra quality" stems from the human imperfection of the ensemble—the slight variations in pitch and timing that create a living, breathing soundscape [3].
Whether you are scoring a desert chase scene or adding an exotic layer to a pop track, this Kontakt library remains a gold standard for Middle Eastern orchestral sampling.
Sultan Strings by Sonokinetic is a specialized virtual instrument designed to capture authentic Middle Eastern string ensemble performances. While it is a "legacy" product that has been discontinued in favor of newer collections, it remains highly regarded for its unique "extra quality" sound—a result of its focus on live, non-Western musicality. Core Features and Authenticity
The library is built around a small, agile ensemble of 3 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello. This specific configuration allows for a "strong and convincing" performance that is difficult to recreate with standard orchestral libraries.
Authentic Phrases: It includes 50 tempo-synced phrases with octaved overdubs, allowing for instant layering to fatten the sound as noted on KVR Audio.
Diverse Articulations: Beyond phrases, it features playable patches for sustains (with vibrato), tremolos, trills, glissandi, and tempo-synced runs.
Sample Quality: Recorded at 24-bit 96Khz and delivered at 24-bit 48Khz, the library offers over 5,500 individual samples (totaling roughly 5.33 GB) to ensure high-fidelity playback. Technical Specifications & "Patched" Details
The term "patched" usually refers to the specific .nki files used within the Native Instruments Kontakt sampler. In the context of Sultan Strings, the "patched" version often refers to the integrated interface that allows for dynamic control. Sonokinetic Sultan Strings library is a highly specialized
Kontakt Integration: It requires Kontakt 4.2 or higher. The Sonokinetic FAQ mentions that while products may be retired, they remain accessible to past owners as legacy downloads.
User Interface: The Kontakt instrument features four dedicated panels: Main, IR (Impulse Response), EQ, and Credits.
Efficiency: The library utilizes dynamic sample loading and purging, making it relatively light on RAM despite the high sample count. The "Sultan" Family
Sonokinetic also released Sultan Drums, which was designed to be the rhythmic companion to Sultan Strings. It features a similar "patched" architecture where users can solo, mute, and tune individual percussion elements within a phrase.
💡 Key Takeaway: Sultan Strings is prized for its emotional grit and micro-tonal nuances that standard "Western" libraries often lack. It is a "boutique" tool meant for cinematic scoring and ethnic music production.
If you are looking to work with this library, let me know if you need help with: Installing legacy libraries into modern versions of Kontakt
Finding modern alternatives for Middle Eastern strings (like Sonokinetic's Shahrazad or Qanun) MIDI routing for phrase-based instruments AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
The world of music production is a vast and wondrous place, filled with talented artists, producers, and sound designers who continually push the boundaries of creativity and innovation. Among the many tools and software used in this industry, virtual instruments and sample libraries play a crucial role in shaping the sound of modern music.
One such instrument that has garnered significant attention in recent years is the Sonokinetic Sultan Strings, a comprehensive sample library designed to bring the rich, emotive sound of orchestral strings to the fingertips of producers and composers. When paired with the powerful Kontakt player software, this library becomes an incredibly versatile and expressive tool, capable of producing a wide range of tonal colors and textures.
The story begins with a young composer named Emma, who had always been fascinated by the world of film scoring and orchestral music. Growing up, she spent countless hours listening to the works of legendary composers like John Williams and Hans Zimmer, marveling at the way they could evoke powerful emotions and convey complex ideas through music.
As Emma began to develop her own skills as a composer, she knew that she needed to find a way to create high-quality, professional-sounding orchestral arrangements. That's when she discovered the Sonokinetic Sultan Strings library, which had recently been patched to work seamlessly with the Kontakt player.
Intrigued by the library's promise of "extra quality" and unparalleled expressiveness, Emma decided to give it a try. She spent hours poring over the library's extensive documentation, learning about the various articulations, dynamics, and playing styles that were at her disposal.
As she began to experiment with the library, Emma was blown away by the sheer range of tonal colors and textures she could create. From the soaring, cinematic soundscapes of the legato patches to the staccato and marcato articulations that added a sense of rhythmic urgency to her compositions, the Sultan Strings library seemed to offer an almost limitless palette of creative possibilities.
One of the things that impressed Emma most about the library was its attention to detail and commitment to authenticity. The samples had been recorded with a high level of precision and care, capturing the subtle nuances of a live orchestra and allowing her to craft arrangements that felt truly alive.
As she continued to work with the Sultan Strings library, Emma began to explore some of the more advanced features of the Kontakt player. She discovered that she could use the software's powerful scripting engine to create custom effects and processing chains, further enhancing the sound of the library and adding a unique touch to her compositions.
The results were nothing short of breathtaking. Emma's music began to take on a level of sophistication and emotional depth that she had never been able to achieve before. Her compositions were met with critical acclaim, and she soon found herself in high demand as a composer and arranger.
In the end, Emma's journey with the Sonokinetic Sultan Strings library and Kontakt player had been a transformative one, opening up new creative possibilities and allowing her to bring her musical visions to life in ways she never thought possible. As she looked to the future, she knew that she would continue to push the boundaries of what was achievable with these powerful tools, always striving to create music that inspired and uplifted others.
Some key features of Sonokinetic Sultan Strings and Kontakt include:
Extra Quality Sonokinetic Sultan Strings Kontakt Patched
Marco Valtieri was a ghost in the machine. For twelve years, he’d haunted the forgotten corners of the internet, a digital alchemist who could make any sample library sing, scream, or weep. Other producers chased the latest synth or the analog warmth of vintage compressors. Marco chased cracks. Not the cheap, glitchy kind—the extra quality kind.
His masterpiece, the one that had earned him whispered reverence on obscure Russian forums and encrypted Telegram channels, was the Sonokinetic Sultan Strings Kontakt Patched.
The original Sultan Strings was a legend: a deep-sampled Ottoman-Turkish ensemble recorded in Istanbul’s legendary Üsküdar Studio. Its violins wept microtonal tears. Its kemanche screamed with the soul of a dervish. But it was also crippled by an impossible iLok authorization and a price tag of €899—a fortune for a producer living in a damp basement in Bologna.
So Marco had broken it. Not crudely, not with a simple keygen. He had patched it. He’d rewritten the NKR script, unlocked the hidden round-robins, and even bypassed the CPU-killing convolution reverb with a cleaner, zero-latency engine. He’d named the final .iso file with a flourish: Sonokinetic_Sultan_Strings_EXTRA_QUALITY_Kontakt_Patched.rar.
For two years, it sat on a dusty hard drive next to a half-finished horror score. Then, the call came.
“Marco? It’s Lena. From the Conservatory.”
Lena Drakopoulos was a legend in the underground—a composer for arthouse films no one saw but everyone felt. She was also dying. Pancreatic cancer, stage four. But she had one last piece: a requiem for her mother, a Greek-Turkish woman who had died in the ‘74 Cyprus unrest. A requiem that needed the voice of a divided island.
“I have no budget,” Lena said over the crackling line. “But I have the Palas Ensemble—twelve players. They refuse to play the parts I wrote. They say the notes are… impossible. Too many microtones. Tempo changes that break their bows.”
“Send me the MIDI,” Marco said.
When the file arrived, he understood. Lena had written a musical depiction of a heart being torn in two—simultaneous meters, 11-limit just intonation on one channel, equal temperament on the other. No human ensemble could track it without a year of rehearsal.
But an extra quality patch could.
Marco loaded Kontakt. He opened the Sultan Strings—his version. The interface glowed a deep crimson instead of the original gold. A new tab appeared: “DIV-MODE: MICROTONAL ASYNC.”
He dragged Lena’s MIDI into his DAW. Sixty-four tracks. He routed each voice to a separate instance of the patch. Then he did the one thing the original library was never designed for: he automated the sample start offsets per note, per millisecond. The strings began to breathe—not like a machine, but like a box of sleeping snakes waking up.
He worked for seventy-two hours without sleep. Coffee, amphetamine, and sheer obsession kept him going. At hour sixty, he started hearing things. Voices in the reverb tails. A whisper in Ottoman Turkish saying, “Çal, çal… kemancı, ağla” — “Play, play… violinist, weep.”
At hour sixty-eight, the patch glitched. Not a crash—a manifestation. On his monitor, the Kontakt waveform display started rendering actual images: a woman’s face, half-Greek, half-Turkish, crying tears that turned into MIDI notes. The fan on his laptop spun so hard it lifted dust from the floor.
Marco didn’t stop. He rendered the final stereo file at 192kHz, 32-bit float. He named it Lena_Requiem_Export_FINAL_v7.wav. Then he collapsed.
He woke up to a voicemail. Lena’s voice, weaker than before: “Marco. The Palas Ensemble heard the mockup. They agreed to play it live tomorrow. But… they want to meet you. They asked where you found those sounds. They said it sounded like their grandmothers’ ghosts were in the room.”
Marco didn’t go to the concert. He watched the livestream from his basement, wrapped in a moldy blanket. The live ensemble—twelve old men and women in black—played Lena’s requiem beautifully. But it was different. Human. Wobbly in the best way. It didn’t have the impossible precision of his patch.
During the final movement, the camera panned across the audience. A young Turkish violinist was crying. Next to her, an old Greek cellist was smiling.
After the last note faded, Lena took the microphone. Her face was gaunt but radiant. “Thank you to the Palas Ensemble,” she said. “And thank you to Marco—the ghost in the machine who gave us the impossible blueprint.”
Marco closed his laptop. He looked at the hard drive containing the EXTRA QUALITY patch. For a long moment, his cursor hovered over the delete button.
He didn’t delete it.
Instead, he opened a new project. He loaded the Sultan Strings—the clean, unpatched, legally licensed version he’d bought two years ago out of guilt. And for the first time in his career, he began to write his own music. Not cracked. Not patched. Just… real.
Some ghosts, he realized, don’t need to be exorcised. They just need to be listened to.
The End.
Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is a Middle Eastern performance string ensemble library for Native Instruments Kontakt
that specializes in authentic, live-recorded Arabian-style phrases and performances. Key Features and Library Details Instrumentation
: The library features a specialized ensemble including violins, viola, and cello, specifically trained and recorded to capture Middle Eastern performance techniques. Sample Content : It contains over 4 GB of original samples. Authenticity
: Unlike standard orchestral libraries, it focuses on custom-composed Arabian phrases and live performances that are difficult to replicate with traditional multi-sampled instruments. Compatibility : Designed for formats and is compatible with Komplete Kontrol
: Features a custom-designed Kontakt GUI for real-time control and mixing of the phrase-based content. Sonokinetic Patched / Native Instruments Support Kontakt Player License : The library includes a license for the free Kontakt Player
, meaning it can be added via a serial number in Native Access rather than requiring the full paid version of Kontakt. NKS Integration : It is "patched" for NKS (Native Kontrol Standard)
, allowing for deep integration with hardware controllers like the Komplete Kontrol S-Series keyboards. Sonokinetic Complimentary Libraries Sonokinetic often suggests pairing Sultan Strings with Sultan Drums
, a dedicated Middle Eastern percussion collection that uses a similar phrase-based engine alongside multi-sampled single hits. Sonokinetic Further Exploration
Discover more about authentic Middle Eastern performance sampling on the Sultan Strings product page at KVR Audio Review the technical specifications and instrument lists on Sonokinetic's official website Explore the Sonokinetic product manuals
for insights into their orchestral and phrase-based engine mechanics. specific articulations included in this library or information on how to integrate it into a modern DAW? Sonokinetic Sultan Strings | ВКонтакте - VK
Sonokinetic provides two main ways to use the library, and this is where the value lies:
The term "patched" is critical. In the context of Sonokinetic Sultan Strings, an official or community-driven patch typically addresses several pain points:
Load a phrase from the "Slow Lyrical" folder. Play a C major scale across two octaves. In the unpatched version, you might hear a slight click at each phrase junction. In the extra quality patched version, the transitions should be seamless. Record a MIDI clip and check the event list for any hanging notes—a known issue the patch should resolve.
The term "Extra Quality" is not an official Sonokinetic branding. Instead, it has emerged from the niche community of sound designers and Kontakt scripters who modify existing libraries. In this context, "Extra Quality" refers to a specific patch modification that does three things:
Sultan Strings is RAM-hungry. A quality patch reduces the library’s memory footprint without sacrificing sample depth. It achieves this by streamlining the NCW (Native Compressed Wave) files and adjusting Kontakt’s preload buffer settings. Users report dropping from 3.5GB to under 2GB of RAM per instance.
The original release had occasional "zipper noise" during interval shifts. An extra quality patched version refines the crossfades between dynamic layers, creating a butter-smooth connection between phrases. This is essential for slow, emotional cues. video games like Assassin's Creed: Revelations
If you produce music for documentaries set in the Ottoman Empire, video games like Assassin's Creed: Revelations, or cinematic world music, Sonokinetic Sultan Strings is irreplaceable. No other library offers that specific sliding, emotive kemençe-like string sound.
Regarding the "Extra Quality... Kontakt Patched" pursuit:
We will contact you as soon as possible.
Have a nice day!