All-in-one sound libraries. Your thoughts ...?

[PeterD]

Hey Everyone!

I just watched a product demo video on Native Instruments Komplete 8 Ultimate. Looks pretty interesting! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0pxLt-TgcY

Any thoughts? I really need to update my sounds, but don't know if I should go value-bundle or individual category components.

On a side note, I was BLOWN AWAY with the Korg M1 in 1989. I was like, "THIS is IT!!!" 5 years later, it was all washed up. Then my mouth dropped when the Triton was unveiled. At the end of its life, the OASYS, M3, & Kronos were introduced. The sounds definitely got better, but the user became overhwelmed with features and "instant music" buttons and whistles. Thats all well and good, but where are sound libraries headed? Can the samples really get any better than they are? Or can any non-musician make better music on their cell phone than a seasoned vet?

With whatever route I go, I need a library to satisfy me for 10 years or so.

Am I asking too much? haha
Thanks!
Pete

[mazz]

Pete,

Unless you're using only "Classic" sounds like Wurlitzer Electric Pianos or Rhodes, B3, etc., then synth sounds will go out of fashion and 10 years is a long time in the world of sound libraries. Even orchestral libraries have a "sound" to them. Let's face it, we're on a never ending journey when it comes to sounds if we choose to compete in the marketplace and stay current.

I think Komplete 8 is a really great collection of libraries and synths that will keep you busy for a long time, but not for 10 years, alas. Komplete is a top notch general collection, particularly the Kontakt libraries and then you can begin filling in with more targeted libraries as you find the gaps that you'd like to fill. No one collection does everything to the depth that a more focused collection does, but Komplete is pretty darn good at a whole lot of things and getting better with every upgrade.

I had an M1 as well and squeezed a lot of music out of it, but like everyone else, I wore out that pan flute patch!!!

HTH,

Mazz

[cardell]

Let's face it, we're on a never ending journey when it comes to sounds if we choose to compete in the marketplace and stay current.

Well, at least you guys can change your sounds to stay current. What do you do when your singing style (and the sound of your voice) is not current anymore?

Stuart

[Len911]

I'd say of most value is the Kontakt, sampler, and it's only $150 less if bought individually. I don't have it but there are times I wish I did, because there are many really great third party sample libraries that require the full version. Of course with a sampler you can make and effect and mangle your own samples, most flexible in sound design.

[playagibson]

It's definitely worth the money.
There's lots of great stuff and in time we always add more.
The vintage compressors are great !
Not to mention having guitar rig, studio drummer and Abbey Road.

[matto]

Peter,

Komplete 8 Ultimate is a rather superb collection of sounds and instruments and a lot of fantastic music could be made using only it (I own it so I know first hand). Whether or not it is the best value for *your* money depends largely on which styles of music you aim to compose in.

So if you want more targeted advice you'd need to give us more specifics.

All that being said, 10 years is a mighty long time..I was just going over this in my head and I don't believe I still use a single 'multi purpose' sound library that I used back in 2002...although I *am* still using certain individual sounds.
So I would expect that the majority of K8U will be obsolete 10 years from now, but some individual sounds may still be part of your sound pallette.

K8 Ultimate commands a fairly steep price, so, again depending on the music you aim to write, you might be better off getting just Komplete 8 (non Ultimate) and spend the money you save by going that route on one or two 'specialist' libraries that give you some more 'depth' in the areas most useful to you.

matto

[PeterD]

All VERY good points!!

I'm embarassed to admit, ALL (minus any guitars/vocals) of my writing has been done on a Korg Triton le. ALL factory presets. No tweeking of any kind. Only adding effects and hoping I can mix the sounds nicely and come up with decent drum/bass grooves.

All my songs are INCREDIBLY dated sounding (good for anything 70's through 90's) and ANY current "ANYTHING" would make such an improvement!! I guess I'm looking for maximum bang for buck, in an all-purpose library.

Most of my pieces are easy-going, adult/R&B, Jazzy/pop, and a little rock. I would LOVE to tackle more complex scoring-type pieces, but only a convincing LASS or something like that will do. Dance music comes easy to me as well, but my 1992 house stuff isn't going to get ANY air play. : ( Oh well ... Back in the day, I'd drop $1,500 on a new keyboard and live with whatever it could do. I think $1,000 for 14,400 sounds & effects if a pretty cool deal. It'll take me YEARS to make a dent! haha

That said, anyone know of something that would fit "me" ?

Thanks again!!!

[mazz]

You could do hundreds of modern sounding dance tracks and never leave the instruments in Komplete, including Battery, Massive, Kontakt, FM8, Reaktor.

I just bought a bank of dubstep patches for Massive and there are hundreds if not thousands of third party libraries for Kontakt and even Battery. Kontakt and Battery are "open" enough that they will probably be around for a long time and it's simply a matter of finding sound libraries or rolling your own as you and the styles progress.

Remember that you'll also need to do research on the latest styles and productions or you'll still sound like 70s through 90s only with updated sounds! Kind of like me thinking I can still wear those skinny jeans I wore 20 years ago!!

I honestly don't think you can go wrong with Komplete for modern stuff, plus it has really fantastic classic synth and keyboard sounds that seem to never go out of style plus some great basses and drum kits for more "regular" productions.

Then, as mentioned before, you can start adding in as you feel is necessary to close some of the gaps (all libraries have gaps!).

One more thing: Make sure your computer is pretty modern, all those instruments will chew up CPU cycles, noting is for free in this world!!

Good luck!

Mazz

[mojobone]

You could do hundreds of modern-sounding anything without leaving the Triton, barring a few of the harder to emulate instruments, like pedal steel. The key to extending the life of any axe or sound set is in learning to program, but I grok that such can be a daunting task, given a synth that's capable of six or seven varieties of synthesis, plus sampling. I'm still using a Korg X5, a beefed-up variant of the good ol' M1, but I know the operating system and the sound set pretty well, by now, and can generally concoct much of what I need but can't yet afford. (though I'm increasingly resorting to outboard for additional sample-mangling and FX, heh)

My general feeling is that mega-bundles are often a way for a company to recycle some less useful/profitable products and extend their shelf-life; better (imo) to get the full version of Kontakt, and save money for sampled instruments that close the gaps in your current sounds set, and/or move you closer to specific musical goals, but those goals are different for everybody. OTOH, the Scarbee stuff in that bundle is pretty cool, and I believe the Kirk Hunter strings are in there, too...might be worthwhile, if it matches your particular needs.

[mikeymike2000]

hey Pete,

one would think that now-a-days with hyper sampled live instruments with every articulation known to man will be all that we need for the rest of our lives but I can tell you as soon as you get one library you will love it and then be on the look out for others.

Take a few weeks to decide and get the most you can afford. NI is awesome. Buy as much as you can without financing and then use only it until you have mastered every nuance it provides before going out for another one.

It will be an endless itch. What ever one you like best is the best for you. I went to a physical store to audition my library before I bought it to hear the raw samples. If you can find one of those big national music stores in your area, go test it out live first. This way you know exactly what you are getting. Not just basing it off of someone else's streaming demo. For the amount you are going to spend it is well worth the trip out even if you don't take it home that day.