SIM-MBIRA is a plugin designed to simulate an African Mbira and the westernised version called a Kalimba.
The instrument is sometimes referred to as a “thumb piano” based on the way it’s held in the hands and played by flicking the tines with the thumb nails and sometimes an index finger.
Mbiras produce a rattling or buzzing sound generated by objects attached loosely to the sound board/box and mounted on a metal plate. These “rattlers” were traditionally shells but are now often bottle caps or beads. Sometimes the Mbira is wedged inside a large dried and hollowed gourd housing to act as a resonating chamber.
Kalimbas don’t use rattlers and feature either a solid sound board or a hollow box to amplify and sustain the sound.
The instrument is sometimes referred to as a “thumb piano” based on the way it’s held in the hands and played by flicking the tines with the thumb nails and sometimes an index finger.
Mbiras produce a rattling or buzzing sound generated by objects attached loosely to the sound board/box and mounted on a metal plate. These “rattlers” were traditionally shells but are now often bottle caps or beads. Sometimes the Mbira is wedged inside a large dried and hollowed gourd housing to act as a resonating chamber.
Kalimbas don’t use rattlers and feature either a solid sound board or a hollow box to amplify and sustain the sound.
Downloads
Win 32 VST
(35.6 Mb)
Win 64 VST
(21.4 Mb)
(5 / 5)
Has a beautiful sound. Just what I needed.
(5 / 5)
Another excellent Quilcom plugin that emulates an acoustic instrument realistically. You may find it beneficial to tweak the sound and add reverb to make it really alive and truly like you have always wanted a Mbira to sound like, that is hard to get with sampled Mbira. Always looking forward to Quilcom plugins. They do the most interesting and groundbreaking new VST instruments.
(5 / 5)
Great, slim instrument with a lot of possibilities!
Does this vst work on pcs? Studio One GUI ?
(5 / 5)
Very good!