Evocative Instruments
4MBIENCE is an ensemble of Kontakt instruments based on visual phantasmagoria.
Featuring a simple, user-friendly interface, you'll be able to get to grips with controls that have an immediate impact on the instrument's sound.
The concept behind the collection is based on computer-assisted mental image generation. It's a kind of transcription of strange dreams combined with sounds in the same genre. A sound design and illustration tool that is both fun and friendly.
In response to demand from certain users, we have started to make instruments from the 4MBIENCE Collection available individually. You can now choose the instruments you like best and create your own collection.
The 64 instruments from Volumes 1 , 2 , 3 , 4, Cities, Planets, Brainwaves 1 & 2 are already available individually in the Shop at our Patreon page.
Instant Access
Some of our instruments may seem complex at first glance, but that's not the case with this collection.
You get a suite of distinct instruments, each supplied with different presets to use as starting points.
The 8 knobs at the bottom of the interface make for quick manipulation. They are complemented by a three-position selector used to choose the operating mode of a complex filter specifically designed for this series.
4 Architectures
Each instrument in the 4MBIENCE collection comes with 4 different presets.
Each of these presets modifies the internal architecture of the instrument, just like a modular synthesiser: modules are replaced by others and connected together in different ways.
The preset order is always the same from one instrument to another: Drive, Chorus, Bitcrush, Widestereo.
Although the spirit is similar from one instrument to another, the internal architectures are different for presets with the same name.
Who is it for?
This completely cheesy slideshow will remind some of you of the most incredible Powerpoint sessions in meetings or, worse still, slide evenings at Uncle Johnny's. That's why we've kept it as short as possible.
Fortunately, you can enjoy a soundtrack made entirely with instruments from the 4MBIENCE Collection (MO.ON, KE.YS and FU.EL), with no cheating.
Individually or bundled
Each volume of the Collection comprises 8 instruments.
Content of the 4MBIENCE Collection
The first two volumes each contain 8 instruments.
Offering a wide range of sounds, they make up a substantial palette of 32 architectures blending acoustic sounds with modular synthesis.
4MBIENCE volume 1
Contents of 4MBIENCE Collection Volume 1:
- AERO, based on an experimental monophonic analogue synthesiser
- CUBE, based on an electric piano fitted with guitar strings
- JAIL, based on a battered electric guitar
- LOCK, based on a duophonic analogue synthesiser from 1976
- ROOM, based on a deconstructed acoustic piano
- SAWS, based on a complex saw waveform recreated by wavetable
- SINE, based on a very thick sine waveform recreated by wavetable
- SQRE, based on a sharp square waveform recreated by wavetable
4MBIENCE volume 2
Contents of 4MBIENCE Collection Volume 2:
- CLDS, based on a digital wavetable synthesizer
- KEYS, based on an acoustic piano mixed with glass-tube percussion
- NOIZ, based on an in-house Noise Box prototype
- RCKS, based on a hybrid synthesiser recreated by wavetable
- RNDM, a complex, heavily randomised atmosphere
- SHIP, based on a combination of analogue and digital synthesizers
- TRKS, a mix of electric bass and experimental synthesizers
- TRNS, based on analogue brass sounds and digital textures
4MBIENCE volume 3
Contents of 4MBIENCE Collection Volume 2:
- BLUE, an expressive blend of analog and digital synthesizers
- DUNE, based on two layers of iconic digital synths from the 90's
- FLWR, built upon multiple layers from a classic US digital synth
- MOON, custom tailored organ with a very distinctive depth
- NITE, complex MS processed layering of analog and digital synths
- PILE, blend of three legendary digital and hybrid synths
- POST, texturized layering of multiple synths processed in eurorack modules
- ROOT, two layers of digital additive synthesizers with loads of harmonics
4MBIENCE volume 4
Contents of 4MBIENCE Collection Volume 2:
- BIRD, four intricate layers of digital 80's synthesizers
- CATS, based on a classic semi-modular synthesizer from Japan
- FROG, a blend of additive and substractive synthesizers
- FUEL, based on a famous digital synthesizer from Germany
- GHST, a deep and dark hybrid athmospherical synth
- HATS, based on a blue workstation from Japan
- SPDR, a nasty wavetable synth inspired by a classic orange rack
- TAPE, gritty, noisy, dirty, wobbly, lovely!
4MBIENCE Collection Special Edition (Cities & Planets)
4MBIENCE Cities & Planets are the first two 'special edition' volumes in the collection. Each features 8 instruments on a specific theme.
Cities invites you to explore the intricacies of imaginary cities (inspired by real-life settings).
Planets invites you to create your own contemporary remake of futuristic 90s atmospheres.
4MBIENCE Cities
In this pack of 8 instruments, explore new sound colours inspired by urban landscapes. But don't be fooled by the evocative names, this is no sound effects but sounds from real instruments and synthesizers made of knobs and printed circuit boards.
4MBIENCE Collection Cities will take you on a journey through the strangeness of 8 urban landscapes, for encounters that are sometimes dreamlike, sometimes spooky.
Like the other instruments in the 4MBIENCE collection, you can manipulate the sound with 9 direct controls, based on 4 presets per instrument.
List of instruments contained in the pack:
- CR.WD°, based on two layers of synths (analog and FM)
- HR.BR°, based on an additive digital synth
- JU.NK°, analog synth processed in a granular engine
- PA.RK°, based on an additive digital synth layered with FM
- RO.OF°, based on a german wavetable digital synth
- SB.WY°, based on a string ensemble from Japan
- SW.RS°, based on analog and additive synths layers
- TO.WR°, based on a classic US analog synth processed in a granular engine
4MBIENCE Planets
4MBIENCE Collection Planets is a set of 8 instruments that work a little differently from the other volumes.
Instead of offering one timbre at a time, the instruments in the Planet set offer 3: a bass, a pad and a noise texture.
The bass tone is permanently modulated by a square LFO whose speed can be adjusted, producing an atmosphere typical of many soundtracks from the 80s and 90s.
The controls are identical to the other sets in the 4MBIENCE Collection.
List of instruments contained in the pack:
- JP.TR°, inspired by th most iconic digital synth from the 80's
- MA.RS°, inspired by the first workstation ever made (recreated)
- NP.TN°, based on a japanese additive synth processed in eurorack stuff
- PL.TO°, based on FM synthesis and analog processing
- ST.RN°, additive and digital layers
- SU.UN°, inspired by a classic wavetable synthesizer
- UR.NS°, based on FM and analog synths processed in eurorack modules
- VN.US°, based on heavily tweaked wavetable and additive synths
4MBIENCE Collection : Brainwaves 1&2
4MBIENCE Brainwaves is a double pack (2x8) of instruments inspired by research into neural oscillations.
Brainwaves have been the subject of numerous studies since the 19th century, and even today they retain a somewhat esoteric aspect. 4MBIENCE Brainwaves is a journey into the waves that shake our grey matter.
The waveforms used in the instruments in 4MBIENCE Brainwaves are directly inspired by research work, reconstituted and destructured in modular synthesizers. Each instrument explores cerebral processes, represented graphically in an allegorical way, and modifiable directly with a few simple controls. The results are invitations to inner journeys.
But 4MBIENCE Brainwaves is not just a pack of sound waves for meditation. These are real landscapes for your compositions, strange and fluid territories, electric and organic textures, which you can use as a starting point or as a background in your arrangements.
Introducing the Brainwaves series
Brainwaves 2 at a glance
4MBIENCE Brainwaves
List of instruments contained in the pack:
- CR.TX° (Cortex), analog & digital sources
- FL.UD° (Fluid), digital sources & maths modelling
- FO.LD° (Fold), digital additive & digital waves
- LN.TR° (Lenticular), pure maths modelling
- NO.DE° (Nodes), analog waves & digital additive
- SP.IN° (Spin), analog waves & digital wavetables
- SY.NP° (Synapses), analog waves & digital additive
- TO.RS° (Tores), digital FM & analog waveshaping
4MBIENCE Brainwaves 2
List of instruments contained in the pack:
- EQ.LB° (Equilibrium), FM & analog sources
- GA.BA° (GABA), wavetables, FM & analog
- ME.SO° (Meso), waveshaping & digital digital additive
- NR.XS° (Neuraxis), analog, digital additive & maths modelling
- NU.RO° (Neuron), digital additive & analog FM
- RF.LX° (Reflex), unstable analog
- SE.NS° (Sense), FM, digital additive & analog
- SH.RP° (Sharp Wave), FM & digital waveshaping
4MBIENCE Collection has been designed to make the most of controllers and keyboards equipped with at least 8 knobs. We've chosen 8 essential parameters so that you can easily get to grips with the most common USB and MIDI controllers.There's a ninth controller (Character) associated with the modulation wheel.
Of course, you can also control the instrument with a mouse.
4MBIENCE Collection review
Reviewed by Denis DION (FR)
4MBIENCE Collection review [volume 2]
Reviewed by Denis DION (FR)
4MBIENCE Collection review [volume 4]
Reviewed by Denis DION (FR)
Discover 4MBIENCE in video
4MBIENCE Volume 1
4MBIENCE Volume 2
4MBIENCE Volume 3
4MBIENCE Volume 4
TA.PE° from the Volume 4
Minimum system requirements
4MBIENCE is a collection of instruments for Kontakt, the full version is a must, you can use 4MBIENCE from Kontakt version 6.7 (Full, not Player).
In addition to the official recommendations of Native Instruments, we have determined that 4MBIENCE feels most comfortable with a 7th generation Intel i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM (16 recommended) and a screen with a minimum resolution of 1920x1080. 4MBIENCE doesn't take up much space on your hard drive (or SSD), 400MB is enough for its well-being. It is very fond of controllers (MIDI keyboards, pads, button controllers and others), we strongly advise you to take advantage of them.