Need to blend organic and synthetic sounds for cinematic scores? Looking for hand-played instruments with deep polyphonic control? Fables from Evolution Series offers a three-layer engine and polyphonic aftertouch, built from recordings captured at the iconic Studios 301. This is a solid Fables free download for composers who want that human touch.

Key Takeaway

Fables gives you 16 hand-played instruments with over 400 articulations to work with. Its core appeal is the three-layer engine for blending timbres and the polyphonic aftertouch support, letting you control each note independently for more expressive compositions.

Core Technology: The Three-Layer Engine

Instead of a single instrument sample, Fables uses a three-layer engine. You can load and blend three different sound sources per patch. This is the system that lets you combine organic and synthetic timbres directly, creating complex, layered textures from the ground up within a single Kontakt instrument.

Feature Breakdown

Instrument and Articulation Library

You get 16 hand-played instruments. These aren't just single samples; they include over 400 individual articulations. The recordings capture human imperfections like swells, tremolo, and stray harmonics, moving beyond clean, static samples.

Polyphonic Aftertouch Support

This isn't just standard MIDI control. Polyphonic aftertouch means you can apply pressure and modulation to individual notes you're holding down, not the entire chord. It allows for independent control of each note's behavior after the initial strike.

Per-Layer Sound Shaping

Each of the three layers has its own set of controls. You get volume, panning, filter, pitch, and modulation control per layer. This lets you shape and position each timbral component separately before they blend.

Studio 301 Recording Sessions

All source material was recorded at Studios 301 in Sydney. The library uses two microphone positions from these sessions, giving you some spatial options in the mix from the recorded source.

Technical Specifications

  • Format: Kontakt Instrument
  • Instrument Count: 16
  • Articulations: Over 400
  • Recording Studio: Studios 301, Sydney
  • Microphone Positions: Two
  • Key Technical Features: Three-layer engine, Polyphonic Aftertouch support
  • Core Controls per Layer: Volume, Pan, Filter, Pitch, Modulation

Who Is This For?

This fits a specific composer or producer profile. It's useful if you're working on cinematic scoring and need to create rich, blended textures that sit between organic instruments and synthetic pads. It also works for electronic productions where you have a controller with polyphonic aftertouch and want to make use of that for detailed, per-note expression. If you prefer instruments that include natural performance imperfections like swells and vibrato rather than perfectly clean samples, this captures that.

Limitations

The main requirement is having a compatible version of Kontakt to run it. You also need a MIDI controller capable of sending polyphonic aftertouch data to fully utilize one of its key features; without it, you're missing a major dimension of control. While it has two mic positions, the library is focused on the specific 16 instruments recorded—it's not an endlessly expansive orchestral toolkit.

Final Verdict

Grab this evolution series free download if your work involves layering organic and electronic sounds for film, TV, or electronic music. The three-layer engine is practical for building complex tones, and the polyphonic aftertouch is a genuine tool for expression if your gear supports it. You're getting a focused set of well-recorded, characterful instruments. Just make sure you have the right controller to take full advantage. For that specific need, it's a straightforward and useful library to add to your palette.