DESCRIPTION:
At first, I didn't find myself using this sound library too often. It just seemed a bit too "unique" on the surface to use regularly with what I was working on. However, desperately in need of a new sound to use, I started going through this very ethnic library, hoping to find something not too foreign.
Through visiting this library, I realized how great it actually is. The different world instruments are terrific for those wanting to create more worldly songs. I liked the variety East West provides you with; you are given a whole assortment of percussion, bowed, wind, and other instruments to deal with, allowing you to create a full ensemble just from the library. Many of the new drums are very useful, and some even provide a more powerful punch and are more detailed than their corresponding "Stormdrum" instruments (particularly the Djembe Ensemble - I could easily see myself using these drums in any percussive song I write).
One regret would be the lack of mic positions or Legato/Port settings. For the most part, everything is just a sound played from pressing a key. Many of the legato oriented instruments lack flow. However, the available articulations are fantastic and certainly provide you with a convincing sound.
Overall, a very fun collection of sounds that, while perhaps rarely used or underrated, can make any song a bit more lively.

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All melodies are played directly by me on a MIDI keyboard, and are all improvised. Thus, there was no mixing, quantizing or other changes made to the performance heard. Any similar rhythms to other songs are unintentional. The video is for demonstrative purposes only.

If you'd like to see more from this library, you can comment on the video and I can create an additional video showing more from the library. The instruments I chose to feature in this video are among my favorite and most used, and also what I feel best represents the library.

For more information on the product, visit this link:
http://www.soundsonline.com/Ra

"64-bit* with 32-bit compatibility for PC (*see system specifications)
Full memory access with MAC (requires 64-bit MAC)
Mac Intel compatibility
Intelligent performance section including portamento, repetition, legato
Features round robin reset
Offers improved articulation window and controls
State-of-the-art convolution reverb with pre-delay
Improved micro-tuning
Improved sound quality with high-resolution audio engine
Hi-fidelity one pole filter for natural cross-fades
Stereo image editing is now possible using channel sourcing
The instruments featured in the PLAY Editions are newly-programmed for PLAY from the original recordings"

"Quantum Leap RA - PLAY Edition provides composers with access to a variety of rare and unique instruments from Africa, Europe, India, the Americas and Australia, the Far East, and the Middle East and Turkish Empires. Musicians will find that RA has an amazing sound quality and they'll marvel at the articulation of each instrument which has a wide range that goes from controlled to expressive. All of the instruments and ensembles featured in the collection were sampled extensively as a means of preserving the true character and expression of each instrument. For the first time with the Quantum Leap RA - PLAY Edition, users will have more control over the sounds offered in the collection along with the ability to load even more instruments than ever before"

"You can have a lot of fun with RA. The possibilities are simply endless, especially when you mix the sounds of different cultures together. Load up the middle eastern string section, apply an Indian or Egyptian tuning from the micro-tuning presets and play octaves. Make a really cool groove with the didgeridoo fx and the Vietnamese jaw harp. Take a classical filmscore piece and replace all of the instruments with their ethnic counterparts: strings with middle eastern string section, solo violin or cello with electric baritone violin, hardanger fiddle or erhu, french horn with alpenhorn, flute with dizi, oboe with duduk, percussion with taikos and African percussion, harp with kora, trombones with rag dung etc. etc.... Or perhaps try the hurdy gurdy, hardanger fiddle, washburn guitar, mandolin and the dizi and make an interesting folk ensemble or the gamelan ensemble with the ney flute, duduk and esraj. And don't forget the reverb!"

INSTRUMENT REGIONS:
Africa
Americas and Australia
Europe
Far East
India
Middle East and Turkish Empire