More than just a source of shaken percussion sounds, Klevgrand’s Skaka - a VST/AU/AAX desktop plugin and AUv3 iPad instrument - is designed to help you create shaker patterns that sound like they were played by an actual human being.
Skaka offers 12 slots, each of which can access one of eight shaker instruments (Egg, Shaker, Tambourine, Caxixi, Single Shot, Ghungroos, Calabash and Seeds). You can adjust the parameters of your sounds of choice and, crucially, each slot can have its own individual pattern, generated by the built-in sequencer.
The sequencer gives you control over the amount of shuffle/swing and offers an ‘advanced’ humaniser function. You can also divide the grid into triplets/quintuplets/septuplets, fine-tune the timing and use variable sequencer lengths. As a result, says Klevgrand, you can create shaker patterns that sound truly authentic.
That said, if you want instant gratification there are almost 200 ready-made patterns in a variety of genres and styles, plus a reverb, a room simulator and a high-shelf filter.
Skaka is available now for the introductory prices of £24.99 on PC and Mac, and $9.99 on iPad. Find out more on the Klevgrand website.
