Hg2O

THE WATERPHONE

Performed by renowned percussionist Paul Clarvis, this unconventional metallic, atonal instrument, the waterphone, consists of a stainless steel resonator bowl, with a cylindrical neck and bronze rods of different lengths around the rim. The resonator is filled with water to give the instrument a vibrant, ethereal sound, that has appeared in countless movie soundtracks, records, and live performances.

Paul Clarvis is first call percussionist for the majority of A-list composers, having played on blockbuster scores such as Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Dark Knight. We captured every sample in the glorious surrounds of the Hall at AIR Studios, one of the finest scoring stages in the world where we record the majority of our symphonic and percussive sample libraries, all of which are designed to lock together sonically. It has been recorded by AIR Studios' expert resident engineer Jake Jackson, with an array of priceless vintage microphones via Neve “Montserrat” pre-amps, to a beautifully serviced Studer 2” tape machine, and then into digital at 96k via the best Prism AD converters.

RESONANT METALLIC SOUNDSCAPES

We sampled both bowed and drummed performances in detail, with and without movement. The resonant characteristics of the bowl and rods in combination with the movement of the water immediately evokes mystery and suspense. The water level is controllable via the front panel, from empty to half full and full. With eight microphone positions and three stereo mixes, designed to fit whichever application you’re working on, and to create dramatic shifts in focus and depth, all fully output assignable for surround and 5.1 use. The mophed and warped pads presented in our Mercury Synth engine will add extra dimensions to your scores.