Native Instruments (http://www.native-instruments.com) has introduced Discovery Series: West Africa, an US$119 instrument that centers on the polyrhythmic grooves of traditional African music.

For use in Kontakt 4 and in the free Kontakt Player, the instrument provides the full sonic spectrum of a West-African percussion ensemble, and represents a versatile resource for film scoring as well as contemporary pop and club music styles, according to the folks at Native Instruments. The instrument recreates a typical six-person percussion ensemble centered around multiple types of Djembe and Dunun drums.

This setup is complemented by Calabash and Krin, as well as melodic instruments like the Kora and Bolon harp, various Balafons, the distinctive Ngoni, and the Fula flute. All instruments were recorded in Native Instruments' studios in Berlin.

West Africa features a sequencer that provides over 70 pre-programmed ensemble patterns with West-African grooves, complete with solos, fills and single hits that can be triggered via the keyboard. Patterns automatically sync to the tempo of a host sequencer, and can be edited or created from scratch using a visual interface.