Key Features
- Play a sampled cymbal set with hi-hat, ride, crash and Chinese cymbals
- Build percussion parts with 68 stereo samples from the University of Iowa library
- Balance each cymbal independently with volume and pan controls
- Adjust the release of each cymbal to shape its decay
- Control amplitude dynamic range for softer and louder hits
- Route sounds through four stereo outputs for separate DAW processing
Description
Cymbalistic by Alan ViSTa is a sampled cymbal instrument for adding hi-hat, ride, crash and Chinese cymbal sounds to a production. Its 68 stereo, 24-bit samples come from the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios public domain library.
The instrument brings together eight cymbals: one hi-hat, one ride, four crashes and two Chinese cymbals. This focused selection makes it useful as a separate cymbal rack alongside an existing drum instrument or orchestral percussion arrangement.
Each cymbal has its own volume, pan and release controls, allowing you to balance the kit and adjust how long individual sounds ring. An amplitude dynamic range control provides another way to shape the difference between softer and louder hits.
Four stereo outputs give you options for routing cymbals into separate DAW channels for further mixing. Depending on your host, you may need to enable the extra output pairs before using them.
Cymbalistic is a cymbal collection rather than a complete drum kit, so it works best when paired with other drum or percussion sounds. Users have described using it in orchestral arrangements and as a separate cymbal rack, although the included selection is fixed.
The developer lists Windows and macOS versions in VST and Audio Unit formats, with the downloads accessed through the product page. Check your host and system compatibility before relying on an older plugin in a current project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cymbals are included?
The set contains one hi-hat, one ride, four crashes and two Chinese cymbals. It uses 68 stereo samples from the University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios library.
Can I mix the cymbals on separate tracks?
Cymbalistic provides four stereo outputs. You may need to enable additional output pairs in your DAW to route them to separate channels.
Does Cymbalistic include a complete drum kit?
No. It focuses on cymbals, so pair it with another instrument for kick, snare and tom sounds.
