Ronroco by Gustavo Santaolalla

For Gustavo, the ten-string ronroco (specifically the E-minor tuning he discovered and embraced) became a vessel for expressing identity beyond traditional boundaries. Its voice carries echoes of Andean roots but transcends them, finding its way into cinematic soundscapes and deeply personal compositions. It can whisper with introspection or soar with resonant emotion, capable of both grounding melodies and floating textures.

Gustavo himself performed every sample, pouring his distinct, non-traditional fingerpicking style and emotional nuance into each note. He was driven by the desire to capture the ronroco's specific character – the resonance of the wood, the breath between notes, the gentle touch of fingertips. We explored its full spectrum, its shadows and its light, to craft something that feels genuine, intimate and alive.

Gustavo Santaolalla is a true visionary – a composer, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose evocative soundscapes have left an indelible mark on both film and popular music globally. He achieved the rare feat of winning consecutive Academy Awards® for Best Original Score for Ang Lee's poignant Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Alejandro G. Iñárritu's sprawling Babel (2006). 

His instantly recognisable and deeply atmospheric scores also grace critically acclaimed projects like the video game phenomenon and subsequent hit HBO series The Last of Us, Walter Salles' Motorcycle Diaries, and Iñárritu's debut feature Amores Perros. Beyond his influential film work, Santaolalla is a seventeen-time Latin Grammy® Award winner and a pivotal figure in Latin Alternative music, having produced over 100 albums for groundbreaking artists such as Café Tacvba, Julieta Venegas, and Molotov. 

Ronroco by Gustavo Santaolalla offers a sophisticated yet intuitive experience across four main pages – Perform, Sequencer, Calibrate, and FX – designed to let you easily harness the instrument's unique character.  

Perform: Real-time Playability

This is your central hub for live playing, seamlessly integrating multiple performance approaches:  

Expressive Note Playing: 

Instantly capture Gustavo’s feel, playing melodies across the instrument's range, enhanced by a suite of keyswitch-activated articulations. Including realistic pre/post-note slides (up and down), sampled vibrato (plus additional simulated vibrato via Modwheel), and characterful half/whole-step 'twiddles', all performed by Gustavo. 

Up to seven round robins and four dynamic layers per note allow for incredibly realistic expression, with intelligent string selection that cycles through strings in a manner that’s true to Gustavo’s real life playing technique. 

Authentic Slurs & Noises: 

Perform automatic slurs (hammer-ons/pull-offs) by overlapping notes within playable legato intervals, controlled by velocity sensitivity. Add lifelike detail with dedicated keyswitches for diverse, velocity-sensitive string squeaks, shifts, and slides. Trigger fret noises automatically on sustain pedal release for realistic transitions (can be disabled for manual control).  

Intuitive Chord & Strum System: 

Effortlessly create authentic ronroco voicings and rhythms. Easily set chords by holding the 'Set Chord' keyswitch and playing a triad. Choose between 'Auto' voicing (which intelligently interprets major, minor, 7th, and sus chords for authentic ronroco voicings) or 'Manual' for full user control. Perform realistic up/down strums using dedicated keys (yellow keys), including a string hit articulation. Control strum speed and humanization for organic variation.  

Arpeggio & Tremolo Control: 

Play individual chord strings arpeggio-style using the String Keys (blue keys) or trigger lush major/minor tremolo chords based on the current selection using the dedicated Tremolo Key. Control the tremolo attack/release envelope and start behavior (strum or fade-in).  

Performance Effects: 

Utilise the 'Fix String' keyswitch to lock playing to a specific string, effective for certain slide techniques. Engage open-string switches for specific strings to create fluid, ringing chord changes and textures. Control how chord changes respond (Squeaks, Stops, Sustain). Manage the unique octave-doubled third string manually or automatically.  

Sequencer: Instant Authentic Rhythm

Craft intricate patterns and rhythmic beds with a powerful, yet easy-to-use sequencing engine:  

Flexible Sequencing: Utilise a fully customizable 4-bank, 32-step (max) sequencer. Activate/deactivate notes per string for each step. Define articulation (style switches) and strum direction (picked, up, down) per step. Control volume per step relative to playing velocity.  

Authentic Rhythms:

Load presets containing MIDI patterns derived from authentic ronroco rhythms and arpeggiation styles interpreted from Gustavo's playing. The library also carefully recreates playing articulations like upstrokes and downstrokes, crucial for capturing the instrument's true sound, especially on the octave-doubled third string. 

Creative Control:

Set sequence length (Bars), Time Signature, and Rate (step division). Adjust Strum Speed, Humanise Strums (randomness), Humanise Steps (timing), and Swing amount for organic feel. Define chord and sequence release behaviors.  

DAW Integration:

Easily record your performance within the sequencer, including chord changes, and simply drag and drop the resulting MIDI directly into your DAW project. Load and save your own sequence patterns.  

Calibrate: Tailoring the Feel

Fine-tune the instrument's global settings to suit your needs:  

• Adjust overall Volume, Stereo Width, and the balance between Close and Far microphone positions.  
• Control the level of Fret Noise and whether noises trigger on pedal release.  
• Manage the instrument's Dynamic Range (compression) and shape the note Attack envelope.  
• Optionally blend in the authentic Room Tone from Gustavo's own studio where the ronroco was recorded.  
• Configure String Setup order.  

The FX Page: Shaping the Atmosphere

Add professional polish and ambience with three integrated effects:  

• Choose from high-quality Convolution Reverb, Algorithmic Reverb, and Delay.  
• Easily activate, bypass, and adjust parameters for each effect module.