When you hear of all the hardship occurring in war torn areas in modern times, it really puts it into perspective as to how easy some of us have it.
We must remember that there is still an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, a country that’s been under siege from unnecessary aggressive Russian attacks since February 2022.
One thing is for certain, we can always count on the power of music to bring light into the darkest of places. We recently spoke to Maks Histibe aka Histibe about a project of his that gave us a stark reminder of the world some of us are living in today. Swords To Ploughshares is a virtual music instrument compatible with any DAW, with real life field recordings taken by Histibe himself during an invasion which includes a plethora of unique sounds.
Some of these sounds include sirens, alarms, air raids and explosions along with more ambient and nature tones. With some assistance from Soundiron and Native Instruments, Maks has created something truly unique with 170 presets to assist cinematic, hip-hop, drum & bass and techno music producers with their creative projects.
Maks himself has released some music using Swords To Ploughshares and is in the process of producing an album solely using the virtual instrument. In this inspiring and humbling conversation we spoke about the project and the challenges he’s faced along the way.
There’s times where we need to be real, remember and appreciate the surroundings we are in, so watch the videos, read on below and make yourselves familiar and support the amazing project, Swords To Ploughshares…
Thank you for sharing this incredible project with us. What exactly is Swords To Ploughshares?
Swords To Ploughshares is an extraordinary sonic adventure in the form of a unique virtual music instrument aimed at transmuting the haunting echoes of war into a symphony of resilience and hope. It’s the first ever music instrument created from sounds of modern war, repurposed into a peaceful application. It’s derived from my field recordings captured in Kyiv, its surroundings, and later in the Carpathian Mountains during the initial months of the Ukraine invasion. This endeavour commenced in early 2022 amidst a tumultuous time. I transformed the chaos and weaponry intended for destruction into a tool, spreading my message around the world through this.
Wow. This is incredible. What is the goal for this project?
The goal is multifaceted. I feel like we need to spread the values of support and humanity without aggression and terror. Having experienced a lot of challenging moments in life, I aim to inspire something positive and spread this energy around even if it’s difficult at times. It involves redefining the narrative and creating a multi-genre music instrument that resonates with the spirit of transformation from something dark to something with a hope.
What was your thought process behind this, was it a spur of the moment idea or was it carefully planned considering the circumstances in your homeland?
The genesis of this project wasn’t impulsive but rather a deliberate introspection amid the circumstances of my homeland. It’s a part of modern history, documented in the form of a virtual music instrument.
Some really humbling circumstances, this is so unique. What kind of sounds come with Swords To Ploughshares?
Swords To Ploughshares empowers you to blend various layers of sounds from my field recordings to create original music and sound designs. It allows the addition of various effects chains and offers a wide range of parameters akin to a real-world professional synthesizer.
The library encompasses a diverse range of audio content, including sirens, alarms, air raids, blasts, impacts, ambient tones, sub-synth sustains, nature sounds, basslines, percussions, and more. By merging these sounds, you can craft complex melodies, textures, solo instruments, and synthesizers. Additionally, it facilitates the creation of unique percussion and cinematic drum sounds. With 170 presets catering to cinematic music, drum & bass, techno, hip-hop, songwriting, and more, this virtual instrument offers extensive creative possibilities.
That’s amazing! Did you face many difficulties or challenges whilst capturing sounds?
Capturing these sounds was an immersive challenge, navigating through physical and emotional landscapes, but each difficulty unveiled unique tones of humanity’s endurance. Unlike a Hollywood-style war SFX collection or a traditional instrument or sound library, these sounds were recorded in uncontrolled, real-world city and forest environments by an ordinary person, under less-than-ideal conditions, using basic handheld recording equipment during wartime. Needless to say, some edges remain naturally rough.
That will add to the whole experience on the user side indeed! Can the sounds in the library be customised and which software is it compatible with?
Anyone with global computer access can utilise it in their DAW via Kontakt Player and the NKS format, creating music, contributing to sound design, and making a difference through their creative work. We’ve packed the GUI with lots of great sound-shaping controls that give you the flexibility to warp the sound in many ways: Volume, Attack, Release, Transient Offset, Vibrato, and Octave layering. Glide enables legato and portamento leads. The LFO system, thirteen filters, and modulations like velocity, mod-wheel, expression, after-touch, key position, and step-sequencer for rich customisation. The arpeggiator gives control over direction, timing, swing, randomisation, and duration. Additionally, there are over 3 GB of WAV samples available for customisation. For non-Kontakt users, we’ve named each WAV file clearly by category and keywords and organized them for easy browsing and direct use in cinematic sound design, video games and media post-production work. I’d like to emphasize that musicians with disabilities will find the NKS format particularly useful. I’m also prepared to offer special discounted conditions for those unable to purchase the instrument at full price.
Wow, plenty there for producers far and wide. Was this a completely solo project for you or have you had some assistance?
I was responsible for creating the audio and visual content as an artist, while my friends from Soundiron, a well-known company that develops virtual instrument, provided invaluable support with development, equipment, and sponsorship for the project. I want to acknowledge that it was an amazing experience for me; it helped me to refocus on creating something during difficult times and prevent mental exhaustion. Additionally, I recently released an update with additional presets for Swords To Ploughshares, which were created in collaboration with sound designers and musicians from different parts of the globe, including Ukraine, the USA, Germany, New Zealand, Brazil, Sweden, the UK, Belgium, Canada, and even Armenia. My goal was to bring together various creative minds that share similar values and create unique presets for music production. I also want to acknowledge the support from Native Instruments, who assisted in encoding the NKS version and featuring it on their official website to support the project.
Awesome! Have you created any music using Swords To Ploughshares?
Yes, you can hear my own tracks created with it in the demo reel, such as Metal Sunrise and Swords To Ploughshares. They are fully composed using only my virtual music instrument. You can also listen to many other tracks from various artists who contributed to the track list with their demo tracks, showcasing what can be created using this tool. Additionally, I’m finishing an album called Metal Sunrise. It’s not yet released and still in progress, but I really hope it will be available next year. This album is really special and personal.
We wish you all the best for the album! You’re a man of many talents, has your creativity been disrupted much during these difficult times?
Challenges can’t halt creativity; they inspire evolution. These times have proven the ability to find melody amidst chaos and create harmony amidst dissonance. I’m now one hundred percent certain that music is healing; having a goal immensely helps. Many times, when I was feeling low, music helped me move forward. However, it’s not simple; it’s challenging to create amidst air raids, sporadic power outages during winter without cellular or internet connection, witnessing missile trails outside your windows at night, and waking up to loud explosions. It’s an experience on the edge, resembling scenes from a movie.
This has been so inspiring to be a part of, what you are doing during hardship is amazing my friend. Lastly, what are your plans for the future?
I continue to create music, videos, help my loved ones here in Ukraine, aiming to inspire others with my work. Completing my album, producing more music and sound libraries, and sharing a meaningful message are my goals. I aim to advocate for greater support among people and a reduction in aggression. Promoting more human values and transparency is crucial. We live in a world with diverse territories, and mutual respect is vital for a more comfortable, less challenging existence. With my website offering my virtual instruments, sample packs, and more, I’m determined to persist on this journey. Visit the site and contribute. Together, we can create ripples for a slightly better future for ourselves and our children.
