Void & Vista have built a reputation for boutique Kontakt instruments that feel equal parts instrument and sound-design lab. FRAMES continues that line: a curated palette of prepared instruments, resonant objects, extended techniques, and experimental performances, captured in high detail and wrapped in a flexible engine. For film and trailer composers, it promises instant color and motion, a character box that rewards performance as much as programming.
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At its core, FRAMES organizes 40 multi-sampled sound sources across five families: Instruments, Objects, Effected, Textures, and Waves. Everything was recorded at 96 kHz with ultra-high-frequency microphones to preserve micro-detail when pitching or time-bending. The library installs at roughly 16 GB and ships with 300+ curated snapshots. FRAMES runs in Kontakt / Kontakt Player and is NKS-ready.
FRAMES’ snapshots are grouped into Highlights (curated favorites), Designed (pads, motions, drones, textures, keys, basses, SFX, leads), and Foundations (per-source essential presets). Most factory snapshots are pre-mapped to the mod wheel for meaningful, musical changes, so moving a single controller can shift density, brightness, or movement in real-time.
FRAMES – Main GUI
USER INTERFACE
FRAMES presents a sleek, dark interface with a clean main page. It contains seven core performance controls and a two-layer architecture. You choose a sound source for Layer A and Layer B, then blend them with Morph. Morph defaults to a crossfade, but can also act as a one-sided level control if you want to “reveal” a layer without losing the other. Sound sources load from the corners. The five sound families and their respective sub-categories make it easy to audition across Instruments, Objects, Effected, Textures, and Waves.
Let’s now take a closer look at the seven main controls at the top of the interface and their dedicated sub-menus: Dynamics adds orchestral-style expression. Its page provides per-layer level/pan, a Dampening option (dynamic-linked filtering), and an optional velocity tie-in for MIDI control. The Spread control sets the stereo voice distribution. A same/opposite mode makes one note feel like a wide, moving composite or a single glued voice.
FRAMES – Dynamic Menu
Filter offers LP/BP/HP filtering with shared resonance and keytracking, plus Spacing to offset Layer B’s cutoff from A. Dedicated Rumble filters protect the low end when you’re abusing pitch tricks.
Motion routes two cross-mod LFOs (amp/pitch/filter/pan), with retrigger, fade-in, BPM sync, and even LFO1→LFO2 rate/amp modulation for complex rhythmic evolutions.
FRAMES – Motion Menu
Ensemble adds extra voices per layer with width/detune. An optional 5ths/7ths/octaves control lets you dial in instant harmony, and a syncable ping-pong Cascade control can be used for call-and-response textures.
Lo-Fi blends noise, warble, tone, and saturation effects, ranging from subtle glue and grittiness to filthy decay and tape wobble. The four different lo-fi modes let you choose between different flavors of sonic degradation.
FRAMES – LoFi Menu
Character is a parallel, three-stage effects chain controlled by a single dry/wet macro on the front panel. It has two views:
The Preset Browser shows complete, ready-made chains (from subtle “utility” polish to extreme sound mangling), filterable by tags. You can save & load user presets to build a personal toolkit. The Effect Chain Editor has three slots, and each slot can load any of 22 effects (including several that are unique to Void & Vista’s instruments). Because the chain is parallel, you can blend processing in without losing the core tone.
FRAMES – Character Menu
Space is a tail-safe send to a parallel delay+reverb. Tail-safe means that you can ride the send without chopping off reverb tails. The reverb runs from a tight 0.5s decay to incredibly vast reverb times of up to 20s. The Size, Mod, and Tone controls can be used for further tone shaping.
FRAMES – Space Menu
The Envelope section is accessed by clicking on the little arrow icon above the ADSR symbol. The control options go deep without getting fussy: you get per-layer amp/filter/pitch envelopes, sample-start offset of up to ~4 seconds to find alternate timbres within a single recording, as well as per-layer glide envelopes (with intensity limits) so only one layer can slide between notes. Finally, there is another Cascade slider that delays Layer B (syncable) to separate gestures.
FRAMES – Envelope Controls
FRAMES’ Pitch tools are easy to overlook, but they’re where a lot of its personality lives. You get three distinct approaches:
Note Pitch (per layer): harmonize musically in 5ths, 7ths, or octaves without touching timbre.
Sample Pitch (per layer): classic detune/pitching for chorusy width or bite.
Zone Shift (per layer): our favorite: it changes which key-zone sample you hear while keeping the note you play in tune.
In practice, Zone Shift acts like a timbre & energy dial for a patch. Push it positive and FRAMES pulls lower-zone samples up: the same note gets brighter and quicker (faster transients, more chatter). Pull it negative, and FRAMES pulls higher-zone samples down, which means the same pitch turns darker and slower. This makes it an awesome tool for tension that breathes. Because it’s decoupled from pitch, you can keep harmony fixed while steering feel and color. This is extremely useful in film/trailer cues when you need to tighten or relax a texture without changing notes. You can even set Zone Shift to follow velocity or randomize per key-press for organic variety across a held harmony or ostinato.
That means one preset can practically cover three acts: start slightly negative for slow dread, reset to neutral as story pressure rises, and retrigger notes with a positive setting for a sharper, more energized version of the same texture. Drones, pads, keys, even bowed objects all benefit, especially given FRAMES’ 96 kHz sample fidelity, which keeps detail intact when you’re “timbre-shifting” aggressively.
One caveat (and a wish): at the moment, Zone Shift doesn’t affect a note already held. You’ll hear the change only on retrigger, which seems like a missed opportunity. It would be fantastic if a future update lets us automate Zone Shift mid-note for continuous textural morphs. Imagine the possibilities!
Global MIDI mapping supports CC/aftertouch per performance control, voice limits (from mono to 64 voices), key range, and per-layer pitch-bend for expressive split bends.
IN PRACTICE
For trailers and film scoring, FRAMES shines as a fast way to sketch an atmosphere and then steer it in real-time. Most presets are mapped to the mod wheel, so a held chord already breathes and evolves, which is ideal for building tension under dialogue without adding extra tracks. When you need a lift into a cut or title card, the Morph control becomes a musical fader that ranges from hush to high-pressure. You can automate a slow crossfade between two layers that carry different motion or filtering, and it feels like an arrangement change, not just a mix move.
For big cinematic moments, the engine gives you weight and width without messy build-ups. Ensemble adds fifths/octaves for instant size, and its Cascade can ping-pong those voices for a call-and-response feel. Spread with opposite mode widens a single note so it fills the stereo field but stays coherent. Pair that with a small Cascade delay on Layer B, and you get movement that reads on small speakers without smearing the midrange.
FRAMES – Snapshots
Finishing touches can often be applied inside the instrument. Character (the parallel three-stage FX chain) handles tone and drive, from subtle glue to bold color, while Space provides a lush reverb/delay you can ride for transitions. If you prefer to match production sound or ADR ambience, Convolve accepts drag-and-drop IRs, so you can “worldize” textures to the scene’s space or even go completely experimental.
When you’d rather design from raw materials, the Foundations bank exposes the underlying instruments and objects. With sample start offset, glide envelopes, and per-layer pitch/filter envelopes, it’s easy to turn a single source into a signature cue element, from a breathy prepared piano tremor to a glassy riser built entirely in FRAMES.
The recordings are distinctive and clean without feeling sterile, which is exactly what you want when you’re amplifying their quirks. Capturing at 96 kHz pays off when you lean on pitch workflows (Zone Shift, Sample Pitch). You can drive sounds brighter/darker and faster/slower while keeping most of the detail intact. The Waves and low-leaning Drones give you grounded weight that props up a cue without swallowing it. Instruments and Objects add tactile motion that plays well under dialogue. Textures bring an airy halo or grainy hush you can push forward or keep subliminal. Try Highlights like “Heavy-Hearted” or Designed pads such as “Echoing Ruins” to get a feel for the range FRAMES offers.
FRAMES – Sound Sources
The real appeal is how performable these textures feel. Many presets reveal secondary gestures over time: little swells, rustles, or harmonics that unfold if you hold your chord and work the mod wheel. It’s easy to cover a scene arc starting with quiet unease, rising pressure, release – and all that inside a single patch – which keeps your palette consistent and your session lean.
FRAMES is a thoughtfully designed instrument that rewards both quick writing and deep sculpting. It’s immediate enough to start a cue in seconds, yet deep enough to support custom signatures with Zone Shift, multi-stage envelopes, cross-mod LFOs, ensemble harmonies, and a powerful parallel FX chain. If your work touches psychological drama, modern documentary, ambient electronica, or hybrid trailer cues, FRAMES is a highly useful addition that brings new timbres and movement into familiar workflows.
Pros
Characterful palette of prepared/experimental sources
Expressive Morph + Zone Shift features
Deep but clear engine
Space/Character sections make finalizing inside the instrument easy
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Void & Vista have built a reputation for boutique Kontakt instruments that feel equal parts instrument and sound-design lab. FRAMES continues that line: a curated palette of prepared instruments, resonant objects, extended techniques, and experimental performances, captured in high detail and wrapped in a flexible engine. For film and trailer composers, it promises instant color and motion, a character box that rewards performance as much as programming.
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationOVERVIEW
At its core, FRAMES organizes 40 multi-sampled sound sources across five families: Instruments, Objects, Effected, Textures, and Waves. Everything was recorded at 96 kHz with ultra-high-frequency microphones to preserve micro-detail when pitching or time-bending. The library installs at roughly 16 GB and ships with 300+ curated snapshots. FRAMES runs in Kontakt / Kontakt Player and is NKS-ready.
FRAMES’ snapshots are grouped into Highlights (curated favorites), Designed (pads, motions, drones, textures, keys, basses, SFX, leads), and Foundations (per-source essential presets). Most factory snapshots are pre-mapped to the mod wheel for meaningful, musical changes, so moving a single controller can shift density, brightness, or movement in real-time.
USER INTERFACE
FRAMES presents a sleek, dark interface with a clean main page. It contains seven core performance controls and a two-layer architecture. You choose a sound source for Layer A and Layer B, then blend them with Morph. Morph defaults to a crossfade, but can also act as a one-sided level control if you want to “reveal” a layer without losing the other. Sound sources load from the corners. The five sound families and their respective sub-categories make it easy to audition across Instruments, Objects, Effected, Textures, and Waves.
Let’s now take a closer look at the seven main controls at the top of the interface and their dedicated sub-menus: Dynamics adds orchestral-style expression. Its page provides per-layer level/pan, a Dampening option (dynamic-linked filtering), and an optional velocity tie-in for MIDI control. The Spread control sets the stereo voice distribution. A same/opposite mode makes one note feel like a wide, moving composite or a single glued voice.
Filter offers LP/BP/HP filtering with shared resonance and keytracking, plus Spacing to offset Layer B’s cutoff from A. Dedicated Rumble filters protect the low end when you’re abusing pitch tricks.
Motion routes two cross-mod LFOs (amp/pitch/filter/pan), with retrigger, fade-in, BPM sync, and even LFO1→LFO2 rate/amp modulation for complex rhythmic evolutions.
Ensemble adds extra voices per layer with width/detune. An optional 5ths/7ths/octaves control lets you dial in instant harmony, and a syncable ping-pong Cascade control can be used for call-and-response textures.
Lo-Fi blends noise, warble, tone, and saturation effects, ranging from subtle glue and grittiness to filthy decay and tape wobble. The four different lo-fi modes let you choose between different flavors of sonic degradation.
Character is a parallel, three-stage effects chain controlled by a single dry/wet macro on the front panel. It has two views:
The Preset Browser shows complete, ready-made chains (from subtle “utility” polish to extreme sound mangling), filterable by tags. You can save & load user presets to build a personal toolkit. The Effect Chain Editor has three slots, and each slot can load any of 22 effects (including several that are unique to Void & Vista’s instruments). Because the chain is parallel, you can blend processing in without losing the core tone.
Space is a tail-safe send to a parallel delay+reverb. Tail-safe means that you can ride the send without chopping off reverb tails. The reverb runs from a tight 0.5s decay to incredibly vast reverb times of up to 20s. The Size, Mod, and Tone controls can be used for further tone shaping.
The Envelope section is accessed by clicking on the little arrow icon above the ADSR symbol. The control options go deep without getting fussy: you get per-layer amp/filter/pitch envelopes, sample-start offset of up to ~4 seconds to find alternate timbres within a single recording, as well as per-layer glide envelopes (with intensity limits) so only one layer can slide between notes. Finally, there is another Cascade slider that delays Layer B (syncable) to separate gestures.
FRAMES’ Pitch tools are easy to overlook, but they’re where a lot of its personality lives. You get three distinct approaches:
In practice, Zone Shift acts like a timbre & energy dial for a patch. Push it positive and FRAMES pulls lower-zone samples up: the same note gets brighter and quicker (faster transients, more chatter). Pull it negative, and FRAMES pulls higher-zone samples down, which means the same pitch turns darker and slower. This makes it an awesome tool for tension that breathes. Because it’s decoupled from pitch, you can keep harmony fixed while steering feel and color. This is extremely useful in film/trailer cues when you need to tighten or relax a texture without changing notes. You can even set Zone Shift to follow velocity or randomize per key-press for organic variety across a held harmony or ostinato.
That means one preset can practically cover three acts: start slightly negative for slow dread, reset to neutral as story pressure rises, and retrigger notes with a positive setting for a sharper, more energized version of the same texture. Drones, pads, keys, even bowed objects all benefit, especially given FRAMES’ 96 kHz sample fidelity, which keeps detail intact when you’re “timbre-shifting” aggressively.
One caveat (and a wish): at the moment, Zone Shift doesn’t affect a note already held. You’ll hear the change only on retrigger, which seems like a missed opportunity. It would be fantastic if a future update lets us automate Zone Shift mid-note for continuous textural morphs. Imagine the possibilities!
Global MIDI mapping supports CC/aftertouch per performance control, voice limits (from mono to 64 voices), key range, and per-layer pitch-bend for expressive split bends.
IN PRACTICE
For trailers and film scoring, FRAMES shines as a fast way to sketch an atmosphere and then steer it in real-time. Most presets are mapped to the mod wheel, so a held chord already breathes and evolves, which is ideal for building tension under dialogue without adding extra tracks. When you need a lift into a cut or title card, the Morph control becomes a musical fader that ranges from hush to high-pressure. You can automate a slow crossfade between two layers that carry different motion or filtering, and it feels like an arrangement change, not just a mix move.
For big cinematic moments, the engine gives you weight and width without messy build-ups. Ensemble adds fifths/octaves for instant size, and its Cascade can ping-pong those voices for a call-and-response feel. Spread with opposite mode widens a single note so it fills the stereo field but stays coherent. Pair that with a small Cascade delay on Layer B, and you get movement that reads on small speakers without smearing the midrange.
Finishing touches can often be applied inside the instrument. Character (the parallel three-stage FX chain) handles tone and drive, from subtle glue to bold color, while Space provides a lush reverb/delay you can ride for transitions. If you prefer to match production sound or ADR ambience, Convolve accepts drag-and-drop IRs, so you can “worldize” textures to the scene’s space or even go completely experimental.
When you’d rather design from raw materials, the Foundations bank exposes the underlying instruments and objects. With sample start offset, glide envelopes, and per-layer pitch/filter envelopes, it’s easy to turn a single source into a signature cue element, from a breathy prepared piano tremor to a glassy riser built entirely in FRAMES.
Related article: Spitfire Audio – Tenebra Review.
THE SOUND OF FRAMES
The recordings are distinctive and clean without feeling sterile, which is exactly what you want when you’re amplifying their quirks. Capturing at 96 kHz pays off when you lean on pitch workflows (Zone Shift, Sample Pitch). You can drive sounds brighter/darker and faster/slower while keeping most of the detail intact. The Waves and low-leaning Drones give you grounded weight that props up a cue without swallowing it. Instruments and Objects add tactile motion that plays well under dialogue. Textures bring an airy halo or grainy hush you can push forward or keep subliminal. Try Highlights like “Heavy-Hearted” or Designed pads such as “Echoing Ruins” to get a feel for the range FRAMES offers.
The real appeal is how performable these textures feel. Many presets reveal secondary gestures over time: little swells, rustles, or harmonics that unfold if you hold your chord and work the mod wheel. It’s easy to cover a scene arc starting with quiet unease, rising pressure, release – and all that inside a single patch – which keeps your palette consistent and your session lean.
Related article: Westwood Instruments – Novella Blackwater Review
CONCLUSION
FRAMES is a thoughtfully designed instrument that rewards both quick writing and deep sculpting. It’s immediate enough to start a cue in seconds, yet deep enough to support custom signatures with Zone Shift, multi-stage envelopes, cross-mod LFOs, ensemble harmonies, and a powerful parallel FX chain. If your work touches psychological drama, modern documentary, ambient electronica, or hybrid trailer cues, FRAMES is a highly useful addition that brings new timbres and movement into familiar workflows.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
FRAMES is available through Void & Vista online shop for £129/€153/$179.
FRAMES – VIDEO WALKTHROUGH
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