Eric Whitacre Choir
Eric Whitacre Choir is a choir that captures the breathtaking range of our most personal musical instrument, crafted to add depth, beauty, grit, and emotion.
Crafted & conducted by the Grammy award winner
Hard-wired to humanity, nothing gets to the heart of music like the human voice – and our most anticipated release to date is a choir that captures the breathtaking range of our most personal musical instrument. Crafted and conducted by Grammy winner Eric Whitacre and showcasing his elite family of singers, this encyclopaedia of the voice will enrich your compositions.
With these sounds at your fingertips, you will start to think differently about the human voice. Go beyond the choral cliches of sacred, angelic and apocalyptic, using these sounds to add depth, beauty, grit, emotion, or suspense. Recorded in the widescreen resonance of The Hall at AIR Studios, Eric Whitacre Choir shares the acoustic DNA of Spitfire’s orchestral range and is designed to complement and blend seamlessly with each of these libraries — all presented in our easy to use, award-winning dedicated plugin, including an Evo Grid for instant inspiration.
In this page:
- Hard drive delivery available at checkout
- You can buy now and download any time
Spitfire Audio App required
22 singers
6 mic signals
170 techniques / 111 Evolutions
Dedicated plugin
Listen to Eric Whitacre Choir
Features BBC Symphony Orchestra
Features Albion One and Spitfire Symphonic Strings
Features Spitfire Studio Orchestra, Albion One and Hans Zimmer Piano
Features Albion Neo, OPW and Albion One
The human voice carries terabytes of emotional information. The idea that composers can have these sounds at their fingertips just thrills me.
The choir
Eric Whitacre Choir is one of our biggest libraries, filling 200GB of audio, and now NKS ready. We’ve taken a decade of sampling experience and applied this approach to give composers and producers a choral library that uses voices just like another section of your orchestra. In addition to a full orchestral set of samples, we have also recorded a stunning Evo Grid, with each element sculpted by Eric. With the help of design and user experience-agency ustwo (Monument Valley, DICE), Eric Whitacre Choir is housed in a bespoke, self-contained plug-in (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX), developed primarily for composers, by composers. A composition tool that’s easy to use, intuitive and inspiring.
There are 22 singers in total: six soprano, five alto, five tenor and six bass. In the Choir section you will find a total of 170 techniques, while the Evo Grid packs 111 Evolutions.
The Evo Grid
Where the choir meets Spitfire’s unique Evo Grid technology, a new instrument is born – one that so impressed Eric, he said, “Frankly, I wish I could compose like this in everyday life.” Simple in principle, inspiring in practice, the grid takes samples that change in different ways over time and arranges them across the keyboard. Play a single gesture or chord and it will weave a micro-composition that never stands still. Construct your own evolution, or hit the randomise button to automatically generate a unique instrument from an almost infinite array of possibilities. Always original, and always musical.
“The idea is that you can take up to three or four of these Evolutions and combine them,” says Eric, “or cycle through them as one of them evolves, and suddenly you’re painting music in a totally different way, sculpting sound in real time. You can create minutes of profoundly beautiful music in this way.”
I write orchestrally for the voice - that's the way I think about it. The palette of colours in just voices is much broader than many people think: from delicate whispers to gritty sounds at the back of the throat, to shimmering clouds of overtones.
Eric Whitacre
Listening to Eric’s music, you wouldn’t imagine he grew up in Nevada, surrounded by the dust of the desert. It is a landscape that seems alien to the traditional view of choral music. Yet these open spaces and huge skies have helped create his unique sound. “It somehow found its way into my sense of aesthetic, and even into making the sample library. There’s a lot of the open desert in there. What I love about the west coast of America and the desert is that it is pregnant with possibility, and that found its way into the sound.” After high school, which was spent writing electronica and listening to Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode, Eric went to study in Las Vegas and – on a whim – joined a choir. “It absolutely changed my life. I thought, that’s the sound that’s been in my heart my whole life. It was a singular moment and it absolutely transformed me.”
As conductor of the Eric Whitacre Singers, he has released several chart-topping albums, including 2010’s best-selling Light and Gold. A sought-after guest conductor, Eric has conducted choral and instrumental concerts around the globe, including concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra. In addition to several collaborations with Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer, he has worked with British pop icons Laura Mvula, Imogen Heap and Annie Lennox.
What I love about writing for voices is that sometimes a simple minor triad is all you need – you don’t need to dress it up. It’s sophisticated because it’s so simple. And it has a gravity to it. It goes deep, at a cellular level.
What's included
The choir
Tutti
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Eh Evo
- Aah Eh Aah
- Ooh Aah Ooh
- Mmm Aah Mmm
- Breathy Mmm
- Short Aah Full Out
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Perf 4th)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Perf 5th)
- Cloud Grace Aah (Min 2nd)
- Cloud Grace Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Rhythmic Evo Lah
- Rhythmic Evo Nah
- Rhythmic Evo Dee
- Episodic Ahh (NV to Vib)
- Episodic Ooh (NV to Vib)
- Episodic Mmm (NV to Vib)
- Aah Full Out
- Microtonal Bending Aah
- Microtonal Oscillating Aah
- Microtonal Shift
- Microtonal Cluster Pitch Aah
- Fluctuating Ooh
- Breathy Ooh
- fp
- Erupting Hums
- Ricochet Aah Nng
- Aleatoric Aah
- Bubbling
- Harmonic
- NZ
- Cyclical
- Whistle Mmm Blend
- Pitched Air
- FX1 (Long)
- FX2 (Short)
Sopranos
- Legato Ahh
- Legato Mmm
- Legato Ooh
- Legato Oh
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Oh
- Soft Breathy Aah
- Long Nanana
- Short Aah
- Short Ooh
- Short Mmm
- Short Oh
- Short Soft Breathy Aah
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- FX1 (Long)
- FX2 (Short)
Altos
- Legato Ahh
- Legato Mmm
- Legato Ooh
- Legato Oh
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Oh
- Soft Breathy Aah
- Long Nanana
- Short Aah
- Short Ooh
- Short Mmm
- Short Oh
- Short Soft Breathy Aah
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- FX1 (Long)
- FX2 (Short)
Tenors
- Legato Ahh
- Legato Mmm
- Legato Ooh
- Legato Oh
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Oh
- Soft Breathy Aah
- Long Nanana
- Short Aah
- Short Ooh
- Short Mmm
- Short Oh
- Short Soft Breathy Aah
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- FX1 (Long)
- FX2 (Short)
Basses
- Legato Ahh
- Legato Mmm
- Legato Ooh
- Legato Oh
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Oh
- Soft Breathy Aah
- Long Nanana
- Short Aah
- Short Ooh
- Short Mmm
- Short Oh
- Short Soft Breathy Aah
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- FX1 (Long)
- FX2 (Short)
The Evolutions
Tutti
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Long Eh Evo
- Aah Eh Aah
- Ooh Aah Ooh
- Mmm Aah Mmm
- Breathy Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 3rd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Perf 4th)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Perf 5th)
- Cloud Grace Aah (Min 2nd)
- Cloud Grace Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Rhythmic Evo Lah
- Rhythmic Evo Nah
- Rhythmic Evo Dee
- Episodic Ahh (NV to Vib)
- Episodic Ooh (NV to Vib)
- Episodic Mmm (NV to Vib)
- Aah Full Out
- Microtonal Bending Aah
- Microtonal Oscillating Aah
- Microtonal Shift
- Microtonal Cluster Pitch Aah
- Fluctuating Ooh
- Breathy Ooh
- fp
- Erupting Hums
- Ricochet Aah Nng
- Aleatoric Aah
- Bubbling
- Harmonic
- NZ
- Cyclical
- Whistle Mmm Blend
- Pitched Air
Sopranos
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
Altos
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
Tenors
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
Basses
- Long Aah
- Long Ooh
- Long Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Aah
- Dynamic Swell Ooh
- Dynamic Swell Mmm
- Dynamic Swell Eeh
- Episodic Aah Nah
- Episodic Ooh Nah
- Episodic Mmm Hyah
- Episodic Aah Dah
- Pitch Clash Aah (Min 2nd
- Pitch Clash Aah (Maj 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Min 2nd)
- Pitch Clash Static Aah (Maj 2nd)
Mics & mixes
Mics
- C(lose)
- T(ree)
- A(mbient)
- Outrigger
- Mid
- Gallery
Stereo mix
- Big
- Medium
- Small
Videos
Testimonials
Its raw emotional power will transform a score into a thing of majesty.
An exquisite, stunning library that places the very spirit of the human voice in a sublime package, all under the masterful direction of a choral champion.
FAQs
How do you add Eric Whitacre Choir into Kontakt?
You don’t! Eric Whitacre Choir is a dedicated plugin available as VST, AAX and AU so it can be used directly in your favourite DAW.
What software will I need to run Eric Whitacre Choir?
We provide an AU, VST2, VST3 and an AAX, so as long as your chosen DAW supports one of those plugin formats, you’re good to go.
Why do I need this product?
Consider this the new core part of the orchestral range. Adding a choir to your composition can be as second nature as adding percussion, for example. This library’s voice, under Eric’s scrutiny, is a brand new world of sounds and aching emotion waiting to become part of the repertoire for composers.
Read more FAQs for this productTech specs
Mac system requirements
Mac OS X 10.10 to OS X 10.15
Minimum: 2.8GHz i5 minimum (quad-core), 8GB RAM
Recommended: 2.8GHz I7 (six-core), 16GB RAM
Machine must be connected to the internet during install
PC system requirements
Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 (latest Service Pack, 32/64-bit)
Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2
Machine must be connected to the internet during install
File size
~88550 samples
164.60 GB download size
164.60 GB disk space required during install
Too large to download? Choose hard drive delivery at checkout