Native Instruments – Amati Viola 2.0.0

Andrea Amati , an innovator in the art of luthier, is considered the inventor of the violin as we know it. His son Girolamo continued this tradition in the family workshop in Cremona and in 1614 created the oldest instrument of the quartet – the “Stauffer” viola.

AMATI VIOLA is part of Native Instruments’ Cremona Quartet series. Discoverer Andrea Amati is widely regarded as the inventor of the violin as we know it. His son Gerolamo continued this tradition in their family workshop in Cremona, and designed the Stauffer viola in 1614, making it the oldest instrument in the Cremona Quartet series.

During the recording process of this virtual instrument, the streets of Cremona fell silent as the council closed roads, car parks and urged residents to stay as quiet as possible. Meanwhile, inside the Auditorium Giovanni Arvedi, designed by acoustics pioneer Yasuhisa Toyota, Hamburg’s electronic instruments picked up every alto note with 32 carefully selected microphones placed throughout the room to digitally recreate the historic masterpiece.

The instrument contains 20 different professionally played articulations, each with up to five legato transitions. In addition, innovative vibrato technology with performance capture simulates the natural vibrato technique of a professional musician, while stereo-phase-matched dynamic crossfades eliminate phasing between dynamic transitions. The combination of these features makes AMATI VIOLA one of the most realistic and realistic recreated solo altos.