While orchestral composers have long sought the perfect digital recreation of bassoon sounds, Spitfire Audio has answered this need with their latest offering, Abbey Road Orchestra: Bassoons, the twelfth installment in their prestigious Abbey Road Orchestra collection. Recorded in the legendary Abbey Road Studio One, this library captures the rich, velvety tones of two bassoons performed in ensemble configuration, providing composers with the essential bass and tenor voices needed to complete their woodwind sections.
Four-time GRAMMY® winner Simon Rhodes engineered the sessions, applying his expertise to capture the natural character and expressive range of these versatile instruments. The bassoon timbre, often compared to a resonant baritone voice, offers composers remarkable flexibility—from warm foundational bass lines to lyrical melodies and even playful staccato passages that bring compositions to life. This comprehensive library delivers 3GB of content, offering an impressive balance between quality and system requirements.
With up to 15 articulations included in the library, musicians can access everything from performance legato to marcato shorts and specialized effects. The core version derives from Abbey Road One: Orchestral Foundations and delivers Simon Rhodes’ signature “Mix 1” blend, combining multiple microphone perspectives into a balanced room sound that showcases Studio One’s distinctive acoustic qualities. The final tracks benefit from professional mastering, ensuring polished sound quality right out of the box.
Professional users seeking more control can upgrade to access 16 signal options, including Trees, Overheads, Outriggers, and Spot mics for precise sound shaping. Many composers find that having acoustic treatment in their studio space significantly enhances their ability to hear the nuanced timbral qualities of these meticulously sampled instruments. Available as a dedicated plug-in compatible with AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3 formats on both macOS and Windows systems, the library integrates seamlessly into professional workflows.
The core version includes two expressive legato patches—Performance Legato and Lyrical Legato—optimized for smooth melodic phrasing, while various articulations with emphasis (sfz), multi-tongued effects, and trills enhance realism in orchestral compositions. The woodwind ensembles feature pre-orchestrated high and low configurations with zippy staccatissimos that add energetic expression to any composition.
For composers seeking to complete their orchestral palette with authentic bassoon textures, Spitfire’s meticulous sampling approach provides a compelling solution that captures both the technical precision and emotional depth of these essential orchestral voices.
