Review: New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 by 8Dio
For those looking for an all-in-one hybrid machine, New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 checks off all the right boxes allowing for surprisingly musical playback. I would have liked to see the developer put more resources into expanding the sample set rather than including an animation, but the new and powerful engine adds just about every bit of functionality I can think of.
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Review: New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 by 8Dio
When 8Dio’s original Hybrid Tools Vol 1 hit the scene in 2011 it was a harbinger of the hybrid sound that has come to dominate so many of the scores we hear today. With the release of the New Hybrid Tools Vol 1, 8Dio have repackaged the 906 samples in a powerful new interface.
New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 sells for $249 from 8Dio
Thoughts
I didn’t have a new copy of 8Dio‘s original Hybrid Tools Vol 1 release so I can’t do a comparison to the new updated version. I can say that the library had been heavily recommended in forums and from working composersm as it covers so many hybrid sound design needs yet allows for the ability to be used in musical, spacious (dare I say) cinematic ways.
This is in contrast to many hybrid libraries that focus on the immediacy of impacts that shock and awe! Not to say that Hybrid Tools Vol 1 can’t achieve those transformer-smacked-me-in-the-head levels of intensity, just that this library is capable of so much more.
The library comes with 10 main NKIs:Boomer, Distortion, Downers, Impacts, Mega Horns, Risers, Transformers, Whooshes, Rhythms and a Bonus Synths NKI. In addition, there are 30 presets NKIs. When flipping through these Presets I started to get an idea of just how far out the engine allows you to take the sample set.
The new engine for Hybrid Tools Vol 1 allows users to load up a single NKI preset (per category) for easy access to all articulations of that category. The new engine also allows for articulation stacking which can add to the creative sonic possibilities.
With the included Presets, I started to get an idea of just how far out the engine allows you to take the sample set.
The library’s functionality really shines with the addition of a sequencer with access to speed and pitch envelope controls as well as reverse sample playback with a single click. The tempo-sync’d Gate makes sculpting and evolving synth and hybrid sounds a breeze and this was a highlight of getting to know the new engine.
The developers touted Chaos FX Engine can take playback in entirely new directions and the ability to randomize all 1,500 FX settings with the CHAOS button can lead to unlimited and surprising possibilities.
What sold me on the New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 update is the controls and nuanced playback you are able to get out of the instrument. Controls like the Gate which really lends itself to morphing and growing the samples into unique ways that will have a huge range of uses depending on the loaded sample.
The thing that I really do like about this collection is that it’s not all bombastic and loud impacts. There’s a lot of delicacy and space and breath that you can get out of the library. This makes New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 a potentially very musical set of hybrid tools in my opinion.
Not to have too much of a fan-boy moment, but I think what really sold me on the instrument is the magnificent demo created by Bill Brown. The demo (below) really shows off the dynamics, space and depth you can get if you approach the instruments in a musical way.
The animated intro is cool but, does little for actual use of the instrument.
Seeing the animated intro is a “wow” moment that while impressive at first look, does little for actual use of the instrument. I would have liked to see the developer put more resources into expanding the sample set rather than including the animation. The 45 new synth samples sets are nice, but not a highlight for me. It would have been nice to get a collection of additional Boomers, Impacts and Mega Horns, as I can never get enough unique samples for those sounds.
Overall this library really does cover a great deal of ground, with tones of the hybrid sound that seems to last spanning from trailers to sound design for film, TV and video game scores, I think if you’re not already invested in a bunch of other smaller libraries from other developers, then New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 could be a great place to start a hybrid foundation all in on package.
Of course for owners of the previous version of the library. upgrading for just $29 seems like a no-brainer.
Facts
The New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 downloads as 1.92 GB and contains 45 Hybrid Synths and 30 New Presets. The library does require the full retail version of Kontakt 5.5 or higher.
New Hybrid Tools Vol 1 sells for $249 from 8Dio
