MNTRA Naada

Naada (नाद or Nāda) is the Sanskrit term for "sound" or "tone". Rooted in the ancient wisdom of Nada yoga, practitioners believe that sound waves, or nadas, serve as the invisible thread linking the outer and inner cosmos. According to this philosophy, the universe  itself resonates with the vibrations of nadas, hidden energies that connect all existence. With Naada, we present a contemporary instrument rooted in millenary practices and instruments from  both the north and south of India.

Ten years ago, MNTRA founder Brian D’Oliveira’s first trip to India sparked a profound
transformation, rekindling a connection to his Indian roots and childhood spent in an Ashram, and igniting a lifelong passion for the boundless world of Indian Classical Music. A decade later, guided by his teacher, the esteemed violinist Sangeeta Shankar, daughter of the legendary N. Rajam, we embarked on a collaborative journey to create a playable sound world highlighting India's rich musical tradition.

Our journey led us to some of India's finest musicians in Chennai, where we meticulously recorded instruments such as the South India Nadaswaram, and North India Sarangi, and Sarod. Back in our studio in the serene wintery woods of Québec, we enriched this collection with instruments gathered during our extensive travels across India—the male and female 

Tanpuras and Shruti box (both available in our free instrument Sur!), and percussion instruments like the Kanjira and Pakhawaj.

From the outset of this project, we also wanted to highlight the 22 shruti system, which gives precise access to the specific intonation and tuning of each note in a Raga. Informed by the research of Dr. Vidyadhar Oke, we incorporated presets that harness this system, offering a glimpse into the distinct characters of some of the most popular Ragas.

Unique to Naada is the Anahata—a custom-built one-of-a-kind Indian cello crafted in
collaboration with genius luthier Alexandre Letellier at Nouvelle Luthier Labs. With the resonance of 23 sympathetic strings and the deep warmth of its five main playing strings, we sampled the Anahata in long evolving performances that through round robins and sample start modulation (SSM), infinitely change spatial position and expression on every note highlighting its magical qualities.

To further extend the creative possibilities, we incorporated ambient field recordings from deep within South India's countryside and the vibrant community of Auroville, and then spent several weeks creatively processing and re-amping our recorded sources through a myriad of modular outboard and guitar pedals. This collection of sources creates a harmonious blend of past and present that are multifaceted and can be reinterpreted in a myriad of genres and rhythms.

Designed to inspire creativity across musical styles, Naada invites you to embark on your musical journey. Whether you're exploring ancient ragas or crafting new sonic landscapes, may Naada be your gateway to the universal vibrations that connect us all.

190+ Presets
40+ Presets with Shruti tuning
105 Instrument Sample Maps
Up to 20 Round Robins
Up to 4 Microphone Channels

Instrument Descriptions
Strings
Anahata (Long Dyn, Long Harmonics, Long Straight, Grained, Grained Dist, Shimmer Dist, Shimmer)
Custom Indian Cello with random expressive longbows. Each round-robin is positionally
different in a 180 stereo field. It was crafted in collaboration by genius luthier Alexandre Letellier at Nouvelle Luthier Labs. It has 23 sympathetic strings that resonate when playing the five main strings when bowed or plucked.
Ektar
Ektar single pluck. A drone lute consisting of a gourd resonator covered with skin.
Tanpura (Female, Male, Combined) 
Plucked string instrument notable for its role in providing a continuous drone that enriches the music's melodic and rhythmic flow. It features a hollow body made from a gourd and a long neck, with four strings tuned to the raga being performed. The Tanpura samples in this instrument map were crafted by the renowned Naeem Sitarmaker from Miraj.
Sarangi (Jhala Texture, Medium Stretched, Medium Stretched Low, Short, Short Stretched, Short Stretched Low)
The Sarangi is a medium-sized stringed instrument played with a bow. It has not frets, so it can produce a wide variety of tones and articulations. It has three strings and three resonant boxes of different sizes.
Sarod(Singles, Glissando Up, Tremolo, Grain Dist, Grain Pitched, Grain Verb, Dyn Overload, Dyn Shimmer, Dyn Verb, Trems Grain Octave, Trems Grain, Trems Wash,Up Dist) Plucked string instrument, with no frets, resonant strings, and a gourd resonant body.

Wind
Nadaswaram (Long, Long Stretched, Short, Short Stretched, Short Stretched Low,
Flutter, Flutter Stretched, Glissando Up, Rhythm, Rhythm Stretched, Detuned
Dream, Dist Verb, Dist Wah, Flange Hit, Grain Drone, Grain Ensemble, Grain
Octave, Low Dist Bass Bright, Low Dist Bass Wide, Low Dist Crackle, Noisy Tape,
Rumble Bass, Short Grain Octave, Short Grain, Short Tape, Verb Hit)
Wooden double reed instrument with a bell-like ending. It's one of the loudest reed
instruments in the planet, and its uses are varied in both North and South India.
Shruti Box (Long, Driven Sub, Overtones Dry, Overtones)
The Shruti Box, an essential accompaniment in Indian classical music and sound
meditative practices, is a hand-operated reed instrument used to provide a drone in a
fixed pitch or pitches. It supports vocalists and instrumentalists by offering a stable tonal foundation. Its simple design allows for continuous airflow through reeds, producing a sustained sound that can be adjusted to match the specific pitch requirements of any performance.

Percussion
Damaru (Texture 1, Texture 2, Texture 3)
Small 'Shiva' drums, made in a shape similar to an hourglass, with beaters tied to the
center, that when twisted hit both leather drum heads rapidly. For these sample maps
you'll hear two Damaru 'Shiva' spinning drums from Varanasi.
Kanjira (Modern Single, Modern Muted, Traditional Single, Far, Muted, Slide,
Texture, Rim Dist)
The Kanjira is a small South India Frame drum using a lizard skin.
Pakhawaj (Bass Face, Treble Face, PL)
Medium-sized goat skin drums with two heads to be played on both ends because they
have different diameters and sounds. It's placed sideways on the floor or a stand, and
the dominant hand usually plays the higher-pitched side. It's used commonly in Dhrupad
music.

FX (Soundscapes original and effected)
Auroville Day Ambience
Ambience captured during captured during early morning in Auroville. Sample Start
Modulation (SSM) option available.
Farm 4 AM Ambiences
Ambience captured during the dawn hours in the countryside of Tamil Nadu, with calls of
wild Peacocks. Sample Start Modulation (SSM) option available.
Farm Field Insects Ambience
Ambience captured during midday hours in the countryside of Tamil Nadu, with flies
buzzing around microphones. Sample Start Modulation (SSM) option available.
Farm Midday Birds Ambience
Ambience captured during the hours before dawn in the steps of an ancient forest in in
the countryside of Tamil Nadu. Sample Start Modulation (SSM) option available.
Farm Monsoon Ambience
Ambience captured during midday hours in the countryside of Tamil Nadu, with light
monsoon rains. Sample Start Modulation (SSM) option available.
Farm Night Ambience
Ambience captured during the hours before dawn in the steps of an ancient forest in in
the countryside of Tamil Nadu.
Pondycherry Restaurant Walla 
Ambience crowd wall captured at a roadside restaurant on the way to Puducherry.
Southern India Farm Dawn
Wild Peacocks Ambience
Ambience captured during the dawn hours in the countryside of Tamil Nadu, with calls of
wild Peacocks. Sample Start Modulation (SSM) option available.

Specs

• Recorded at 24-bit, up to 384 kHz
• Up to 4 stereo microphone positions
• 64-bit VST3/AU/AAX plugin for Windows & Mac OS (10.11+) including full M1+ Chip support.
• No fuss copy protection, simply install and the instrument is uniquely encrypted to be used within your system.
• Seamless download, updates, and installation within MNDALA 2 with a registered MNTRA account
• 105 sound sources, ranging from acoustic instruments to creatively processed sound maps and field recordings
• 24 GB installed, 50 GB recommended for setup
• Minimum 8GB of RAM and an i5 or better CPU required, SSD drive recommended
• Support for all popular VST/AU/AAX compatible DAW’s