![](https://www.audiotechnology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Orchestral-Tools_Formby_Main-pichi.jpg)
Orchestral Tools: Formby
A free sampled ukulele instrument.
Collaborating with names such as Tom Holkenborg, Harry Gregson-Williams, and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Orchestral Tools is a small, independent company whose instruments are used by A-list Hollywood composers and underground Berlin up-and-comers alike. When it comes to capturing orchestral music, there aren’t many locations in the world that can compete with Teldex Studio, situated in Berlin. Boasting ideal acoustics for orchestral recordings, it is the largest independent recording facility in Germany, and with a 455-square-metre live room it is almost the same size as Abbey Road’s Studio One.
The relationship between Orchestral Tools and Teldex began in 2012 when the first installation of the Berlin Series ‘Woodwinds’ was recorded there. Since then, Teldex Studio has become the sonic home for Orchestral Tools, and has allowed it to reach new levels of orchestral sampling, delivering rich, detailed, and flexible instrument collections that will add new depth to symphonic compositions. As well as this, the studio has possibly the largest collection of vintage Neumann microphones in the world, making it the perfect space for recording orchestral collections.
Formby is a modern ukulele that neatly captures the whimsical nature of the instrument. It provides plenty of detail and playability, and offers up and down strokes, major and minor chords, and a choice of keyboard layout options. Whether you require cheerful strummed song accompaniments, a staccato emphasis on the off-beat, plucked chords and arpeggios, or delicate melody lines, Formby has you covered.
Formby can be accessed through the free SINEfactory library.